Some sporting thoughts before sunrise …
>> My Friday column is on Pitt’s Todd Graham, who is being buried ridiculously prematurely. I am eager to hear your views on this, especially as it relates to Graham’s handling of Tino Sunseri and the quarterback position throughout the season.
>> This cheap shot happened late in the Penguins-Capitals game last night …
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_vjv-Tnsw5k
That’s Washington’s John Carlson clearly taking aim at Matt Cooke’s head, then felling him. It’s the textbook definition of the play the NHL has said it wants to abolish. It happened near the puck. Four officials were on the ice. None called a penalty, even though all four have the right to call a major.
Brendan Shanahan needs to make up for that.
And I couldn’t care less that Cooke has been a dirty player. If anything, this is a chance for the league to send a strong message that fair is fair. Shanahan had such a chance earlier this season when Calgary’s Cory Sarich similarly felled Cooke, but Shanahan blew it that time. Here’s his chance to get it right.
>> Something stinks with the Capitals, and not just their play.
>> Here is the chat transcript from yesterday. Thanks to our friend Milo for the “softball!”
Hey, DK thanks for the you tube clip. The 6 Carlsen clips after the cheap shot clip were great. What were you browsing on you tube?
DK: A reader tweeted that one my way.
JAL’s Battle of Evermore Morning Links
GENERAL DAILY UPDATED BASEBALL SITES
1- MLB Transactions
http://www.cbssports.com/mlb/transactions
2-MLB Trade Rumors-Pirates
http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/pittsburgh_pirates/
3- 2011-12 Pirates Prospects Off-Season Calendar
http://www.piratesprospects.com/2011/10/2011-12-pirates-prospects-off-season-calendar.html
4 Pirate Offseason Stats
http://www.mlb.com/milb/stats/org.jsp?id=pit
5 Yahoo Free Agent Tracker
http://ca.sports.yahoo.com/mlb/news;_ylt=AvN8KLXkNW0TcRjzSCagLIMBbgM6?slug=jp-passan_ultimate_free_agent_tracker_baseball_110211
6 Pirates Prospects Offseason Tracker
http://www.piratesprospects.com/offseason
PIRATE BLOGS
7—Pirates Prospects
Winter Leagues 12/1– Unearned Runs From Martis And Ascanio
http://www.piratesprospects.com/2011/12/winter-leagues-121-unearned-runs-from-martis-and-ascanio.html
Trade Analysis of a Non-Pirate Trade – Iannetta for Chatwood
http://www.piratesprospects.com/2011/12/trade-analysis-of-a-non-pirate-trade-iannetta-for-chatwood.html
Pirates Will Have a $9 M Draft Pool in 2012
http://www.piratesprospects.com/2011/12/pirates-will-have-a-9-m-draft-pool-in-2012.html
Pirates Announce 2012 Minor League Staff
http://www.piratesprospects.com/2011/12/pirates-announce-2012-minor-league-staff.html
8 Bucs Dugout
MLB Draft: Pirates To Get $9.3 Million For First 10 Rounds, According To Report. UPDATE: Or Not
http://www.bucsdugout.com/2011/12/1/2603702/mlb-draft-pirates-to-get-9-3-million-for-first-10-rounds-according-to
9 WHY GAVS
Lyle Overbay is still finding work
http://whygavs.com/pittsburgh-pirates/november-2011/lyle-overbay-is-still-finding-work.html
NEWSPAPERS and MAGAZINES
10 Chicago Sun-Times
Matt Garza’s fate will signal Cubs’ direction
http://www.suntimes.com/sports/baseball/cubs/9187473-573/matt-garzas-fate-will-signal-cubs-direction.html
11 MAINICHI Daily News
Baseball: Sanada posted to 30 major league clubs
http://mdn.mainichi.jp/mdnnews/sports/news/20111202p2g00m0sp135000c.html
12 TV Geek Army
Baseball Wives, “Episode One”: cleat chasers
http://tvgeekarmy.com/post/viewPost/baseball_wives_episode_one_cleat_chasers/3ae9e52e4dc314a3a60accfbfdeeaba0
SPORTS WEBSITES
13 Beyond the Boxscore
All True Pirates Team
http://www.beyondtheboxscore.com/2011/11/30/2577773/all-true-pirates-team
14 MLB
Signing-bonus constraints to impact Draft
