AFC Championship Game Moment of Zen

Just watching this video will give any TRUE member of the Steeler Nation CHILLS...

AFC Championship Weekend Links

The ring for the Super Bowl 6-pack is within sight, and the Steelers will need to knock 2 of those 3 teams off to attain that goal.

Ah yes, another AFC Championship Weekend here in the Steeler Nation. Believe. That is the feeling that all fans of the Steelers share as the Ravens come to town Sunday night. Here's some linkage to get you pumped up for the game (Kickoff 6:40 PM, CBS).

Sign that you know that the fans of dem Baltimore Birdies being scared



This is the mayor of San Diego making good on the bet that he made with Pittsburgh Mayor Luke STEELER-Stahl.
Details here

Now, the Mayoress of Baltimore is unfortunately not able to make a bet, or nothing's been made public (leave a comment if there is a bet though), but, umm yeah, she's got more pressing matters??? on her hands.

The fans of the two teams are into the betting spirit, though.



Even the Pittsburgh Zoo's animals are a part of the Steeler Nation.

Kevin Cowherd, more like Coward, of the Balt Sun??? Yeah, Steelers fans probably hate you.

A few months ago, there was possibility of a Jets-Giants Super Bowl, well there's now this possibility. Suck on that New Jersey!

Did you know the Steelers had actually merged with each of the participants of the NFC Championship game in the 1940s? I did, but that's owed to the fact I like history.

You know already that the Cardinals have a connection with Pittsburgh with Coaches Cheese-whiz and Russ Grimm. How about a Pittsburgh connection with some of the players.
Bice and I were both at Clarion long enough ago that we could have seen Reggie Wells play.


Those are your links for the weekend, enjoy those, and on a final thought, besides
GO STEELERS BEAT THE RAVENS' BUTTS!!!

This week one of my favorite TV shows came back, and if you had followed my afternoon radio show in Clarion the past 3+ years, you know I'm talking about American Idol. It's the first few weeks of the season that I enjoy most, in addition to the final to see who's crowned the American Idol each May. Now, I had read from various sources that the auditions were going to be somewhat different from past seasons (for example, more focus on the better singers, and not as many of the William Hung types). Tuning in Tuesday and Wednesday night, I was pleasantly surprised to see a healthy amount of both packed into the 2 hours both nights. You definitely saw the crazy characters (bikini girl, who surprising moved on to Hollywood, but it helps when you have 2 straight guys on the judges panel), the great singers, the terrible singers (the black guy with the really deep voice that no one actually believed was his real voice, and countless others), and the feel-good stories (the birthday girl who lived with her hard-of-hearing 93-year-old grandmother, and God knows I thought she was going to interrupt the sit-down with that girl at her house when she was telling her story; the oil worker with a voice of gold). It looks like a good season, and it's definitely hotter with that new judge, Kara DioGuardi as well, adding her hotness and great personality to an already strong stable of 3 judges. (By the way, I wanna know what happens if there's a 2-2 tie, so think of some possible solutions in the comments.

Thanks for reading and see ya next week!

I Almost Got Killed Today

I almost died today. And it wasn't because I swollowed somthing with a Mr. Yuck sticker on it.

This is actually somthing that all of us except Bice can relate too, since we all still live in the Western Pennsylvania region. As most of you know, we've gotten a shit load of snow recently. I actually enjoyed watching it snow until my dad made me shovel it all. Then I hated it. But regardless, it has snowed a ton lately. And today I almost died because of it.

It should first be noted that I think Penn DOT (PA Dept. of Transportation) has been really lazy lately. I don't see what is so hard about keeping the roads safe. I would like to make note on this blog that when I would be driving to work around 4am, I would see Penn DOT trucks parked along side the road doing nothing. It's nice to see that our tax dollars are being spent on a couple of lazy guys that like to sleep.

Now, I was drving along one of our beautiful roadways in the great state of Pennsylvania (by the way, it should also be noted that I used to love the slogan "You've Got a Friend In Pennsylvania" that used to be on license plates) when I noticed on a particular section it appeared to be snow covered. It was snowing so I assumed that it was just a section they hadn't got to. But it wasn't snowing bad or anything. As I was driving I slowed down to a safe speed so that I could avoid a crash. The lanes were mostly clear except right down the middle, so I was driving over a coating of snow that was about a half inch or more. All of a sudden, as I was negoitating a turn, my car began to slide out of control. I was lucky to manage a save, as I began sliding into another lane when a car was coming. I managed to stay in my lane but then I almost slid over the side of a hill. Luckily my tires got away from the snow and I got slowed down. It was a close call for sure. Then when I told my dear mother of the incident, she just laughed at me like I exaggerate every thing that goes on in my life. Whatev. The point is Penn DOT should take better care of the roadways, otherwise a somewhat famous individual could have died today. That is all of my story. I hope you all learned a valuable lesson today. Godspeed.

