Big East Tournament Makes for Beast of a Bracket

Here’s a proposition to keep your sports-fan imagination alive and well while you’re stuck in the depths of central Pennsylvania: you have a one free all-expenses-included pass to any sporting event in the world this week. What stands will you be in? If you, dear reader, desire to witness the most competitive, back-and-forth, beastly battle of the week, your imagination will be with mine on Saturday March 12 in the stands of Madison Square Garden. The Big East Tournament Championship Game is calling.

Of course, if you’ve got the money and means of transportation then go ahead and punch the ticket. I’ll be watching on ESPN, but regardless of where you are this week, witnessing the bulk of this tournament should be at the top of your spring break checklist.

We’re talking about a tournament that brackets nine of the Associated Press (AP) Top 25 teams, including #3 Pitt and #4 Notre Dame, to battle it out for the trophy and automatic bid. The closest number of ranked teams in a conference is a mere four from the Big 12. This tournament doesn’t deserve a lousy comparison to another conference bracket. If anything, it’s a close runner up to the NCAA Tournament.

The most difficult path involves winning five straight games in five days, possibly all against ranked opponents. The distance between games, physicality of the conference and sheer quantity of ranked teams makes this tournament by far the best among conference brackets.

But it’s not just the number of ranked teams that makes this tournament special. Throw in seven more teams that are all the more hungry to cut down the nets for the simple fact that if they lose, their seasons are over. Consider this: if Pitt or Notre Dame wins out it’s a shoe-in for a #1 seed in the NCAA Tournament. If any other squad wins, it could be the difference between a #7 seed and a #4 seed, or better yet the difference between making the big dance and missing out all together. Syracuse went on a memorable run in 2006 as an unranked nine-seed. The Orange won four in a row- three against ranked opponents-, to earn the automatic bid. I don’t think anyone would be startled if St. John’s, a team that has already beaten six ranked opponents, went on a similar run this year. You could say the same about UConn, Georgetown, Louisville, West Virginia or Syracuse. The list goes on and on. You can’t say the same about the ACC, where it will be breaking news if the winner isn’t either Duke or North Carolina.

The only downside of the Big East tournament could be that it wears down the participants before the big dance starts. Compared to its yearly representation in the NCAA tournament, the Big East has boasted only two winners in the past ten years in Syracuse and Connecticut. Those two teams were also the only teams to make the National Championship game in the same time span.

What does that say about this weekend? Watch the best teams in the country play while they’re fresh. No matter which teams make it to the championship on Saturday, it will be a game that is not just won, but earned. Conference powerhouses? Check. Underrated middle of the pack? Check. Cinderella hopefuls? Check. Five rounds in five days? Check. Madison Square Garden is ready, so let’s turn on the lights and start the madness.

Originally published in The Dickinsonian, March 10 Issue

Skid Without Sid

The media praised them, HBO raved about them, and the fans surely adored them, but without Sidney Crosby, the Penguins are melting. The 12-game win streak seems like it was only yesterday, and Crosby’s 25 game point streak couldn’t have ended more than two weeks ago, right? Yet here Pittsburgh stands, facing a 3-game losing streak-one in overtime-and desperately missing its best player to a concussion. The team is 0-2-1 without Crosby, and although the locker room hasn’t come close to claiming his absence as an excuse, it’s naturally the factor we’ll be pointing to. And we’ll be doing just that until they win without him, or until he’s back on the ice.

Is Crosby’s concussion the real reason the Penguins have quickly collapsed into the team they are now? For those that haven’t been able to watch, it’s a team that is being handily trapped out of their offensive zone, with a playing style that has resorted to depending on the physical play of their fourth line and penalty kill to create any sort of offensive momentum. It’s a team that gives up goals in pairs, collapses late, and is getting next to nothing out of its best player, Evgeni Malkin.

