Bleacher Report - Articles by Nicholas Case

Ranking the Eastern Conference

Nicholas Case — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 16:24:05 -0400

To start the year I previewed the Eastern Conference. In the end I nailed 7 of 8 playoff teams (though the order was out of whack). Now at the end the season, I will take a look at the 8 teams in the hunt for the Prince of Wales trophy and a trip to the chance to play the best of the West to win Lord Stanley's Cup (Western preview tomorrow). I'll break down each part of the team: forwards, defense, goalie, special team, and highlight the most important person to the team in question in their playoff run starting from 8 to 1. Without further ado, onto the rankings!

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Firing Michel Therrien the Right Move, but Far Too Late

Nicholas Case — Mon, 23 Feb 2009 13:52:24 -0500

When you think of Michel Therrien, you think of the coach who coached the Pittsburgh Penguins to the fourth biggest turnaround in NHL history one season and took them two games from winning the Stanley Cup Finals the next. This is a fact that cannot be overlooked by any means. His contributions to the team will not go unappreciated.

What is being overlooked by all who question the move to fire Michel Therrien is the most damning evidence of all: At the time of his firing, the Pittsburgh Penguins had gone 12-19-2 since the start of December.

It didn't seem so bad as their record start (14-6-3) helped pad the overall stats, but even then that was misleading. In more than half of those games they either trailed going into the third, blew leads, or were forced to make incredible comebacks to get even a point.

The best examples of each extreme was the remarkable meeting against the Red Wings, when they were down 5-2 and stormed back to win the game 7-6 in OT.

The opposite end of the spectrum is the Nov. 6 game against the Edmonton Oilers. Dominating for 30 minutes, up 5-0, they stayed back and played conservatively. The final score was 5-4, with Edmonton scoring four unanswered goals and nearly taking the game back.

Michel Therrien was good for what he was: a transitional coach who got the most out of young players. Halfway through last season, when Evgeni Malkin and Ty Conklin took the team on their backs, the team became more than him and outgrew him. It was then that a change should have been made.

People will point to a depleted roster as to why Michel Therrien has failed. Those people are wrong. This same team was in the playoffs last year with a very similar roster before the Hossa trade.

Who was playing on Crosby's wing then? Numerous people were tried, including Jordan Staal, Ryan Malone, Mark Recchi, Colby Armstrong, Eric Christensen...the list goes on.

Before the deadline the Penguins consisted of forwards Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, Jarkko Ruutu, Georges Laraque, Petr Sykora, Adam Hall, Gary Roberts, Colby Armstrong, Jeff Taffe, Ryan Malone, Max Talbot, Tyler Kennedy, Jordan Staal, defensemen Sergei Gonchar, Ryan Whitney, Darryl Sydor, Brooks Orpik, Rob Scuderi, Kristopher Letang, and goalies Marc-Andre Fleury and Ty Conklin.

That team was in the playoffs despite missing Sidney Crosby, Gary Roberts, and Marc-Andre Fleury for large portions of the season, not to mention Ryan Whitney playing essentially on one foot. Replacements Chris Minard, Connor James, and Nathan Smith filled in large portions of the season, and they were in the playoff hunt the whole time.

Last year's team lost Ruutu, Malone, Roberts, Hall, Laraque, and Conklin. They were suitably replaced with Matt Cooke, Ruslan Fedotenko, Miroslav Satan, and Eric Godard. They also were without Whitney and Gonchar for large portions of the season. They still started the year with a roster of Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, Matt Cooke, Ruslan Fedotenko, Miroslav Satan, Pascal Dupuis, Petr Sykora, Maxime Talbot, Eric Godard, Jordan Staal, Bill Thomas, and Paul Bissonnette at forward, Hal Gill, Kris Letang, Mark Eaton, Alex Goligoski, and Rob Scuderion on defense with Marc-Andre Fleury and Dany Sabourin in net.

Looking at both rosters, I find the offense much more dependable and potent in this year's roster, the defense downgraded by the lack of Gonchar and the goaltending even.

All things considered, the team the Penguins had this year is better than the team they had last year going into the season. Michel Therrien just did not use them properly.

His inability to be flexible and find a puck-possession game that did not involve being gritty after the team clearly became finesse was his downfall. His being unwilling to change the breakout from a defense-to-defense to center breakout despite his two best puck-moving defensemen being out (which he knew about in advance) was what led to his firing.

His one-track coaching abilities were what damned Michel Therrien to the unemployment line. His 12-19-2 record from Dec. 1 until his firing was just extra proof of his inabilities.

I'm glad the bleeding was stopped. The Band-Aid should have been applied much sooner.

Super Bowl XLIII Was More Than Magical

Nicholas Case — Sat, 07 Feb 2009 14:53:24 -0500

For me, the 2008 season started much sooner than September against the Texans. Way before the first pre-season game in August. Much earlier than training camp in Latrobe.

For me, the 2008 season for the Pittsburgh Steelers started a year ago today with a phone call from my mother. My grandfather of 83 years had passed away in his sleep.

My grandfather was the reason I became interested in the Steelers. Born in 1984 in Carnegie, Pa., I lived with my grandparents for six months while my mother (separated from my father after his doings) set up shop in Mechanicsburg, Pa.

Every year, three or four times a year, until 1996, when we moved to South Carolina, my mother and I would make the four- to six-hour drive to Carnegie to see my grandparents.

My grandfather took me to my first Pirates game. My grandfather and I would sit around the TV during the winter and watch Steelers games on Sunday, his failing eyesight still good enough to see when a ball was trapped and not caught.

The last time I saw him alive, he gave me a 70s era Steelers knit hat that I promised to take with me if I ever got to a Steelers game.

Down in Charleston I work for a radio station. Mere weeks after coming back from Pittsburgh for the funeral, I'm working an event for children. A woman who wrote a children's book wanders over to my work tent while she's bored, and we start chatting.

Over the course of the conversation, I find out she's from Ohio. I mention I'm from Pittsburgh, I find out her fiance is from Pittsburgh as well.

As the day wore on, her fiance makes his way out to the event and we start to talk. As it happens with other fellows from Pittsburgh, we're immediately like family. We talk about where we're from, we talk about family, we talk about sports.

I find out that he is a Steelers season ticket holder. When I say I'm jealous because I've always wanted to go to a game I hear, "Well you keep in touch and if you ever want to go to a game, let me know!"

Over the next few months I keep in touch with the family. I'm invited over to their house to watch Game Six of the Stanley Cup Finals. I'm invited to their wedding. I help them move into their new house to fit the two families together.

I was also invited to watch games at their house every week. I also picked my first game to go to: Nov. 9 against the Indianapolis Colts.

For the first time, I was watching every game on TV. Not just depending on highlights or being in some noisy bar. I was with people I knew, surrounded by Steelers fans, with friends. A 60-inch HDTV, surround sound, good food, and great people made every Sunday, the occasional Monday and Thursday more special than it had been before.

Finally, the day came around. I flew to Pittsburgh to spend time with my grandmother, went to a Penguins game, and finally Sunday came. I arrived at noon at Heinz Field with my friend Aaron, who had given me a free ticket to a Penguins game while I was in Pittsburgh for my grandfather's funeral.

We met up with Paul, Shawna, and family. I had some drinks, some spicy sausage, some pierogies. I explored Heinz Field's exterior. Finally, 3:30 rolled around and finally I entered. Twenty years of waiting had finally come to an end with seats 15 rows from the field in the back corner of the open end zone.

Though the game ended in a not so fortunate way, it was a dream that finally came to fruition. By total coincidence and good timing did I meet the people that made it possible, and they are still dear to me. It made me believe that my grandfather was watching, directing it to happen.

Every game that happened thereafter felt special. I felt like I'd finally been a part of the season, of something amazing. The playoffs started and I was looking forward to a few more games. I figured the Steelers would be knocked out by the Colts or the Titans.

Even if they made it to the Super Bowl, the other two teams the Steelers lost to would likely be in as the NFC champs, the Eagles or Giants.

Then, one by one, their biggest challenges fell. The Colts were knocked out by the Chargers, who were then easily dispatched by the Steelers. The day before, the Ravens took out the Titans. In the NFC, the Eagles beat the Giants.

