It's Steelers / Ravens Day!!!

So the NFL, in the midst of their campaign to clean up football and stop all the big hits, chose to pit the two hardest hitting teams against each in a marquee match up on opening Sunday. The hypocrisy is amazing. This match up always gets big television ratings. And the NFL knows why; big, hard hits. These two teams play tough, smash mouth football. That's what the fans want, that's what sells. Roger Goodell knows that, he just wont admit it.

The Steelers and Ravens hate each other, which always makes for a good game and a great rivalry. They even bad mouth each other in the off season. During an interview in June, Lamar Woodley made comments about Joe Flacco, stirring up locker room talk about this rivalry in middle of baseball season. All he said was that Joe Flacco will never lead the Ravens to the Super Bowl because they would have to go through the Steelers, and the Steelers would never let that happen. I whole heartily agree. But little Joey Flacco got pissed. In his rant, which came after he claimed not to care, he stated "Do they think they are going to the Super Bowl every year? ". The answer is, yeah Joey, they do. That's the difference. The Steelers don't go every year, but the think they will go. That is the proper attitude. That is why they win as many games as they do. The bottom line is , Joe Flacco is just ticked off that he loses to the Steelers.

Today's game will be a good match up, as usual. The Ravens have made changes to their offensive line, which will be tested today against Dick LeBeau's top ranked defense. The Raven's also have a receiving corp loaded with rookies. So a little pressure on Flacco should be the ticket to winning. The Steelers starters haven't played in two weeks, which raises some concern.
as do the defensive secondary and the offensive line. Oh, but did I mention that Ben Roethlisberger was starting for the Steelers? Flacco will lose again today.

WVUTimmy's prediction: Steelers 23 Ravens 17

So enjoy the game Steeler Nation. This is the biggest game on the schedule for both teams, until they meet again in week 9. And it could set the stage for who wins the AFC North. So root hard and strong, and wave those Terrible Towels!!

Hey, Bob Nutting!! Make me eat my words!! Please?

I love the above picture, it speaks volumes about how fans of the Black and Gold have felt over the last 19 seasons. Although, we are feeling damn good about our Bucs right now. The Pittsburgh Pirates were one game out of first place in the National League Central Division heading into the All Star Break. I am going to retype those words in case you think you misread them. The Pittsburgh Pirates were one game out of first place in the National League Central Division heading into the All Star Break. It's amazing. It's about time. And it's actually making me rethink my opinion of Bob Nutting and the Pirate's management. Mind you, I haven't changed my opinion. I am still not convinced that Nutting is a good owner or that the management is competent. It's going to take a lot more than half a season of decent play to do that. However, there are things going on that make me think that they may prove me wrong. And I hope they do.

A fraternity brother of mine, BJ, is a huge Pirates fan, and quite knowledgeable when it comes to baseball. Since Bob Nutting became the controlling owner of the Pirates four years ago, BJ is the only fan I know who has supported him. BJ and I can discuss anything in a calm, rational, intellectual fashion; except the Pirates. When it comes to the Bucs, BJ and I butt heads like two rams at mating season. He always argued that Nutting is a savior who kept the Pirates from leaving Pittsburgh and had led them out of financial ruin. I always argued that Nutting was a Dark Lord who had a formula for profiting from losing and has kept us from having any chance at a winning season. The majority of the fan base was on my side, and I thought I would never be proven wrong. However, if the Pirates team and organization keeps moving in the direction it is moving, I may owe BJ a beer, or two. It's starting to look like he may be right, and Nutting is not the Evil Lord I thought he was. Again, this is still a maybe. I'm not sold yet.

Dejan Kovacevic, of the Pittsburgh Tribune Review, did an interview with Bob Nutting right before the All Star Break. I have to admit, I liked what I read. Nutting seemed willing to increase the Pirates' $47 million payroll via trade. And he doesn't want to part with the teams elite prospects. Imagine that, the Pirates not parting with their elite prospects. You mean we wont be the farm team for the entire league anymore?

″One thing we won't do is mortgage the future of the club ever again,″ Nutting said. ″Neal's (Huntington) going to need to make decisions that are good for the long term of the Pittsburgh Pirates and be able to make sure we're playing important games this September but also next September and the year after that.″

Wow, if that's true, I may actually start to like this guy.