http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20111201&content_id=26066708&vkey=news_mlb&c_id=mlb
15 PBC Site
Bucs could use Meetings to prep for later moves
http://pittsburgh.pirates.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20111201&content_id=26068800&vkey=news_pit&c_id=pit
16 Miro Sports News
Sports Great Announcers, Part II
http://www.mirosport.net/2011/mlb/40599/sports-great-announcers-part-ii/
17 Bleacher Report
MLB 2012: Predicting the Record of Every NL Team Next Season
http://bleacherreport.com/articles/960754-mlb-predicting-the-record-of-every-nl-team-in-2012
Steelers Blogs
-Behind the Steel Curtain
Life in the NFL
http://www.behindthesteelcurtain.com/2011/12/1/2601159/nfl-week-12-parity-afc-playoff-picture-pittsburgh-steelers
Roethlisberger: ‘Dalton is Rookie of the Year’
http://www.behindthesteelcurtain.com/2011/12/1/2602880/ben-roethlisberger-andy-dalton-rookie-of-the-year-week-13-bengals-steelers-analysis
Bengals Coordinators Gruden, Zimmer Both Excellent Head Coaching Candidates
http://www.behindthesteelcurtain.com/2011/12/1/2602986/bengals-offensive-coordinator-jay-gruden-defensive-coordinator-Mike-zimmer-head-coaching
-Steelers Depot
Practice Injury Report Thursday
http://www.steelersdepot.com/2011/12/steelers-bengals-week-13-practice-injury-report-thursday/
-Steelers Gab
Classic Steelers Video: Bengals at Steelers 1973 Week 7 Battle
http://www.steelersgab.com/2011/12/01/classic-steelers-video-bengals-at-steelers-1973-week-7-battle/
Pitt Blogs
Pitt Blather
City Game Themes: Rebounding and Holding Onto the Ball
http://www.pittblather.com/2011/12/01/city-game-themes-rebounding-and-holding-onto-the-ball/
Cardiac Hill
Pitt-Syracuse: An ACC Battle in the Big East
http://www.cardiachill.com/2011/12/1/2600996/pitt-vs-syracuse-football-big-east-expansion-acc-expansion-pittsburgh-panthers
WVU Blogs
Metro News
Gold And Blue Now: Friday
http://www.wvmetronews.com/wvu.cfm?func=displayfullstory&storyid=49550
WV Illustrated
Attitude Allows WVU to Overcome Mistakes, Win as Team
http://www.wvillustrated.com/story/16171473/attitude-allows-wvu-to-overcome-mistakes-win-as-team
WVU Defeats South Florida 30-27, Clinches League Title
http://www.wvillustrated.com/story/16168982/wvu-vs-south-florida-game-recap
PENGUIN BLOGS
—Pensburgh
Locking it Down: Pens’ Defense Helps Secure a 2-1 Win Over Capitals
http://www.pensburgh.com/2011/12/1/2604595/locking-it-down-pens-defense-helps-secure-a-2-1-win-over-capitals
I saw that cheap shot on Cooke and I was furious when there was no penalty. Shanahan had better step up and hand down a suspension or he will look like a major hypocrite. Anyone want to place any bets that he does/doesn’t step up?
Graham will fail miserably. Despite Holgersen’s rough PR start, he will turn out better than Graham.
Of course, I’m a bit biased being a WVU fan.
PSU & WVU Foo
………..
I watched the game at a bar and had the sound off but it looked to me like #74 of the Caps came thisclose to replaying the Steckel incident with Sid all over again in the first or second period. Sid had his head turned and the guy hit him real rough shoulder to shoulder as they passed each other, and it was just inches from his head. Any word on that?
“You don’t make significant moves like calling up a first-round draft pick for any reason other than that you feel the player is legitimately ready. Anything else is stupid and short-sighted.” DK in 12-1-11 Chat
Could this be describing Pedro Alvarez also? I’ve thought since the day he was brought up in 2010 during that long losing streak that Neal was overruled from above (Frank and/or Bob) because of that losing streak. This was re-confirmed (to me) at Piratefest last year when Neal said, without mentioning any names, that they erred in bringing up players too early and wouldn’t do it again.
