Yardbarker: Petr Nedved

What Ranger Jerseys Can You Comfortably Wear?...

Sun, 08 Nov 2009 02:34:00 -0500

I started compiling this list after I was at the Ranger-Islander game at the Coliseum last Wednesday and saw Nikolai Zherdev and Lauri Korpikoski standing next to each other. Of course, it wasn't actually them, but two people who paid a combined $360 for the jerseys of two players who no longer play on the Rangers.

Yet, some players no longer play in New York, but you can still wear their jersey and be proud of it. And even further, there are some players who play here whose jersey should not be worn, and if it is, you should be ridiculed.

Think you're safe? Check the list...

Good (Wear Proudly)
Jaromir Jagr #68 (had a great resurgence in NY; since he didn’t win a Cup, you have about 2 more years with this jersey before you should move on)
Brendan Shanahan #14 (I would never fault someone for having a Shanny jersey)
Henrik Lundqvist #30
Blair Betts #15/19; Jed Ortmeyer #41 (you can wear there jerseys for years and they would be appropriate)
Nigel Dawes #10 ; Petr Prucha #25 (it’s not your fault they were traded)
Sean Avery #16
Dan Girardi #5; Brandon Dubinsky #17; Marc Staal #18; Ryan Callahan #24; Artem Anisimov #42
Mike Del Zotto #4; Matt Gilroy #97 (buy with no hesitation; there two will be around a while)
Marian Gaborik #10
Steve Rucchin #20 (because I have one, and every once in a while, I still wear it)
Petr Nedved #93
Brian Leetch #2; Adam Graves #9; Mark Messier #11; Mike Richter #35
Jeff Beukeboom #23 (or mostly any member from the 1994 Cup team)
Ales Kotalik #12; Vinny Prospal #20; Martin Straka #82; Michael Nylander #92 (not the superstar of the team, but they compliment a Jagr or Gaborik well)
Eddie Giacomin #1; Rod Gilbert #7; Andy Bathgate #9; Ron Duguay #10 (or any other number he wore); Phil Esposito #77 (if you were old enough to watch these players play)

Iffy (Wear Cautiously)
Darius Kasparaitis #6; Pavel Bure #9; Theo Fleury #14 (I don’t mind the players, but it’s time for a new one, don’t you think?)
#28 Colton Orr (had a solid season last year, but there weren’t other choices?)
#99 Wayne Gretzky (can’t fault a Gretzky jersey, but it has been a decade since he left and he was in the twilight of his great career here. If he won a Cup, that would be different, of course.)
Alex Kovalev #27 (hey, he still might come back, and after all, he did win the Cup here as a rookie)
Chris Drury #23 (you obviously bought it during the summer of 2007 when you thought he’d be a superstar in New York, but he plays hard enough most of the time to warrant wearing him on your back... sometimes)

Bad (Give Them Away to the Garden of Dreams Foundation)
(Before you ask, yes, I have seen all of these jerseys recently.)
Dale Purinton #5 (seriously, I once saw one)
Andy Bathgate #9 (if you were born after 1955, you should not wear a Bathgate jersey. If you have seen him play in person, go for it.)
Lauri Korpikoski #29; Fedor Tyutin #51 (while it’s not your fault they were traded, it’s your fault for buying one in the first place)
Wade Redden #6 (must’ve been a present)
Ivan Baranka #21 (one NHL game and you have a jersey?)
Steve Valiquette #40 (you got it to be different, admit it)
Michal Rozsival #33
Eric Lindros #88 (Only one other jersey makes me madder, and I even have a Lindros jersey... safely in my closet. While Lindros, the player, wasn't awful, this jersey symbolizes a horrible stretch of time in Rangers history and wearing it only brings up good memories. No one goes, "Oh, the Lindros Era! What a jolly time!")
Luc Robitaille #20 (he wasn’t here long enough/didn’t play good enough to warrant having his jersey still 10 years later)
Chris Higgins #21 (until he proves otherwise)
Nik Zherdev #13
Markus Naslund #91
Ryan Hollweg #44 (Yes, I have one - I got it after his great 2005-06 season - and no, I’ll probably never wear it again, even though about 15 players have signed it)
Tom Poti #3/16
Dan Blackburn #31 (by this logic, you should’ve gotten a Lundqvist when he first came up)

And the worst Rangers jersey to wear...
Scott Gomez #19 (You bought it when he was signed. He never did anything in New York except play well against them. Everyone sighed when he was finally traded. Yet, you continue to wear this on your back when real players like Prospal and Gaborik actually show up to play. If you have a Scott Gomez jersey, please don't wear it. No one wants to see it, no one wants to remember him.)

What Ranger Jerseys Can You Comfortably Wear?…

Sun, 08 Nov 2009 02:34:00 -0500

Broad Street Bulletin - Ex-Flyers Doing Well In Playoffs - Do The Flyers Miss...

Sat, 16 May 2009 18:41:14 -0500

The Carolina Hurricanes upset the Boston Bruins, the top team in the Eastern Conference, with a seventh game victory Thursday night. One of the key factors was the Hurricanes' ability to control the Bruins defensively. Two names in particular that looked good: Dennis Seidenberg and Joni Pitkanen...both ex-Flyers.Have a look at how some of our old friends are doing.Dennis Seidenberg: He was a 6th round (172-overall) draft pick for the Flyers in 2001. In January of 2006, he was traded...

A Past Agony May Offer a Glimmer of Hope for the Present

Mon, 20 Apr 2009 06:03:37 -0500

Let this portion of the past be prologue this postseason: the first-round series between the Pittsburgh Penguins and Washington Capitals in April 1996. Why would I invoke the painful memory of a six-game setback to them, now? Well for starters, just living to see a game 6 this April would be a welcomed development. But that remarkable chapter in Caps-Pens playoff lore offers some encouragement for depressed Caps' fans this morning.The 1995-96 Penguins finished the regular season with a re...