The Steelers had already beaten the Ravens twice. The next week, they made it three times and the Cardinals pulled off something short of a miracle, knocking out the last true test for the Steelers, the Eagles.

As two minutes remained last Sunday, the Steelers backed up to their own 15, I hoped my grandfather was looking down again. As Ben and Santonio Holmes marched down the field, I was tense.

Holmes broke free for a long play, down into the 10. The pass to the left end of the end zone. Holmes lets it go through his hands. And then the catch. Two feet down. Complete possession.

The Steelers were six-time Super Bowl champions.

My team had a drive for the ages.

I had my season, and it ended in amazing fashion.

My grandfather was smiling on high.

And you better believe I was wearing that hat.

It's Time I Gave Props To Michel Therrien

Nicholas Case — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 13:15:26 -0500

For several articles running, I've given nothing but flak to Michel Therrien for his stubborn coaching style which no longer fits the team he has control over.

Rumors were starting to swirl of his imminent demise after a 7-12-1 run since December first had knocked the talented and near the cap limit Pittsburgh Penguins out of playoff contention.

After back-to-back 5-3 losses to Western Conference teams, the Avalanche and the Predators (blowing a 3-0 lead against Nashville), the heat was rising upon the seat that Therrien resided. A two game swing against their biggest rivals, the Flyers and Capitals, could mean the end to Mikey T.

Tuesday night seemed to start the same way, a fluky goal scored by Mike Knuble off of a bad bounce when Fleury went to play the puck seemed to make Penguins' fans sign and say, "More of the same..." Then something amazing happened:

Michel Therrien showed he had another dimension.

For the next 32 minutes of game time, until the third, the Penguins played a 1-2-2 trapping system wherein the center will pressure the puck carrier while the wingers wait behind the center in the neutral zone and the defense wait by the blue line to stop who ever make go by the center and wingers.

This worked out perfectly for the Pens, who no longer had the players to lug the puck up the ice from one zone to the other under Therrien's 1-4 system. The result? The Penguins out shot the Flyers in that time 22-15 and outscored them 4-1. After the second, the Penguins went back to the 1-4 and were promptly out shot 14-4.

Now I'm far from ready to say that I'm still happy with Therrien behind the bench. There are reports directly from the Penguins website of Michel Therrien being talked to by Mario Lemieux during practice in the days prior to the Flyers game, something Mario normally doesn't do.

This leads to widely believed speculation that Mario told and taught coach Therrien how to run and execute the 1-2-2.

Also, the next big step is whether or not Therrien will continue to run the new system. The Flyers were not expecting the Penguins to come out and run the trap. The Capitals, whom they play tonight, will be expecting this.

If the trap does not work out right away, will Therrien abandon it like he does so many line combinations that don't show chemistry within a few shifts?

Either way, it's a long road ahead for the Pittsburgh Penguins to even simply make the playoffs. If a minimum of 92 points gets you in to the tournament, the Penguins at 46 points, need to win 23 of their remaining 38 games. It's a big order to fill and hopefully the change from Therrien will help things.

For the Pens and their fans, adjustments from Michel Therrien may be too little too late, but only time will tell.

Penguins Fans: Time to Push the Panic Button and Fire Michel Therrien

Nicholas Case — Sat, 03 Jan 2009 06:49:38 -0500

As you may or may not know, before the season started I picked the Penguins to win the Atlantic Division. It seems I didn't take two things into account when I made that prediction:

1. The injury to Sergei Gonchar, which didn't occur when I first wrote the article.

2. The utter ineptitude of Michel Therrien as a coach.

Yes, he was the coach that led us to the Cup Finals last year. However, as I wrote, it was luck and he was quickly exposed. He also had the appropriate personnel to run the system he needed.

The system starts out with a break out from the defensive zone wherein both D-men pass from one to the other, then up to the center who is forced to take it through the neutral zone. From there the center will either take it to the net, take it to the circles and look for the trailing winger for a pass in front, or dump the puck in.

In the event of a dump in, the Pens are to cycle the puck until they have a clear shot of the net or someone to throw to in front of the net.

If the puck is turned over, the team will go back into their zone. The D will allow the opposing team to gain the blue line while they back up and form a bubble around the goalie, along with the returning wingers while the center roams free waiting for the D-to-D-to-C break out to begin.

This was dandy last year when the lines had the likes of Hossa, Crosby, Dupuis on top who were all capable of cycling, grinding, and going to the net, Malone who would do the dirty work in the corner, Laraque, Hall, Roberts, Ruutu. All of which would optimal for Therrien's system.

This season, they do not have those players. Grit has been replaced by skill. Miroslav Satan doesn't go into the corners like Hossa (or even Armstrong), Fedotenko has been a reasonable replacement for Malone but his board game is weaker than Malone's last season.

The bottom lines have been bespeckled by injury, but for all of Laraque's misgivings his ability to control the puck with his sheer size was greatly undervalued and it's shown with the oft-scratched Eric Godard.

Therrien no longer has the players available to play that grit and grind game. He has some talented players in the top six, an above average third line, and a good fourth line. However, their current record indicates none of this. Why?

It's Therrien's inability to change the system he runs to conform to the new players on his team.

The head coach has proven himself to be a one trick pony, as he also did in Montreal. Just like in Montreal, he had star players who under performed because the system being used did not fit their strengths. The players over come those problems with sheer will and skill, but eventually that which can bend will break. That break came in his third season in Montreal.

The most damning proof is in the numbers:

This previous game against Florida, a 6-1 loss, was game #39. Almost half way through the year. Our last 20 games the Penguins are 7-12-1.

Since December? 5-10-1.

Going back to just after their six game winning streak, the Pens are only 8-12-2.

Stop this whole "slump" talk.

That's over half of the season where they've played piss poor, well under .500.

For Pittsburgh Penguins fans, there is the bad news: the team has broken.

It's time to get rid of the main problem. Yes, bringing in a new coach means a new system that will take adjustment. Things will get worse before they get better. However, a new coach at least brings the promise of things getting better. With Therrien, the team has reached new lows for a month.

It's time to do the right thing so I don't continue to sound like a broken record.

It's time to fire Therrien.

Peter Laviolette isn't busy...

Pittsburgh Steelers' End of Regular Season Review: Part Two

Nicholas Case — Wed, 31 Dec 2008 00:38:11 -0500

At the start of the year, I went down the 10 biggest issues facing the Steelers heading into the 2008 season in two (one, two) parts. I then reviewed them at the midseason mark in the same two part format (one, two). Yesterday, I went through the final countdown of the bottom five questions (10-6) in part one. Those questions were:

10.) Will Ben continue to improve?

9.) How much gas does Hines Ward have left in the tank?

8.) Heinz Field: benefit or burden?

7.) Will Troy Polamalu stay healthy?

6.) Are the Browns really a threat?

Now, on to the midseasons answers for questions 5-1:

5.) Has Willie Parker fully recovered?

In the end, the answer was no. Only playing 11 games, out five due to various injuries, Willie ended the year with a respectable 791 yards. That includes five games where he rushed for under 50 yards. Only four games with more than 100 yards rushing. He never had the same break away speed he had in the past. He never was 100 percent healthy.

4.) What impact will Rashard Mendenhall have on offense?

I'll go ahead and copy what I wrote last time:

"This answer is simple.

His total season stats for the rest of the year will remain:

Games played: 4 Carries: 19 Yards: 58 Yards Per Carry: 3.1 TDs: 0 Fumbles: 0

After an encounter with Ray Lewis in week 4, he broken his collar bone and is out for the season. Here's to hoping he learns from the side lines and can pick things up next year."

Even rookie receiver Limas Sweed didn't have the impact hoped. Six receptions, 64 yards, one fumble (he recovered it) and unsteady hands. Hopefully a year under the belts of both of these high potential picks will pan out.

3.) Will Steely McBeam be back?

He is back. Still a useless mascot for a team that really didn't need one. Alas.

2.) Will the Rooney's sell away ownership?

As of Dec. 8, a deal was in the works and was to go through where Dan Rooney and his son, Art II, would retain full ownership. The brothers who were bought out cashed in at $750 million between them.

