Trade Paul Martin

Pittsburgh Penguins GM Ray Shero has been money for the most part since he has been the general manager of the Pittsburgh Penguins. He has made key moves and has done an amazing job keeping the core of the team together over the years and into the future.

However, even guys like Shero miss sometimes. I think Shero has missed again, maybe twice at the same time. Before last season, the Pens signed Paul Martin and Zbynek Michalek to multiple year deals worth a combined $45 million.

The Pens needed to be deeper at the blueline and they thought that signing those two guys, combined with the Kris Letang-Brooks Orpik combo would give the Pens one of the deepest bluelines in the NHL. It's now safe to say that isn't the case.

Paul Martin was good last year but he has been awful this year. When he hasn't been injured he's been easily the Pens' weakest defenseman in the lineup. For the season he has 18 points in 47 games and is a -8. Martin makes $5 million a year remind you.

Letang and Orpik, both better players than Martin each make $3.5, although I'm sure Letang's next contract will surpass Martin's.

For that reason alone, and considering the fact that the Pens are up against the cap and are going to have to re-sign Letang, Jordan Staal, Evgeni Malkin, and Sidney Crosby in the next two seasons, the Pens have no choice but to find a suitor to take Martin off of their hands.

Martin is still a skilled defensman and maybe change will be a good thing for him. Even if the Pens can get a couple of decent prospects and/or draft picks out of the deal it would be great.

Simone Depres is ready to play full-time at the age of 20. The Pens are loaded at D in the farm with Joe Morrow, who has superstar potential leading the way.

If the Pens can move Martin and even Michalek, they can possibly get a cheaper veteran d-man, some prospects, and maybe a decent winger in the deal. Furthermore, they would have a much better chance at re-signing all of the big names I named earlier.

Evgeni Malkin: Wow

No wonder Evgeni Malkin makes everyone's heart beat so much. He is just pure awesomeness. For a guy that mostly knows curse words in English he has amazing charisma and has been putting on a show for the entire NHL this year.

In last night's shootout loss to the Montreal Canadians, Malkin dazzled the hockey world once again with a tremendous shootout goal. Carey Price still hasn't found his jock strap.

Montreal is a great hockey city but the Pens should have won the game. Marc-Andre Fleury let in an awful goal but made big save after big save after big save.....after big save. Fleury faced a billion breakaways, well at least that is what it felt like.

P.K. Subban aka P.K "Soupcan" is quickly becoming one of the biggest douchebags in the sport and I would love nothing more than to see Kris Letang or any player for that matter, kick the living shit out of him.

Pens don't play again Saturday afternoon against the Winnipeg Jets. Jordan Staal might be available.


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Blaming the offense part two:

The offense has taken a beating by the fans of the Pittsburgh Steelers. Not surprising, that's the way the yinzers do it. Defense never does anything wrong, whether it's blowing a 17-point lead it's never the defenses' fault.

Sure the defense is always in the top 5 in rankings but when the game is on the line they're a little fragile, see the Steelers' last two Super Bowls and this years playoff loss to the Denver Broncos.

Everyone would like to point out the Steelers offense being ranked 21st in the NFL is scoring but where's the talent at? The offensive line is a joke and the Steelers spend the majority of their draft picks and money on the defensive side of the ball.

Take a look at where all of the money has been spent by the Steelers.

Seven of the top ten highest paid players on the team are on the defensive side of the ball. Hines Ward was the Steelers' second highest paid player after Ben Roethlisberger. Willie Colon, Chris Kemoeatu, and Jonathan Scott were the three highest paid offensive linemen after Markice Pouncey.

Sure you can say that the Steelers paid some decent money on the offensive line but it was on bums. Bums!
Fact is the Steeelers cater to the defensive side of the ball and they always have. With that being the way it is there should always more pressure on the defensive side of the ball in Pittsburgh.

When you look at the Green Bay Packers, New Orleans Saints, and New England Patriots, you see that all of their big money is spent on the offensive side of the ball. Which is why their offenses are so good and complete.

It doesn't take a rocket scientist.


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Ben Roethlisberger, Bruce Arians, and the myth of Steelers' football

Bruce Arians retired. At least that is what the Pittsburgh Steelers wanted everyone to think. Arians has been public enemy number one since he has been the offensive coordinator of the Pittsburgh Steelers despite winning a Super Bowl and two AFC Championships with him calling the majority of the plays.

The very first year Arians was the coordiantor the Steelers finished in the top ten in points per game, averaging 24.6 ppg in 2007. Ben Roethlisberger threw for 32 touchdowns that year and the Steelers won the AFC North.

The very next season Roethlisberger was injured for most of the season and the Steelers had one of the least talented offensive lines in football, yet with a strong defense the Steelers won the Super Bowl.

In 2009, the Steelers had a 4,000 yard qb, a 1,000 yard rusher, and two 1,000 yard receivers. The Steelers also finished 12th in the NFL in ppg averaging 23.

In 2010, the Steelers didn't have Roethlisberger for the first four games of the season, however, when Roethlisberger came back he flourished and the team went to the Super Bowl, losing to the Green Bay Packers.

Which brings us to this year. Yes the Steelers were dreadful in the red-zone. I realize that. Yes, the Steelers were 21st in scoring. However, it all stems from the offensive line. When I look around the league and the top offenses I see two things: 1. An elite quarterback. 2. A very good offensive line.

The Steelers have the first one in Roethlisberger. There is no doubt that Big Ben is one of the six elite quarterbacks in the NFL. However, the Steelers' offensive line is quite embarrassing. The Steelers have a $100 million qb with a $5 offensive line.