THE GREATEST PLAYS IN PITTSBURGH SPORTS HISTORY

Fri, 23 Jan 2009 18:37:49 -0500

ESPN's Dave Dameshek and I discussed the greatest plays in Pittsburgh sports history in our upcoming Friday podcast, and that's one of those conversations that could've lasted all night.

I suggested we take Dave's list and throw it to the Mondesi's House readers for discussion, so please, check it out and add as you feel necessary, because as we both recognized, this is undoubtedly an incomplete list.

The Immaculate Reception

Bill Mazeroski's 1960 Series-ending HR

Mario Lemieux scores the winner with 12 seconds left in Game One of the '92 Cup Finals

Willie Stargell's seventh game HR in the 1979 World Series

Ben Roethlisberger's game-saving tackle of Nick Harper in the 2006 AFC Playoffs

Troy Polamalu's INT return vs. Baltimore in the 2009 AFC Championship

John Stallworth's 4th quarter TD catch in Super Bowl XIV

Mario Lemieux scores on the first shift (and first shot) of his NHL career

Tony Dorsett breaks the all-time NCAA rushing record at Pitt

'The Save' (Frank Pietrangelo vs. Petr Stastny)

Ronnie Francis beats Mike Richter from the blueline in the 1992 Playoffs

Jack Lambert throws Cliff Harris to the ground

Mike Renfro's no-catch/Jackie Smith's drop in Super Bowl XIII

Marino-to-Brown in the Sugar Bowl

Manny Sanguillen's GW pinch hit in 1979 World Series Game Two

Jerome Lane breaks the backboard (aka "Send it in, Jerome!)

Mario Lemieux's empty-netter vs BOS to send Pens to first Cup Finals in 1991

Mario Lemieux's split-the-defensemen-goal in Game Two of 1991 Finals

Willie Williams' shoe-string tackle of Indy's Lamont Warren on 3-and-1 in the 4th Quarter of the '95/'96 AFC title game

Mario Lemieux scores his fourth goal of the game in OT from his bum in the must-win, second-to-last game of '88 in DC (ironically, it was Caps D Larry Murphy who took out his legs)

The onside kick in Super Bowl XXX

Rod Woodson forcing an OT fumble @ Houston in the '89 wild card to set up Gary Anderson's 50-yd winner (Cope called it "The Act of Rod")

Dave Parker's two '79 All-Star Game put-outs from right field

Petr Nedved's 4th OT goal vs the Caps

Darius Kasparaitis' OT goal vs the Sabres, 2001 Eastern Conference Semis Game 7

Mean Joe giving that kid his jersey in exchange for a Coke

Rick Tocchet's tying goal with a minute left in the 1993 Patrick Division Finals Game 7 vs. the Islanders

Mario Lemieux's last goal before his first retirement, 1997

Mario Lemieux scores in his first comeback game, 2000

Willie Parker's record-setting TD in Super Bowl XL

James Harrison's bodyslam of a Browns fan in 2005

Max Talbot & Petr Sykora goals in Game 5 of the 2008 Cup

Francisco Cordova/Ricardo Rincon No-Hitter/Mark Smith pinch hit three-run walkoff HR for the 1997 Freak Show Pirates

Mario Lemieux's 5 Goals 5 Ways

Deshea Townsend's pick-six of Tony Romo, 2008, Steelers vs. Cowboys

Jerome Bettis owns Brian Urlacher, 2005, Steelers vs. Bears

Feel free to add whatever was inevitably missed in the comments section or via email and we'll compile a more comprehensive list

Send your news, tips, and links to Mondesishouse@gmail.com.

The Difference...

Sun, 26 Oct 2008 12:46:27 -0500

I've probably spoken about this before, but there is a stark difference in this year's Rangers team as opposed to years past.A
Before the lockout, the Rangers were notorious for leaving points on the table. It was a few years ago, so my memory of those lean years is (thankfully) fading, but in 2002-03 and 03-04, I used to try to keep track of how many games the Rangers blew when leading 2-0 or 3-1, only to lose in regulation or overtime or tie. Points lost to weak links like Atlanta, Columbus, and Chicago would have led the team into the playoffs.
Back when Chris Simon, Matt Barnaby, Petr Nedved, Eric Lindros, and Mike Dunham wore Ranger blue, no one played as a team, and they had no chemistry. Nobody besides Leetch, Messier, and Richter cared if the team won or loss. They were there for their paychecks, and that was that. Free agency hit at 31, so they collected big money from the big bosses in NY, then rested on their laurels (does that phrase apply?).
The years after the lockout were different. The Czech Contingent played as a team, and everyone adapted to it. The 2005-06 season was a dream season. Jaromir Jagr playing like a beast, Marty Straka and Rucinsky playing great, rookies like Hollweg, Ortmeyer, and Moore playing with heart.A
In the past 2 years, the team was good, but it lost some identity. There were a lot of points left on the table as well, however, no one complained because the team reached the playoffs.A
Do you remember in 2007 when the Rangers would consistently blow 2-goal leads? As a fan, I would cringe when they would go up 2 goals. They were up 3-1 to Detroit at MSG, and the whole building was waiting for them to blow it. And they did, in regulation.
I remember one game against the Penguins, March 2007. The Rangers were up 2-0, gave up two shorthanded goals to tie the game, went up 3-2, then gave up a powerplay goal. They lost 4-3 in a shootout. At that point, the season seemed lost. However, the next game, the Rangers beat St. Louis in a shootout after being down 2-0, came back and made the playoffs.
This year, they are playing much like the did down the stretches in 2007 and 2008, like they did that night against the Blues at MSG. Yes, they have flaws. They had shaky-at-best offense against Dallas and Buffalo, including some shaky-at-best defense against Dallas.A
But they fight back. They were behind against Detroit on the second game of a back-to-back (after a flight to Michigan) and scored 2 third period goals. They were down 2-0 to Pittsburgh even though they played well for most of the game, and they didn't give up.
The difference in this team from the teams in previous seasons is that they don't let their flaws bring them down. They still find ways to win. They haven't played like Stanley Cup champions every game this season, but an 8-2-1 record after a shortened training camp and 8 preseason games is nothing to complain about.
Plus, I'm smiling like a 7-year-old on Christmas morning from watching that Nik Zherdev goal over and over again.

