Pittsburgh Pirates Wallpaper

Pirates Alternate Logo

Here is an alternate logo for the Pittsburgh Pirates 2009 season that I made.  New Season, New Image.

2008 Penn State Football Desktop Wallpaper

Click picture to enlarge

Big Ten Football Preview

With college football quickly approaching, I want to make my preseason picks for the Big Ten.  Here they are, with standings and records:

1. Ohio State (11-1)

2. Penn State (11-1)

3. Wisconsin (10-2)

4. Purdue (8-4)

5. Michigan (8-4)

6. Illinois (7-5)

7. Michigan State (7-5)

8. Indiana (7-5)

9. Iowa (5-7)

10. Northwestern (5-7)

11. Minnesota (2-10)

 

Ohio State

Ohio State is definately the favorite to win the Big Ten this year.  With last year’s core starters coming back for the 2008 campaign, there is little doubt that Ohio State will repeat.  OSU’s loss will come on September 13th, when they travel to Pac-10 power Southern Cal.  This lone loss will prevent OSU from competing in a third consecutive National Championship.

Penn State

Yes, there may be some bias here in my pick.  Penn State has an exciting offense.  Stephon Green and Evan Royster will hold down fort in the backfield in what is sure to be explosive.  Add Daryll Clark to the mix and there’s a winning formula.  Penn State will lose to Ohio State away, but will come home happy from Wisconsin.  This is also the year Penn State snaps its losing streak to Michigan.

Wisconsin

Wisconsin will finish third in the Big Ten this year with two home losses, againts Ohio State and Penn State.  Coming off a stellar effort againts OSU, the Badgers will be bumped and bruised going into the Penn State game.  Wisconsin is a tough team this year and could  just as easily end up 12-0. 

Purdue

Purdue is the sleeper in the conference in 2008.  The Boilermakers will face off againts Notre Dame looking for their second straight win againts the Irish.  Purdue will have their hands full against Oregon in the second week – look for a loss there. 

Michigan

It will be a tough year for the Wolverine faithful.  Transitioning with Rich Rodriguez will take time.  Losing Chad Henne, Mike Hart, and star lineman Jake Long will not help matters.  Michigan will win a close opener with Utah in Rich-Rod’s debut.  However, they will lose to Wisconsin, Penn State, Purdue and yes, once again, Ohio State.  Some may be wondering “What’s Lloyd Carr doing these days?”

Illinois

The fairy tale is over.  Illinois will lose week one to Missouri to get off on the wrong foot.  Other losses will come at the hands of Penn State, Michigan, Wisconsin and Ohio State.  With the exception of Ohio State, those games are on the road away from Champaign.  The Illini have shown they can win big games on the road (Ohio State last year), but will fall short.

Michigan State

The other team in the Auto state will finish 7th, with possibly all five losses coming in a row at the end of the season.  Opening week for the Spartans will be a test againts Cal, but Sparty will prevail.  Losses to the powers of the Big Ten will come from the hands of an unfavorable schedule.

Indiana

Indiana will finish the season with three straight losses to finish 7-5.  Central Michigan could sneak up on the Hoosiers as well, if not careful. 

Iowa

The Hawkeyes will start the season 3-0.  It’s all downhill from there.  With a win at Minnesota in the final week, the Big Ten games in between do not look good for the gold and black. 

Northwestern

Northwestern will start out 4-0 with a cupcake non-conference schedule.  Syracuse, Duke, Southern Illinois and Ohio are all wins.  The Wildcats will be lucky to win another game other than Minnesota the rest of the season.

Minnesota

Better to list the games they win than the games they will lose.  Northern Illinois and Montana State will be W’s for the Gophers but that’s it.  0-8 in the Big Ten and finishing last in the conference.

 

So there you have it.  My picks for the 2008 Big Ten football season.  Who knows, maybe Penn State will play the role of Illinois and upset the Buckeyes at OSU.  But, then again, maybe Michigan will push its streak yet another year longer.

“HD” Clark Best Option

The 2008 Nittany Lion football season is already filled with many questions and much excitement. 

Will this be the last year of Joe Paterno’s coaching career?  What suprises will the new HD offense hold?  Can Derrick Williams play up to his potential in his final season? 

Perhaps the biggest question of all surrounds the man who will be under center.  Will it be Daryll Clark or Pat Devlin?

One thing is for sure:  Many Penn State faithful are just glad a certain other quarterback is not back again. 

Daryll Clark seems to be the best pick for me.  In the college football game, and with the addition of the new “HD Offense,” speed cannot be emphasized enough.  Clark has that speed.  Yes, Devlin supporters say that Pat has speed as well.  When compared to Anthony Morelli, he does.  But so does a snail. 