Before I go here are a couple things you should know. On ESPN.com, Rick Reilly, the guy who used to write for Sports Illustrated, wrote a great piece on Beer Pong. I am sure Bones will leave a post sometime in the next day or two either endorsing it, or calling it jibberish. And the picture of the chick in this post is my new girlfriend. Not really, but she probably wants me anyway.

Never Stomp On A Dead Guy's Towel

I think people will laugh at me after I say this. Hell, I'll probably get made fun of. But I just knew that back in week 16 after Tennessee Titans players Lendell White and Keith Bulluck stomped on the Terrible Towel, they wouldn't make it to the Super Bowl. Many people may think that the Terrible Towel is just a stupid yellow towel that a bunch of crazy Steeler fans wave like lunatics during games. Well I've got news for ya.....It's not.

Myron Cope was the one person that created the enitre towel waving craze.

He was a genius. The best part is that the proceeds go towards a good cause.

"THE TERRIBLE TOWEL is not an instrument of witchcraft...It is not a hex upon the enemy. THE TOWEL is a positive force that lifts the Steelers to magnificent heights-and poses mysterious difficulties for the Steelers' opponents only if need be. Many have told me that THE TERRIBLE TOWEL brought them good fortune, but I can't guarentee that sort of thing because the Steelers, after all, are THE TOWELS primary concern. Still, at least, the symbol of THE TERRIBLE TOWEL will serve as a momento to your having been a part of the Steelers Dynasty and if it causes good things to happen to you, so much the better." - Myron Cope

Say what you want, but I think that disgracing THE TOWEL is a big mistake. Think about it. Back when the Steelers won their last Super Bowl the Cincinnatti Bengals Wide Reciever TJ Who's Yo Mama wiped his feet with THE TOWEL. They lost and haven't been the same since. Although we didn't play them, I sure would have liked to because I think we would have beat them. But thats just my opinon.

Holy Hockey Hell

The Penguins could very well have their season on the line tonight when they play the Flyers. Regardless, I don't think they are out of it yet. An entire half of hockey has yet to be played and whoever is in the top 8 of each conference after that makes the playoffs. Anything can happen. Which is why I want to make this point. One of three things will happen with the Penguins. 1) the Pens will stay the course with the way things are and hope it all turns around, 2) Fire Head Coach Michael Therrien or 3) Make a trade for a scoring winger to play with Sidney Crosby.

Whatever happens keep this in mind. Trades dont solve your problems. Think back to last year at the deadline and what we gave up (Colby, Esposito, Christianson and 1st round pick) and what we still have (Dupuis...no Hossa). Firing a coach won't solve problems either. This slump is the players fault. The Pens are hurt and it isn't fair to judge them until they are healthy. Who know's maybe Gonchar will help the team's struggeling power play. But keep this in mind too. Firing a coach may throw this enitre season off, yet help them next season. Chemistry is a huge part of wining hockey and right now the Pens don't have it. Don't fire Therrien.

Predictions

I'll make this short and sweet...

NFC Championship Game

Philadelphia @ Arizona (FOX Sun. 3pm)

Arizona looked good the other night against Carolina, although I didn't watch the game, forcing 6 turnovers is very impressive. But that is the point. They don't do it all the time and clearly even the best defenses don't force that many turnovers all the time. It was a fluke. But the Cards looked dangerous. But I think Philly may be tougher and better. But I don't like their history in NFC Championships.

Arizona 28-17

AFC Championship Game

Baltimore @ Pittsburgh (CBS Sun. 6:30pm)

I love this matchup. But I'll be honest I don't think it will be the game people think it is going to be. The Ravens are banged up. Flacco is a rookie QB. Steelers are pretty much healthy. This is the third game of the season these two teams will play and the first two were close. I doubt this one is. The Ravens may be able to get some decent gains, but the Steelers will shut down the run and force Flacco to throw and he will finally make a mistake or two.

Pittsburgh 24-9

IT'S BIRDSEASON IN THE BURGH!!

