IUP’s opener under the lights the other night was one of the best games I’ve seen in years. What a game, and what a win for the Crimson Hawks. Miller Stadium was packed like the old days. Wouldn’t it be great if it was like that every game? The Crimson Hawks were far from perfect, but deserve a ton of credit for coming back from thirteen points down and mounting a drive to win it on the final play of the game. It was a great win for Coach Tort and his squad. It was a heck of a way to start what I hope is a very special season for the Crimson Hawks.
· Indiana High had a tough time in its opener. The Little Indians just couldn’t stop the run in the loss to Laurel Highlands. That’s been a problem for this team over the years. The upcoming schedule isn’t kind to Indiana. They next host Montour.
· Penn State has struggled against Mac teams over the years. Against Akron in the season opener, the Nittany Lions looked great in all phases of the game. Sure, it was against Akron. Still, it’s pretty obvious that this Penn State team is loaded with talent. Saquon Barkley is a legitimate contender to win the Heisman Trophy. He’s just one of the many pieces to a dynamic offense. It could be another great year in Happy Valley.
· Pitt raced out to a three touchdown lead against Youngstown, but had to go to overtime for the win. It wasn’t the kind of performance that will instill a lot of confidence in this team. Not with Penn State next on the schedule.
· I would love to be at Beaver Stadium for the Pitt-Penn State game. I’m a diehard Penn State fan, and am tired of hearing all the trash talk from Pitt fans over the last year. I look for Penn State to destroy Pitt. If ticket prices come back to earth I’ll try to be at the game. But if they stay sky high, I’ll enjoy it in front of my big screen tv.
· The Steelers are clearly going for it, and they are all in. They took just a few hours to ink cornerback Joe Haden after his release from the Browns. If he can still play, and that’s a question mark after injuries and surgery last year, Haden is clearly an upgrade opposite last year’s first rounder Artie Burns. It’s a gamble the Steelers obviously felt they had to make. Haden could end up being the player the Steelers need to get to the next level. Then again, he could end up being a bust. I give the Steelers credit for taking the risk. Kevin Colbert made another move over the weekend when he traded for safety J.J. Wilcox. It’s one worth taking. It was another low risk move. Trading for tight end Vance McDonald was also an eye opener. The Steelers got burned when they signed Ladarius Green in free agency last year. Though Jesse James had a good year last season, the Steelers weren’t satisfied with their tight ends. McDonald is another guy who can really help the Steelers. He’s a big target who can run, and that gives Ben Roethlisberger
another weapon on offense. On paper, it’s hard to not like the moves by the Steelers. Now, we just have to wait and see if they pan out.
· It was hard to argue with the first class of the Steelers’ new Hall of Honor. It consisted of a ton of Hall of Famers, plus three guys, Andy Russell, L.C. Greenwood and Donnie, who could very well be Canton. The selection committee could have included a lot more people, such as legendary broadcaster Myron Cope and scouting standouts Art Rooney Jr. and Bill Nunn. I talked with one of the members of the selection committee, and believe me those men will be included one day. They just didn’t have enough available spots for them in year one.
· It’s hard to take the Pirates seriously anymore. After getting bombed 17-3 while getting swept by the Cubs, the Buccos entered the Labor Day Weekend having lost thirteen of their last eighteen games. The final month of the season at PNC Park will look like a Pitt football home game, with thousands of empty seats each game. Seriously, why should anyone got out to PNC Park to watch this team the rest of the year?
· The Pirates had better spend some money to upgrade the team for 2018 or they will have a really tough time convincing fans to come back to PNC Park. Fans are livid following the release of relief pitcher Juan Nicasio, and who can blame them? The Pirates clearly dumped Nicasio to save money, which seems to be the way this organization works. The Pirates are getting killed in the court of public opinion. They deserve all the criticism that has come their way.
· Clint Hurdle will be back for four more years as Pirates’ skipper. I just hope the front office gives him a team that gives him a chance to win. Hurdle has done a good job with the Pirates, although some of his moves and lineups leave me scratching my head. If the front office doesn’t do its job, Hurdle has no chance to be successful.