Have no fear Pixberger's. The Rooney's remain.

1.) How will the O-line look this year?

The O-line. The biggest problem the Steelers faced this season. They played like swiss cheese. Many a touchdown or big play was called back after an ill-timed holding call on one of the linemen.

Ben was sacked a league second worst 46 times. Only Matt Cassell had more at 47 sacks. A long list of Ben's injuries can be attributed to the poor line, and Ben's newfound desire to hold on to the ball far too long in order to make something happen is yet another symptom of the bad O-line.

How far the Steelers go in the playoffs is dependant on how the offensive line plays.

On Jan. 10, we'll know exactly how well the Steelers step up to the big time. If they play to their true abilities and the O-line steps it up, the Steelers have three more victories left in them.

We know the fantastic defense will come with all they have, it's up to the offense to bring their A game. If they don't, we'll soon be starting the count down until Latrobe.

Pittsburgh Steelers' End of Regular Season Review: Part One

Nicholas Case — Tue, 30 Dec 2008 00:43:20 -0500

The 2008 season has come and gone. We all have our favorite memories. For me, it 's finally getting to Heinz Field after 20-plus years of waiting to see the Steelers eventually lose to the Colts.

Your memory may be different, but in the end, we'll all remember it as another AFC North Championship and a 12-4 season against the toughest schedule in the league.

It seemed only logical that I do the same for the end of the season. Part two will come tomorrow. And now for part one, questions 10 through six.

10.) Will Ben continue to improve?

Ben was, to say the least, disappointing. He still passed for well over 3,000 yards (a career second best 3,301) and threw 17 TDs (though a massive drop from last years 32), he threw 15 INTs (up from last years 11) and fumbled the ball 4 times, losing two. The latter stat being a career high.

He looked lost and confused at the line on any given down unless they ran a no huddle. In the no huddle, Ben looked masterful. Ben lead the Steelers on six game winning drives in the entire season.

Late in the fourth, Ben was clutch. So which Ben is the real Ben? Will the concussion he sustained in Week 17 affect him in the playoffs?

9.) How much gas does Hines Ward have left in the tank?

Seems the answer was plenty. By season's end Hines had been on the receiving end of 1,043 passing yards while mixing in seven touchdowns. The 1,043 yards was his most since 2003.

While his hands may not have been what they once were (he could be counted on for at least one dropped ball per game), he became Ben's go-to guy catching 81 of Ben's 281 passes.

That's 36 more than Santonio Holmes, who came in second. He also accounted for 55 first downs, more than any other Steeler. As for a random stat to leave you with: Hines is 220 yards away from 10,000 receiving yards for his career. Also much farther away, 28 TDs until 100 for his career.

8.) Heinz Field: Benefit or burden?

In the end, the Steelers went 6-2 both home and road. The "12th man" at Heinz field is definitely a beast to be dealt with and the muck of that poor sod helps other defends and offenses used to a fast track have trouble and get thrown off their game.

Probably the best example was the problems that the Cowboys had all game. There was no Monday Night Football debacle like last year against Miami, but the Rooneys would and should look into some other plan of attack for that turf.

7.) Will Troy Polamalu stay healthy?

Not only did Troy stay healthy, but he helped contribute to the Steelers monster defense which was No. 1 in points allowed (13.9 points per game), yards per game (237.2), pass yards per game (156.9) and No. 2 in rush yards per game (80.2). He set a personal record with seven ints, including one of the most amazing picks I'd ever seen.

6.) Are the Browns really a threat?

Romeo Crennel is fired. The Browns ended the season without an offensive touchdown in six games. They ended the season 4-12. The answer is simply no. I won't even bother wasting any more time on it.

Part two continued tomorrow.

All That Glitters Is Not Black and Vegas Gold for the Pittsburgh Penguins

Nicholas Case — Mon, 29 Dec 2008 08:15:00 -0500

19-13-4. This doesn't seem so bad in the win/loss column, does it?

With 36 games into the season, 42 points isn't too shabby. Seventh in the Conference, it looks decent.

However, you're just looking at the cover of the book and deeming it quality. A further peak inside tells of troubling times in Penguinland.

In the last 10 games, they have a 4-6-0 record. Looking deeper at stats, they are 8-9-3 against teams currently in the top eight positions in their conferences (Buffalo, Philly, Washington, Boston, Rangers, Montreal, New Jersey, Detroit, Pheonix, San Jose, and Edmonton). Now, stats don't tell the entire story, but they are some of the chapters.

The current slide of the Penguins should come as no surprise to anyone who has followed the team without their black and gold glasses on. For the majority of the season, they have constantly played uninspired hockey. The number of full games they've played can be counted on one hand.

For a large part of the season they've either played poorly for all, but the last 10 percent of the game, where they make a miraculous comeback, or played well in the first 10 percent and then blew the lead they've built.

What's the cause of this? Well, there are several possibilities, all of which more than likely fill out the rest of the book.

Their youth:

The core is young, and plays streaky. I can buy it for the current down trend. They had an incredibly hot streak between games 12 and 17 where they were just on fire. You couldn't keep them off of the score sheet. They came back down to earth, now they're bottoming out.

No Secondary Scoring:

116 goals scored in 38 games has them seventh in the league in goals. However, either Malkin or Crosby have contributed at least an assist in nearly 68 percent of all the goals scored, meaning out of every three goals scored, only one was not because of Malkin or Crosby's hand.

Injuries:

While not including Gonchar and Whitney, since they've been out since before the season, they've been struck by some injuries. The biggest being to Fleury. However, third line spark plug Tyler Kennedy is out and since then, their play has dropped. Key face off man Mike Zigomanis is injured.

The defense has been plagued for on and off injuries. It's not helped for consistency. Fleury has returned and is playing reasonably well, and Whitney has returned stronger than ever. Perhaps when they adjust to the flow of the game again, things will get better.

Coaching:

Therrien is a one trick pony. He only knows one system, and if the players can't conform, they and the team fails. He was not able to tweak his system to make up for the loss of Gonchar and Whitney, two people extremely important to the Penguins breakout system. He hasn't adjusted for the lack of grit the team has, and he hasn't been able to motivate them to play a full 60 minutes.

Special Teams:

Currently the Penguins' special teams rank in the middle of the league. While respectable, a power play that has Evgeni Malkin, Sidney Crosby, Petr Sykora, and defensemen like Phillipe Boucher, Alex Goligoski, and Kris Letang should be ranked higher than 15th.

Before their 9-2 blowout against the Islanders, their power play was way down in the lower third of the league. Their PK, ranked 14th. Hal Gill has been injured and the poor positional play of Dany Sabourin can be contributing factors to that. Not to mention that Mike Yeo is a terrible, terrible special teams coach.

The biggest fear amongst Pens fans should be whether the current trend continues. If it does, it could be a long season. A big trade deadline could make things better, and the return of Whitney and Gonchar would be a big help. That's assuming that they are able to get into the swing of things right away.

There's still hope for this years team. However, there's plenty of work to be done in order to make those dreams a reality.

It's Time to Say Goodbye to Michel Therrien

Nicholas Case — Tue, 23 Dec 2008 15:27:24 -0500

From the start of what could have been a promising season, the Pittsburgh Penguins have had something wrong with them. They didn't play a full 60 minutes of any game. Inconsistent effort, lack of passion, and sloppy play lead to blown leads or the need to make several miraculous comebacks. Through November, this was fine and dandy because they were getting the bounces that made them look white hot on the record books.

Finally, December came and the other shoe dropped. No more third period come backs. More blown leads. To date, just before Christmas Eve, they are 4-6-1 in the month of November. They are constantly outshot and outperformed. Injuries could be used as an excuse, but with their only wins being against an AHL caliber Islanders team, a slightly better Thrashers team, and a small bit more productive Hurricanes team...their only legit win came against the Devils who were without John Madden, allowing Crosby to run rough shot all over them.

Don't let the excuse of injuries fool you. This team played like this to start the season. Until one big change is made, they will continue to play this poorly. What is the change?

Show Mike Therrien the door.