As one season ends another one begins in the Burgh. After ending the season and sending the cocky Philip Rivers as well as DUI Jackson back to San Diego, a new season has begun. It is bird hunting season in Pittsburgh and its even being extended into Tampa. (How you like that one Bice..lol) The game against the Chargers this past weekend was one that was dominated not only on the defensive side, but on the offensive side as well. The offensive line may have played their best game since the Texans game. Willie Colon and Max Starks were playing like Pro Bowlers... well maybe that is a stretch, but you catch my drift. Ben had all day to throw even though he sailed a couple of balls, I will always give credit to him, since I am always quick to bash him when he makes a mistake. The ball he threw to Hines down in the redzone after he over threw Holmes was a beauty, tight spiral and actually had some zing on it for once. I wonder if all that was possible because of our O - line play. Willie found his toughness and speed again and how huge was the cutting and resiging of Gary Russell. His tough couple yards around the goaline have been huge late in the season. I must say for once the bye week may have done us good.

Before I move on to talk about how much happier I am that we are playing the Ravens, rather then the Titans. I think it is only right to give the special teams unit some credit for this yr and this last game against the Chargers. The punt return by Holmes was a great momentum and crowd pleaser and Mitch Berger, I knew there was a reason we signed him back to our team. So he could punt the ball off opposing players helmets. Not bad, that may have made up for all your 28 yard avg punts you were giving us in the regular season.

Bring on the Ravens!! Wow I knew Baltimore was a good football team and Joe Flacco was a pretty damn good QB espically for being a rookie. However, I didn't know that they were magicians. The way they escaped from their game with the Titans with a win was better then watching some 24 hr stupid ass David Blane trick. If the Titans new how to hang on to the ball in the redzone we would be facing what i consider a very dangerous Titans team. Fortunatly for us we get to play a familiar foe , who looked tired, and beat up in the Baltimore Ravens. We all know as Steelers fans, the Ravens bark is much bigger then their bite, so we are not intimidated by their diherria of the mouth. We know what to expect, it is going to be a war and a draining battle. The best thing we have going for us and we haven't had to play 2 weeks in a row on the road prior to this game. Trust me this is who we want to play, espically with a young o - line and Ben at Qb. We want to play someone we know very well and at home.

SUNDAYS PREDICTIONS - I think this will be the game you will see Joe Flacco make some mistakes. Tricky Dick is going to put the game in Young Joey's hands and let him try to beat us with his arm as oppose to that running game that will not have much success Sunday. I also think the Steelers are going to try and do what they did against the chargers and that is impose their will on that Ravens defense and try to run the ball down their throats and force them to make tackles .(something they were struggling to do against the quick Chris Johnson of the Titans) Ben has to play like he did this past week and take care of the ball and make the throws he can knows he can make not the ones he wishes he could make.

Final Score - Ravens 10 - Steelers 20

In the NFC CHAMPIONSHIP game both of these teams have the ability to surprise you and that is obvious since they are both one game away from the Superbowl. These two teams also have the ability to shit the bed as well. However, they are both playing at a high level and both of them look like totally different teams from what they looked like in the regular season. I give the slight edge to the Cardinals. They are putting up points in the playoffs whenever they want and they are running the football very well. They also will be getting back the talented Boldin. Their defense is playing with a lot of energy ,flying to the ball, which makes me wonder after they clinched that berth for playoffs if they weren't holding back and saving it all for this moment. They have only loss once at home all yr and that stadium when closed is loud. I don't think Fat Andy Reid and his pass happy play calling will not work this game and McNabb will struggle. Kurt Warner will make all the right decisions and it will be a reunion of PA players and coaches in the Superbowl. Arizona wins and gives Andy Reid a heart attack and puts him on the subway diet

Final Score -Eagles 16 Cardinals 27

Lets hope you all stay away from any parties that RAY RAY and friends are throwing around the Superbowl..we all know how that story ends...lol

One for Antonio Alfonseca's Deformed 6th finger!

Santonio is running so fast because he heard Bones is on the prowl!

I know it's a lame title but we can't say one for the thumb anymore. Although that in itself didn't make much sense because rings usually don't fit on thumbs. They're too fat. Its science.

Anyways......

After teaching Sham Diego (you like that Bones?) the Steelers are but one game away from playing in their seventh trip to the Super Bowl. Standing in their way: The Baltimore Ravens.

Unfortunately, Ray won't be in jail, where he belongs, come Sunday.

Out of everyone in the AFC, the Ravens are the team I hate to see the most in the game. Not because they're a fierce rival and always give the Steelers a tough game but because the Steelers have already beaten them twice this year. This means that, whether they win or lose, some headline somewhere will say "Third Time's a Charm!" I can see this overused cliche showing up on ESPN but wouldn't be surpised if I saw it in the Post Gazette or the Tribune Review. I'm calling it right now and after the game I am going to find it and post the link right here on CGO!

Yes, I am an asshole!

In other news, some douchebag came into the pizza shop tonight wearing sunglasses. I wanted to punch him on the face. The I noticed he was wearing shoes with purple shoelaces so I murdered him. I'll probably be in jail soon so I may not be able to blog for a while. Oh Well.

