Jordan Staal to Edmonton?

You can thank David Staples of the Edmonton Journal for this one: Jordan Staal to the Edmonton Oilers for the number one overall pick.....Wow

Of course this is just a rumor but still let's have some fun with it.

Staples suggests that the Oilers are a perfect suitor for Staal and suggests that the Oilers should give up the number one overall pick in the 2012 NHL draft to the Pittsburgh Penguins. Hey maybe all of those people on Twitter were right when they said the league caters to the Pens? Pens ending up with the number one overall pick would be all too ironic.

Now, I'm a Staal fan and I've already said that I'm not a big fan of him being traded. However, if Ray Shero can't afford to lock him up long-term he has to trade him now. Staal will be a UFA after next season and could walk away for nothing in free-agency. That would be a Fucking disaster.

If the Pens are going to trade Staal why not get the number one overall pick if they can?With that pick they could draft Nail Yakupov and could possibly give the Pens two top line wingers alongside James Neal. Yakupov could play with Evgeni Malkin and Neal can play with Crosby. Pens would still have Chris Kunitz in the mix. Not to mention that if the Pens move Staal in this deal and find a way to move Paul Martin's nightmarish contract, the Pens would have a lot more room in the cap and would be able to acquire more talent and depth.

The trade could work out for both teams. The Oilers would get a true number two center to go with Ryan Nudgent-Hopkins, Staal would have a larger role on a team, and the Pens would get a top line winger. WINNING.

If the Pens are going to trade Staal I think this is the dream deal assuming that Yakupov is the real deal and is NHL ready.



IN SHERO WE TRUST


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Paul Martin Situation

courtesy of Evil Shero Follow him on Twitter @Evil_Shero

Pittsburgh Penguins general manager Ray Shero has a lot on his plate right now. He has most of his best player's contracts expiring in the next two years. A lot of pressure is on Shero and his team to get this team back to where it is supposed to be, and that's going far in the playoffs and contending for the Stanley Cup.

What to do with Jordan Staal?....

The Pittsburgh Penguins had a disappointing first round playoff exit this year losing to the hated Philadelphia Flyers. A exit like that will result in fans and bloggers yelling for everyone to be fired and/or traded. Pretty much every single player on the team has been involved in trade rumors on the internet.Which in this day and age is typical and not surprising at all. 

In Pittsburgh fans overreact to losing more than they would if their significant other was caught cheating on them. Sports comes first and losing is unacceptable by all measures. 

That being said even Pens' General Manager Ray Shero pretty much said that nothing is out of the question in terms of roster moves. Shero even suggested that certain players like Jordan Staal, who's contract expires after next season, has to be looked at.

Pirates Weekly Preview 4/30/12

Current Record: 9-12 (4.5 GB)

Upcoming schedule-
4/30 @ Atlanta
5/1 to 5/3   @ St. Louis
5/4 to 5/6   vs Cincinnati

While the current series with the Braves has been rocky, a win tonight would end the series in a 2-2 draw and could play in as a momentum factor for the Buccos.  Yesterday in Hudson's debut, the Pirates fell 4-3 in an offensive struggle.  They put up only 8 hits, with Jose Tabata making up for 3 of them.  (It's about time he did something).

Cutch was sloppy.  He went 0-4 with 2 strikeouts, left 3 men on base and was marked up for an error.  Correia was pulled in the 4th for Brad Lincoln who pitched a solid two, until giving up a solo shot from Martin Prado in the 7th - ultimately the winning run.

Tonight we'll see James McDonald (0-1) coming off of an 8-strikeout performance against Colorado.  Mike Minor (2-1) will throw for the Braves.  He had a 9-K performance in his last win over Arizona on 4/19.  Look for Jose Tabata to continue his rare 5-game hit streak, which has boosted his average from .170 to .231.

Key Players

Andrew McCutchen - Has failed to put up an RBI, and has struck out 4 times this series.  Needs to come up big tonight in order for the Bucs to walk out with a W.

Jose Tabata - It's a wonder exactly how long this mini hit streak will last.  As shaky as he's been, there's no doubt he has potential.  Hopefully he can stay hot for the upcoming divisional match-ups this week.

Kevin Correia - While I could be wrong, if the rotation stays somewhat consistent, Correia will be the starting pitcher for the Reds debut on Friday.  The first game against a division opponent is always a big one.  Correia needs a confidence booster after yesterday's performance.


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Sean Spence; Hit or miss?

What exactly is there to say about the Steelers recent 3rd round draft pick, linebacker Sean Spence of the Miami Hurricanes?

Well for one, he looks more like a defensive back at 5'11, 220-230.  You add the dreads into the mix and he's the prototype for an NFL special teamer.

In all seriousness, he was a four-year starter at the U and earned multiple ACC honors, including defensive rookie of the year in 2008, and All-Conference this past year.  He had 10.5 career sacks, 46 tackles for loss and 317 total tackles.  A pretty impressive collegiate career nonetheless.