Can the absence of one player really cause such a meltdown? You won’t hear it from them, but it’s clear the team misses his leadership, offensive attack and puck distribution on the first line. Wingers Chris Kunitz and Pascal Dupuis have meshed with their captain better than most, but matched with Malkin, they simply aren’t first-line material. The power-play has suffered too; without Sid, the man-advantage feels like four-on-four action. Is there no one left to deflect Kris Letang’s shots into the twine? Is there no presence in front of the net to clean up loose pucks?

Send some of the blame Malkin’s way. He usually plays like the best player on the ice when Crosby is out, but not this time. Now it seems like Sid’s absence has exposed Geno, given that most of his success when he returned from injury came when #87 was right there with him. Yes, he’s shown some flashes of remarkable stick work and shake-and-bakes. Yes, he’s shooting lights out and playing with a passion. But the stats speak for themselves: the lamps aren’t lighting.

This team is lucky. They have plenty of time and room in the standings to figure out how to win without Crosby, and he shouldn’t be out more than two more games. And like HBO made so clear, this game is full of ebbs and flows-every team will have its winning and losing streaks. As of now, the Penguins have survived injuries to all three of their premier centers, and last time I checked, they’ve got four of the best players in the league headed to the all-star game in Crosby, Geno, Fleury and Kris Letang. Yes, this team dearly misses its best player. Yes, the Penguins will welcome him back with tapping sticks. But right now, they’ve got to find a way to win without him-that is, of course, if they want the hockey world to stop saying they can’t.

Haywood Jacoachme

Never in the history of the BBVA Compass Bowl has a victory in Birmingham meant as much as it did to the Pitt Panthers this past Saturday. Not only because the 27-10 beat down of the Kentucky Wildcats brought three hours of relief from a whirlwind past month for the Panthers or because it opened the door for the school to sell some sick Pitt Panther 2011 BBVA Compass Bowl Champion t-shirts (which I'm sure are selling just as well as game tickets did), but because it reminded everyone of something important, of something that the fan base seems to have forgotten during the downward spiral this program has gone through this winter: that this team has a lot of talent.

Yes, I realize that Kentucky is a mediocre at best SEC team and that much of Pitt's talent, namely guys like Jon Baldwin, Dion Lewis, Jabaal Sheard, and Greg Romeus, will likely soon be playing in games far bigger than the BBVA Compass Bowl (but really, does it get much bigger?), but there is no denying that what we saw on the field on Saturday provides some optimism for the future, something that there hasn't been surrounding Pitt football since Athletic Director Steve Pederson forced head coach Dave Wannstedt to resign following another underachieving season. The defense manhandled a dynamic Wildcat offense without both Sheard and Romeus, while Ray Graham and the offense showed that even if Lewis and Baldwin decide to leave, there certainly won't be a lack of playmakers on that side of the ball and the offense could still be dangerous with a little grooming.

Which brings me to my main point, the whole "grooming" thing. Unfortunately for the Panthers, they need more than a compass (even a BBVA one) to find their way out of the mess they currently find themselves in with regards to coaching. Following Wannstedt's firing/resignation, Steve Pederson hired Miami of Ohio coach Mike Haywood and lauded Haywood as a man of character who would instill discipline in the players. Less than three weeks later Haywood was fired following a felony charge for domestic battery, leaving Pederson and the Pitt football program as something of a laughingstock around the country. The 19-man recruiting class Wannstedt had lined up for next season has dwindled to about five or six, Pitt's assistant coaches are bolting for similar jobs at other institutions, and alumni and boosters are calling for
Pederson's head.

As the search continues for Pitt's third head coach this winter, many fans are imploring that Pederson hire someone who can salvage this recruiting class, someone with Pitt ties who knows this area.

A.k.a Dave Wannstedt.

There is a reason Pederson forced Wannstedt to resign, namely that he couldn't deliver a BCS berth to the Panthers. Year after year Wannstedt brought in some top recruits and had lofty preseason expectations surrounding his team. Yet year after year the Panthers disappointed, continually coming up short in big games, resulting in bids to lower tier bowls.