My How The Tables Have Turned!

In case you haven't noticed, the Pittsburgh Penguins are on the verge of falling of the face of the earth. It hasn't been a very good couple of months for the boys of winter, but I have a feeling that a major change is coming. I don't know if Therrien will be fired or if Ray Shero will bring in a winger to play with Crosby, but somthing will happen.

With that being said, a possibility is that Miroslav Satan could be traded. I haven't heard or read anything, but statistics show that Satan is on pace for his lowest goal output (24 goals) in more than a decade....and he is playing with Sidney Crosby. Ouch! I guess if it's not meant to be, it's time for a change.

The penguins are in a horrible slump. It's so bad that they have officially fallen out of the playoffs. They currently have 44 points, leaving them in a tie for 9th place in the Eastern Conference with Florida. Boston leads the East with 64 points. The good news is if the Pens get their shit together, they aren't too far out to get back into the playoffs. Montreal is 4th in the East and has 54 points, which is the last spot in the East that has home ice in the playoffs. I'm keeping my fingers crossed. The Pens are only 20-18-4 as of today and before their slump, they were 14-6-4 at the end of November, so at least they are still above .500. The Pens are typically a second half team, so they may turn it on at any moment. Keep the faith.

3 Stars In a Row
This has to be a dream come true for the NHL. Guess who the top three scorers are in the NHL? Malkin (63), Ovechkin (53) and Crosby (53). Ovechkin has the edge over Crosby because of his goal total, which is leading the league (27 overall). Ovechkin appears to be on pace to lead the league in goals with some total in the 50 to 60 range. Malkin at one point was on pace to score 160 points, which would have made him the last player since Mario Lemieux (161) in 1995-96 to do so. Malkin is capable of doing it, maybe more so than Crosby or Ovechkin, so just remember you heard it here first. Malkin is currently on pace to score around 120 points.

Anniversary's Galore
This is somthing that went unnoticed, but I think it always goes relatively unnoticed anyway, but an interesting anniversary (20th Anniversary) passed on New Year's Eve. It was in 1988 that Mario Lemieux became the only player in the history of the NHL to score 5 goals 5 different ways (even strength, power play, shorthanded, penalty shot, and empty net). I doubt that anyone will ever do that again. But I'll bet that nobody thought it would be done before Super Mario did it anyway, so who knows.

Another anniversary that I think goes unnoticed all the time is a sad one. Roberto Clemente died on New Year's Eve in 1972. This was the 36th anniversary of his death in a plane crash. He died doing somthing that no athlete would ever think of doing, except maybe Tim Tebow. Clemente was taking relief supplies to Nicaragua, which had just suffered from an earthquake. Clemente has exactly 3,000 hits on MLB's hits list.

December 23, 1972 was also a special time. It happened to be day of arguably the greatest play in football history. Pittsburgh Steelers hosting the Oakland Raiders in a playoff game and when all hope was lost, the football gods smiled down on Steeler Nation and rookie Franco Harris galloped into the end zone on a freak play and scored to win. The play is known as the "Immaculate Reception" and it still has controversy to this day.

One Last Thing...
The Penguins rewarded Jordan Stall with a new contract. It's a 4-year deal worth $16 Million. I like the signing because Stall is young, although I know I bashed him last year for slumping. Stall obviously had a great start to his career, but I hope that his best years are ahead of him. He has the potential. But remember that his trade value is up too. If people in the organization lose faith in him they won't hesitate to trade him and I doubt that any team would not hesitate to grab him. Hopefully he is in Pens black and gold for years to come.

Playoff Predictions
Here are my playoff predictions for the NFL Divisional Round...

Baltimore @ Tennessee (Sat. 4:30pm)
I know I will take some heat for this, but I'm gonna do it anyway. The Ravens will win this game. I just like them over the Titans. They have a better defense and I just think that regardless of what Flacco does, the Ravens D will come up with big plays and score points. It wasn't an impressive with over Miami, but the Titans are just a bit overrated to me.
Baltimore 20-14

Arizona @ Carolina (Sat. 8:15pm)
I like Arizona becuase they have Larry Fitzgerald and a Clarion guy in Reggie Wells, but Carolina is a better team and has a much better running game. Oh, and solid defense. Steve Smith will have a big day as well as Jake Delhomme.
Carolina 31-14

Philadelphia @ New York Giants (Sun. 1:00pm)
This is a tough one. Maybe the toughest to call all weekend. It's hard to go against the defending world champs, but the Eagles are tough and HOT. It will be a close game no matter what. Plaxico not in the lineup may hurt the Giants, but they seem to be going fine without him too. Defense will decide the outcome.
New York 23-21

San Diego @ Pittsburgh (Sun. 4:45pm)
This should be a good game, but I also think that it has the potential to get ugly. The Chargers are a good team, but without LT, I don't know if they can win. Sproles scares me, but not enough. The only reason the Chargers won last week was because the Colts shot themselves in the foot 3 times in OT. And they don't have as good a defense as us. Ben scares me too, because it depends on which Ben shows up. Still defense wins championships and the Steelers were number 1 across the board. Yinz guys get the towels ready!
Pittsburgh 24-10

Have a great weekend Everyone...Here We Go!

