Pittsburgh

My first article in this series, "AFC North Drafting, 2001-2012: An In-Depth Look," compared the AFC North and the New England Patriots to the league average in two areas: how good a job they did choosing players, and how well they developed the talent they drafted. You can click the link above to find out what conclusions I came to. But there are a lot of other questions one can explore with the data I compiled. Today on BTSC: Miller's knee Woodley on conditioning Sanders' contract Hawthorne on crutches One of the things I've always wondered when draft discussions inevitably go to the question of trading up or down is, how much sense does either strategy make? I ran across an article discussing whether in the new era of reasonably-priced rookie contracts Bill Belichick, considered the king of NFL horsetrading, will change his strategy of trading down for more picks and, if anything, trade up for less of them. The author supported the supposition by noting Belichick had actually traded away a couple of picks in the 2012 draft to move up. However, the article was written before this year's draft, and Belichick was back to his normal form, trading down to grab more picks. (Regrettably I didn't bookmark the article, and naturally I can't find it to save my life.) But I think characterizing Belichick in this way is far too broad a brush to paint with. I decided to try and determine how much he trades, and how effective his trading strategies really are. Let's look again at the chart from the previous article, but just with the league average and New England's performance in it: New England's best drafts by far since 2001, compared to the league average, are 2003, 2005, and 2010. (It's probably still too soon to properly evaluate 2010, so I'm going to confine myself to '03 and '05. What I found was mind-boggling. It took me a couple of hours to sort out what happened in the 2003 draft. I expect many teams felt the same sense of "what just happened?" as I did. The Patriots began the draft with the following picks, just for being the Patriots, as it were: Nos. 19, 50, 81, 120, 157, 193, and 234. Of those picks, they actually only used Nos. 120 and 234, and even No. 120 went around the block a few times. Woodley ignoring unnamed teammate's comments Steelers OLB LaMarr Woodley isn't listening to alleged comments made by an unnamed teammate this offseason in regards to his conditioning In addition to these seven picks they had acquired the following picks from other teams: No. 14 (traded Drew Bledsoe, QB, to BUF for their '03 1st round pick); No. 140 (part of a 2002 trade with DAL); No. 154 (traded Greg Randell, OT to HOU in 2002); No. 225 (traded Grant Williams to Rams); Nos. 78, 239, and 2004 fourth-round pick (traded Tebucky Jones to NO); and No. 128 (traded Terry Glenn to the Packers in 2002.) They also picked up selections in most of the player trades. The Patriots then began the draft with 14 selections, as follows: Round 1: 14, 19 Round 2: 50 Round 3: 78, 81 Round 4: 120, 128 Round 5: 140, 154, 157 Round 6: 193 Round 7: 225, 234, 239 There were a number of complicated trades, including the one in which the Patriots traded picks Nos. 50 and 120 to the Panthers to move up to No. 45 in the second round, and then traded a bunch of stuff to the Broncos to get No. 120 back. Here's what they ended up with (original picks in brackets—no comp picks): Round 1: [14, 19] 13 Round 2: [50] 36, 45 Round 3: [78, 81] No pick Round 4: [120, 128] 117, 120 Round 5: [140, 154, 157] 164 Round 6: [193] 201 Round 7: [225, 234, 239] 234, 239, 243 This may not look like they did particularly well. They purveyed 14 picks, including two first-round picks, into 10 picks, with almost a third of those being seventh-rounders and only one first-round pick. However, they also got the Raven's 2004 first-round pick, the Dolphin's 2004 second-round pick, and the Redskin's 2004 fourth-round pick. But what makes thi

The Pittsburgh Penguins took care of business on Wednesday night by thrashing the Ottawa Senators 7-3 in Game 4 at Scotiabank Place. Sidney Crosby and company now hold a commanding 3-1 lead in the Eastern Conference semifinal and can close out the series in Pittsburgh on Friday. James Neal and Jerome Iginla led the way with two goals each while Crosby, Pascal Dupuis and Chris Kunitz also scored for the Penguins. It was the Sens though that came out flying in the opening period and they took the lead just 2:29 into the game through Milan Michalek. Kyle Turris then restored Ottawa’s advantage less than two minutes after Neal had tied things up. However, Pittsburgh stormed back with two goals from Kunitz and Iginla in the first 1:48 of the second period to take a 3-2 lead that it would not relinquish. Crosby commended his team for not hanging