This past season was a joke for the offensive line. Jonathan Scott, a bum, started multiple games at left-tackle. Three more bums were thrown in the mix at both guard positions, Chris Kemoeatu, Ramon Foster, and Doug Legursky. All bums, if you think they are not bums, then you are both dumb and a bum.

Max Starks came back and saved the day for a while but eventually got worse as the season went on and then got injured in the Denver game. Marcus Gilbert was a 2nd round rookie starting at right tackle and played well at times, so I think he might be a keeper. Maurkice Pouncey is a really good center but was injured at times this year and didn't play well at other times.

Bottom line is the offensive line was a mess again this year and has been since the 2005 season. Yes Roethlisberger holds on to the ball too long sometimes but he has had more than enough success to criticize him for that. Even if he is responsible for 50% of the sacks,  he would still be one of the most sacked qbs in the NFL. Embarrassing. The Steelers rarely give Roethklisberger a clean pocket to throw from. There's never any time to throw. The Steelers couldn't even block a three-man-rush against the Broncos in the playoffs.

That has been the story of the Steelers for a while now. Roethlisberger's improvisional skills have come in handy time and time again. Sure it's a double-edged sword at times, with Roethlisberger throwing off balance, taking more hits and sacks than he should but it's the way he has played.

Roethlisberger is not the problem. Three Super Bowl appearances, ten playoff wins, two Pro Bowls, top ten all-time in qb rating, ypa, ypc, and the second fastest qb to ever throw 25,000 yards speaks for itself.

The problem has been the lack of talent on the offensive line. Pouncey and Gilbert are the only linemen on the team that were picked in the first two rounds of the draft aside from Starks who may not be back next year. The Steelers never sign big-free agents.

They did, however, sign Willie Colon to a huge deal which has not done them any good considering he's started two games since 2009. Back to back years on the IR. Whammy.

The fans and the president have been screaming for a running game and a more balanced offense, but why? The NFL has tilted its rules in favor of the passing game and the Steelers are built to throw with two Pro-Bowl receivers and a superstar quarterback.

What the Steelers really need is legit talent on the offensive line. The guards are awful. The Steelers need to draft a lineman in the first two rounds this year and sign a decent veteran, and repeat again next off-season. Look at the Packers, Saints, and Giants. All good offenses and all have very good offensive lines. It's not just as simple as Roethlisberger holding on to the ball too long. It's the simple fact that the offensive line simply can not block well.

A better offensive line = more yards and points.

Arians wasn't the real problem. He's not the one that ignored the offensive line, he's not the one that spent all of the money on aging defensive players.

Now the Rooneys are speaking out about how they want a run-first offense. Now, with their franchise qb in his prime, they are making the players learn a brand new offense and change it's philosphy once again.

Fact is the vaunted and highly paid Steelers' defense got crushed by Tebow in the playoffs. Tebow and the Broncos put up over 400 yards and 29 points against the highest paid defensive unit in the NFL. So it only makes sense to higher the offensive coordiantor, right?

The offense didn't play well this year but they couldn't run the ball and their quarterback played most of the season and in the playoffs on one leg behind a college offensive line. Just saying. 

Arians has been made the scapegoat to take pressure off of the aging defense that might be even worse next year.

More of this talk to come.

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The Sidney Crosby Situation

I never ever thought that Sidney Crosby would have become such a controversial figure in Pittsburgh. Crosby has always been the "golden boy" and a polarizing figure for the Pittsburgh Penguins and the National Hockey League.

However, due to his concussion(s) Crosby's health has become a huge issue in Pittsburgh and around the league. Frustration has been built up by the fans here in Pittsburgh as a lot more people are coming out and criticizing Crosby for not playing. Now, according to Dejan Kovacevic and Mark Madden of the Pittsburgh media, there was a player's meeting to discuss a temporary captaincy.

Kovacevic went on to say that some players feel as though Crosby has been symptom free and is not doing a good job communicating with the team. 

I find a lot of this funny. For starters I can't believe that Kovacevic would write a story that isn't true so there has to be some truth to all of this. The other day everyone on the team wore the captain "C" on their practice jerseys so maybe just maybe the team does want to replace Crosby as the captain temporarily.

I respect all of the players on the team but none of them have any kind of medical degree that I know of. You can't simply look at someone and tell whether or not they are symptom free or not. So I really don't think any of that has any merit.

Some of the players are just becoming restless with the situation because most of them are playing through pain and agony. That being said it still isn't fair to criticize Crosby. Concussions are very serious. Many promising sports' careers have been ruined and/or cut short due to concussions.

If Crosby continues to not take care of his concussions properly he could see his career and life cut short. That is not fair to him.

Furthermore, anyone that thinks that Crosby does not want to play hockey is a moron. Crosby's entire life is about the game of hockey. Crosby eats, sleeps, and breaths the sport. To think that he is not eager to play is laughable.

Right now, Crosby might be the most pressurized hockey player  of all-time considering that he is the face of an organization and the league. All due respects to Wayne Gretzky.

Now Crosby is seeing some of his fans and teammates possibly starting to turn their backs on him. Again totally unfair to him.

I can't imagine how Crosby is coping with all of this. I personally know that the average person would have had some bit time physiological damage inflicted by all of this. I know that the average person might have turned to drugs to cope with it all and some would have certainly had suicidal thoughts.

Not Crosby though. He continues to stay poised which says a lot about his character. I am sure that Crosby won't be smitten by reported riffs of his teammates.

Fans need to take a look at the big picture. Even if Crosby can't play the rest of this season shouldn't mean that he's a "pussy". It just means that Crosby's health was worse off than we all thought and that Crosby and his people are looking at the long-term big picture.

Rushing Crosby back will not do anything but hurt him long-term which is bad for the Penguins and the sport of hockey.