For Graham, I think much of the fans’ disappointment relates to the hyping / over-hyping when he was hired. But that was necessary for recruiting. He needed to create excitement to have something to sell to recruits. That fans were disappointed because they expected more this season is too bad, but secondary to getting his recruits.
As far as how he handled Sunseri / the QB position… That is a tough one. I think he could have handled it better and not thrown Sunseri under the bus. But then, the QB position play was HORRIBLE. No way to get around that. So he could have handled it better from a PR perspective, the fact of the matter is Pitt doesn’t have the necessary talent at QB currently and Graham simply expressed that publicly without much tact or subtlety.
Will be interesting to see any suspension from the Cooke hit. I’m rooting for progress.
@AW – good point, but if a guy has it, isn’t it going to show sooner or later? I know baseball is a lot mental, but Pedro had chances to bounce back last season and he pretty much failed miserably.
@Arriba
And based on what we’ve seen from Alvarez he STILL should be waiting for his first call-up. The dude is just lost at the plate.
Grahams management and people skills reminds me quite a bit of what you see coming out of the bunkers on Federal Street. He and the BMTIB need a couple of Dale Carnegie classes.
Not to be critical…..
On Graham, I know he has been criticized for throwing Tino under the bus, and that Tino has been criticized as being not very talented for a Division I quarterback, but one thing I heard for the first time on KDKA’s Sports Showdown last Sunday was the very strong hint that Tino wasn’t very coachable. Kind of like he was resistant to Graham’s attempts to have him improve, whether through just arrogance or lack of knowledge/ability. And Paul Zeise was on the panel (although I can’t remember for sure he was the one who said it, but if he didn’t he didn’t dispute it).
I have no idea if Graham is any good. But I am inclined to hold judgment.
If the team doesn’t take a step backwards NEXT season, then I would go three (and two recruiting classes) before passing judgment.
As for cheap shots, why has nobody noticed that every hit by the Great 8 ends with him leaving his feet and launching into the opponent, especially on the boards. Isn’t that the defintion of boarding? I wish the NHL would apply the rules equally to all players. The Pens definitely need to have the league office review the cheap shot to Cooke. As DK said, fair is fair.
Dejan,
Something I’ve been thinking about. Do you get reports on where your blog/article traffic comes from?
I’m curious to hear what kind of traffic you get from social media (Twitter especially) vs. the traditional page view through the site.
DK: There aren’t exact numbers, but the rough percentage is that the vast majority goes right through the site. Twitter doesn’t penetrate much. Only 8 percent of the public is signed up, and less than that uses it. I’d say about 3-5 percent of the traffic goes through Twitter.
Rob Biertempfel tweets, “Pirates have interest on Yoenis Cespedes, but will quickly back away if bidding starts to get crazy.”
Gee Rob, whatever gave you that idea ?
OK kids, I guess Matt Cooke just doesn’t count. No suspension, no fine, no hearing. No onions Shanny.
http://www.washingtontimes.com/blog/capitals-watch/2011/dec/2/no-hearing-john-carlson-after-hit-matt-cooke/
DK, a bit late, but I really enjoyed the Graham column. I’m glad not everyone in town is so quick to tar and feather this guy and put him on the railroad tracks out of town. I did and still do think he was a good hire and that he will make something work here. They had to take a step back to take two steps forward. Sure, they could’ve finished 8-2 or 7-3 and won the big east then lost the BCS game, but isn’t the reason we fired Wannstedt to get over that hump?
Pitt should be patient with Graham just like WVU should be patient with Holgorsen. Although one thing I might disagree with is starting Sunseri on Saturday. I’d start Myers and show the rest of the players that they will be held accountable. The problem with Sunseri isn’t that he can’t execute the playbook. It’s that he is fundamentally awful and limited by a weak arm. I don’t care if they have to cut the playbook in half to play Myers, he should at least be able to make a completion 10-20 yards downfield on occasion.
Anyways, good column. Oh and maybe tomorrow you could elaborate on your thoughts about whatever it is that you think stinks about the Capitals? Is it a front office problem? Locker room? Organizational mentality? We’d be interested to hear you expand your opinion!
DK: Thanks! And I’ll save the Caps thing for some other day. It’s not hockey-related.