What Pitt needs now is a coach who can get these players to meet their potential, someone who can not only recruit talented players, but help them grow. There were a handful of off-the-field issues with Pitt players this season, and perhaps that had a bigger impact on the season's results than we realize. After Wannstedt's firing, Steve Pederson stressed that the new coach would be one who would give the program more integrity and discipline. Just because his first hire failed miserably, doesn't mean he should shy away from what he was looking for to begin with.

Penn State defensive coordinator Tom Bradley has emerged as the most popular candidate among the fan base, namely because of his successful recruiting skills and his ties to the area. However, as Wannstedt showed, these attributes don't necessarily translate into a successful head coach. If Pederson and his search committee believe that Bradley also has the ability to coach and groom these players, then absolutely he should get the job. But if they feel that another candidate can coach these Panthers better, then that candidate should get the job, regardless of his recruiting skills or ties to the area. Because while recruiting certainly is important, it shouldn't be a priority. Being able to lead the team and discipline the kids while getting the most out of each and every player can lead to more success than landing top notch recruits each and every season. Just ask Jamie Dixon.

Ground Rules

More than a few Steelers will lace up for their first career playoff start at Heinz Field this Saturday. The list includes several key contributors like Maurkice Pouncey (that’s a given), Ziggy Hood (barring an Aaron Smith resurrection), Mike Wallace, Lawrence Timmons, Rashard Mendenhall…

Wait. I know what you’re thinking.

Lawrence Timmons? Rashard Mendenhall?

But this is a different Steelers team. It’s a team that calls on second and third year players to make inconceivable leaps. A team that returns to the ground game weekly, even when the offensive line seems to lose players faster than Tiger Woods lost sponsorships. A team that cut their average rush yards allowed per game by almost 30 yards from 2009-2010. A team that only allowed rushing touchdowns all season, with a signature long run of 24 yards.

I didn’t mention #34 or #94 in that rambling stat-line, but Mendy and Timmons have their names written all over those accomplishments. Among the many differences between the 2009 and 2010 Steelers, their rededication to the run game and reclamation of best rushing defense in the league stand out as pivot points to their consistency, and ability to beat the teams that they’re expected to beat.

So no, neither Mendenhall nor Timmons started for the 2008 championship squad, but both turned in their best seasons yet in 2010. Timmons logged a golden stat sheet with 135 tackles, three sacks, two interceptions, and two forced fumbles. Mendenhall trudged for 1,273 yards behind an offensive line that, to put it nicely, made him earn every last one. It’s hard to imagine the days when Mewelde Moore was only one touchdown short of Hines Ward and Willie Parker led playoff rushing with 246 yards over three games. What’s he doing these days? Probably what Rashard Mendenhall was doing during the 2008 playoffs. Watching.

Of course, Timmons got a little taste of playoff action. He was brought in for various packages, recorded 16 tackles and recovered a fumble. But Mendenhall has yet to bleed his playoff blood, and what better team to debut against than the one responsible for his delay?

Terrell Suggs and Ray Lewis made their statement this past weekend at Kansas City. They stopped Jamaal Charles, and got 142 yards on the ground from Ray Rice, Willis McGahee and a scrambling Joe Flacco. Something tells me they won’t have that kind of ground success against the Steelers.

The Ravens might still be stinging from their AFC championship game loss two years ago, but Lawrence Timmons and Rashard Mendenhall could care less. They weren’t starting that game.

You bet they’re starting for this one, ready to make their own statements. After all, it’s the playoffs.

Steelers-Jets Talking Points, Week 14

No doubt one of the games to watch this week in the NFL, and for Steelers fan it will be a strange sight to see Santonio Holmes in green and white running out in Heinz Field. Before we get started with the important stuff, I hope he gets cheers before the game as long as the defense doesn't let him do anything to silence the crowd while the clock is ticking.

All the outside-the-lines drama aside, let's approach the scrimmage line and talk football. Here are 4 topics to keep in mind for this week's game.