their heads after the opening 20 minutes and said they knew the goals would come eventually. “It would have been easy to get frustrated after the first period with how that went and the chances we created,” he stated. “We trusted the way we played and ended up getting some goals. It’s always great to see your teammates have success.” Special teams play then helped the Penguins pull away in the third frame as Neal scored his second of the game on the power play before Dupuis took the air out of the building with a short-handed goal. Crosby and Iginla also found the back of the net before Daniel Alfredsson scored a consolation goal late in the final period. Alfredsson wasn’t too concerned about the heavy defeat though and expects his team to exact a measure of revenge in Game 5. “I know what we are going to do,” he said. “We are going to go out and play one hell of a game. That doesn’t worry me at all. We never quit and that’s not going to stop now.” It remains to be seen whether the Ottawa Senators will stave off elimination when they travel to the Consol Energy Center to face the Pittsburgh Penguins on Friday night. Pittsburgh Penguins Rout Ottawa Senators in Game 4 is a post from: The Inquisitr

Thursday is final day of the Pittsburgh Steelers first OTA session of the 2013 season and on Wednesday Mark Kaboly of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review passed along a little nugget on Twitter about the secondary that's worth mentioning. Kaboly reported that the Steelers plan to use cornerback Cortez Allen in the slot on nickel downs in 2013, and that sounds like a solid plan. Last season, Allen played well in the slot as Pro Football Focus has him logging 204 coverage plays at that position while only giving up 26 receptions in 43 times thrown at for 237 yards with no touchdowns allowed and one interception. Read more [...]

Two reports list Gerrit Cole as a number two starter. Two different reports went up this morning about Pittsburgh Pirates top prospect Gerrit Cole. Both reports were similar, possibly seeing the same start from the right-hander, and the takeaway from both reports could challenge the idea that Cole is the top prospect in the system. **Mark Anderson of Baseball Prospectus scouted Cole on Sunday (h/t Ed Giles), which was his worst start of the year. Cole gave up eight runs on six hits and three walks in 5.2 innings. Anderson noted that Cole has good pitches, but had command issues with his fastball (average command), slider (average), and changeup (below average). He also noted that Cole looked emotional on the mound, and showed frustration with his teammates and umpires who did him no favors. Anderson said that Cole’s stuff got better when he was angry, which makes me think a Gerrit Cole/Incredible Hulk photoshop from Rumbunter is in our future. Overall Anderson said that Cole could be a number one starter, but something was holding him back, and projected him as a high number two starter. **Al Skorupa of RotoGraphs also scouted Cole recently, and while he doesn’t note which start he saw, the reports sound the same. Skorupa noted that Cole was easily rattled on the mound when calls went against him. He also noted that Cole was missing his spots, and said he needs to tighten up his command and control. He says that the potential is there for Cole to be one of the best starters in the game, but projects him as a number two starter or a high-end number three. I’ve been talking about Cole’s lack of command all season as the reason he’s been struggling, so it’s not a surprise to see both reports mention that. Both reports are the same in that they say Cole has the stuff to be a number one starter, but both feel something is holding him back and have him as a number two. It’s possible that both reports came on the same day. Having two reports saying Cole is a number two starter draws concerns, but if it’s two reports on the same start, it might as well just be one report. That’s not discrediting either report. Cole definitely has some command problems, and I agree that something is holding him back. I’ve been saying for weeks that he’s not ready right now. The Pirates also don’t need him with Charlie Morton and Jeff Karstens returning soon. At this point they should focus on the 2014 season for Cole. Don’t even worry about trying to get him up in 2013 just because that’s what people want to see. There’s a bigger need for Cole in 2014. There’s more value in Cole working on his command in 2013, rather than getting a few extra starts in the majors and adding to what will soon be a crowded pitching staff. I still think Cole has number one upside, and he definitely has number one stuff. As for whether he can get there, I think there’s less optimism on that front now than there was in previous seasons.

