Cowboys? The First America's Team? I Don't Think So!

So, I was on the Steelers Forum the other day and in passing read that the Steelers were the first pick in the "America's Team" draft. I was shocked and excited all at the same time. Apparently Dan Rooney stated that we were not "America's Team", we were "Pittsburgh's Team". He didn't want to hear any of that. He didn't want to be America's team, he wanted to be just Pittsburgh's team. I feel so much better about being Pittsburgh's team. I think it is more loyal to the hard workers in this city. I know that we are now more of a high tech town, but it is still intimidating to others teams knowing that we are a get down and dirty, get the job done kinda town. I love hearing this and I think everyone should know that we were first pick. I really love that we turned it down because we didn't want it. It makes it funnier and funnier that the Cowboys claim to fame is that they are America's team. They never mention that they were second place, a.k.a. first loser! SO, what I am saying is, next time you see a Cowboys fan, let them know they were sloppy seconds!

CantonRep.com
Post-Gazette

Read More......

Band of the Week!...Volume 3! -Evans Blue

So, I decided to start a bi-monthly blog all about what I will call my favorite band of the week. This weeks band is called Evans Blue. You can click on the band name for a full bio, but as for this blog, I will give you the quick down and dirty. There are five members to this canadian band. They were in three different bands originally and were put together by a local musicians message board. As stated from Their MySpace page, "A dilemma arose when you started to regress back to who you never wanted to be. The pursuit begins when this PORTRAYAL of life ends, and it will start on your count or it will never start at all. There is an evolution, and it feels similar but it runs through different parts of your body. It is a sound that is more distinct, and it is collected and displayed by 5 minds attacking one medium. It is evans|blue." I love the melodies that blend with the music and guitars, it is very smooth. Their band name "refers to the dye that is injected into the bloodstream to measure blood volume." If you are going to go look for their albums, here are their covers so you know what to look for.

There is a player on the bottom here with a couple songs from the band so you can have a hearsee. Also, here is a link to some lyrics, so you can see if you like their message as well. Basically, I am telling all of you to check out this band and let me know what you think!

Read More......

Fumbling Solution

Hopefully, this is the last two fumble game we will see. Apparently our team is coming together to keep the fumbling down to a minimum. I say it is a brilliant idea. Grant it, Mendenhall hasn't played enough to have a reputation for fumbling, but the team feels it is not a good idea for him to gain one while it is a fixable trait. The team has put together a game of sorts, making Mendenhall the center of attention. If he fumbles the ball that he is required to carry, he loses $100. If the football ends up in the running back room, he loses $500. The only exceptional places in this game is the practice field, because he may not always have a ball in hand for every game and the cafeteria. This includes after practice, in places like Wal*Mart, Restaurants, Grocery Stores, and anywhere else he is seen by his teammates. This should keep his mind on the ball even subliminally. I love it. It seams that the team concept is becoming overwhelming now.

Tribune Review
Post-Gazette

Read More......

Steeler Nation

So, I saw that the terrible towel made it to Beijing, so I decided to look for other places where the great piece of art ended up. I was amazed by the number of pictures popped up in an easy search, but I was wondering where else it goes. Here is what I found so far:

What I am shooting for is that if you have pictures of you with a terrible towel, I would like to post it so we can show what a Steeler Nation really is! If this isn't a great way to start off the season, I don't know what is! I will give full credit to everyone who sends me a picture when I post them!

Read More......

John Challis RIP 19 Aug 2008

This young man has inspired many in the shortest amount of time. John Challis was at home when he died today at the age of 18 from cancer. He was given 6 months to live in 2006 when he was diagnosed with liver cancer. John was a close friend to all the Pittsburgh sports organizations, the Pirates, Penguins, and the Steelers. It is a sad day for not only John's family, but all of Pittsburgh.

There has been a few articles written about John and his death, I just wanted to share them:
Pittsburgh Tribune Review
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
WTAE-4
Pittsburgh Sports and Mini Ponies
"This website is dedicated to the John Challis Courage for Life Foundation. At the age of 16, John was diagnosed with Hepatocellular Carcinoma, an adult form of liver cancer. He was diagnosed at Stage 4 of this cancer and has undergone aggressive chemotherapy treatments in an attempt to save his life.
John's outlook on life has been one of a true inspiration. He feels that God has given him this disease because he is strong enough to handle it and can help others by spreading his message. His message is "It is not how many breaths you take, it is what you do with each breath you take."
Please visit this website often for updates and information about John and his medical condition. Your thoughts and prayers are what mean the most, so please feel free to send a comment of support on this site, and remember him and his family in your prayers. John is a determined, positive, happy inspiration in our lives who - with your help and prayers - will continue to grow to be an amazing young man." -Courage For Life Foundation Website.

Read More......

A New Igloo

Well, it has been a couple days since the groundbreaking ceremony and I have had a chance to gather my thoughts. There a couple of key things that came out of it all that made me really think of what went on to get where we are today. Some political posturing, some deceiving, and in the end, just what we needed. It seems as though alot of people were upset with his tactics. I think he knew our team's last resort was to convince the city that the Penguins were going elsewhere.

Pensblog put it nicely:

Thanks For Dinner, Dicks.


http://thepensblog.blogspot.com/2008/08/thanks-for-dinner-dicks.html

"Thank god for [Mirtle.]

While browsing Gore this afternoon, we realized we forgot to talk about Mario jobbing Kansas City.