Polamalu-less Defense

Without question the Steeler defense, led by Troy Polamalu, has been the fuel that’s fired the team’s current 4-game win streak. But with their top playmaker most-likely sidelined to recharge for the playoffs, the unit will need to draw up another strategy to hide a secondary that has proven to be easily exposed. Enter pass rush. Simply put the play of the linebackers and defensive line could very well determine the outcome of this game. LaMarr Woodley and James Harrison will need to pressure Mark Sanchez a bit more than Carson Palmer to force poor throws, but the Patriots and Dolphins have laid the blue-print for that game plan. I think the defensive line could have just as big an impact, as they will be responsible for opening up the pocket for the linebackers and an occasional cornerback (say, Willie Gay) to rush Sanchez into turning over the ball. The Steelers need to handle the run like they have all year, stopping Tomlinson and Greene from getting into an early rhythm and taking away the ground-offense by the end of the first half. After stopping the likes of Chris Johnson, Michael Turner and Ray Rice, the run defense isn’t dealing with anything new in Greene and LT. They’re streaky backs that become useless if they aren’t used early and often. Frankly, I’d be more intimidated by the shifty and slippery Leon Washington. With regards to the secondary, the best matchup of the afternoon features Ike Taylor against Santonio Holmes. Ike has successfully shut down several big-play receivers, but as a former Holmes fan, I can’t say I’d be surprised to see a quick slant or two go for 30 yards. Dustin Keller and Braylon Edwards pose a worthy threat to McFadden the Ryans (Clark and Mundy). The Steelers need a big game out of Clark if Sanchez isn’t consistently pressured. As long as the defense as a whole doesn’t give up any huge plays, going along with their season’s trademark, it should buy the defensive front enough time to figure out how to rattle the Sanchize.

3^rd and Long

The Steeler Offense has found itself stuck and 3^rd and 6+ often in crucial situations throughout the season, but Big Ben has found receivers in the clutch, and made the necessary plays to keep the chains moving. However if the offense wants to control the clock effectively, they’ll need consistent 5-6 yard run/short pass plays to get more 3^rd and short opportunities. Isaac Redman has proven that he can get 2 or 3 yards when his number is called, and Mendenhall can break away for 15/20 yards if he catches the Jets defense is on its heels. The Jets pride themselves in stopping the run, so the offensive line will really need to drink their block-juice for this game. If Mendenhall can’t find holes and the line can’t buy Ben time, the Steeler offense transforms into a unit of hurried passing and -1 yard stuffers, which is the poorly-oiled machine that cranks out 3^rd and long situations. For the short passing game to be effective, the passing game needs production from David Johnson, Manny Sanders and Hines Ward. I’m on the lookout for the short pass to Ward or Wallace in the WR bunch-right. It will also be interesting to see if Bruce Arians or Ben will be the one to test Darrelle Revis with a Mike Wallace deep ball. That is, of course, if #7 ever gets the time to see his receivers run more than 15 yard routes.

Just for the kickers

These are two teams with inconsistent offenses, and hard-nosed defensive units. With that said, a low scoring game is in order, and the kickers will most-likely have their stab at winning the game. Shaun Suisham has been nothing short meat and potatoes as far as field goals go, but I’m not sure if Nick Folk can be trusted on the Heinz Field turf. He’s only 4-7 in the 40-49 yard range. Still, there’s got to be a reason Suisham was job-less right? I stubbornly keep waiting for him to lose his cool, but he’s kept it simple and knocked 3 points on the scoreboard when the Steelers have desperately needed the aid. With regards to special teams in general, the field position battle could be just as influential as any other aspect of the game, given the lack of offense that both teams have turned in the past few weeks. If either team can make a return-play to get their offense in opponent-territory, it could be enough to decide, or at the very least alter the momentum of the game. Antonio Brown, in a Mendenhall-like trend, looks like he could break away on any given return, but he hasn’t been doing so in the past few weeks. Will this be the week that the special teams take over the game? If so, the Steelers will have the edge with home turf and a fired-up bunch of playmakers.