READERS RULE WEEK - READERS ROUNDTABLE, PART TWO

Tue, 21 Oct 2008 19:18:28 -0500

As part of Mondesi's House Readers Rule Week (Sponsored by Champion), I decided to pick a few of my loyal emailers out of the crowd and corner them for a few of their views on some "big-picture" Pittsburgh sports questions. Luckily, they took me up on my offer and contributed to what I think is a really interesting discussion about Pittsburgh sports.

This is the second of two parts.

The members of panel Group Two are as follows:

AJ of Pittsburgh, Art Campbell of Slippery Rock, Beej Gefsky of Los Angeles CA, Sean of Sean's Ramblings, "P Niddy" from Straight Outta Johnstown, Keith Debildt of Cincinnati, Zane Bloom of Pittsburgh, and in the name of nepotism, two readers with me since day one who happen to be related to me: my brother Dave Spagnolo and my father Angelo Spagnolo (who recently started his own blog).

This group will be answering four questions:

1. What is your all-time most memorable moment in Pittsburgh sports history?

1A. What is your all-time most forgettable moment in Pittsburgh sports history?

2. What makes the city of Pittsburgh special to you?

3. What would you consider your all-time favorite Pittsburgh sports team, specific to a single season? (For example, the '90-91 Penguins or the 1979 Pirates).

Their answers are below. And please, feel free to add your two cents to any or all of these questions in the comments section.

AJ:
For the record, this may be one of the most difficult questions I've had to answer in years. Seriously, how do you pick just one singular moment? I am running every memory from Randle El tossing the TD to Hines in Superbowl XL, to Jerome Lane's backboard shattering dunk at the Fitzgerald Field House .

After much debate, I am going to settle on April 24th, 1996. Petr Nedved scores at 79:15 of OT to defeat the Caps. I recall this game because I was in college and it was a Wednesday night (aka: quarter draft night at Alexander's in New Castle). We watched the first period at a friend's house and drank before going to the bar. Continued watching the game while drinking at the bar. Got kicked out at last call and still made it home in time for the 4th overtime period. I'm sure the copious amounts of Milwaukee's Best helped fuel our joy, but the room absolutely erupted when Nedved scored that goal. Then I got the bright idea to call Stan & Guy during the post game show. My question: "What would have happened if the Zamboni ran out of gas?"

P NIDDY:
A winter trek from Johnstown to Pittsburgh can be treacherous, so my Dad and I only went to couple Pens games when I was growing up. However, we were lucky enough to see the 'five goals five ways' game on New Years Eve 1988.

I was pretty young, but I still remember how the place went bananas when the ref pointed to the circle for the penalty shot. It got even louder when Mario beat the goalie like a rented mule. I know the Devils were just so-so that year, but it was special to see Lemiuex dominate that team like he did.

It's hard to pick just one moment, so I also want to mention The Tackle, Kaspar's OT goal, and when James Harrison bodyslammed that assclown from Cleveland who ran onto the field.

SEAN:
On Tuesday, May 8, 2001, I was living in Columbus , Ohio and watched game six of the Eastern conference semi-finals between the Pittsburgh Penguins and Buffalo Sabres with some friends. After the Penguins won in overtime, the ESPN announcers innocently stated that there were still tickets available for game seven. My friends and I looked at each other, decided to call the Sabres' ticket office and managed to buy tickets in the last row of the arena. We all left work around noon on Thursday, drove the 325 or so miles to Buffalo and watched live as the Penguins defeated the Sabres in overtime when Darius Kasparaitis beat Dominik Hasek and dove on the ice in celebration. After jumping around and making our way down to the lower section (where I happened to be in the background of ESPN's interview with Kasparaitis), we drove back to Columbus, had a horrible 4:00 am breakfast at Denny's and made it to work on Friday.

ANGELO:
It was Superbowl IX, hands down. All of my family was together at my grandparents' house (it was also my grandmother's birthday). Every play was extremely exciting. Coming after 40 years of drought, the celebration was pretty lively too as I recall. It was very low scoring and the stress was palpable.

BEEJ:
Take your pick: Mario scoring with 12.5 seconds left in Game 1 of the 1992 Stanley Cup Finals (to win the game after a 5-1 Blackhawk lead). When the Penguins beat the Bruins in 1991 to advance into the Stanley Cup Finals for the first time. Mario scoring the first 3 goals in the 1990 NHL All Star Game (in Pittsburgh) including the standing ovation before the puck was even dropped. 1988 NHL All Star Game where Mario had a point in all 6 goals. 1987 Canada Cup, Game 3, Mario scored the series winning goal.

Mario's first all star game (Calgary), mvp

DAVE:
My father taking my brother and I to numerous Pirate, Steeler and Penguin games as a formidable youth. The experiences of Three Rivers Stadium and the Civic Arena are things that I wish every young Pittsburgh sports fan could have the means to experience. There were so many personable players on those teams that are too numerous to mention.

As for a single moment, God was watching over our shoulder that rainy afternoon when the Steelers hosted the Redskins at the Three Rivers finale. We got downtown late and miraculously found a parking spot very close to the stadium. We then were able to find two tickets together and one in the upper deck (three of us attending) at zero hour for a very reasonable price. We get to the spot where the two seats are and as luck would have it, the person sitting next to the two doesn't show and I got to watch the last Steeler victory at Three river with my father (Felipe) and brother (Raul). Nothing better than enjoying Steeler football with your family.

KEITH:
Not having lived in Pittsburgh until 1980, the Steelers winning the Super Bowl in 2006 has to be the most memorable, especially being able to watch the game with my son who was born a Steeler fan.

ZANE:
It's hard to pick one!

January 20, 1980. One of my first memories of ANYTHING was being five and attending a Super Bowl party for XIV in early 1980 against the Rams. I remember John Stallworth's 73 yard, over the shoulder touchdown catch and the place going NUTS.

