I feel better about the Pittsburgh Pirates going forward. They fired manager Clint Hurdle before Sunday’s season finale. Yea, that will turn this franchise around. The Pirates have become an absolute joke under Bob Nutting’s ownership. The only thing that seems to matter is the financial bottom line, not the wins and losses bottom line. Hurdle had his short comings, but he wasn’t the reason the Pirates have had so many losing seasons.
• I like Pirates’ general manager, Neal Huntington, but he too should have been canned, along with the entire baseball operations staff. The Pirates have done a lousy job of drafting and developing players. That falls on Huntington. So now the same guy who can’t pick the right players, develop them and make quality trades will continue to lead the Pirates. Good luck getting to the World Series with these guys in charge.
• Truth be told, it really doesn’t matter who manages the Pirates and makes the moves in the front office. Nothing will change the Pirates’ fortunes until Bob Nutting decides he wants to spend the money to make the Buccos competitive, and that’s not going to happen. The Pirates could bring in the late Danny Murtaugh and Chuck Tanner and they wouldn’t make the Pirates winners on the field. Not until the Pirates get good players, and spend money to acquire quality players will our beloved Pittsburgh Baseball Club win again. Don’t hold your breath for that to happen anytime soon under Bob Nutting.
• Good luck in retirement, Steve Blass! I was on hand Saturday night for Steve Blass night. It was nice to see this Pirates legend honored for all he has done for the team. Most young people don’t know how great a player Steve Blass actually was. Who can forget his heroics in the 1971 World Series? He could have easily been named MVP with his two victories, including the complete game win in Game Seven. Blass the broadcaster entertained us for decades with his many great stories. Fortunately, he’ll still be around as an ambassador for the team.
• It’s early yet, but this is definitely a must win game for the Steelers. Win against the Bengals on Monday night and they are actually in the division race. That’s because the Ravens and Browns each have two losses. Lose, and it’s over. They won’t go anywhere if they fall to 0-4.
• The Steelers have now made two in-season trades, including giving up their number one pick for the first time since 1967. What has gotten in the water on the South Side? I have no problem with the Steelers giving up one of their two fifth rounders in next year’s draft for tight end Nick Vannett. The Steelers were desperate at the position and had to do something. I just question why they didn’t address the position more in the off-season or before the season began. Vannett is in the last year of his rookie deal. If they like him they’ll try to re-sign him. If he walks in free agency, the Steelers will get a draft pick as compensation. It’s really a low risk move for the Steelers. It’s a strategy that has worked well for the New England Patriots.
• Master of Propoganda, Drew Rosenhaus, says his client Antonio Brown really does want to play football again, and that a few teams are very interested. Good luck to those teams who are dumb enough to sign Mr. Big Chest. Meanwhile, Brown has gone back to school at Central Michigan by enrolling in on-line classes. I was kind of hoping he’d return to campus. He could have become the modern day Rodney Dangerfield by going back to school. If you don’t get the Dangerfield reference I suggest you check out the movie by the legendary comedian and actor. It’s still one of the funniest movies ever.
• IUP really turned it on in the second half against Mercyhurst. I keep saying that I believe this Crimson Hawks team is going to surprise some people. They keep getting better and better. Should be a fun homecoming game next week.
• Penn State looked great against Maryland on the road this past Friday. It was the best game I’ve seen from the Lions since the Rose Bowl season a couple of years ago. The offense came to life and the defense was flying to the ball. I’m not sure Penn is that good, but I sure liked the way they played against the Terps.
• Pitt was lucky to hang on against Delaware. I thought the Panthers made some great strides in their loss to Penn State and would keep on improving. They actually took a few steps backward in this game.
• Game On! The Penguins drop the puck this week. I’m not sure the Penguins are a Stanley Cup contender as they enter the same. The team you see in October won’t be the team you see in April. Still, I like the Penguins to return to the playoffs. Should be a fun season.
• I was glad to see the Penguins promote former great Kevin Stevens to pro scouting in the team’s organization. Stevens was a heck of a player. Despite his problems with drugs over the years, he’s still revered by most who know him. I had some great visits with Kevin when I worked for the Carolina Hurricanes and he was with the New York Rangers. We would chat before games. I’m glad to see that Kevin has turned his life around. The Penguins are better having him back in the organization where he belongs.
• Enjoy your retirement, Marty Brennaman. The iconic “Voice of the Cincinnati Reds” retired this week after forty-six years in the Queen City. It was an absolute treat to listen to a game when Marty was behind the microphone. I listened to him call many a game on Cincinnati’s WLW radio. Even at the end of his career he still had his fastball. Marty was that good. I met him a few times over the years and he was also one of the nicest guys around. During my college years I was covering a game at Old Three Rivers Stadium and was seated in the booth next to Marty and his long-time partner, Joe Nuxhall. I couldn’t help but watch him during the broadcast. Between innings he motioned to me to come over to his booth, which I did reluctantly. He asked me if I wanted to sit in the booth and watch him for a few innings, which absolutely floored me. I did, and never forgot that incredible experience. Marty Brennaman is a Hall of Fame broadcaster and Hall of Fame human being. Baseball on the radio will never be the same without him.