June 2 Bike Fresh Bike Local  Start / Finish: Ice Rink at North Park. Allison Park, PA Cost: $40 in advance, $45 walk-in Fundraising Minimum: N/A Overnight: N/A Route: 25-Mile Route, 50-Mile Route, 75-Mile Route PASA’s Bike Fresh Bike Local-Allegheny County ride offers different route options to make this the perfect ride for those who haven’t been on their bike in a while to cyclists looking for a challenge. Get your family, friends, and co-workers out this spring to appreciate the beautiful landscapes and farmland of Allegheny County and see where your food comes from! June 7-8 Escape to the Lake: MS 150 Start/Finish: Seneca Valley High School/Conneaut, Ohio Cost: $45 Fundraising Minimum: $300.00 Fundraising Deadline: July 14, 2013 Overnight: Allegheny College, Meadville Route: 2013 Routes (routes may change) As the longest running charity bike ride in our area, Bike MS: Escape to the Lake promises to be the best cycling experience of your life! Ordinary people, just like you, are taking extraordinary challenges to make this a world free of MS. Are you up for the challenge? We welcome novice to experienced cyclists and will help you train, and fundraise! We make participating easy! Ride with 1,400 cyclists of all ages and cycling abilities for a challenge like none other. You will start just north of Cranberry Township in Harmony, PA and will pass through the best scenery western Pennsylvania has to offer. You ride through farm country, cycle in the shade of state parks, up the challenging Pennsylvania inclines and finishing on the shores of Lake Erie, Conneaut, OH. June 14 Pittsburgh’s Lost Cyclist An Evening with David Herlihy Location:  The Brew House Art Gallery. 2100 Mary Street Pittsburgh PA 15203 Time: 7:00pm Cost: Free ABOUT FRANK LENZ On May 15th, 1892, Frank Lenz, an accountant from Pittsburgh, persuaded the editor of Outing Magazine to send him around the world on a prototype of the modern bicycle. In front of the post office in downtown, Pittsburgh Lenz began his journey on what is now the Great Allegheny Passage. Lenz travelled to Washington D.C. and New York before heading west. Two years into his epic journey, after crossing North America and Asia, Lenz disappeared in Turkey.  Despite the international outcry and search, neither his body nor bicycle was ever found. Still, he succeeded in proving that cycling offered practical and enjoyable transportation, and his ardent advocacy helped to spark the great bicycle boom of the 1890s.  The Frank Lenz proclamation will be presented to the Western Pennsylvania Wheelmen. If you would like to hear more about Frank Lenz and Pittsburgh’s Lost Cyclist, David will be speaking Friday June 14th, 7pm at “The Brew House Gallery Space” on Pittsburgh’s Historic South Side. June 15 Point Made!  Start/Finish: Sand Castle Water Park in Homestead. / Point State Park. Time: 10am – 1pm Cost: Free Point Made! Celebrating the completion of the Great Allegheny Passage ~ June 15, 2013 at Point State Park 10:00 a.m. Ribbon cutting at Sandcastle 11:00 a.m. Ride from Sandcastle to the Point 1:00 p.m. Presentation & Unveiling of the marker at the Point Please send a quick e-mail to PointMadeRide@comcast.net and let us know which of the events you’ll be participating in: the ribbon cutting at Sandcastle; the ride from Sandcastle to The Point; and/or the presentation & unveiling of the marker at the Point.  June 23  Tour de Cure Start/Finish: Seneca Valley High School Cost: $25 Fundraising Minimum: $200.00 Overnight: n/a Route: Distances: 100, 50, 30, 20, 10 Tour de Cure is more than just a cycling event. It’s a life-changing event. A day full of fun and excitement where riders of all levels join forces in the fight to Stop Diabetes® and raise critical funds for diabetes research, education and advocacy in support of the American Diabetes Association. The Tour is a ride, not a race. Whether you are an occasional rider or an ex