Long Time No Post (Work, Penguins and Steelers Oh My!)

Well damn, it's been a while since I have posted anything I don't even know where to start. I am a manager of a Hollister and let me tell you something, the holiday season blows. People will literally fuck you up if you screw with them shopping. I have spoken to more ignorant rude obnoxious people in the span of a month and a half than over the course of my first 23 years of life. The vast majority of people who shop at my store are actually very nice. It's just with there being 10 times as much foot traffic in a day that means ten times the douchebags who ruin lives also decide to make the trek into Hollister and cause a ruckus in any way possible, making my life a nightmare. So, you may now realize why I have not written anything in a while as I have been quite busy and stressed out. Out of this I do have some pretty good stories which I may choose to share at a later date.



So, The Penguins are shitting themselves as of late. Here is my proposition.

1. Quit switching up the lines, in a team where chemistry has been a weak spot (minus the Staal, Cooke, Kennedy combo before he got hurt) switching them up just as things get rolling will not help.

2. Shoot the fucking puck.

3. Get rid of Satan and Ryan Shitney and pick up a winger to ink long term to play beside Crosby. Satan, is not playing bad but lets face it he doesn't have the connection with Sid that there needs to be to have a great first line. Both Goligoski and Letang have been playing well, since Shitney has come back into the lineup our powerplay has seem to have gotten worse. He's a bum, he needs traded.

4. Give every single player, minus Malkin, Sid, Staal, Cooke, Dupuis and Wallace a swift and steady kick in the genitalia. They are all playing like they don't give a shit.

5. Someone get into a fucking fight will ya? I feel like no one fights anymore. Granted I miss a game here and there for work, but it just seems in a close game like the one against Montreal someone should have dropped the gloves gained a little momentum and we could feed off of it. I really miss big Georges and Ruutu right about now.

6. Lastly, send Fluery somewhere to learn basic goaltending. The man makes some of the most insane saves of all time but he lets and average shot from the blueline in the back of the net to lose a game. He does that 5 times a year and that could be the difference between a division title and being out of the playoffs all together in a close Eastern Conference.



Now on to the Steelers. It's playoff time baby. I think that we are going to see a great year in the NFL playoffs this year. There are no teams that are so dominant that they will just storm through the playoffs uncontested. Steelers have as good of a shot as anyone to take home another super bowl trophy.

Trick's Keys to A Steeler Super Bowl win:

1. Big Ben needs to be smart with the football. He is trying to force the issue waaaaay too much. If he eats the ball and runs for 2 or 3 yards a couple times a game instead of taking a sack or throwing a pick we would see a different team.

2. Run the fucking football. Lets face it, as a manager of the game Ben is great, he controls a drive and seeing all of the 4th quarter heroics I like it when the ball is in his hands. He is just not a fantastic passer. Short passes to ward and miller are the way to go but throwing it as much as we do is just not steeler football. Parker and moore can run, give it to them a little more, balance the attack. Oh yeah and put a fucking full back in the backfield, this 3 tight end shit is silly.

3. Rest up during the bye, get harrison, ben and any other banged up player especially on the defence ready to go. By the way things are going it looks like the Colts and Baltimore will make it through to the next round, which puts the steelers against the colts. We need everyone on defence to be 100%.

4. Get ahead early. When teams have to play from behind in the playoffs it gets rough. If we get an early lead, the opposing team takes more risks and risking anything against the leagues number one D is not a good call.

5. Lastly, rattle the opposing teams QB. Remember in the super bowl run when we beat indy? It was because Peyton Manning was rattled and made poor decisions. Harrison and Woodley need to do just that.


Threre you have it. I will be going the the Steelers first playoff game. I have yet to go to a playoff football game in my life so this gives me an erection. Hopefully I can get some more posts for you guys soon. Hope everyone had a good holiday season. Peace.