Take a look back at the 2006 Orange Bowl season led by Michael Robinson.  Questions regarding his passing ability were everywhere.  Even halfway into the season, there were still many who doubted him.  However, one thing was for certain: Michael Robinson could run.

With Clark, this seems to be a carbon copy of the situation in 2006.  Many question his passing ability, but agree that Clark is a threat with his feet.

The ability to run at the quarterback position is such an advantage in college football.  Especially in the Big Ten, where teams are recognized nationally as “slow” compared to the SEC and Big XII, another fleet-footed weapon for linebackers to account for is almost essential.  Option plays, roll-out passing and a wide range of formations will be available for the Lion offense to use.  Even plays that seem like sure disasters from the snap can be made into a positive with a quick QB. 

Another advantage that Clark can provide that Morelli couldn’t is the ability to prolong a play.  Remember the lightening fast, exciting, freshman receivers in 2006?  Butler, Williams, Norwood and King were flying all over the field catching passes in a blur of blue and white.  With Robinson able to sidestep a few defensive linemen, roll around outside the pocket, and create passing lanes, the defensive backfield had a much more difficult time sticking with the receivers.  Sure, it’s not hard to defend a receiver for a five step slant pass or a one yard out pass time after time.  But try hanging with Williams, Butler and Norwood for over five seconds as Clark dodges in the backfield, always a threat to run or pass at any moment. 

The biggest, most exciting plays always come on improvisation when the defense is on their heels. 

Devlin may split time with Clark because of his arm.  This should also be looked at as an advantage.  My opinion, though, is that as the season progresses, one quarterback will emerge because of his excitement and play making abilities. 

Daryll Clark provides the best option for the Nittany Lions in a fast paced, HD Offense.  Look for the passing game to pick up as receivers are able to get open, as well as the running game improve thanks to a different style QB.

That is, IF Jay Paterno allows it.

Manny Out As Boston Aqcuires Bay

When the Boston Red Sox file into their Fenway Park locker room on Friday night for a series opener against Oakland, Manny Ramirez won’t be there for the first time since Sept. 24, 2000.  

In a blockbuster deal, the Sox sent Manny Ramirez off to L.A. in return for Jason Bay of the Pittsburgh Pirates. 

Being both a Pirates fan and a Red Sox fan, I couldn’t be happier for Bay.  Finally being on a playoff contending team, I’m hoping that Jason can live up to the Boston pressure of filling the shoes of a future Hall of Famer. 

Ian Browne, from MLB.com, takes a look at the past 8 years of “Manny being Manny.”

BOSTON — One of the most enigmatic players to wear a Red Sox uniform — make that any uniform — Manny Ramirez will be remembered in New England for big hits, big controversies, big hair and overall goofiness.

The future Hall of Fame slugger was dealt away to the Dodgers on Thursday, but he leaves quite a legacy in Boston, serving as a key player in the Red Sox’s first two World Series championships since 1918.

When the definitive history of Ramirez’s Boston years — 2001-08 — is written, three words will come to mind first: Manny being Manny.

It pretty much summed up his unique prowess as a hitter, his unpredictable demeanor and his blooper reel plays in left field.

Who else could make a leaping catch in left field, high-five a random fan sitting in the stands and then throw back to the infield for an inning-ending double play?

Ramirez did just that on May 14 of this season at Camden Yards.

“I think that’s part of the game,” Ramirez said after the game. “This is a game — you’ve got to go enjoy it and have fun.”

Then, there was that night of July 21, 2004, when center fielder Johnny Damon fielded a carom off the wall on a ball hit by Baltimore’s David Newhan, and threw to the cutoff man. But, in perhaps Ramirez’s zaniest play, he became the cutoff man, making a diving snag of Damon’s throw. Newhan never stopped running, producing an inside-the-park homer.

Earlier this season, Damon reflected on the moment, still trying to contain his laughter.

“I got the heat for that, needing two cutoff men,” Damon said. “I was like, ‘Well, I really didn’t need Manny there.’ It definitely would have one-hopped third. Hopefully, one of these days we can see the overhead of that play and just kind of see how everything converged and happened. It’s pretty funny.”

Back in December 2000, then-Red Sox general manager Dan Duquette signed Ramirez to an eight-year, $160 million deal, creating excitement for a championship-starved fan base.

The one constant with Ramirez during his time with the Sox is that he never stopped hitting. In his seven full years with Boston, Ramirez hit above .300 five times, while topping the 30-homer and 100 RBIs barrier six times. He had a very good chance at achieving all those numbers — he was at for Boston this season. He won the American League batting title by hitting .349 in 2002. His overall numbers in Boston? A .312 average, 275 homers and 868 RBIs.