It's safe to say that this is the one pick that us fans have been questioning.  Sure this guy wasn't the worst player on the board, but was he really worth picking up in the 3rd round?  Will we even see him involved in our scheme, or will he be one of those career "special teams guys?"

For lack of a better word, he looks like crap on paper.  Ran just a 4.7 in the 40, and was only able to rep 225, twelve times.  That's thirteen less than Lawrence Timmons, and seventeen less than Lamarr Woodley.

On the bright side, the guy plays hard.  He's a vicious hitter and is one of the best form tacklers in the draft.  It is likely that LeBeau will use him as an inside backer due to Miami's scheme.  Look for him on special teams this upcoming season.  Depending on how he progresses will determine his long-term future with this football team.

Follow me on twitter - @AlexMuchnok

Steelers Re-Up the Offensive Line With Mike Adams/Decastro Pics

I am still in shock by the Pittsburgh Steelers 2012 NFL draft. I never in a million years thought that the Steelers would have been able to draft five star offensive guard David Decastro without trading up. I also did not think the Steelers would have drafted two offensive lineman with their first two picks in the draft. They did that by tacking Ohio State offensive tackle Mike Adams in the second round.

The Steelers had neglected their offensive line long enough and have finally made a real honest attempt to upgrade the talent on the weakest unit on the team. Now with the drafting of Adams and Decastro, the Steelers will actually have a offensive line that is at the very worst, average.

Steelers Draft David Decastro in the first round

It's seems like all season long the Pittsburgh Steelers were destined to take inside linebacker Don'ta Hightower from Alabama. In every mock draft all year long the Steelers were mocked to have Hightower. It was almost a done deal. Considering the aging defense and the release of veteran and long time starter James Farrior, the pick made some sense.

However, the Steelers had some real good fortune in the 2012 NFL draft first round. Stanford offensive guard David Decastro, who was considered the best overall lineman by most experts, fell all the way to the Steelers at pick 24. A steal for the Steelers.

Although drafting a guard is far from sexy, Decastro falling to the Steelers is a match made in heaven. Decastro is a mean son of a bitch who eats, breathes, and sleeps football.Decastro is 6'4 313 lbs and is a devastating run blocker and a above average pass blocker.

The Steelers made the correct choice with this pick. I might have thrown my laptop out of the window had they not taken the best player overall on the board. Not only that but the offensive line has been ignored for way too long. The Steelers have a franchise/elite quarterback in Ben Roethlisbeger who has been getting pulverized over the years, largely due to his blockers being well below average in terms of talent.

With Decastro and starting center Maurkice Pouncey, the Steelers now have two projected perenial Pro Bowlers on their offensive line for years two come. The Steelers still have work to do on the offensive line though. Willie Colon is projected as a starting tackle with Marcus Gilbert starting next to him. Not exactly slam dunks there, although if Colon can stay healthy he should be fine, and Gilbert should improve in his second full season. Ramon Foster is a stand in until something better comes along, perhaps another guard drafted?

Great pick by the Steelers. A+

All you bitches take my shots

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2012 Steelers Schedule Preview

Steelers 2012 Regular Season Schedule
Date Opponent Time** (TV)
Sun., Sept. 9 at Denver 8:20 p.m. (NBC)
Sun., Sept. 16 N.Y. Jets 4:15 p.m. (CBS)
Sun., Sept. 23 at Oakland 4:15 p.m. (CBS)
Sun., Sept. 30 BYE ---
Sun., Oct. 7 Philadelphia 1:00 p.m. (FOX)
Thurs., Oct. 11 at Tennessee 8:20 p.m. (NFL Network)
Sun., Oct. 21 at Cincinnati 8:20 p.m. (NBC)
Sun., Oct. 28 Washington 1:00 p.m. (FOX)
Sun., Nov. 4 at N.Y. Giants 4:15 p.m. (CBS)
Mon., Nov. 12 Kansas City 8:30 p.m. (ESPN)
Sun., Nov. 18 Baltimore 8:20 p.m. (NBC)
Sun., Nov. 25 at Cleveland 1:00 p.m. (CBS)
Sun., Dec. 2 at Baltimore 4:15 p.m. (CBS)
Sun., Dec. 9 San Diego 1:00 p.m. (CBS)
Sun., Dec. 16 at Dallas 4:15 p.m. (CBS)
Sun., Dec. 23 Cincinnati 1:00 p.m. (CBS)
Sun., Dec. 30 Cleveland 1:00 p.m. (CBS)


After parting ways with so many veteran players this offseason, the young Pittsburgh Steelers are going to be challenged in many ways in the 2012-13 season. The NFL still has confidence that they will put on a good show though; the Steelers have five –yes five – primetime games this year. Week one has the Steelers traveling to Denver for their playoff rematch against the Broncos. Weeks six and seven will feature the Steelers on the NFL Network at Tennessee and on NBC at Cincinnati, respectively. Also, weeks ten and eleven are primetime games, with the Steelers hosting the Chiefs on Monday Night Football and hosting the Ravens the following week on NBC.