January 22, 2006. My favorite Steeler memory, the '06 AFC Championship game. The Super Bowl was sort of anti-climatic because the game was boring, but the first half dismantling of the Broncos while I dismantled a case of Yuenglings with my work buddies in the Woodcliff Lodge in Rochester, NY, where I had to be for a meeting was awesome. The elation of realizing that the Steelers were going to the Super Bowl was euphoric.

But the greatest Pittsburgh sports memory has to be May 25, 1992. 8-0 dismantling of the North Stars. I'm 17 and watching at my house with all my high school buddies and it was the first Pittsburgh Sports Championship that I had the opportunity to enjoy. While we watched the celebration and the players drinking champagne from Lord Stanley's Cup, my sister, 14, behind the couch quipped, "Jaromir Jagr isn't old enough to drink." True statement and thankfully Minneapolis police let him slide. We took off in our cars, honking the horn, driving towards the airport to greet the team, only to find utter gridlock. It was a Monday and we had school the next day so we returned home.

ART:
Let's Learn From the Past: The 1976 Pitt Panthers

1976 Pitt vs. Penn State FSN Pittsburgh

Where are they now? 1976 Pitt Panthers

My most memorable Pittsburgh sports moment is going to the Pitt-Penn State game in 1976. I think it was the first major college football game I saw live. I was 11. My Dad took my brother and me, and a neighbor and his two sons went together. It was the first year I can remember really following a team. We sat in the top row at Three Rivers. It was a night game and it was the last regular season game of the year. If Pitt won they were going to the Super Bowl and had a chance at the National Championship. Penn State had dominated Pitt for years, but not this night. My memory was that Dorsett started the game at fullback, but I did a little research to see that Dorsett actually came out to start the second half at fullback (time has a way of distorting memories a bit). I have only been to a handful of Pitt football games and this was the only one at Three Rivers. It was exciting to be there with my Dad and the crowd was excited throughout the game and following the game.

1A. What is your all-time most forgettable moment in Pittsburgh sports history?

AJ:
Actually, I wish I could forget this. Without question, October 14th, 1992. Francisco Cabrera rips my heart out. Sid Bream's name becomes a curse word at my family dinner table. Since that night, Barry Bonds will forever be a noodle-armed pansy who couldn't throw out a cripple. Stan Belinda is a douche. Smokin' Jim Leyland will always be the maligned leader of possibly the biggest group of underachievers ever to wear Pittsburgh uniforms. Sixteen miserable years later and the franchise still hasn't come close to recovering. But I'm not bitter.

P NIDDY:

'Operation Shutdown'.

That was a turning point for me as a Pirates fan. The Derek Bell signing really got my hopes up. Lloyd told us it was going to send 'shockwaves' through baseball. It did -- but for the wrong reasons. I really thought they were turning a corner, but everything seemed hopeless when Derek Bell retired to his boat and refused to play. One good thing came out of the situation: Mark Madden's line about how Bell is 'the ultimate Pirate: lives on a boat and steals money.' That's a classic.

SEAN:
Everyone is going to write about the Francisco Cabrera, Sid Bream and the 1992 National League Championship Series. I still remember staring at the television in disbelief and watching Deion Sanders chase Tim McCarver around the locker room. While this is definitely #1 on my list, I'll share my #1B least memorable moment in Pittsburgh sports history: the 1994 AFC Championship game between the Steelers and San Diego Chargers. The Steelers were huge favorites, and as we later learned, had plans to create their own "Super Bowl Shuffle" style video. However, Stan Humphries, Tony Martin and freakin' Alfred Pupunu ruined it. Trailing 17-13, the Steelers had one final chance on fourth and goal, but the Neil O'Donnell pass was batted away. I never heard Three Rivers Stadium and 55,000 people so quiet. It was silent walking out of the stadium.

ANGELO:
Most forgettable? A couple years prior to losing to the Braves, the Pirates lost to the Reds in the ninth when Carmelo Martinez, I think, hit a ball up the right field wall. The right fielder scaled the wall and made the catch. My two young sons, (one named Raul, the younger, Ramon) were shaking their "green weenies" at the time of the catch. Ramon was so angry that he threw down his green weenie to the floor and stomped on it, smashing it into a hundred pieces. So much for good luck emanating from green weenies. The Mondesi family never did take losing easily!

BEEJ:
Pittsburgh Pirates vs Atlanta Braves, NLCS, 1992

1993 Penguins vs NY Islanders, losing in OT in the playoffs. Pens score 2 goals in final 3 minutes to go to OT and Dave Volek scores for the Islanders to win the series.

DAVE:
Co-leaders on this question. I'd have to say that the last umpteen seasons of Pirates baseball has made me somewhat disillusioned towards my primary sport growing up. For some strange reason, I'm still glued to the tv for 100 some odd games a year. Does that make me an idiot? I'll leave that up to you to decide. But there's a lot of people in Pittsburgh that absolutely love baseball. If you don't believe me, talk to anyone from Fayette County that can give you a preseason outlook on the County League teams that play each summer. Make no mistake, this is a baseball team that hasn't reciprocated the love of the game back to it's core fans. Yeah, they "try hard" (as Ronnie Florian eloquently calls it), but at some point they need to field a winner instead of REO Speedwagon.

I'll steer away from the obvious (Sid Bream sliding into home) for my other co-leader and go with walking out of Heinz Field as the New England Cheatriots emerged victorious. Talk about a groin kick.

KEITH:
The inception of the Pittsburgh Maulers and hearing the auspicious moment announced live on the radio. Unforgettable. Who can forget their first Maulers game?

ZANE:
October 14, 1992. I was a freshman at Gannon University, staying on the 3rd floor of Wehrle Hall watching in the dorm across the hall as were a bunch of others as Room 314 seemed to be one of the few rooms with a TV. The elation and excitement of being 3 outs away from the World Series only to have my heart ripped out of my chest after a Lind error and a hit by someone who ended with 89 career hits and ten at bats that entire season before that AB. This low remains greater than any high I think.