10 Questions About the Upcoming Penguins Season

We have all been so caught up in the return of our beloved Steelers that some people have forgotten that Penguins season gets underway very soon. Preseason starts in a short 9 days with the Pens taking on the Lighting and the regular season starts in less than a month on October 4th in Stockholm against the Sens. There are a number of things I am looking at as the season gets underway.



1.) Will Evgeni Malkin bounce back after a piss poor performance in the playoffs? I thought at first it was a load of shit that Malkin plays better without Crosby. I thought it was just that he finally turned on the switch and was just going to continue to dominate with Crosby's return. But durning the playoffs he slowed considerably and just did not come up big for us. Who knows what the outcome would have been if Malkin had been playing in the playoffs like he did in the regular season. Hopefully he can bounce back to form and take kids to school like he did last year.



2.) Am I the only one who is super pumped that Ryan Whitney is hurt? Ryan Shitney, what the hell happened to you? I thought he was going to be the next Gonchar with even better defensive skills. He gets the big check and starts shitting himself. He couldn't keep the puck in on the PP he was making bonehead passes and mistakes that led to a lot of scoring chances for opposing teams. Hopefully with the 3 months or so he is going to need to take a seat we can have a Marc Andre Fleury effect on him. The best thing that happened to Fleury was being able to sit back and watch how Conklin managed the game. If Shitney does that, he could get back to the level we need him to be at, and if not, he is some serious contention for trade bait. Him being out also leads me to my next point...



3.) Will this season be a breakout year for Kris Letang? I have loved Letang since I first set eyes on him (not in a gay way). He's got a great shot, great speed, solid skating, great puck handling, good D. You name it the kid has it. With Shitney on the bench Letang will get more time on the PP. I think his fear of shooting the puck that he had last year will go away. I think some of the rookie mistakes will go away. I'm not saying his game will be perfect, the kid is still young. I am going to say though watching him this past year and seeing that when he did make a mistake he hauled ass and did everything in his power to fix it, I'm sure any concerns or issues with his game will be resolved coming in to this season and he will be a big piece of the puzzle this year.



4.) Will Marc-Andre Fleury continue his outstanding play? As I mentioned before, the best thing that ever happened to MAF was getting hurt last year. He came back a smarter goalie with better stick skills and more control. He is one of if not the most athletic goalie in the league. When he gets his style and form perfected, not only will he make the routine great saves, but he can make the saves that no other goalie can make just because of his athletic abilities. My only concern is that in the past he has shown himself to get rattled and be a little inside his own head, if he can shake the head trash the man will be a top 5 goalie.



5.) Could it be .....Satan? I want to see what this guy, along with Fedotenko, can do playing on a line with Crosby or Malkin. They have produced in the past, I want to see how they are going to fit in the puzzle.



6.) Will losing Malone, Laraque, and Ruutu etc. be a big deal? I have never been big on Ryan Malone, I think he played great in the playoffs and everything but the truth his his production never really went up even when playing on lines with 2 of the best players in the world. Even a shithead like Robbie Brown looked like a hero when he was playing with Mario. Malone was a behemoth who sat in front of the net, get any big guy in front and Malkin and Crosby will get you 25 goals. I'm more concerned with losing our tough guys. I loved Ruutu, and Big Georges for that matter. I am just hoping that Cooke and fill in when Ruutu left off and Godard can handle the puck behind the net or an entire shift like Laraque could.


(This picture is on the Pens Blog, It is hilarious)

7.) Will God smack the Red Wings with an injury to Hossa? You should never wish ill will upon someone so I am not saying I want Hossa to get hurt. I'm just saying wouldn't it be kind of funny if he did get hurt. That or Detroit didn't even make the playoffs. That might be even better. He wanted to go to a team that he thought had a better chance of winning the cup and they don't even make the playoffs. Lets all cross our fingers.



8.) Will the Pens stay healthy? Fucking high ankle spains galore last season almost jepordized the year for the Pens. Injuries will happen, but I think that for the most part the team shouldn't have the issues of last year and be for the most part healthy.



9.) Will Jordan Staal get out of his offensive funk? Jordan Staal is my boy. He plays great defence, is great on the PK and has solid all around skill, not to mention he is still a teenager. He was getting great chances last year and coming up short. His rookie season the shots that he had going in would hit the post last year. He still got the scoring chances and he still played great all around hockey. He had a very soild playoffs and I think that showed his maturation as a player and I think he will feed off that for this season. The scary thing about Staal is that he is so young he will only put on more muscle and get bigger, faster and stronger. I just really hope he is not a salary cap casualty at the end of this season because I think he is going to have 30-40 goals when it is all said and done.