Make or Break for the Jets

This week will assuredly play out as the turning point of the Jets season. Either they’re able to rebound and show the NFL that they weren’t just a team that was exposed after getting lucky in the fourth quarter in 5 straight weeks. They could very well go back to being a legitimate threat in the AFC, but recent weeks point towards the opposite. Instead, Mark Sanchez has shown his youth and inexperience, simultaneously exposing the offense as unproductive and exploitable. If a sense of urgency comes into play at any point in the Jets season, it will have to be this Sunday for the Gang Green to maintain any hope to fuel a playoff run. If the Jets come out playing with everything to prove, will the Steelers match the intensity and respond to the challenge? Or will they fall back on an almost-certain playoff bid. One thing’s for sure, the Black and Gold could definitely use a bye week to rest Polamalu and Ben, and anxiously await the verdict on Aaron Smith. If Steelers can find a way to win this game, and it’s absolutely within reach, they can rest assured that they’ll have much more potential to make a dangerous playoff run in 4-5 weeks.

Overall, I expect this game to be a thriller, even if it’s only a battle driven by special teams or defensive playmaking. However the cards fall, the matchup promises a hard-nosed battle between two talented AFC teams.

A lot to like about Pens

I’m dealing with a massive problem here as a Penguins fan. I know what you’re thinking, how could a Penguins fan have any problems with the way this team is performing? I mean, what’s not to like about how they’re playing this early in the year? Despite a below-average start and a myriad of significant injuries, the Penguins are lounging alone atop the conference and league standings thanks to a 12-game win streak. Well that’s exactly the problem; I’m spoiled with the struggle to pinpoint what exactly to like most about the team’s performance through the past four weeks.

The obvious answer is the play of Sidney Crosby. It seems as if we all forgot Crosby’s age, his steady desire to improve on every aspect of his game, and his constant leadership that comes with the C stitched on his sweater. Crosby has once more reminded the Hockey World that he is the best player in the league. Without a big-name winger on his top line, without the natural shooting skill that Ovechkin and Stamkos were gifted with, and without the star power of Evgeni Malkin and the two-way presence of Jordan Staal, #87 has taken this Penguins team on his shoulder and piggy-backed them to the top of the conference. Crosby is the first player to score 50+ points since Mario Lemieux did the same in 2002-2003, thanks to an 18-game point streak during which he scored 36 points, more than all but two other players have racked up this season. He’s on pace to score 137 points and 71 goals in an era when 100 point seasons are scarce. Behind Crosby, the Penguins are scoring 3.2 goals per game, a stat good for 5^th in the NHL.

Has Crosby finally reached his scoring peak? With his pattern of improvement, it’s far too early to guess. You want him to score more goals? This season he’s got more goals than assists, with 26 to 25 respectively. How about face-offs, he struggles in with that right? Not anymore. Crosby won a regular-season single-game high 25 face-offs in the Penguins last loss (in overtime) against the Rangers. What more can you ask for from a 23 year old? What’s not to like?

The Penguin defense deserves equal praise. From puck-blocking, to penalty killing, to the return of Marc Andre Fluery, the D is shutting down opponents on all cylinders. Let’s start with the penalty kill. After last season’s collapse in the playoffs, GM Ray Shero knew he had to look elsewhere for defensive help; he did just that by signing defensemen Zbynek Michalek and Paul Martin to five year deals. The duo is already paying its dues, as the Penguin defense is seemingly unbreakable. So far in 2010 the D ranks 2^nd in the league in penalty killing, shutting down the power play 88% of the time. Want more? The PK unit is tied for second in the league in short-handed goals. This feat is even more jarring given that the unit is missing one of the best two-way players in the league, Jordan Staal. In some fashion, the Penguins have managed to turn Staal’s injury from a negative to a positive. His awaited return is no longer a crucial need , but rather point of excitement for what he could add to an already streaking team.

Just when you think the Penguins lost their Norris Trophy Candidate in Sergei Gonchar, Kris Letang’s rise to the top had made #55’s departure near-meaningless. Gonchar has made Shero look like a genius with his sad decline in Ottawa, posting a -16 in 2010. Meanwhile, Letang leads defenseman in All-Star voting as a write-in candidate, and leads the league in +/- at +18. If this young man continues to play at this level, Norris trophy talks will undoubtedly return to Pittsburgh.