When the Red Sox snapped their 86-year old championship drought in 2004, Ramirez was the World Series MVP in the sweep over the Cardinals.

Only in 2007, when Ramirez hit .296 with 20 homers and 88 RBIs in 133 games, did he produce anything less than elite numbers. But Ramirez turned it on in October, hitting .348 with four homers and 16 RBIs in Boston’s 16-game championship run.

It became clear that Ramirez was feeling good about himself when, after belting a walk-off home run in Game 2 of the Division Series against the Angels’ Francisco Rodriguez, he broke his near season-long silence with the media.

During a comical, late-night press conference, Ramirez announced, “I’m a bad man.”

For the most part during his years in Boston, Ramirez tuned out the media. But when he did talk, he almost always said something comical.

In the 2007 American League Championship Series vs. the Indians, the Red Sox found themselves in a 3-1 hole in the best-of-seven series. Normally, the off-day workout between Games 4 and 5 could have been an uptight occasion.

However, Ramirez brought some levity, deflecting attention from some of his more stressed teammates by holding court with the thirsty media.

“We’re confident every day,” said Ramirez. “It doesn’t matter how things go for you. We’re not going to give up. We’re just going to go and play the game, like I’ve said, and move on. If it doesn’t happen, so who cares? There’s always next year. It’s not like the end of the world or something. Why should we panic?”

Perhaps taking Ramirez’s cue, the Red Sox ran the table in their next seven games, capping it with a four-game sweep of the Rockies in the World Series.

There were Manny moments right from the start. In 2001, Ramirez’s first Spring Training with the Sox, then-manager Jimy Williams moved him to left field, though he had played right throughout his years in Cleveland. Ramirez walked out of camp for a couple of days to come to peace with the move.

By the time the season started, he was locked in. Taking his first at-bat in the home opener that season, Ramirez belted a three-run homer on the very first pitch he saw. Bat in hand, Ramirez was a machine.

But other times, he just drove people batty, be it the four managers he played for in Boston (Williams, Joe Kerrigan, Grady Little and Terry Francona), management and, occasionally, teammates.

There was the time in 2003, when Ramirez, citing a throat illness called faryngitis that teammate Pedro Martinez had a couple of weeks earlier, called in sick for a critical late August showdown against the Yankees.

The Red Sox started to get suspicious when Ramirez blew off a doctor’s appointment at Fenway Park before one of those games. The night before, he was seen socializing at a hotel lobby bar with Enrique Wilson, a Yankees player.

After losing two out of three in that series, the Red Sox traveled to Philadelphia for a Labor Day makeup game against the Phillies. Little asked Ramirez to pinch-hit in the latter stages of that game. Ramirez turned him down, saying he felt weak.

Little, with the blessing of the front office, benched Ramirez the next night in Chicago.

Incidents like that raised suspicion nearly every time Ramirez said he was injured.

That came to a head just last week, when Ramirez said he couldn’t play in the finale of a three-game series in Seattle and then the opener of a showdown with the Yankees because of right knee soreness.

The Red Sox sent Ramirez out for an MRI on both knees, which came back negative. Amid reported speculation that the club would take disciplinary action if he wasn’t available the next day, Ramirez returned to the lineup, ultimately playing five more games in a Boston uniform.

Francona referred to such instances with Ramirez as “bumps in the road”.

Ultimately, Ramirez and the Red Sox decided it was best to part ways. For as Ramirez said on Sunday in what would end up his last session with the Boston media, “Enough is enough.”

In some ways, it is fitting that Ramirez’s next stop is Hollywood, where he will surely not disappoint from a theatrical standpoint.

My Take On The Favre Situation

There is a quarterback in the National Football League that has 61,655 career passing yards (good enough for first all time), 442 touchdowns (also good enough for first all time) and is coming off a year with a 95.7 passer rating. 

His team doesn’t want him.

I have heard all the stories, news and rumors surrounding the Brett Favre situation.  Who’s side do I take?

Let’s look at it this way.  Yes, maybe it was wrong that Brett once again tip-toed the line of retirement, even this time crossing it.  And, yes, it is probably not the best situation that he could have put the Packers in. 

The one problem I have about the whole situation is the Aaron Rogers argument.  We have only heard one opinion:  “It’s now Aaron Rogers’ time.”

Did anyone else ever wonder: ”When did management choosing who would be the quarterback of an NFL franchise start taking players feelings into account?”  At this point in time, Brett Favre is the better quarterback, whether the Packers feel like admitting it or not.  The whole goal of the team is to win games.  Brett gives them the best chance to reach that goal. 