10.) Last but not least will the Pens repeat as Eastern Conference champs? Short answer, Yes they will. There is no reason why the Pens should not repeat. Sure they lost Hossa, but we didn't have him for the majority of the season. I think that there are no teams in the East who can match the Pens, if they come out of the gate swinging this season instead of lolligagging like they did last year, I think the Pens should end the regular season tops in the East. They should then be able to march back to the Cup Finals and hopefully take the whole damn thing.

So there you have it. I just had to let people know we have not forgotten the Pens and as the season quickly approaches. Also, let's all take a moment to realize that as a city Pittsburgh has some of the greatest sports teams in the world. I hope all of you reading this realize how lucky we are to be able to go to Heinz Field to watch the Stillers or Mellon Arena for a Pens game and yes even PNC park to watch the Succo's. This shit is so sweet. Let's go Pens.

My Fantasy Football Post

It seems like everyone and their grandfathers second cousins landlord are making posts about fantasy football. Because I don't feel like being left out of the loop I am going to tell you all about my bad ass fantasy squad.



QB - Carson Palmer

So Palmer didn't have a stellar year this past season. He should come back into form this year. With HOcho Cinco and Douchmanzada as one of the best one two punches in the league, I think he might bouch back to become the top tier QB he has the potential to be.



RB - Ladainian Tomlinson

Do I even have to say anything else? The man is a machine bottom line. He will be good for 15 points a week at least.



RB - Selvin Young

Ok so this pick is a little wierd. I had picked Ronnie Brown before word got out that Ricky Williams is going to be the starter in Miami. I picked up Young in late rounds and he could be a big sleeper this year. He is the starting back for Denver and hopefully can come into form this season as a young stand out back.



WR - Larry Fitzgerald

Top 5 reciever in the league. On a team where you have Boldin as well he still produces. With a fat new contract and Boldin getting up there in age, Fitzgerald should produce big numbers this year.



WR - Santonio Holmes

Santonio should be a great number 2 guy for me this year. He should complete his full transition this season to become the Steelers number one reciever. Hines is aging and will continue to produce but Santonio will put up some serious numbers this season. He will be good for a good number of TD's and hopefully 1000 yards.



WR/RB - Jerricho Cotchery

Jerricho as was previously posted is going to have a great season again. With his new QB, he should put up even better numbers this year. He is the sole reason I won my league last year. He's one of those guys that does not get a lot of press but he really does well.



TE - Jason Witten

Best TE in the league. With Dallas being short on WR's he is going to have a bigger role in the offence this year, even working as slot reciever at times. This should lead to some even bigger numbers for Witten. He is like another reciever and he could put up 10-15 points a week.



K - Shayne Graham

It's a kicker, who cares. But as for kickers he is one of the best.



DEF/ST - Bears

Two words, Hester and Urlacher. Bears defence is always good and creates a lot of turnovers and does not let up a lot of points. Hopefully they will keep putting up the special teams numbers to give that little extra push that my team can use later in the season.


So there you have it that is my starting lineup for this week. I have backup players that are good as well but I don't feel like wrtiing anything else. Until next time, Peace Bitches.

Fantasy Football 2008 Preview

Is it pathetic that one of the highlights of my life is an annual fantasy football draft? Probably, but by God its one of my favorite days of the year! Where else can a group of assholes like my friends and I compete and rip on each other at high levels without any form of exercise whatsoever? Nowhere! So for the past five years, I've had one goal: To Beat Bones.

So this year, I invite you to look in on our league to see how Fantasy Football is really played.

http://football.fantasysports.yahoo.com/league/bonescantwin

But before I do, Let me introduce you to the gang and give you a preview of the upcoming season.

3time 3time 3time

Owner: Bones
Exp: 4 years
Overall Record: 34-20-2
Best Finish: 1st (twice)
Worst Finish: 3rd
Playoff Appearances: 4

If there's one person I wish would lose all his games, it would be Bones. Not because he's pretty much ruled the league since it's inception 2004 but more because I just generally wish ill-will upon him in whatever he does. As much as I hate to admit it, Bones generally picks up a good team whether it be through the draft or on the waiver wire. This year his starting line-up looks pretty solid. Roethlisberger is a top 5 QB and LT is LT. Lee Evans is, as always iffy and I think Michael "the Burner" Turner is going to have a breakout season. As for his bench, Rudi Johnson, who is currently getting shopped, has a lot to prove. Crayton is a good sleeper, and Joey Galloway is always good for being old and catching balls.