The team is not performing or giving effort. He's not motivating them. That means either they've tuned him out or he doesn't care.

Their system has been broken and has no inclination of any fix. Teams figured out their break out, their offensive zone play, and their d-positioning. There's no variety. It's one system and that's it. Once a coach has it figured out, you can shut down even the two-headed monster.

They have no secondary scoring. This is a failure of Therrien being able to adjust his system to fit the new players that should be excelling. Fedotenko and Satan should be playing better than this. Janne Pesonen has yet to see a minute of meaningful ice time to judge if he's ready for the NHL or not. The power play is a mess. If not for the two-headed monster of Sid and Malkin, who account for 67 percent of the Pens offense, they'd have nothing.

This team doesn't have success because of the game that's played on any given night. This team has success because of a player who has a hot 60 minutes. There's no group effort in this model of the Pittsburgh Penguins. It's a bunch of hockey players who are playing pick up and letting the "A" Leaguers do all of the work.

All of this is at the foot of Michel Therrien. He has lost control of his team.

It's time to show him out.

Pittsburgh Steelers Midseason Review: Part Two

Nicholas Case — Sat, 15 Nov 2008 08:14:35 -0500

A little over a week ago I did part one of a mid-season review of my pre-season preview (part one and two in the links) for the Pittsburgh Steelers.

If you understood that, then read on for part of (questions 5-1) of the mid-season review of the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Part one, linked above, answered the questions of:

10.) Will Ben continue to improve?

9.) How much gas does Hines Ward have left in the tank?

8.) Heinz Field: benefit or burden?

7.) Will Troy Polamalu stay healthy?

6.) Are the Browns really a threat?

Now, on to the mid-seasons answers for questions 5-1:

5.) Has Willie Parker fully recovered?

The answer is mixed; however, the short answer is yes, he has recovered.

His broken leg no longer bothered him at the start of the season. In his first two games he showed with with big games, 138 yards and 105 yards, against the Texans and Browns respectively. In the 8 weeks since then, however, Willie has put put a total of 90 yards while missing weeks four, five, seven, eight, and ten with various injuries from his current "shoulder sublexation" where your shoulder pops out of socket and back in at once and knee issues.

While draft pick Rashard Mendenhall has proven to not be the answer after being knocked out in week four against Baltimore with a broken collar bone, the Steelers have been blessed with continued depth and had Mewelde Moore come in as a replacement with three big weeks where he gathered over 300 yards total against the Jaguars, Bengals, and Giants.

4.) What impact will Rashard Mendenhall have on offense?

This answer is simple.

His total season stats for the rest of the year will remain:

Games played: 4 Carries: 19 Yards: 58 Yards Per Carry: 3.1 TDs: 0 Fumbles: 0

After an encounter with Ray Lewis in week 4, he broken his collar bone and is out for the season. Here's to hoping he learns from the side lines and can pick things up next year.

3.) Will Steely McBeam be back?

He is. And honestly...not such a bad guy. Still not a fan, however.

2.) Will the Rooney's sell away ownership?

Any worry of ownership changing hands has finally been quelled.

The Rooney's have reached a deal that keeps ownership squarely in the family and in Dan and son Art II's hands for the time being. The remaining brothers whose shares are being bought out, the four of them, around $750 million. Everyone walks away pretty happy, if I do say so myself.

1.) How will the O-line look this year?

The O-line is what is truly keeping this team from being un-beaten. With their lack of protection, Ben has had little time to look around the field and really see plays. He's also been hit so many times that he is banged up. It's effecting every part of his play. If the o-line were better, Willie/Rashard/Mewelde would be raking up better numbers.

Their defense is best in the NFL. With the weapons they have their 6-3 record could easily still be 9-0. Each of their three defeats have come by a touchdown or less. The tide was turned in each game by a poor offensive play, namely Ben's INTs against the Colts and the overturned touchdown against the Giants. These are a result of the poor O-line.

Wrap-Up

How much time is left in the Steelers season? At least nine games for sure. Hopefully some playoff games will be in their future. It all depends on how the o-line plays, who gets healthy, and if Ben can get out of his funk.

2008-2009 NHL Eastern Conference Preview

Nicholas Case — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 05:33:17 -0400

Training camp is starting and that means speculation begins. Without further ado, I give you what I think the end of the season will look like in the Eastern Conference.

1.) Montreal Canadiens- Too much for them to not be too good. Deep with talented forwards and good defense, the only real question mark is Carey Price. Even then, his play in the playoffs was due to a bad hand. The only question mark is age. Some of their vets aren't getting younger and they traded for a declining Robert Lang. Will this hurt them?

2.) Pittsburgh Penguins- Too much talent in two players alone. Two scoring wingers for each, a few talented players in the line up as supporting cast, and an above average plus defense. Also a goaltender who may or may not be coming into his own. Satan and Crosby, Malkin and Sykora will be point monsters. They'll also be getting back one of the better young defensemen in Ryan Whitney around the deadline.

3.) Washington Capitals- Someone has to win this division and it will be the Caps. Ovechkin alone gives them the edge. While they will miss what Huet brought them in net during the playoffs, a decently able defense and offensive talents like Mike Green, AO, Semin, Niklas Backstrom, Viktor Kozlov, and Sergei Federov they'll be able to score their way through the weak South Eastern division.

4.) Philadelphia Flyers- A team with depth that made a great bounce last season from worst to Eastern Conference Finals. Offseason moves and injuries have made them lose some of the offensive punch they had, but they remain steady in the top six. The "loss" of Darian Hatcher will only help the team become more mobile. Biggest question lies in the health of Simon Gagné.

5.) New York Rangers- Henrik Lundqvist. Prepare to hear a lot about him this season. He will be the main catalyst for this team's success. A large roster turn over with the loss of Jaromir Jagr and Martin Straka, the additions made in offseason result in a lot of question marks. Will Nik Zherdev finally produce as expected? Will Markus Naslund regain his old form? Will Wade Redden produce?

6.) New Jersey Devils- Marty Brodeur's decline continues, but his talent alone and a boost in offense is still enough to see them sneak into the playoffs. Their thin defensive core continues to be masked by the team's overall defensive play, especially with the return of former stars Brian Rolston and Bobby Unibrow who know the trapping system employed and will pop in a few goals to go with their ability to cover for the young and less talented defenses mistakes.

7.) Boston Bruins- Claude Julien surprised everyone last season, taking an offensively starved team to the playoffs and then leading them to the brink of upsetting the team with the best record in the East in the first round. This season starts with the return of Patrice Bergeron. Early reviews have him back in fine form, providing a huge boost to the meager offense that accompanies a superb defense headed by My Giant Zdeno Chara.

8.) Buffalo Sabres-A team torn apart by free agency in the last few years still finds a way to squeak in. Super Coach Lindy Ruff pieces together a roster with youth and talent. Ryan Miller, a high quality goalie, will be the backbone for their run toward the playoffs while Derek Roy looks to be the go-to star along with long time Sabre Maxim Afinogenov.

9.) Tampa Bay Lightning-They're a more talented version of the post lockout Pens. Enough young players will establish chemistry to not make them in the basement, but too many questions on the back end, in net, and in scoring depth. In the end their thin blue line and lack of true role players and solid goaltending will do them in.

10.) Carolina Hurricanes- Early season injuries and lack of goaltending will sink the team. They will miss Eric Cole more than they realize, especially with the loss of Justin Williams to a ruptured Achilles Tendon. Joni Pitkanen is not an upgrade on the blue line and they made little other moves. Tuomo Ruutu is a question mark and injury prone, but could have a huge year if healthy. Another "almost" year harmed by injuries.

11.) Ottawa Senators- The mighty continue to fall. Not much done in the offseason to right a quickly falling ship and the loss of Wade Redden on the blue line. The big three will still produce, but not much beyond that will fill the net. The blue line takes a big hit and while Ray Emery is gone, look for goaltending to continue to be an issue.

12.) Florida Panthers- Another year of almost. They'll be in the race until the trade deadline when someone will wow them and pry away Jay Bouwmeester who is riding his one year contract. While the return may be something decent, don't count on it being enough to get the Panthers to the top eight. Poor Nathan Horton.

