PENS SUDDENLY LOOK LIKE A CONTENDER TO THREE-PEAT

The Pens are streaking, and now look like a team that could win a third straight Stanley Cup. Who would have believed that a few months ago? Certainly not me. The win over Toronto on Saturday night was the team’s eleventh straight at home. The Pens are far from being a perfect team. but are gaining in confidence and the results are showing. I still think Jim Rutherford will make a deal or two at the upcoming trade deadline. Rutherford might even try to pull off a blockbuster knowing a third Cup is in sight and the future is now. That wouldn’t surprise me at all.
• Sidney Crosby may be the best player in the world, but you can make a good argument that he has only been the third best player on the Penguins this season. Evgeni Malkin, who should have been on the NHL’s Top 100 players of all time, is playing out of his mind. Phil Kessel, who will never get any respect from the Toronto media, is also playing great. Crosby hasn’t been too bad either. If these three can keep it going the Pens may just make another great run toward a third Stanley Cup.
• I understand why the NHL and its owners don’t want to have their players take part in the Olympics. Still, it’s hard to be excited about Olympic hockey without NHL players on the ice. The tournament has been must-see TV since the NHL starting sending its players. It’s the best hockey tournament in the world. I was lucky enough to go to the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City and saw a few games, including the US vs Russia for the right to go to the Gold Medal game. It was an incredible thing to see. The hockey wasn’t bad either. I hope NHL players will be back in the Olympics in four years, but won’t surprised if they are left out again.
• IUP Basketball’s teams are something people around here can be proud of. The men wrapped up a share of the PSAC West over the weekend. Joe Lombardi’s teams have now won at least twenty games ten years in a row, and have won or shared the PSAC West nine of the last ten years. That’s remarkable. Tom McConnell’s women are now 23-2 on the year and have won fourteen in a row at home. Well done, ladies and gentlemen!
• I love watching the Olympics every two years, but have been underwhelmed by Team USA’s performances through the first week of the games. American athletes had only won ten medals, including five gold, through Sunday. I’m not sure how that compares to past Olympics, but I’m guessing it’s not where our team has been in the past. Hopefully week two will see the US shine with more great performances and lots of medals.
• David Freese may not be the Pirates’ best player, but he could very well be the most popular following his comments from spring training. Freese didn’t hold back when talking about the team and organization. Ordinarily when this kind of thing happens you chock it up to the player being a malcontent. That’s not the case with Freese. He called it like he saw it. Did you hear that, Bob Nutting?
• Count me among the many who are disappointed that Pitt and Penn State couldn’t work out an agreement to keep their series going on the gridiron. I’m a diehard Penn State fan, and would love to have seen the Nittany Lions and Panthers play every year. It’s a great rivalry, and one fans on both sides enjoy. I hope the powers that be can get together and get the two teams playing again one of these days. Fans in Pennsylvania deserve it.
• I would be surprised if the University of Pittsburgh fires Kevin Stallings after two years as head basketball coach, but I’ve been around long enough to not be shocked at what happens in collegiate sports anymore. There’s no doubt in listening to talk radio that Pitt fans want a change and never liked the hire to begin with. Pitt has been awful on the court, attendance is horrendous and there’s really not much to make you think the Panthers will be much better next year. That said, would Pitt write a check for around ten million dollars to buy out Stallings? If the answer is yes, do Pitt fans really think a big name coach will come to Oakland to replace him? These are questions that will be kicked around in the coming months. I have to admit I have no idea what the answers will be.
• RIP Chuck Klausing. The legendary football coach passed away a few days ago. I first met Chuck as a kid when he was the head coach at IUP. He had some great teams, including the 1968 Boardwalk Bowl squad. I often wondered what kind of record he could have had if he had stayed at IUP for his entire career. He was that good, and his teams were so well coached. What I didn’t know back then was what a legend Chuck was in the high school ranks. His Braddock teams won six WPIAL titles in six years. Most of all, Chuck Klausing was a real gentleman and family man. He will be missed.