Further Breakdown


I’ll give you the bad before I give you the good. Only three of the Steeler’s first eight games are at home. That’s not horrible –they weren’t bad on the road last year –but their bye week is also on week four. A week four bye means the Steelers will be playing 13 games in a row after that, not including playoffs. If the Steelers cannot stay healthy, they will be doomed should they make the playoffs.

Over the course of weeks 11 through 13, the Steelers play the Ravens twice. I’m not sure what to make of this one; it’s a lot better than playing the Ravens in week one, but those games are very demanding and will have a tremendous impact on the AFC North. This three week stretch, coupled with the week four bye, could potentially hurt Pittsburgh a lot.

The good news of the Steelers 2012-13 schedule seems to slightly outweigh the bad. Since most of the road games will be knocked out at the beginning of the year, five of the last eight games on the schedule are at Heinz Field.

The Steelers must travel to Denver, Oakland and Dallas this year, but two of those three games are in the first three weeks of the season. Pittsburgh must make a late season trip to Dallas which could potentially be bad, but I’m sure the Cowboys will be in the middle of self-destructing, so I don’t think they will be too big of a problem. The last three home games include the Chargers, Bengals and Browns, a great trio to prime the Steelers for the playoffs.

Conclusion

It’s quite difficult to gauge how the Steelers will perform this year; they have the 14th hardest schedule in terms of opponents winning percentage, which isn’t too incredibly hard, but they cleaned house this offseason. The veteran presence will be missed, so it will be up to the younger players, led by Ben Roethlisberger, to step up and make the plays.

Prediction
Against the AFC North: 4-2 – A loss to the Ravens and Bengals. Sweep the Browns, duh.
Against the AFC East: 3-1 – A loss to the Broncos. The Chargers cannot beat the Steelers, and the Chiefs and Raiders simply will not be good enough to beat Pittsburgh.

Against the NFC East: 2-2 – A loss to the Giants and another team from this division, although I can’t say which one. The Steelers always find a way to lose a game they shouldn’t, and the youth of the Steelers coupled with the unfamiliarity with these NFC teams will provide a loss.

Against remaining teams: 2-0 – The two remaining teams are the Jets and the Titans. The Titans always put up a fight, but they will not be able to get over the Pittsburgh hump this year. The Jets suck. Tebow is not a good quarterback and neither is Sanchez. Rex Ryan is fat and their defense is old. Steelers get the easy win.
Final record: 11-5 – The Steelers youth together with the difficulty of this schedule will earn the Steelers a wildcard spot, where they should be able to make some noise in the playoffs if they manage to stay healthy.

Written by Nathan Rothrock follow him on twitter @rothrock88

Mike Milbury is.....A Douche Bag

NBC Sports needs to learn not hire douche bag goons like Mike Milbury. Milbury, a GM and coach in the NHL is and was the ultimate goon, in a bad way. I hate Pierre McGuire but Milburry is far worse if only he doesn't try to hide his biases. After the Pens-Flyers 3rd period apocalypse, Milbury decided to go on a Philadelphia radio show and totally called the Penguins and their coach out.

Here's what Milbury had to say:

Two highlights. [transcriptions via Spike Eskin, CBSPhilly] 

On Dan Bylsma:
“I can remember being on such a perch, or at least trying to climb over the boards to get at somebody to make a point. And I thought Dan Bylsma should have taken off his skirt and gone over there.”

On Sidney Crosby:
“So you know, Crosby gets cross-checked, big whoop. He said after he came back from his 35th concussion, ‘I’m not going to do this anymore, I’m not going to get into this scrums, I’m going to stay away from that stuff.’ He couldn’t help himself because there’s a little punk in Crosby. He’s not the perfect gentleman. He’s not the sweet kid you see in interviews with his hat pulled down over his eyes. I’d say screw him, hit him.”



Who the fuck cares what this goon thinks? Milbury failed as a coach, gm, and player.Sure he has some shock value but I can come on NBC and say Crosby is a little slut bitch or something like that just as good if not better than Milburry. Hockey wants better ratings so why keep tools like Milbury on tv? Milbury is a bad guy, he's proven that time and time again.

You got Milbruy calling Crosby, the NHL's biggest star a punk and the Pens' head coach a pussy...Who did Milbury ever beat? I would rather let Kevin Weeks take his job. Dead serious about that.

NBC needs to wake up and fire Milbury. Gary Bettman needs to let him know he can't just say whatever the fuck he wants without any consequences.

As for Crosby being a punk, I think we've all seen that Crosby is willing to put up the dukes whenever it's necessary. Bylsma reacting to Laviolette would have been stupid and would have either gotten him suspended, fined, or both.

NBC sports and the NHL needs to do the right thing and punish Milbury. He's a clown and a joke. Mike Milbury assaulted a 12 year old, why are we surprised he has Philly's back