13.) Atlanta Thrashers- Ilya Kovalchuk. Kari Lethonen. Who else? True talent is hard to find on this team. They have nothing in the cupboard. Kovalchuk is in the final year of his contract and has been the face of the franchise from the start. For a team talking about having Angelo Esposito and this years No. 3 pick Zach Bogosian in the line up, it doesn't look pretty.

14.) Toronto Maple Leafs- They finally came to their senses and decided to actually play poorly for a high pick. They're anxious to get in the Tavares lottery to really draw them in and upper management finally decides that they need to rebuild. Or they'll just suck that badly. The latter is more likely.

15.) New York Islanders- Garth Snow continues his reign of terror as the Islanders once again toil in mediocrity. The only thing keeping this team relevant is Rick DiPietro coming off of hip surgery. That's bound to not last. And for the sake of any Isles fan, hopefully neither will Snow.

What Should the Pittsburgh Penguins Do With Jordan Staal?

Nicholas Case — Tue, 09 Sep 2008 04:16:22 -0400

In 2006-2007, everyone expected Evgeni Malkin to come to Pittsburgh and have a stellar rookie campaign. No one expected to see the rapid emergence of Jordan Staal onto the hockey scene.

Kept up with Kris Letang for 10 games from his junior team; the Peterborough Petes, he was going to be given a look-see to grade his NHL readiness. By the end of those 10 games, he'd scored five goals, including three shorthanded (two in one game).

His uncanny defensive prowess for an 18-year-old combined with his long reach, assured him a spot on the permanent roster. While Kris Letang went back to juniors, Jordan Staal was there to stay. Partnered throughout the season with Malkin, he amassed 29 goals and 13 assists and was runner-up for Rookie of the Year to his linemate.

Heading into 2007-2008, big things were expected of Staal. He was placed on Crosby's wing after the acquisition of Petr Sykora filled the need for a scoring winger on Malkin's line. Some fans were thinking of 40 goals for the season playing alongside the previous year's MVP and Art Ross winner.

Things didn't go as planned. After 24 games, at the start of December, he had scored a total of two goals and netted three assists. The dreaded "sophomore jinx" was hung around his shoulders as he was dropped back to third line duty.

He would go on to thrive on the third line, playing a defensively responsible game alongside rotating wingers and his time on the penalty kill continued to remain steadily high. While his offensive game wasn't there through December, his defense continued to become stronger.

By the end of the season, he anchored his own line extremely effectively. A third line that would eventually pot 31 goals for the year between four or five different players. Many GMs would love to have a third line contribute as much.

Even through his bad start, Staal finished up the season scoring 12 goals and helping on 16 others. A total of 23 points in 58 games is not bad for a 19-year-old, nor for a third-line center on a team infected with injuries throughout the year.

As a result, there's talk of what to do with Staal coming into the 2008-2009 season.

Due to free agency and signings, there would seem to be a lack of top-six wingers. Right now, the top five are filled out by Crosby, Miroslav Satan, Malkin, Ruslan Fedotenko, and Sykora. The departure of Ryan Malone leaves a lack of physical presence that made the "Steel City Line" of Malone-Malkin-Sykora (who carried the team when Crosby went down) so effective.

You have Jordan Staal. What do you do?

There are two camps with this thinking:

1. Put Fedotenko on Sid's left and move Staal to the left of Malkin

Malkin's game is much more suited for Staal than Crosby. The reason Staal wasn't effective on Sid's line is Sid's speed. While Staal is deceptively fast, he's by no means swift of foot. Malkin's Lemieux-like ability to slow the game down suits Staal, which is why he had such success in his rookie season.

2. Keep Staal centering his own line

This serves two distinct purposes, one short term and one long term.

The short term: It gives the Penguins depth down the middle that is hard to be matched by any other team in the NHL. Crosby, Malkin, Staal is group of centers most teams would love to have on their payroll. Staal's defensive prowess makes him the perfect shutdown line center. This allows the third line to be able to go against any first line in the NHL and shut them down with relative ease.

The long term: It forces Staal to focus on his abilities as a center that need addressing, most importantly his playmaking abilities. His assist totals have been very unimpressive, as has been his passing in general.

While he can go to the front of the net to tap a puck in, it's hard to count on him to make the pass to set up a winger. Putting him as center of his own line so he doesn't rely on Malkin to create the plays will benefit him and the Pens.

He slightly improved from year one to year two with assists (13 to 16), and in the playoffs had some hot streaks where he was able to put everything together. If kept on his own line to grow with the same linemates, his abilities will fall into place.

While, in the end, it's entirely up to the coaching staff as to what will happen to Staal, perhaps the best interest of the team in the long and short term is keeping him on the ice centering his own line. Once his playmaking improves to where he can notch around 25 assists or so with third line talent—if Malkin needs a winger, I say make it so.

They would be even more dangerous as a duo (or trio if the chemistry with Sykora sticks). A one-two punch of anyone, Crosby, anyone and Staal, Malkin, Sykora could push the record books for goals scored.

At 19 years old, he's already got a bright future ahead of him. His development this year is crucial to how bright it is. Here's hoping that what ever is done is the correct decision when all is finished.

Dont Let Talking Heads Fool You: No Brady is A-OK

Nicholas Case — Tue, 09 Sep 2008 03:31:59 -0400

As I watched football on Sunday, excited to see my Steelers devour an overwhelmed Houston Texans, I heard the good news that I'd been waiting to hear for years: Tom Brady not playing.

Now I'm not a black hearted person by any means. I want to see Brady fail on his own abilities. I don't like to see anyone hurt. It's always a shame when a player's season is lost to injury, especially when it's a quarterback (Ben, wear a helmet).

However, enough had been enough of Brady and unfortunately, it wasn't going to end unless one thing happened. And Sunday it did.

I was anxious to hear the pundits of pro football amble on about how big of a loss it would be for the New England Patriots, as they'd crossed into "Please Let Them Fail" territory. Instead, all I begin to hear is a barrage of something that struck me as not only garbage but utterly ridiculous.

"This is horrible for the NFL."
"No Tom Brady is a tragedy for pro football."
"The NFL suffered a huge loss by Tom Brady being out for the season."

I had to shake my head, do a double take, and turn up the volume to make sure I was hearing this correctly:

"Tom Brady's injury is awful for the NFL."

Are you serious?

Tom Brady is one man. He's an extremely talented man, but one man. He's part of a machine that has games like San Fransisco and Arizona in pre-season draw ratings that my beloved NHL would die for.

Tom Brady has lead the NFL's best team this decade to several championships, destroying the hopes and dreams of fans along the way who believed, "This was our year."

Tom Brady became synonymous to many as to what they hated about the NFL.

He is attractive in spite of his butt-chin, he does date Super Models, he wins at what ever he does, he's cocky, he's everything the average fan wanted to be growing up but they're not. And he does it effectively. For this, 90% of fans hated Tom Brady.

For this, 90% of the NFL is happy he's out for the season.

Now 90% of fans once again feel like they have a chance.

Charger fans are breathing easier knowing they don't have to go through New England. Colts fans are taking the pins out of their voodoo dolls. Steelers fans are no longer using their Terrible Towels to wipe up tears. Cowboy fans are praising the Star in the middle of the field. Jaguar fans are... I guess caring.

Tom Brady being out for the season is GOOD for the NFL. It gives more teams a better chance to win. It gives more fans hope of seeing their team lift the Vince Lombardi Trophy. It gives everyone hope that this, truly, is the year.

The only people Brady being out are bad for are Patriots fans and the media themselves.

Brady being out is awful for the media. They now have to find something else to talk about for 16 weeks, other than how great Tom Brady is, or how big of a juggernaut the New England Patriots are.

Now journalists can do their jobs and stop fellating the Patriots. Quite frankly, I'm happy about that.

Get well Tom. Not too quickly, though. The Black and Gold have a sixth trophy to lift before you do.

Preseason Football Like Looking in Girls' Locker Room

Nicholas Case — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 11:06:27 -0400

If you were a red-blooded male in high school, then, at the time, there wasn't much on your mind: sports, women, sports, women, food.