May 14, 1993. A close second. I had sort of taken for granted that the Penguins would beat the Islanders and I wasn't watching game 7. I had just returned from college for the summer and I was reconnecting with my high school buddies. We were hanging out at Eat 'N Park near Robinson Town Center after when we heard the game was in overtime and we started driving towards my house in Imperial to watch the end. We were driving down the hill on 22/30 towards the Hankey Farms exit, listening to the radio, when Volek scored over Barrasso's shoulder. Stunning. Beating the Islanders was a forgone conclusion because that 92-93 team was the best they ever had!

ART:
1994 AFC Championship game loss to San Diego. Pgh was a much better team and had the lead 13-3 midway through the 3rd quarter. The Steelers should have been leading by more at that time based on the way they had outplayed them, but it didn't work out that way. San Diego pulled off a couple of long passes and the Steelers came up the famous "3 more yards" short and lost 17-13. I still do not know how a team can have over 400 yards of offense, only one turnover, and only score 13 points. The other AFC Championship games losses under Cowher hurt, but this was the worst, because the Steelers were such a superior team and blew it.

The Pirates loss to the Braves on the run scored by Sid Bream is a close second.

2. What makes the city of Pittsburgh special to you?

AJ:
A city is just a bunch of buildings, it's the people that make a place special. Being a Pittsburgher is like being in some strange cult. No matter where you go, you will ALWAYS find another Pittsburgher (most likely wearing a Lambert jersey). I absolutely love that. I love our pride. You can be complete strangers, but if you're cheering the black and gold or swapping stories with a goofy accent in some foreign land, you have made a new best friend. Don't believe me? Enter any sports bar in America when the Steelers are playing and belt out a hearty "Here we go Steelers", you are guaranteed to get a "Here we go!" in return... like some kind of yinzer mating call.

It seems like other major cities always have these strange inferiority complexes. Philadelphia wants to be New York. Milwaukee wants to be Chicago. Chicago wants to be L.A. or New York. Baltimore lives in the shadow of D.C. Pittsburgh on the other hand is very comfortable in its own skin. If we have a fault, it is trying to convince outsiders what they are missing out on (even though you have to be here to really "get it").

P NIDDY:
I've heard people say that everybody is a New Yorker, because NYC is always there for you. New York is a place where you can go and find 100 people who are just like you, no matter who you are.

For Western Pennsylvanians, Pittsburgh is our New York. Many of us had to leave the state to find jobs, but we know the Burgh will always be there for us.

Sometimes people in our new locales don't understand us. My friends in Florida tried to understand why I would throw a kielbasa sandwich at the tv during a Steelers game. Well, I did it. I make no apologies -- the ref made a terrible call.

Pittsburghers understand why a kielbasa sandwich could become a projectile. They understand the bond that we have with our city and our teams. That's why Steelers bars are so popular across the country. That's why we filled Ford Field for Super Bowl XL. That's why most of us want to move back as soon as we can.

SEAN:
The pride that people have in the city and its citizens. Maybe it's just me (though I don't think so), but we love to tell people about famous Pittsburghers such as Mr. Rogers, Andy Warhol and August Wilson. We love our teams and players from Western Pennsylvania like Jason Taylor, Curtis Martin and all of the legendary quarterbacks (Marino, Unitas , Montana , Kelly, Namath, etc.). I get so excited when I see positive things written about the city as was the case earlier this year when the New York Times and USA Today each published stories about traveling to Pittsburgh . Conversely, we get defensive when an outsider speaks ill of the city as a Seattle writer did prior to the Steelers-Seahawks Super Bowl. Again, I don't think I'm alone on this. We even have pride in our food and restaurants like Primanti's, The O and Eat 'n Park! Maybe other places have this, but I haven't seen it.

ANGELO:
What makes Pittsburgh so special? Two things: 1) All of the pro teams wear the same lovely black and gold and 2) There's no more picturesque city anywhere.

BEEJ:
The pride that Pittsburghers take with them when they travel and/or move to another city. You can take the kid out of Pittsburgh but you can't take Pittsburgh out of the kid.

DAVE:
Traveling to different cities. I had a blast high fiving numerous inebriated Steeler fans on the streets of Detroit who I didn't even know. The following season, I was present in Charlotte for the Steelers/Panthers game in December when there was a 50/50 fan split. People in other towns know that this is a very passionate sports city and I loved being a part of "Steeler Nation" on that afternoon.

KEITH:
Moving to Pittsburgh as a 17-year old, I wasn't happy about it at all. I was mystified by the accent, having moved from Detroit, and didn't appreciate the fervor of the fans being an angry teen. But living there for a while and going to Pirates, Pens and Steelers games made me appreciate the fire the city has for its sports teams. I gravitated to the Steelers and Pens as my teams in their respective leagues and haven't turned back. Now living in Cincinnati makes me appreciate even more what a great team the Steelers are and what great owners the Rooneys have been. How people who live here can be fans of a team like the Bengals that has mostly lost in the past 40 years with no real commitment to winning is unthinkable. Oh yeah, I turned all my family into hockey fans with the run the Pens made this year too, so thanks Mario for sticking with the city.

ZANE:
When someone says, "I hate driving in Pittsburgh, I always get lost," and you have just such an intimate knowledge of the city that you can get anywhere. It's your old reliable friend and while it changes a bit from time to time (ie I can remember when Robinson Town Center was nothing but woods) it's always there for you.

ART:
I think of not just the city itself, but the overall Western PA region and the way fans get involved. From youth and high school sports, up to the colleges and pros. I have never lived anywhere else so I really don't know how it is other places, but I think the fans here are more involved. Fans don't just watch the game, they really follow the teams. They go to practices, listed to and call in to talk radio, and they know their teams and understand the games.

3. What would you consider your all-time favorite Pittsburgh sports team, specific to a single season? (For example, the '90-91 Penguins or the 1979 Pirates)

AJ:
The '90-91 Penguins. After so many years of struggling, they finally triumph. Winning a Stanley Cup was something so foreign and new to the city, it lead to complete madness. That team will always mean to me Lemieux finally getting his name on the Cup. Frank Pietrangelo with "The Save". Badger Bob. Running into Bryan Trottier at Ross Park Mall after a loss against New Jersey and him promising me that they'd win the series. Jagr's young rookie legs just dominating late in games. Game Six against the North Stars when even Jim Paek scored. As a Penguins fan, the only thing that could have made that season better was if The PensBlog had been around back then to make What Would Ulf Samuelsson Do bracelets and Cam Neely photoshops.