Mandatory Credit: Anne-Marie Sorvin-USA TODAY Sports It was a busy Wednesday afternoon in the NHL. Wednesday started with the news that Alain Vigneault had been fired as the Vancouver Canucks head coach. After the Canucks were swept in the first round for the second season in a row everyone knew changes were coming. Unfortunately for Vigneault, he takes the blame and Mike Gillis gets to stick around. Wednesday night ended with the Pittsburgh Penguins dominating the Ottawa Senators and taking a commanding 3-1 series lead. The Senators backs are now against the wall, it’s either make history or be history. As you kick off your Thursday morning sit back, enjoy your coffee and join me in a stroll around the NHL world. With the news of Vigneault’s firing, let’s take a look at the most likely candidates to replace him as Canucks head coach. Can anyone say Lindy Ruff? [Bleacher Report] When looking for stylish NHL players one doesn’t have to search much farther than Henrik Lundqvist. Lundqvist may top the list but see what hockey players know how to clean up. [Sharp For Men] With the Chicago Blackhawks reeling and needing a spark down 2-1 in their series with the Detroit Red Wings, could we see Ray Emery get the call between the pipes anytime soon? [Blackhawk Up] If you’ve ever watched a hockey game on CBC especially during the playoffs you’ve had the pleasure of seeing some pretty amazing montages. Meet Tim Thompson the genius behind those montages. [National Post] What would a Daily Dashboard be without any Buffalo Sabres news? Check out what we learned about Cody Hodgson this season as he makes the grade. [Die By the Blade] Philadelphia Flyers forward Jakub Voracek crashed his Ferrari while visiting his home land. The car is a mess but Voracek escaped without injury. [Pro Hockey Talk] Still holding out hope that Ryan Miller will return to the Buffalo Sabres next season? Check out the latest rumours to see if they’re fact or fiction. [Bleacher Report]

Hey guys, if you ordered a ticket or two or ten the Pittsburgh Sports Forum will be taking payments for those tickets now. Basically all you have to do is Paypal the money to Steelreign there by clicking on the donate button and going from there. The tickets are $21 a piece. As he gets the payments, either I or Cocktailsfor2 will update you all on who he has received payments from. This is, I think, the second year Steelreign has taken care of the tickets. Here's a link to the Pittsburgh Sports Forum. The donate button is about half way down on the right hand side. And here's a link to the most recent thread over there discussing the upcoming Gathering. It is taking place on July 13th and there will probably be people Gathering as soon as the parking lot opens. Even if you have decided not to get a ticket to sit with us during the game (or you're unsure if you can make it) everyone is welcome to party with us beforehand and sit someplace else. Also would some of you gents rec this up so that everyone will notice it. Hey guys, if you ordered a ticket or two or ten the Pittsburgh Sports Forum will be taking payments for those tickets now. Basically all you have to do is Paypal the money to Steelreign there by clicking on the donate button and going from there. The tickets are $21 a piece. As he gets the payments, either I or Cocktailsfor2 will update you all on who he has received payments from. This is, I think, the second year Steelreign has taken care of the tickets. Here's a link to the Pittsburgh Sports Forum. The donate button is about half way down on the right hand side. And here's a link to the most recent thread over there discussing the upcoming Gathering. It is taking place on July 13th and there will probably be people Gathering as soon as the parking lot opens. Even if you have decided not to get a ticket to sit with us during the game (or you're unsure if you can make it) everyone is welcome to party with us beforehand and sit someplace else. Also would some of you gents rec this up so that everyone will notice it.