Your time was tempered by wondering what the girl of your choice would look like in the suit that nature had made for her.

Also, if you were like most red-blooded males, you knew you had zero chance of ever finding out.

However, there was one way. One hope. One wish. One dream.

The girls' locker room.

"If only..." you would think to yourself. "If only I could see through to the other side."

Your high-school dreams and fantasies could be realized with one simple wish granted, and no doubt you'd like what you saw at first. Even if it were just a glimpse. Then time would continue on. You'd still look, but realize that you wanted more.

Viewing was nice, fine, awesome...but you wanted the next experience, the next step. You were no longer satisfied with just seeing. You knew the world was bigger than just that view, and you were ready.

Every year, this experience plays out in a smaller, less perverse way: The NFL preseason.

Come training camp, it's like we're in high school again. We wonder what's behind that door, because the most beautiful sport just walked through. Only, in this scenario, we get to see through the walls. It starts with the Hall of Fame Game and that first week, we're pumped. We're excited. We see the beautiful girls.

There's Peyton Manning, and Tom Brady! Look, Donovan McNabb, Tony Romo, and T.O.! It's Big Ben and Fast Willie!

The wall has come down and we see, in all of its glory, what our eyes had craved for so long.

Then the cheerleaders would leave and the women's rugby team comes in.

Gus Ferrotte? Charlie Batch? Jim Sorgi? Oh man...what am I watching?

The enjoyment of what we once yearned for quickly fades, as we realize: not every girl is hot. Likewise, not all football is entertaining.

We bide our time, like waiting for that special night, when the proverbial cherry is popped and the new season starts. It may not leave you as breathless, but you're relieved it's over, and you talk about it with all of your friends.

Much like your high school love, the preseason attraction will fade, and most of you will have your hearts broken. One of you in 32 will marry that woman you saw on the other side of the wall, and you'll love every flaw that you saw on her.

The thing about this school is that you don't graduate. At the end of the year, you're right back to wishing you could see through those walls. You forget all about what just happened; even the happily married couple revert.

You're right back to wishing you could see that track star after her run, know what that cheerleader looks like, and you don't even think about that rugby team.

Right now, I've had enough of looking through walls.

I'm ready to cash in my v-card for the 2008 season.

Let's go Steelers. May you make a beautiful bride.

Michel Therrien Is Not the Answer for the Penguins

Nicholas Case — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 05:14:40 -0400

With a new three-year contract freshly signed, Michel Therrien seemed to cement his status as perhaps the luckiest coach in NHL history.

When he was called up from the Baby Penguins in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton to coach the professional Penguins following the firing of head coach Eddie Olczyk, the Penguins were in the right position for him: last place.

This allowed for the shedding of veterans who were under-achieving to bring up the youth he'd just finished teaching, including Colby Armstrong, Maxime Talbot, Ryan Whitney, and Michel Ouellet. He was also handed the reigns of the likes of Sidney Crosby and Sergei Gonchar.

From there he did something a Penguins coach hadn't done for around five seasons. He installed a system of play.

Until that point, the supposedly high-powered Pittsburgh Penguins (with forwards Ziggy Palffy, Sidney Crosby, Mario Lemieux, Mark Recchi, John LeClair) were supposed to do nothing but score, so defense wasn't supposed to be an issue. (Tampa Bay, I hope you're paying attention.)

This proved to be a poorly judged assessment, and by the time Eddie O. was fired 31 games into the season, they had amassed a total record of 8-17-6. It was clear changes were needed and Therrien was the answer.

With his defensive system installed (with the help of four new players that knew the system already), Therrien guided the Pens to a 14-29-8 record (actually a .002 less winning percentage than Eddie O. had).

The Penguins were set to pick second overall and did so, selecting Jordan Staal. This set into action the chain of events that has me convinced that Michel Therrien owes the devil (and not Sid's new winger) his soul.

Expectations were mixed coming into the 2006-2007 season. No one knew what to expect, other than another fine performance by Sid. Randomly, highly touted Russian prospect Evgeni Malkin defected to America. However, his introduction to the ice was delayed by a shoulder injury caused from a collision from Johnny Vermont LeClair.

As the season started, Jordan Staal was curiously kept around for a short stint. Showing confidence in his rookie, Therrien put Jordan on the penalty kill. For a season likely to be another rebuilding season, this was fine. And for an 18-year-old, he did admirably, even potting a few short handed goals.

Malkin burst onto the scene, announcing his presence in a big way. After a few games of Malkin-Sid-Armstrong, Malkin was deemed good enough for his own line. It happened to shift Staal over to Malkin's wing. That was another fortunate break for the Penguins. Jordan, at 18, potted 29 goals while Malkin piled on 89 points.

Things were going stunningly well for the Penguins as they screamed towards the playoffs. Therrien was looking like a genius.

Until you looked closer.

Nils Ekman, traded during the offseason to play on Sid's wing, had immense success playing alongside someone similar to Sid in Joe Thornton, putting up back-to-back 50 plus point seasons (before and after the lockout) despite being injured for a good portion of the season.

Upon his return, he was playing sparingly with Sid. As they seemed to be clicking and Ekman seemed to be getting his game back, he was relegated to the third line for a large part of the season.

Marc-Andre Fleury was still young and perhaps under-confident. Therrien worked with Fleury in WB/S and jerked him around between three goalies (Sebastian Caron, Andy Chiodo, Dany Sabourin), making it hard for Fleury to really gain any form of rhythm. The same thing happens when he plays in the big club.

While he was anointed the starter, his playing time was extremely staggered. He'd be pulled from games after giving up early goals, or when he seemed to be getting hot, he was put on the bench the very next game so Jocelyn Thibault could take some time.

What were the lines? Therrien would play whomever, where ever, whenever. One shift you would see Crosby out with Malkin and Recchi. The next it would be Staal with Ouellet and LeClair. Next shift: Crosby, Staal, and Malone. There was little consistency for the team to form chemistry.

Everything was overlooked as the Penguins surged ahead with a double digit game unbeaten streak, allowing the Penguins to finish two points behind the Devils as the best in the Division. Sid won the scoring title, and the Pens were in the playoffs for the first time in years.

Therrien was then exposed further.

While his roster was thinner, and a tired Recchi and Malkin hurt the team, he showed what little technical abilities he had. The fast, talented, and tough Ottawa Senators quickly dismantled his system. Therrien had no counter punch. The Penguins were quickly eliminated.

The Penguins added some talent coming into the new season, but the same problems remained. Petr Sykora, brought in to play with Sid or Malkin, was put on the third line. You never knew who was going to be playing with whom. Despite more scoring depth, Recchi remained on Sid's wing even with his very poor play.

The only smart moves that were made (Staal being third line center and Recchi being waived) were made when upper management stepped in. And then, the improved Penguins (expected to be a Cup contender) struggled out of the gate.

Until Thanksgiving, they were either at or under .500. It wasn't until a significant comeback against the best team in the league on Thanksgiving night that the Pens started on their way. Even then it was another Therrien anti-player, Jarkko Ruutu, who was depended upon to save the game.

There were rumblings of players' dislike of Therrien. It could explain the departure of said Ruutu and the loss of trade deadline pick up Marian Hossa.

Speaking of which, the trade deadline passed and the Penguins were improved. Despite many injuries to key players (Crosby, Fleury), the team was still in contention. While it can be claimed that Therrien was responsible, it doesn't take much logic to see past this.

Evgeni Malkin turned his game up to a whole new level as Therrien was finally forced to stick with lines and found that (gasp!) players develop chemistry when playing together for more than two shifts.

Add to that a stretch of play in which Ty Conklin played on a whole new plain of ability for the former "next great USA goalie," and it's no mystery why the Penguins remained in contention.

It wasn't Therrien. It was the players.

Come playoff time, the top two lines were basically set. Dupuis-Crosby-Hossa and Malone-Malkin-Sykora. However, the bottom lines continued to alternate as Therrien desired.

The defense was stellar in front of a 100 percent Fleury, but for some reason Therrien switched D-pairings after a first round sweep of the Senators. The Whitney-Letang combination was terrible positionally, and cost the team a few goals.