"We had to do a few things to put pressure on the city and the state, but our goal was to remain here in Pittsburgh all the way. Those trips to Kansas City and Vegas and other cities was just to go and have a nice dinner, and come back."[Trib]

And while some morons were unhappy about Mario's "tactics." [Trib]

Kristin O'Neil, 28, of the South Side said Lemieux's threat was nothing but a way to get what he wanted.

"He knew how to strike at the heart of the fans and the city," she said. "I think he really duped the people of Pittsburgh, and he'll definitely get away with it because of who he is."

Hoe.

We think it is another reason to celebrate Lemieux, because it shows he is a dick. And that's funny.

Kansas City sucks.

Go Pens

FrankD from PensBurgh had some good insight as well:

Kansas City hates Mario Lemieux (and he seems OK with that)

http://www.pensburgh.com/2008/8/15/594732/kansas-city-hates-mario-le

In an obvious display of adolescent pouting, silenced only momentarily for diaper changes between sobs, the Kansas City media has openly admitted that they feel used, abused and dissed by the Pittsburgh Penguins' Mario Lemieux.

Apparently they actually thought they were getting a hockey franchise. Lemieux laid the smack down hard on this one.

Star-divide

Lemieux admitted it was a decoy; a bluff move to get Pittsburgh to budge on a new arena to keep the franchise in Pittsburgh and it worked.

"Those trips to Kansas City and Vegas and other cities was just to go and have a nice dinner, and come back."

Mario Lemieux

There's a reason I grew up idolizing this guy...

The Star, a paper in Kansas City, broke it down nicely:

In other words, the Penguins held a gun to the head of local and state officials in Pennsylvania -- and those politicians caved in.

KMBC, the TV station in Missouri, said:

It appears that it's not just Kansas City residents who are upset by Lemieux's comments -- some in Pittsburgh said they're dismayed by his blatant statement regarding his tactics for getting a new arena.

But my personal favorite is this guy; excuse me, columnist named "Flanny" who writes for the Kansas City Star. This writer modestly posts as the top of his page a quote from - well, himself. It reads, "Just remember: Fans take losses much harder than the majority of players do." While this past Stanley Cup series could easily be proof of that for Pittsburgh, none would know it more than the Chiefs and Royals (hell, you can toss the Pirates in if you want).

They used Vegas, too? Well, hey, at least we're in good company.

"Flanny"

He doesn't care one bit, and that's what I love about it.

Who cares in the end? Nothing lost and nothing gained for Kansas City fans except shattered hopes. And if the Royals and Chiefs have learned anything year in and year out, it's how to deal with unfulfilled dreams.


I could watch this over and over again.

Penguins That Fly covered this story as well:

Ground Broken on New Arena

http://penguinsthatfly.blogspot.com/2008/08/ground-broken-on-new-arena.html

As I write this, construction on the new Penguins' arena is officially underway.

Groundbreaking on the future fortress of the most exciting young team in hockey took place at roughly eleven o'clock this morning, right across the street from Mellon Arena, the home of the Penguins since their inception into the NHL in 1967. Several politicians were on hand for the ceremonies, as well as a few Penguins front office officials and players. Ground was broken at the spot that will also host the center ice dot, where Crosby, Malkin, and Staal will take faceoffs for many years to come.

The arena is set to have a capacity of over 18,000, about a thousand more seats than the Igloo.
It will have over 2000 seats in a club level.
It will have 66 luxury suites, in a possible ode to Penguins great Mario Lemieux.
The site of the envisioned palace encompasses about eight acres.

It looks beautiful from where I'm standing.

The team has already made an official website for the new building.

It can be found here.

This is the biggest win in the history of the Penguins organization.

To think that we were once perhaps only weeks away from losing our team to the pathetic hockey town of Kansas City seems quite amazing. A team that hit rock bottom now stands atop the hockey world, with a future far brighter than any other in the NHL.

The arena is expected be open for the 2010-2011 season.

And I can't wait.

I can't wait either. From the looks of this facility, we are in for a treat. The Post Gazette let loose some details of the arena here. The difference in seating will bring in significant revenue for the Penguins once it opens. Consider 1,147 more seats, at let's say on average of $35-$40 a pop, and take that and multiply it by 41 games and you get anywhere from $1,645,945-$1,881,080. Also, you have to take into consideration that out of those seats there are 10 more luxury suites as well as 304 more club seats which cost more. So that amount can rise. That practically pays for Sykora. Think about it.

Read More......

Band of the Week!...Volume 2! -Chiodos

So, I decided to start a bi-monthly blog all about what I will call my favorite band of the week. This weeks band is called Chiodos. You can click on the band name for a full bio, but as for this blog, I will give you the quick down and dirty. There are six members to this band, all out of Flint, Michigan. They all met in high school as well. As stated from The Gauntlet.com, "Sometimes driving directions look overwhelming, and then you get in your car to use them, and the drive is smooth through until the end. Just as a song by Chiodos takes you in many directions, but when it's done you never question how you got there." I love the harder style that mixes with deep bass. "You know, we're living proof that bands can promote themselves and get themselves out there without the help of a major label," Goddard continues. "Word of mouth and the internet were both big things for us. We toured our asses off for several years and word got around about us. And we wound up having Equal Vision's highest charting record ever."If you are going to go look for their albums, here are their covers so you know what to look for.

There is a player on the bottom here with a couple songs from the band so you can have a hearsee. Also, here is a link to some lyrics, so you can see if you like their message as well. Basically, I am telling all of you to check out this band and let me know what you think!

Read More......