P NIDDY:
The Pens are my favorite team, but my all-time favorite team is the 2005 Steelers. The Road Warriors. For that year, I was marooned in Fort Lauderdale working a job. South Florida is a heckuva place for a polak from Johnstown to be. I used to get homesick sitting in the beach bars watching Steelers games, staring at a snow-covered Heinz Field. I wanted to get back home.

Well, just like many Pittsburghers had to hit the road to find work, that Steelers team had to hit the road too. Their three road playoff games were unforgettable, especially the Indy game. Before the Super Bowl, Route 70 West was jam-packed with a convoy of Southern yinzers. People were speeding to Pittsburgh, honking their horns, waving their terrible towels out the window --- and this is all at 70 mph.

The Steelers have extremely loyal fans, and that Super Bowl win felt like a validation for all of us. They came close so many times under Cowher, and when they finally got a Super Bowl win, I think we all felt a relief. I don't think we'll ever have that feeling again --- at least until the Pirates win another World Series.

ANGELO:
The 1976 Steelers had the greatest defense in history. Look up their numbers, they're mind boggling. This was the team that lost both Franco and Rocky for the AFC Championship due to injury. We lost to the hated, vile-smelling Oakland Raiders.

A very close second was this year's Penguins team. They too, would not quit.

BEEJ:
Any Pens team that had Jim Paek on it. Without him, odds of winning Lord Stanley diminish. Sorry but truth is truth.

DAVE:
2006-2007 Penguins. Yeah they got bounced in the first round and were rather overmatched in the process, but the Pens grew up before our eyes that season. That team was oozing with personality and grit and were easy to fall in love with Not to mention, they absolutely dominated the Flyers that year.

KEITH:
2004 Steelers. Purely unbelievable what they did with a rookie quarterback. My Bengal fan wife was even in awe and she hates the Steelers. Too bad our house is full of black and gold stuff, even a signed Ben and Bus helmet she bought me.

ZANE:
2005 Steelers. It's the best Steeler season I've seen personally. The '04 team was pretty awesome, having gone 15-1. Big Ben was coming into his own and you knew there was a chance that this team could win it all. But the odds were stacked against them. 3 straight on the road: one against the hated Who-Deys, one against the heavily favored Colts with the most amazing ending of a game ever, and the crushing of the Broncos in Mile Hile. Then the XL victory. Steeler football is king in Pittsburgh Sports and seeing them win a Super Bowl personally (Being 34) was a great memory.

ART:
This really relates close to question #1. My most memorable moment being the Pitt a?" Penn State game at the end of the 1976 season, and my favorite team being that 1976 Pitt team. That team had the great Tony Dorsett and other big name players, and they also won with their third string quarterback Tom Yewcic, who came to Pitt as a walk-on and played a big role in winning a couple of games after Cavanaugh was hurt.

Many thanks to Panel Two for their participation.
Check back soon for "Things No Longer in Pittsburgh" - a list you created

So Are Both NY Teams Going to Have a Number 93 This Season?...

Tue, 23 Sep 2008 18:28:20 -0500

This may just be crazy talk, and in a few months we might be laughing at the mere fact that we were even thinking about it (much like when we wondered if Dave Scatchard would be a Ranger, or how we were going to fit Michael Peca in under the Cap last year), but can Petr Nedved really become a Ranger?
First off, if you have told me in June that in the second preseason game of the year, I'd see Nik Zherdev, Marcus Naslund, and Petr Nedved all in Ranger blue, I would have called you crazy.
But was Petr Nedved not one of the best Rangers on the ice? He was everywhere, skating well, he scored in the first, he clanked a post on a great shot in the second. Not bad for a man who hasn't played an NHL game since March 2007. For the record, it was his first goal in an NHL game since January 2007. (He was a Cy Young winner in the Czech league last year, with 20 goals and 5 assists).
His main problem during his second stint with the Rangers (mostly in 2003-04) was his overplaying of the puck and refusal to shoot. He was Jagr-Straka-Nylander before they were cool. He played well with Radek Dvorak and Jan Hlavac, but when not flanked by those Czechs, he was out of his element. He was the cause of frustration for many a Ranger fan, although some of that frustration was wrongly thrown towards him. If memory serves me correctly, he was the only Ranger with a hat trick in 2002-03.?
What would happen if he can get rid of that cycling mentality and play a North American game? It isn't crazy to think of. He isn't that old - turning 37 in December - and he still had his legs under him. If he can adapt to a new style, would it really be awful to have him back??
But, who would sit? Down the middle, there already are three bonafide NHL centers - Scott Gomez, Chris Drury, and Brandon Dubinsky. In the wings are Blair Betts, Dan Fritsche, and Artem Anisimov. Scratch Anisimov until next year, too skinny with a few flaws that need to be worked out. Say what you want about Betts' lack of scoring, but he is a great defensive forward who kills penalties better than anyone on the team. He also can score, as we witnessed a few times in the past few seasons. Remember his great end-to-end rush against Anaheim in November of 2006? Put him with someone besides Ryan Hollweg or Colton Orr, and he can improve his stats. Maybe Drury can go to wing, and Betts can be a center as well, because I see Betts as having a safe spot on this team.
So, how now, Dan Fritsche? The throw-in in the Zherdev trade, he doesn't score often (although his stats were not awful). I don't know if he is on a two-way contract, or what, but this might very well be a battle between Nedved and Fritsche for the 3rd or 4th line center position.
The Rangers have so many forwards for only 13 or 14 spots that it boggles the mind.

So Are Both NY Teams Going to Have a Number 93 This Season?...

Mon, 22 Sep 2008 23:18:51 -0500

Olympic Free Agents?