And then there’s Fleury. His rough start this season stalled the Penguins out of the gate, but despite the criticism, there’s no question he has returned to form. Behind MAF, the team is third overall in average goals against, allowing only 2.3 twine-ticklers per game. What’s more is that the team has also found consistency in Brent Johnson as a solid back-up. Johnson held down the fort during Fluery’s struggle, and will continue to give him needed rest during the regular season. By overcoming early struggles and receiving consistent and reliable backup, Fleury is in prime position for a strong playoff performance. And goaltending, as Penguins fans have learned in years past, is always a major factor in the playoffs.

So I’ve found one thing not to like about the Penguins: the power-play. The unit only converts with a man-advantage 16% of the time. But even with this negative, there is an obvious bright spot. This team has time to improve the power play and is still winning in spite of it. Malkin, the power-play goal machine has been off the ice, and hasn’t been scoring goals when he’s on the ice. Is there any question that he’ll return to form and bring the pens’ power play back with him?

The Penguins play their division rival Flyers tonight in Philadelphia. The winner will claim sole possession of the top of the NHL standings. Malkin is returning from an injury, as the Penguins will try for their 13^th straight Crosby will go for 19 straight games with a point. What’s not to like about this game? What’s not to like about this team? What’s not to like about this predicament?

Steve McNair Football

I was happily thrown into the past on Sunday afternoon. That’s right, the past; The only place I can escape to without hearing the continuous blowing of a whistle, without seeing referees slash their hands on their knees over and over, and if only to avoid James Harrison’s look in disbelief at another yellow flag falling to the grass.

Let’s add some background to this time-travel. It’s 3^rd down and 17 for the Steelers at the Pittsburgh 29. Four flags and seven runs ago, Rashard Mendenhall kicked off the drive with a 42 yard run, turning around only to see the team marching back the other way. Holding. It’s always something. Back to third down: As soon as Ben snaps the ball he’s hit with pressure. Announcer Solomon Wilcots thinks he’s already sacked. Steeler Nation knows better. #7 doesn’t go down in 3 seconds. He escapes to the outside, and he’s still looking for options. Getting chased by a bills defender, Ben darts for the first down. No one in front of him, one big Buffalo behind him, he makes 18 yards look like a mile. Instead of sliding at 17, he goes all out and smashes his way past the marker. That’s when I went back and simply forgot.

I forgot about the 163 yards in penalties that were called against the Steelers the week prior. I forgot about the unfair target the league has placed on James Harrison. I forgot all about Roger Goodell, and Mike Florio and Richard Seymour. I forgot about the “If Tom Brady we’re this” and “If Peyton Manning were that” phrases. All I could think about was Steve McNair on the Titans.

You see, back in Steve McNair’s glory days, no one could tackle that man. He’d play with a broken thumb, and bruised thigh and a black eye and you still couldn’t bring him anywhere close to the ground. Then he’d throw a block or scramble to a first down just to remind you that he wasn’t just a quarterback. He was the toughest quarterback in the league, and if you wanted to bring his team down, you had to bring him down first.

I can’t think of anyone that comes close to McNair’s playing style besides Ben Roethlisberger. His fairly consistent passing, his clutch style, his ability to avoid the sack unless you’ve got 3 linebackers hanging on him. I mean, you’ve got to surround this guy to bring him down, or he’ll make a play.

You had to do the same with McNair, or soon you’d be seeing those turned out hands on the side of his helmet, and you’d be 7 points down. I mean really, if McNair was still living, what would he have to say about all this? This guy would’ve shredded the injury report weekly if he had the chance. He was in the huddle and un-sackable no matter what. That’s football.

That 18 yard scrambled showed me how much of a football player Ben Roethlisberger continuously proves himself to be. It was such a fierce football play, that I couldn’t help but forget all the nonsense that’s been going on in this league of “transitions” and “safety concerns.” I just felt that Steve McNair would rather I didn’t ponder all that.