What has Aaron Rogers done that he deserves to be placed in front of a Hall of Fame quarterback who did not miss a single game in 16 seasons?  At any job, not just football, the best qualified person fills the position.  When businesses look at hiring college students after graduation, I highly doubt they take into account how the lesser qualified person will feel. 

“Well, yes, we have an honors student here that graduated with a 4.0 GPA and has 16 years worth of experience at this job.  But, I think this other kid who has proved nothing yet, could possibly get better.  Even though he’s less qualified, we’ll take a chance on him and pass on the kid who will surely help us out.”

Give me a break.

Favre deserves to be showed at least a little loyalty.  The Packers should have welcomed him back with open arms.

Pittsburgh Pirates Mid-Season Report Card

We are already at the All-Star break and now it is time to take a look at the performance of the 2008 Buccos so far.  There have been highlights and lowlights, games to remember and games to try and forget.  The Pirates sit at 42-48 with 4 games to go before the Mid Summer Classic. 

Pitching:  D

Where to start?  The Buccos pitching staff has been pretty much horrendous.  Starting with Matt Morris being released by the team early on and more recently with Tom Gorzelanny being demoted to AAA, the pitching staff has not performed up to par.  Ian Snell has greatly underachieved and the fifth starter is always a question mark.  Zach Duke and Paul Maholm are having acceptable years, with Duke being the most consistent.  The Pirates are LAST in the Major Leagues in ERA, at a mark over 5 earned runs per game.  If the Bucs want to reach the .500 mark, the pitching has to drastically improve.

Hitting:  A -

The offensive numbers are a pleasant suprise for the Pirates this year.  Starting in the outfield, Nate McLouth, Xavier Nady and Jason Bay comprise the most productive outfield in the National League.  McLouth came out of nowhere to represent the Pittsburgh Pirates in the 2008 All Star Game, and deservedly so.  At this point, he has already hit 17 homeruns and 60 RBIs.  Nady adds another 12 dingers along with 55 RBIs.  Jason Bay seems to be back to his old form, hitting 17 homers with 56 RBI.  Six Pirate players already have double digit homerun totals.  The Bucs have scored 438 runs already this season, good enough to rank them 9th in the MLB.

Fielding:  C

The Pirates have committed the 2nd most errors in the National League, with 66.  Only the Florida Marlins have committed more.  However, the Bucs have turned 96 double plays, also 2nd in the league.  Fielding percentage comes in at .981.  These two aspects save the Pirates in this grade.

Coaching:  B-

John Russell has made some nice moves in his first season as Manager.  Moving players, such as Matt Morris and Gorzo, show that Russell is serious about winning.  Another plus for the Bucs is the stability of the line-up.  Playing regulars most every day gives the players and fans a good sense of consistancy.  Not enough can be said about the decision to play Nate McLouth in centerfield.  That move has paid off greatly.  Putting Ryan Doumit behind the plate is also a great move.  Having said this, the Pirates still sit in 5th place in the National League Central division.  Things can be done, but the record is ultimately what counts.

Overall:  C

The Pirates are exciting.  They are enjoyable to watch.  They have great offensive power.  But they still seem to be the same losing Pirates.  The Bucs were close enough to pull to .500 on the year numerous times this first half, but just can’t seem to get there.  Now with the Cubs picking up Harden and Brewers getting CC Sabathia, it doesn’t look likely that the Pirates can climb in the standings the second half either.

Pirates Lose Another to Nats

From PittsburghPirates.com

WASHINGTON — The Pirates staged one comeback on Saturday afternoon, but couldn’t create a second one in a 9-8 loss to the Nationals.

Jose Bautista tore apart the Nationals for the second straight game. He had a home run, a double, an RBI single and a sacrifice fly in his first four plate appearances, and finished a triple shy of the cycle, popping out to first base in his last at-bat.

But Washington was hot offensively, too, including four hits and six RBIs from Cristian Guzman and three runs for Felipe Lopez.

Pittsburgh pitcher Paul Maholm and Washington’s Matt Chico each left the game with a no-decision after allowing five runs.

The Bucs fell behind early after the Nats scored five runs in the first two innings. The Pirates had chances, too, but stranded five baserunners in the first three innings, both on outs by Adam LaRoche.

But in the fifth, the team came alive, tying the game with five consecutive hits that scored three runs.

The Nationals answered with a four-run sixth, including a misplayed fly ball by Xavier Nady that loaded the bases with no outs.

In the seventh, the Pirates again loaded the bases, but could muster only a sacrifice fly from Bautista.

Pirates Fall To Nationals

Pirates    0 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 — 2 3 0

Nats       0 2 0 0 0 0 0 1 X — 3 7 1

Notables: HR: Doumit, Sanchez

Nate Mclouth: 0-4

Losing Pitcher: John Grabow