″I'm thrilled, happy, ecstatic ... proud of what Clint Hurdle's done, what the organization has done and what the players have accomplished so far,″ Nutting said. ″Most of all, I'm humbled by the response of the fans: the attendance, the ratings, seeing people walking around town wearing Pirates gear ... that's what really feels good. They deserve this. We're just beginning to deliver back to them.″

I like what Clint Hurdle has done as well. Nutting doesn't sound like a Dark Lord in this interview. But remember, Dark Lords live to deceive. I am not ready to jump on the "Nutting Bandwagon" just yet. I want to see what moves GM Neil Huntington really makes before the July 31st deadline, and where we end up in September. Will he go for the big bat the Pirates need, or trade off our future? I hope it's the former. Will the Bucs be competing in September, or not? Is Nutting the Dark Lord we all thought he was? Or did he have a good plan and the gumption to stick to it?

Again, I like what I've seen so far this year, but I am not sold on any of it yet. So come on Bob, prove me wrong!! Make me eat my words!! I Double Dog Dare ya!! Make a good trade for a clean up batter. Compete in September!! Bring the Pirates back to glory!! I'll be the first to congratulate you if you do. Prove to me you are a good guy, and not akin to this guy. Evil Spock!!

Let's Go Bucs? Really?

The Pittsburgh Fan Base is an unusual bunch. It amazes me sometimes. Here is my point. If the Penguins are .500, everyone is pissed off. If the Steelers are .500, everyone is irate and screaming for someones head, usually Offensive Coordinator Bruce Arians'. The Pirates are at .500, actually one game above as of the writing of this blog, and everyone is dancing in the streets. Really? This is were we are with the Bucs? The Pirates are above .500 in June for the first time since 1999. We all hope this is a step in the right direction for the Bucs, but deep down, we all know the reality. I even have to admit that it feels good. But it shouldn't. A .500 record shouldn't be the standard. However, after 20 years of losing, I am not surprised by the fans behavior, or my own. This is where the Pirates ownership and management has lowered us to folks, cheering for .500 ball play.

My mother always told me that if you don't have anything nice to say about someone, don't say anything at all. Which is why I have never written in this blog about the Pirates before now. Don't get me wrong, I love the Pirates, I really do. They were my first team. I remember

the days of Clemente, Mazeroski, and Stargell. Those were my boys. The Pirates back in the early seventies were the best team in Pittsburgh, until the Steelers won Super Bowl IX on January 12th, 1975. Then the Pirates had to share the stage. And they shared it well. They won the World Series in 1979, the same season the Steelers won Super Bowl XIV. The Bucs became part of the City of Champions. Man, those days are long gone for the Bucs.

Here is what I think. By buying into this, we are feeding the beast that is killing our team. The Pirates ownership has a formula for profiting from losing, and it works. If .500 is the standard for acceptable play, and we all buy jerseys, hats, watch more games, and go to more games, then Nutting wins. The Pirates play losing baseball, and the he makes money. It's sad. And I don't buy the argument that the Pirates can't compete because Pittsburgh is a small market. If Cincinnati, Cleveland, Denver, and Milwaukee can compete, and they all have in recent history, then so can Pittsburgh, especially with our loyal fan base. The Pirates are in the 20th year of a 5 year rebuilding plan, and we all support it.

I know what your thinking right now. So what do I do, Tim? Quit watching them? Not buy any gear? Don't go to games? Abandon my team? My answer to these questions will surprise you. It's no, too all of them. As much as I despise the Pirates ownership, we do have a new manager, Clint Hurdle. He is known for being able to make something out of nothing. Which is good, because nothing is exactly what the Pirates' management is going to give him. He also seems to be very good at motivating young players. Which is good, because the Pirates wont spend money to keep good players. The list of former Pirates star players on other teams is almost endless. He deserves a chance to do something with the Bucs, and we need to support him.

Right now, Andrew McCutchen's 14 game hitting streak is the longest active in the majors. He also leads the majors in hits (23) and batting avg. (.479) this month. Jose Tabata is batting over .300 this month. Hurdle is getting production out of these guys, and we need to support him. Because in the long run, I don't believe the Pirates management will. Maybe Hurdles ability to strengthen young players will convince them to finally raise the payroll to a point where they can compete. And that is all I am talking about here is competing. I don't expect the Bucs to make the playoffs anytime soon, but it would be nice to not be out of the race in July or August. Give me something to cheer for in September! Stop being the Farm Club for the rest of the League! That's not going to happen this year, but maybe in the next couple years Clint Hurdle can give us something to really cheer about, not .500 ball.