Mon, 23 Jun 2008 15:19:01 -0500

Unsurprisingly, Becky Hammon, a ten year WNBA veteran and four time All Star, will be playing in the Beijing Olympics. But what is surprising is the South Dakota native, often described as the typical "All American Girl," will be suiting up for Russia and not the USA. Hammons decision has gained great attention and created a big controversy with US National Coach recently calling her "a traitor." However, Hammon counters that she was never given a chance to play for the American team. Last year when USA Basketball released a list of 23 candidates for the team, Hammon, last season's WNBA MVP runner-up, was not named on it. Though the list was later added with the list expanded to 30, she believes this was purely a token invitation.Instead she was given Russian citizenship while also signing a contract with Russian club CSKA Moscow which will pay her over $2 million over the next four years. And while some have called her a 'traitor,' many others love the business move. In addition to the big club contract, Hammon will earn $150,000 if Russia wins silver and $250,000 for a gold medal.Hammon's former coach with the New York Liberty, Richie Adubato, is one who endorses the move saying, "there is a big difference financially between what players make there compared to what they earn in the WNBA. ? If Becky was my daughter, I would tell her to play for Russia. She wasn't going to make Team USA. It's hard to argue with her decision."Of course, athletes competing for a country other than that of there birth is not a new phenomenon. Several Cold War era athletes have represented North American nations after defecting. Martina Navratilova is one famous tennis star to gain American citizenship, while ice hockey players such as Petr Nedved and the Peter Stastny have represented Canada.And though it is not often publicized in America, soccer players from major powers like Brazil or Argentina will often elect to play for another country once it is clear they will not make the squad in their home nation. In the past World Cup; Portugal, Spain, and Japan all used players born in Brazil, while Mexico and World Champion Italy used players born in Argentina.Eligibility rules vary from country to country with each nation or region setting their own standards for citizenship. Some places, the European Union for example, makes it very easy to get a passport if either a player's parents or grandparents were a citizen of an EU country. This option is taken by many soccer players who wish to sign with European Clubs. Many leagues, such as in Spain, put a limit on the number of non-Europeans who can play for each team. Therefore, many Brazilians and Argentineans will try to get a Spanish, Italian, or Portuguese passport, so they do not use up the team's foreign player limit.Most of the time when these players earn dual citizenship they will still play for the national team of their birth, but for some teams with exceptionally strong rosters, they will use this second passport as an opportunity to compete in the top competitions such as the Olympics or World Cup. ?Other rules also allow players to eventually join the national team of a different country after living in a country for a certain amount of years. Such is the case for soccer players like Eduardo da Silva, a Brazilian who now is on the Croatian National Team after playing for Dinamo Zagreb for five years.In addition to number of years of residence, some nations will add other requirements before citizenship is granted. In the case of Maurice Whitfield, a basketball player from Philadelphia, a language test was mandatory before he was eligible to play for the Czech National Team. But often times nationality rules can be so loose that some people are eligible to represent 2, 3, or sometimes even four different nations. Such is the case for soccer player Owen Hargreaves of Manchester United. Hargreaves was born and raised in Canada to parents of England and Welsh descent, but moved at a young age to Germany to play for Bayern Munich. Eligible to represent all four nations, his eventual choice of England raised some eyebrows, as he had never lived in the country. This choice was not well liked by many England fans who did not want a 'mercenary' player representing them. For several years, Hargreaves was routinely booed by the English supporters, but in the end, he eventually won the support of many fans after several fantastic performances at that 2006 World Cup.Hargreaves example shows that for most sports, on field performance is all that matters, and oftentimes all the fans, and more importantly, the sports officials and politicians care about. The national pride that can be gained from a strong performance in major international tournaments outweighs the fact that 'foreigners' are permitted in the squad.And the desire to win has led to situations where countries are willing to simply give away citizenship to star athletes.? Hammon was given Russian citizenship after simply signing a contract with a Russian club, without any family ties or ever residing there. The same was the case with Jon Robert Holden, another American who will play for the Russian Men's Basketball team. Qatar is another nation infamous for giving away citizenship to star athletes. There are numerous South Americans on the National Soccer Team, Africans in the Track and Field Team, and Bulgarians in the Weightlifting Team. The small Middle East nation with huge oil wealth has major ambitions to hold many of the top world sporting competitions, notably the World Cup and Olympics. However, as a small nation with little international sporting success, it is often overlooked for these events. Therefore, Qatar has spent billions of dollars on developing athletes in the country, but they have also engaged in practices that have greatly angered the international community. Among these practices is a 'scholarship program' aimed at bringing African youths from seven different countries to train at the Aspire Academy, a $1.3 billion, state of the art sports school. The Qataris state that there goals are simply trying to help talented players from desperate poverty, but skeptics see this program as a way to develop their future national teams. Sepp Blatter, head of FIFA, is one person critical of this technique saying, "their establishment of recruitment networks in these seven African countries reveals just what Aspire is all about. Aspire offers a good example of... exploitation."The changing of citizenship is so common today that many people do not even think anything is strange about it. This could be seen by ESPN.com editors during a series on the website called "So You Wanna Be An Olympian." The series followed an American triathlete named Kathryn Bertie as she went on a quest to achieve her dream of competing in the Olympics. After she failed to make the US Cycling team, ESPN quickly asked her to simply find a different country to represent.? And in a few months time Kathryn had been granted citizenship to the Caribbean Island nation of St. Kitts and Nevis.??? ???? So are these athletes' traitors, good businessman, or simply athletes desperate to compete at the top level? Though many people will have different beliefs on this topic, Bertine gives a very interesting opinion from the athletes perspective saying:??? ??????? I know some readers will consider what I'm trying to do despicable. They will see my quest for citizenship as a way of trying to worm my way into another country. They will chastise me for putting my USAness on the back burner for a shot at Olympic glory. Some will say my attempt to find a country to adopt me is un-American; or worse, Ugly American. Have I no shame? Have I no respect for my country or for the Olympics?Actually, I've got nothing but respect for the Olympics. Look at our world -- our planet is disintegrating, war is raging, politics are corrupting, genocide is erupting, children are obesifying, disease is rampant and cures come with ruinous price tags ... and yet, every couple of years, a bunch of athletes gather around the Olympic campfire and sing "Kumbaya" for two weeks, while kicking each other's happy butts. And for what? The chance to win an olive branch halo and a glorified coaster tied to a piece of ribbon? No. For the chance to be a part of something good. Something worthwhile. Something bigger than ourselves. Something that celebrates the body rather than trying to demolish it. That's what I respect. That is what the Olympics mean to me. If being an Olympian means being part of something internationally positive, does it really matter what country I represent? OTHER NEWS ACROSS THE BUSINESS OF SPORTS NETWORK Two New Bidders in the Mix for Cubs. One Would Offer Shares - The Biz of Baseball MLB to Launch ?"Welcome Back Veterans?" Initiative - The Biz of Baseball Back to the Future: Gibbons Fired, Cito Gaston Hire - The Biz of Baseball Instant Replay Is Here? In the American Association - The Biz of Baseball Ford, Munson Collections To be Auctioned at FanFest - The Biz of Baseball MLB All-Star Statues of Liberty to Begin Appearing in NYC - The Biz of Baseball Big Ten Network Nearing First Major Cable Deal with Comcast - The Biz of Football Cowboys Stadium Site Allows Fans to View Their Seat Before They Buy Tickets - The Biz of Football Former NFL Steroids Dealer Found Shot to Death - The Biz of Football Cowboys, Bank of America Extend Sponsorship Deal - The Biz of Football Bucs TE Jerramy Stevens Suspended for Violating NFL's Substance Abuse Policy - The Biz of Football NHL 2K9, First Officially Licensed Game by NHL and NHLPA for Wii, Coming this Fall - The Biz of Hockey Dion Phaneuf Selected for Cover of EA Sports "NHL 09? - The Biz of Hockey NBC Reports 6.8 Million Viewers for Game 6. Up 111% from 2006 - The Biz of Hockey?Peter Morrison is a staff member for the Business of Sports Network, which includes The Biz of Baseball, The Biz of Football, The Biz of Basketball and The Biz of Hockey.He can be contacted through the Business of Sports Network's Author Profiles