The Pens coasted anyway. They made it to the Finals when the better coach and an even team exploited Therrien. Every shift, the Red Wings would press deep into the zone, taking the large amount of room the Pens defense gave them as they continued backing up into the zone.

The Wings would also cut off any chance at a breakout (which always runs from defense to defense to center) by putting pressure on both defensemen.

It wasn't until the Penguins dropped the first two games to the Red Wings, after the Wings exploited the Pens system, that Therrien did something (after muttering in a post game conference he "did not know what else to do") and switched things up.

He finally removed the deer-in-headlights Kris Letang and slow-and-useless Georges Laraque from the lineup in favor of experienced and skilled players. Unfortunately, the Pens would go on to lose what were then close games.

It can be argued that the Penguins had the better players, but the players' leader (Coach Therrien) held them back from being the better team.

Over two and three quarter seasons, Therrien has shown a penchant for not knowing the right time to stop playing players to the detriment of the team. He has been unable to keep set lines and too quickly abandons things, throwing out the "I Give Up" line of Malkin-Crosby-Whoever.

His disciplinary actions have caused issues with players, and his style of game is not flexible.

Don't get me wrong, Michel Therrien is a good coach. The problem is that he's not a great coach.

Therrien can develop players. Just look at his record in youth and developmental leagues. He's had fantastic success. He did a good job helping players like Crosby, Malkin, Staal, Talbot, and Whitney grow into solid players (though it wasn't much work with the first three).

Now that the Penguins are showing signs of competing year in and year out, the youth will be moved in favor of older players who are staying longer term. This is when Therrien should no longer be their coach. They need someone who can take an established team and make them better.

Who that person is, I'll be honest in saying I do not know.

I do feel confident that Therrien's actions of holding on to players for too long, not playing certain types of players (like Ruutu) enough, playing games with players as "punishment" (the scratching of Orpik back home in Boston, he and Whitney playing wing), never taking blame for mistakes, not having a more flexible system, and his inability to let lines gel are a detriment to the present and future of the Pittsburgh Penguins.

This will keep the Pens from reaching the summit. This will keep the Penguins from becoming a "dynasty." He will keep the Penguins from being what they could be.

Can the Penguins win with Therrien? Maybe. With a top flight coach, their chances of winning are improved.

Three more years of Therrien? Not likely. If there is no Cup in Pittsburgh by the end of the decade, expect to see someone new at the reigns.

Pittsburgh Steelers' Top-10 Questions for 2008: Part Two

Nicholas Case — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 04:12:54 -0400

In part one of the 10 questions needing to be asked by Steelers fans in 2008, I went through questions 10 through six. As always, feel free to click the link to see what was written, but to recap:

10.) Will Ben continue to improve?

9.) How much gas does Hines Ward have left in the tank?

8.) Heinz Field: benefit or burden?

7.) Will Troy Polamalu stay healthy?

6.) Are the Browns really a threat?

If that wasn't enough, there are five more to go. Starting with:

5.) Has Willie Parker fully recovered?

Last year, he carried the team on his able shoulders and thighs as well he could, ranking fourth in the league with 1,316 rushing yards on 321 attempts before a fractured fibula took him out for the remaining two games.

Is Fast Willie back to 100 percent?

If he is, do you still ride him the whole season? I've always felt that Willie was not a No. 1 back, as the bulk of his yards came against lesser teams. He's best utilized as a complementary 1A back.

Does the coaching staff have the right people around him right now to use him as such, and will he be as healthy and as speedy as before?

4.) What impact will Rashard Mendenhall have on offense?

In college he was a beast. He was physical, strong, tough, and durable. In lesser words, the perfect complement for Willie Parker.

However, that's college.

Couple that with the fact that he almost never finished his college career because of a tift with coach Ron Zook, and it has to make you wonder if he can take the emotional abuse that the NFL season takes on you. I'd wager that whatever Zook said will pale in comparison to what will be said by others during camp and the season.

Further, will he be the 1B back to Willie Parker's 1A, using both to their potential and enhancing each other's abilities?

3.) Will Steely McBeam be back?

I mean...seriously people...what the hell is this thing?

2.) Will the Rooney's sell away ownership?

It's not just a question of a changing of the guard in terms of no longer having the one constant under the belt, as it is so much more than that.

Will the Rooney's bring in Super-Fan Billionaire Stanley Druckenmiller? If they do (perhaps to the estimated tune of $929 million, the franchise's current worth according to Forbes), how would he run it? Would he become Daniel Snyder and try to purchase a team, or would he become more like Pittsburgh native Mark Cuban and let the product develop?

This could be a big deal, especially with the potential lack of a salary cap in the near future. What will the Rooney's do?

And finally...

1.) How will the O-line look this year?

With the loss of Alan Faneca to the Jets, an already porous offensive line looks even weaker on paper.

The Steelers did not do much to address the line in the offseason, instead entrusting it to those who were already playing.

Will they be better this year after a season of experience, or is the coaching staff hoping that the prospects of Ben Roethlisberger's scrambling, the hands of Limas Sweed, Santonio Holmes, Hines Ward, Nate Washington, Heath Miller, and Matt Spaeth, as well as the legs of Willie Parker, Rashard Mendenhall, and possibly Kevin Jones, will keep teams from rushing too hard on Ben?

These were the 10 questions for Steelers fans, which, right now, have no answer. The 10 questions that will affect how everyone's Monday is once September comes. The 10 questions that will be answered by February. The 10 questions that you, as a Steelers fan, must ask yourself until Sept. 7.

Pittsburgh Steelers' Top-10 Questions for 2008: Part One

Nicholas Case — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 08:00:28 -0400

After coming off of a bipolar year last season, the Steelers enter the coming season of 2008 with 10 questions that have to be answered. Some of them are pressing, and some of them, not so much.

Either way, the people demand answers.

I come to you to ask that which needs to be asked and fish for answers that may not come about for months.

10.) Will Ben continue to improve?

After a career year, throwing 32 touchdowns to 11 interceptions, with a passer rating of 104.1, and over 3,000 yards thrown, has Big Ben peaked? He's 26-years old, and usually in athletics, this is the peak age, physically.

However, for a scrambling quarterback that takes a lot of abuse, the question hangs if he's aged anymore. Is he peaking right now, or is he still away from the ceiling?

9.) How much gas does Hines Ward have left in the tank?

He plays a physical game, and as I said with Ben, that takes a toll. He's 32-years old, his games played, yards a season, and receptions have declined in the past three seasons. This could be attributed to a bad season and then the emergence of Santonio Holmes, but Hines was generally still the go-to guy. Is he nearing his end, especially with the arrival of "tall receiver" Limas Sweed?

8.) Heinz Field: benefit or burden?

Will we see another season of terrible field play on the hallowed play area of Western PA's holy ground? Will the terrible rains continue to drown the greater Pittsburgh area into late fall, causing another snooze fest and media embarrassment that was the Sunday-night game against the Dolphins?

7.) Will Troy Polamalu stay healthy?

Since the magical 2005 season, Troy has gone from playing in all 16 games to 13 games and now 11 games. When he's out, the defense does not play the same. When he's out, the hard-hitting legends of Pittsburgh look softer than the Penguins' pre-Therrien blueline. Troy needs to stay healthy. Can he?

6.) Are the Browns really a threat?

The Cleveland Browns came out of nowhere with a high-powered offense, behind the arm of the season's starting backup, Derek Anderson. Is this team for real? Have the moves that the Browns made on defense really helped, and will Anderson and company keep their rhythm going? Or are they just a one-year wonder like the "Who Dey?" Bengals of 2005?

Click here to view part two, questions five through one.

Janne Pesonen: What Pittsburgh Penguins Fans Should Expect

Nicholas Case — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 03:52:37 -0400

As the end of June approached, Pittsburgh Penguins fans everywhere were anxious to see what would happen to their favorite players.

"I heard Shero offered seven years, $56 million to Hossa," one whispered.

"Malone is staying. He's taking less to play for the Pens," was another grumble.

"Roberts is going to retire, he loved Pittsburgh that much," overheard during another conversation.

"Orpik is gone. He's going to Boston or back home to San Jose," was also popular.