Good morning, Wild fans! Still pretty quiet here in the Wilderness, but there's quite a bit to talk about in the few things that happened (or were discussed) yesterday. On the website, please check out Dan Chan's Mock Draft Game, where you can still sign up for teams, and participate in a Mock Draft done by the HW community. Should be fun (and the Wild have been taken), and get you fairly knowledgeable about prospects. Wild News No article yet, but Mike Russo reported on Twitter that Josh Harding will be launching a charity for MS very shortly. Follow @HardingsHope on Twitter for details. Off the Trail Penguins rebound with 7-3 win, take 3-1 series lead over Senators | Puck Daddy - Yahoo! Sports- Well, nice knowing you Senators. What a hockey dressing room is like post-playoff elimination | Backhand Shelf | Blogs | theScore.com- Justin Bourne breaks down the aftermath of a playoff elimination. Alain Vigneault fired by Canucks; who takes over the coaching gig in Vancouver? | Puck Daddy - Yahoo! Sports- No tired Fire Yeo joke from me here, I promise. I was a lot more interested in who might replace him in Vancouver before I remembered that realignment was happening. Duh. Anyway, we hear a lot about the coaches that were signed in the summer that Yeo was hired. With Vigneault, Ruff, and potentially Tippett available this offseason, might we hear some similar stories this year? Are the Wild missing an opportunity in order to keep Yeo? Smarter guys than I would know, but those are some big names floating around. The Quiet Room: And the Masterton goes to… | Backhand Shelf | Blogs | theScore.com- It's clearly Crosby's, especially after it came to light that he bravely overcame almost choking on a mozzarella stick. Also, I just set myself up for a humiliatingly ironic death of mozz stick asphyxiation. So there you go. Brad Richards, postseason disaster for the New York Rangers | Puck Daddy - Yahoo! Sports- Would the rangers REALLY amnesty Richards, with that contract being on the books for another 12 years? Rumor Roundup: Any room for Miller? - The Hockey News- I don't think this will happen. If not because of cap space, because of the assets they'd have to give up. If they make another trade with Buffalo, it's going to be for Vanek. Not that that's mega-super likely, either. 2013 NHL Playoffs - Why Pittsburgh Penguins should punt Marc-Andre Fleury - ESPN- INsider piece, but another potential goaltending option. Though the next-level stat they showed in a sidebar showed that Niklas Backstrom has been 8th in the NHL- ahead of Miller and Fluery- in even-strength SV% since 08-09. Something to consider when FA picks up.

Nashville Predators News Nashville Predators give new assistant Phil Housley a challenging assignment | The Tennessean Getting more from Ryan Ellis has proven to be a challenge so far. Blue Peter: On Horachek, Heartbreak and Inside Jokes | III Communication I hate goodbyes... Smashville 24/7 - STPM: #8 vs. #9 The overtime winner in Vancouver takes it for me. NASHVILLE PREDATORS HOST PLAZA EVENT TO RAISE MONEY FOR OKLAHOMA RELIEF - Nashville Predators Stop by if you can. You're already late for the donuts. Around the Wide Wide World of Hockey Morning Skate: Blackhawks at Red Wings - Game 4 Preview - Winging It In Motown Apparently Chris Rock wrote the preview this morning. Detroit sucks. Kings to try a new mix-and-match approach - LA Times They better try something. Because what they've been doing isn't really working. New York Rangers on verge of elimination from playoffs so why don’t they play with an edge? - NYPOST.com Are you advocating violence, sir? Paul MacLean’s 13-second press conference: ‘We’re going to Pittsburgh and we’re coming to play’ (Video) | Puck Daddy - Yahoo! Sports The ability to be concise is a very valuable skill. Canucks Fire Coaching Staff - Nucks Misconduct High expectations + Two early playoff exits in a row= unemployed coaching staff. Is it Panic Time for the Blackhawks? -The Hockey Writers Get back to me around 10p. Ottawa Senators' mix of young and old has team well positioned to make noise |Ottawa Sun Next year, sure. 30 Thoughts: Avalanche zero in on Roy for head coach |CBC Sports Is this gonna happen or what? What a hockey dressing room is like post-playoff elimination | Backhand Shelf Read up, Rangers and Senators. Someone made an awesome Gordon Bombay 30 for 30 trailer-Puck Drunk Love This could be the best one of the series. If it were real.