HOW GREAT WAS IT?

Wed, 04 Jun 2008 12:41:45 -0500

PENGUINS 4

RED WINGS 3

TRIPLE OT

Now that people are starting to slowly awaken from their slumbers, it's time to try and decipher what we saw last night/morning. Everyone is going to have their unique angle today, be it depression [Albom], "last laugh" [Cook], or inspiration [Prisuta]. Of course, you could just ditch the Penguins discussion and write your umpteenth column about Mark Madden [Smizik], but instead I'm going with the question of where this game ranks in Pittsburgh sports history?

The way I see it, games are broken into two categories: most memorable games and most important games. A memorable game is a no-hitter, it's watching Mario score five goals five ways, it's a Steeler game played in a snowstorm. It can be in the regular season or the playoffs, and involve a good team or a bad team. An important game is a Stanley Cup-clincher, a Super Bowl victory, or something of great significance to your team's advancing.

Some games fall into both categories, most notably Bill Mazeroski's home run in Game Seven of the 1960 World Series, and for the wrong reasons, Game Seven of the 1992 NLCS (or as you may remember it: FRANCISCO CABRERA). This is the distinction that will be bestowed upon last night's contest.

But ultimately, where will Game Five rank in the pantheon of Pittsburgh sports (and Penguin) lore? Was it the greatest and/or most memorable Penguin game ever? That's up for debate. As far as memories go, multiple-OT or unusually lenghty games tend to stick with you, which will certainly strengthen the case for Game Five. I can tell you where I was for the "Petr Nedved Game" and the "Keith Primeau Game" all these years later, and they weren't in the Finals. I even vividly remember the Steelers-Falcons game a few years ago that ended in a tie after a ferocious rally led by Ron Mexico.

And in addition to the debate of what this game meant, we can also debate the great and memorable individual performances of all time based on what went down just a few hours ago. Last night featured 55 saves from Marc-Andre Fleury, a Willis Reed-like moment from Sergei Gonchar, an unreal goal on the brink of extinction from Max Talbot and a truly inspiring effort from the banged-up Ryan Malone. And that's before I even mentioned the words "Petr Sykora" and "Called Shot".

For Sykora, that goal defines his career. It's the moment that means he never has to pay for a meal or a drink in Pittsburgh for the rest of his life. It's the kind of play that allows a player to make a living by signing photos of that specific moment as long as he can scribble his name on an 8x10 photo. He joins Bill Buckner, Mookie Wilson, Bobby Thomson, Ralph Branca, Don Larsen, and most recently, David Tyree in that unique category.

Yes, any way you slice it, Game Five had it all. Most important, though, was the fact that the Penguins actually, you know...won the game, because there were ample opportunities to add another name to another list: infamous players who took down Pittsburgh teams in the postseason. So to David Volek, Francisco Cabrera, Keith Primeau, and Larry Brown, sorry, but your exclusive club will not be getting any new members anytime soon.

Game 6 will be at 8:08 p.m. tomorrow at Mellon Arena. Our mental scrapbooks have a blank page ready and waiting.

Live Blogging The Past: The Nedved Game

Sun, 06 Jan 2008 06:51:35 -0500

Step into the Way Back Machine with me as we go back in time to "live" blog the epic 4 OT clash between the Penguins and Capitals. Mario's ejection. The 2OT penalty shot. Nedved's early morning winner. It's all here!

Senators acquire headcase Comrie in exchange for headcase Kaigdorov

Wed, 03 Jan 2007 20:47:49 -0500

After losing out on Petr Nedved, the Senators have acquired the center that they have been wanting, with the absence of Jason Spezza and Mike Fischer due to injuries. Mike Comrie has 7 goals and 20 points in 24 games this season. Comrie, who I have found to be quite an injury-prone, overpaid enigma, is making $3 million this season, and will be a free agent in the summer. The 26 year-old, at his best, could score about 30 goals this season. In his NHL career, he has 110 goals and 237 points ...