2008 Prediction: Bones will lose all his games except when he faces Dan.

Rhoades
Owner: Rhoades
Exp: 4 years
Overall Record: 28-25-3
Best Finish: 1st
Worst Finish: 6th
Playoff Appearance:2

The leagues inaugural champion, Old Rhoadesy looks to have a season without a tie. My worry about Rhoades' team is that a lot of these guys have missed time, or will miss time due to injury, (or in Brandon Marshall's case, suspension.) Donavan Mcnabb has been a solid QB when he's been healthy but with injuries to Coles, Chad Johnson, and Reggie Brown his wide receivers are definitely suspect. Larry Johnson should have a decent year, except the Chief's lack of a passing game is going to hurt there. Frank Gore will probably be awesome, especially since I hate him. Props on the Mendenhall pick though, as long as he can keep his hands on the ball, he'll be a viable option.

2008 Prediction: It's tough to tell, I think if his receivers stay healthy, Rhoades could make the playoffs, but that's a big if.

Chinese Chopsticks
Owner: Chan
Exp: 4 Years
Overall Record:27-29
Best Finish: 4th
Worst Finish: 8th
Playoff Appearances: 1

If we were playing this Fantasy Football in China, Chan would surely win the league. Not because his team is better than ours, but more because the Chinese cheated in the Olympics, so why stop there? Actualy, Chan's team is looking a lot stronger than I initially thought, especially if Peyton Manning is healthy. Fitzgerald, Holt, Holmes, and Ward are some pretty decent receivers. Steven Jacksona and Brandon Jacobs are good. Lendale White is a fat ass, and I'm not so sure how many carries Justin Fargas is going to get so hopefully his top two backs don't get injured. If all goes well, I can see Chinese Chopsticks being a strong contender in this league.

2008 Prediction: With a healthy Manning, Chan finishes at least 3rd.

Jimmy Fallon Rocks
Owner: Bice
Exp: 4 years
Overall Record: 30-26
Best Finish: 2nd
Worst Finish: 8th
Playoff Appearances: 2
If Jesus were to draft a team, it would most certainly look like this. I have the Drew/ Marques Colston combo going in the Saint's pass happy offense. Harrison, Driver, and Cotchery will also get their fair share of TD's as well. Running Back wise Joseph Addai and Ryan Grant are clearly top fantasy backs. Thomas Jones is going to have a huge year and LJ Smith is going to become the top TE in th league. Overall, an awesome draft for old Bicer.

2008 Prediction: 1st place. 14-0.

Oriental Avenue
Owner: Dan
Exp: 4 years
Overall Record: 30-26
Best Finish: 3rd
Worst Finish: 7th
Playoff Appearances: 2

Dan is probably the worst player in Fantasy Football history. Every player he chooses is just so God Awful, I don't know why we even let him in the league. He's a total disgrace. Carson Palmer?! Awful! TJ Douchemanzadah?! Hurt and a prick! Bouldin wants a trade. Santana Moss sucks! Kevin Curtis is hurt. Marshawn Lynch is probably the only good player on his team. I wouldn't be suprised if Neil Rackers is his points leader this year. Honestly. Just Awful.

2008 Prediction: 0-14

Brutus B. Rowns
Owner: Timmy
Exp: 4 years
Overall Record: 25-29-2
Best Finish: 4th
Worst Finish: 8th
Playoff Appearances: 1

Timmy should have won the entire league last year. How you have guys like Brady, Moss, LT, and Braylon Edwards, and then not make the playoffs is beyond me. This year he has Brady and Moss back and although they probably won't reach the milestones they did last year, they'll still win him a few games. After those two, however, his team is all suspect. Maroney and McGahee are not strong backs, especially since McGahee hasn't even played this preseason. Calvin Johnson may be a good sleeper but other than that I'm not too impressed.

2008 Prediction: With awful teams like Dan's and Bones's, Timmy will go .500.

Make It RainOwner: Gus
Exp: 1 year
Overall Record: 10-4
Best Finish:2

During last year's draft everyone made fun of Gus's team. Then he went and came in 2nd place. So no more of that. I've got to say, I hate Tony Romo. He never is good for a whole season, especially not when you need him but maybe Jessica Simpson won't show up to any of his games this year. TO is getting up there in age but still effective. Willie Parker is great but rarely gets in the end zone. Adrian Peterson could carry his team for a few weeks and those two rookie running backs could help carry the load.

2008 Prediction: Gus finishes second again after I kick the shit out of him in the championship game.

Cripplers
Owners: Crippler and Dan Potash

Exp: RookieCrippler is the new kid on the block and it shows because he drafted Jay Cutler, who I think is worthless. Braylon Edwards, Andre Johnson, and Wes Welker are pretty decent receivers. Westbrook is fantastic. Portis is a weirdo and Earnest Graham sucks. Hopefully Dan Potash will call Crippler periodically to give him so good advice or he might hang himself on his bow flex.

2008 Prediction: He'll win like 5 games.