While Sidney Crosby is the best player in the NHL this season, he will not win the Hart Memorial Trophy, recognizing the league MVP, based on just his efforts alone.In retrospect, Crosby could've sat there like a bump on a log the last few weeks and he would still win the award. The other two nominees, Alexander Ovechkin and John Tavares, played their way out of an MVP more than Sid has taken it by force.Yes, Sid the Kid dazzled in the regular season and now in the playoffs as well. He was leading the league in points well after his jaw was fractured by a puck and was out the remaining month of the regular season.When he went out with his injury, Crosby led Martin St. Louis of Tampa Bay by 10 points in the NHL scoring race. By the time the season ended, St. Louis won the scoring title with 60 points, only four more than Crosby. Ovechkin tied Crosby with 56 points, all while No. 87 missed a month.Now one of the biggest reasons the Great Eight was nominated for the MVP was because he was the leader of a Washington Capitals team that, although had its faults, won its division and earned a playoff spot. After starting the 2013 campaign colder than the ice itself, Ovechkin became the goalscoring mastermind of old, leading the league in goalscoring this year with 32 pucks in the back of the net.Also, Ovechkin seemed to make a conscious effort to become a two-way player. In the past, he had been known for coddling the blue line without trying on defense, but this was a different year.Alas, as the playoffs arrived, so did the old Ovechkin. In Game 4 against the Rangers, he is seen in the now memorable GIF just gliding into the play during New York's game-winning goal, as if he were taking a nice skate across the pond with his girlfriend at the local skating rink.To make matters worse, after scoring a goal in Game 1 and notching an assist in Game 2, Ovechkin was held without a point in the final five games of the series, eventually losing to the Rangers in seven games. He had never gone that long without scoring a point in his entire career.Finally, to top it all off, the former MVP didn't blame himself after the Game 7 and series loss, even though the previous facts show he could admit a little blame. No, he went out like any superstar would and blamed the officiating in the series, not the fact that he hadn't scored a point since the Capitals Game 2 win.It's a little more complicated with Tavares. He did go toe-to-toe this year with Crosby in the same division and in the first round of the playoffs, each time Crosby getting the better of the young goal scorer.Like Ovechkin, Tavares was among the leaders in goals scored in the regular season. His 28 goals marked third best in the league, only four behind Ovechkin. However, Crosby outplayed Tavares in the six-game playoff series between the division rivals. Tavares was held without a shot in the Islanders Game 1 loss. If he wanted to show that he should win the MVP, what better way than to take on the game's best and outplay him?That's what Tavares had to do to win the MVP. Since he did not lead the league in any statistical category and was on the eighth seeded team in the Eastern Conference, he had to have a superhuman first round if he wanted to overtake Crosby's trophy.Although he averaged five points over the next five games, Tavares was pushed around in Game 1 and was held without a point in Game 5. Any quick lapse in gameplay and his chances of winning the Hart Memorial Trophy became smaller. Coming up small one time on the biggest stage could sway voters.Crosby did have a fantastic, MVP-type regular season and is continuing to have a great postseason as well, but when he wins the league MVP, it will be because the other two candidates fell short when it mattered most.Add to the fact that Crosby is the only candidate that is still fighting for Lord Stanley's Cup, and I think we have our league MVP.