Then it all fell apart.

Malone and Roberts to Tampa for a pick. Adios.

Hossa had endeared himself to the Pens and their fans so quickly. He was the toast of the town, could have had a free drink anywhere in the city.

Then he committed the ultimate stab in the heart. He signed in Detroit. For one year. At slightly more money than the Pens offered, but with far less stability and assurance.

Also among the exodus?

Ty Conklin, who went in a similar kick-to-the-gut route to Detroit. Adam Hall, who bolted for the Lightning. Big Georges, who powerlifted back home to Montreal. Jarkko Ruutu, everyone's favorite agitator, who went to the equally-hated Ottawa Senators.

Many Penguins fans were stunned. Saddened. Betrayed. They didn't know what to do.

Then came the signings as they trickled in.

Orpik is staying. And for quite a while, as it were. Six years in Black and Vegas Gold, barring a trade.

Malkin is sticking around for just as long, at $8.7 million. Another bargain for an MVP candidate.

Welcome back, Pascal Dupuis! Good to have you for three more seasons!

Mark Eaton, hopefully your bones are now coated with adamantium for at least two years.

Fleury? Locked up long term at only $5 million a year.

Then came the new names.

Miroslav Satan? He's got potential.

Ruslan Fedotenko? Nice Malone replacement.

Matt Cooke? Ruutu, only younger with more offensive upside. A steal at $1.3 million a year.

Eric Godard? Okay. We'll take a face puncher.

If there had been applause for all the following moves, this one would draw the proverbial crickets.

Janne Pesonen.

Wait. Who?

Janne Pesonen. Former ninth-round draft pick by the Anahiem (then Mighty) Ducks. A Finnish left winger whose point totals have steadily increased over the last three seasons in the Finnish Elite League, SM-Liiga.

A collective silence fills the room still.

Finns are known for their two-way play. He is no exception.

Okay...? the crowd says.

In 2004, he was SM-Liiga's rookie of the year.

Get to the point, they say.

He and his teams won the Finnish league championships in 2004, 2005, 2007, 2008.

Well, at least he knows how to win.

Oh, did I forget to mention he lead SM-Liiga in scoring in 2008 with 78 points (34+44) in only 58 games, and was voted the leagues MVP in 2007?

Why yes, yes you did.

Well it's all true. The guy is a solid talent. And at 26 years old, he's just starting to peak physically.

There are concerns about several things with Janne:

1.) Will the smaller ice effect his game?

2.) How will his skill with his size (5'11" 180 lbs) translate?

3.) Has everyone forgotten Vladimir Vujtek?

Without a doubt, No. 1 and No. 2 are key to his transition. I do have a feeling that there will be a period of time where he is out of place.

However, I would venture a guess that his skill and intelligence will make the transition a lot easier. Pesonen is extremely smart. If you don't believe me, click here.

As for No. 3? Yes. I've done my best to do so. Let us never speak of it again.

As far as his size, I don't think it would be too much of an issue. Pesonen seems to be a fast, shifty skater. Most of the goals I've seen of his from YouTube come from in front of the net—and not a Ryan Malone "Stand In Front and Get Beat to Hell" way. He will appear in the slot at the last second, somehow in position to put the puck in the net.

So what can we expect from Janne Pesonen? Well, you can't expect Olli Jokinen, Teemu Selanne, or Saku Koivu. I will tell you that right now. Otherwise he would already be over here.

Worst-case scenario for Janne Pesonen? Well, he's on a two-way deal for one year, as per the CBA's demands. He will likely start out in WB/S (unless his camp and pre-season games blow everyone away) to get acclimated with the North American style and ice.

Worst-case is he is never called up and he goes back to Finland at the end of the season. No harm, no foul. It was worth a shot.

The best case scenario? To me, at least, it seems that Pesonen's best upside is Pascal Dupuis—with better hands and finishing abilities.

If you go back to Games One and Two of the Cup Finals, you will see that the Red Wings were focusing all of their players on Crosby and Hossa. This left Dupuis wide open. In Game One, he blew at least three chances because he didn't have the ability to put the puck in the net.

Now go back to those YouTube videos. Notice his break-away skills and hands in front. If Pesonen is able to convert his game, the best-case scenario (and what I could easily see happening) is Pesonen burying those chances.

He is, essentially, a more offensive Dupuis. Perhaps the perfect compliment to Sid's left side, in that he can play a two-way game, has above-average hands and shot, has that fine muscle twitch reaction that is needed when playing with Sid, and will jump into the play.

Who knows how many goals he could score sliding into the slot, as Sid fires a pinpoint pass off of his stick? Or how many could go vice versa?

Don't get me wrong here—I'm not proclaiming him to be some offensive juggernaut. In this best-case scenario, he'll put up 40-50 points, with 50 being extreme.

However, with his shootout abilities, defensive capabilities, and the potential he brings, Janne could either be a no-cost experiment who didn't pan out, or a fine compliment to Sid and Satan.

Only time will tell. Until then, Pens fans, I hope you're seeing Janne Pesonen in a new light.

Or, perhaps, for the first time at all.

Questioning the Pittsburgh Penguins Offseason Moves?

Nicholas Case — Sun, 13 Jul 2008 07:04:35 -0400

This is why you shouldn't question the teams offseason moves.

First off, let's look at last years roster at the start of the season.

Malone-Crosby-Recchi
Staal-Malkin-Sykora
Roberts-Christensen-Armstrong
Ruutu-Talbot-Laraque

Gonchar-Eaton
Whitney-Orpik
Sydor-Scuderi

Lets look at the lines come the end of the year.

DupuisMalone-Crosby-HossaRecchi
MaloneStaal-Malkin-Sykora
Roberts-ChristensenStaal-ArmstrongKennedy
Ruutu-Talbot-Laraque

Gonchar-EatonOrpik
Whitney-OrpikGill
LetangSydor-Scuderi

We lost two third liners. Regardless of where they were picked in the draft, they were third liners none-the-less, a hit-or-miss prospect, a late first round pick, and a second round pick for a chance for the Cup.

So the team that got us to the Cup Finals was better than the team we started out with. Common sense, right?

That team after free agency now becomes:

Dupuis-Crosby-Hossa
Malone-Malkin-Sykora
Roberts-Staal-Kennedy
Ruutu-Talbot-Laraque

Gonchar-Orpik
Whitney-Gill
Letang-Eaton

And Scuderi and Sydor are on the bench.

The loss of Hossa was a big deal. Yes. But Shero did the right thing in re-signing Malkin and Orpik to long term deals. Especially when Hossa turns out to be nothing more than Roger Clemens on Ice.

Shero turns around and signs Miro Satan to ably (but not fully) replace Hossa, Ruslan Fedotenko to replace Malone perfectly, Eric Goddard as a cheap and more effective replacement for Laraque, Matt Cooke as a more offensive, cheaper pest instead of Ruutu, and a small cast of tweeners (Beech, Billl Thomas, Joey Mormina, Jani Pesonen) to fill out the roster. We now look at:

???-Crosby-Satan
Fedotenko-Malkin-Sykora
Dupuis-Staal-Kennedy
Cooke-Talbot-Goddard

Gonchar-Orpik
Whitney-Gill
Letang-Eaton

And Scuderi and Sydor are on the bench.

This team is immensely better than the team that started out last season. That team was without Sidney Crosby for almost half of the season, without Marian Hossa for 90% of the season. They were only one point away from the best record in the East with that line up.

The trade deadline leaves one blank spot to fill: Sid's left wing. You have assets and picks to trade to fill in that gap. The team plays in an Eastern Conference in which no one vastly improved them self. Their odds of getting back to the top are just as good as they were.

In the long term, the Pens are set. Assuming the Pens re-up Jordan Staal long term for around $3 million or so, the Pens will have $33 million wrapped up for the next 4 years. The Salary Cap could raise around $63-$65 million in two seasons, when the core is set in stone of Sid, Malkin, Staal, Fleury, Orpik, Whitney. You then have yourself over $30 million to fill in the gaps with.

Shero did the correct thing this off season. Do not stress. Even if the Pens do not reach the summit again this year, they will be back soon.