Panther Chronicles: YSU?

Really? Like for real? YSU? The more I think about it, the more I realize that us Pitt fans shouldn't be that shocked about what happened Saturday. They are Pitt. They do things like that. Actually, they do it quite often. The loss doesn't mean the season is over, or that they can't win the conference. It just means they aren't really giving us much of a reason to believe in them. In 2008 they lost to Bowling Green and finished 9-4. That was also the year they finished the season with a loss to Oregon State in the Sun Bowl 0-3. Some people are ready to write off Paul Chryst, but I'm not. Honestly, this team just isnt really good. The defense is pathetic and even though Tino had an "okay" game, he still should not even be playing division 1-A football. Ray Graham playing was a nice surprise, but he obviously isn't near his old self. YSU is a really good FCS team and even before the game I heard that they would be tough from a lot of websites. I'm willing to give Pitt one more chance before I write them off for the season, but It doesn't look good. I also honestly believe if Pitt would've kept Wannstedt, they would have been farther along then they are now. People said it was time for him to go, but he kept the program stable with 8-9 win seasons and bowl games. The program took a step back when Peddy decided to let him "resign" at the end of 2010 season. I think Pitt is going to be rebuilding for a few more years and they shouldn't even be at this point. I can honestly see Pitt having losing seasons for the next 3 years. At least Chryst took the names off the back of the jerseys so the players don't have to have the dishonor of having the fans know who they are and that they play for Pitt. Ugh. This shouldn't even be happening. If the Paul Chryst hire does't pan out, then I only got 1 thing to say: BRING BACK THE STACHE!

Possible suitors for Ochocinco

At least he still got his Apps.

Well that was a forgettable tenure. Ochocinco referred to New England as "heaven" when he got traded there last year. So much for that eh? Look, I have been saying for years that Ochocinco was on the decline and now it seems his career may be in serious jeopardy.  I think he will find a team but his options will be limited. I do see some possible suitors for the once NFL star.

Jaguars: Jacksonville offensive coordinator Bob Bratkowkski worked with Ochocinco while he was in Cincy. So one would assume that Ochocinco would not have that hard of a time picking up the playbook like he did in "heaven". He could mentor Justin Blackmon and the Jaguars need to sell tickets. I think this is a great fit.


Dolphins: Ochocinco would love to be on the HBO series "Hard knocks" and he also has a residence in Miami.  The Dolphins have a few no name receivers and this could be an "attention grabber" for Miami's fickle fans. I think taking his talents to South Beach wouldn't be such a bad idea. Although, he would have to compete with Lebron James for the spotlight.


Dallas:  You can't rule anything out with Jerry Jones. The cowboys do not have great depth at wide receiver and I bet Ochocinco would love to call himself a "Cowboy". Also, I doubt Ochocinco would cry over Tony Romo when his critic’s come after him like they always do.


Raiders: I don't think this is as far fetched as some people think it is. I understand Carson Palmer got frustrated while he was in Cincinnati but I think it may have been more T.O than Ochocinco. This could be a good fit for Chad because obviously he worked with Carson Palmer and It shouldn't be hard to pick up the offense.  

Steelers: I'm just kidding obviously, but I think it would be so fun to have Ochocinco on the sidelines suited up in the black and gold. If Mike Wallace continues being stubborn then they obviously could use another reciever. Ochocinco will likely be one of the last players the Steelers would think about signing but man it would be so fun.

Sites like NFL.com and Sportsline.com have said other suitors could be Carolina and Buffalo, but I really do not see it. I also heard on ESPN that San Fransisco could be a landing spot but come on. They just reloaded with players like Randy Moss and Mario Manningham. The "MossOcho Show"?  It just doesn't have the same ring to it like the show he did with T.O back in early 2010. Honestly, If it is not Jacksonville, Miami, or Dallas, then I think we may in fact have seen the last of Chad Ochocinco. What a shame.

Why Pitt should pull a "TCU"

College football is a business. Period. I don't blame schools for switching conferences BUT I still hate to see it happen. I remember when Pitt applied to the ACC, I was so pumped. The thought of a schedule with Miami, Florida State, and Clemson coming to ole Heinz was great. The thought of North Carolina and Duke coming to the Pete was even better. Now that it appears FSU wants out, I'm starting to get the feeling that Pitt is going to go through all this conference realignment stuff all over again... If FSU leaves, expect dominoes to fall. It has been reported that Clemson wants out as well. With the Big 12 and SEC making the bowl agreement last week, it is easy to know that the ACC and Big East will be looking from the outside once again. So if FSU and Clemson leave, then the conference will have one decent football school (Va Tech) and the rest dominated by rich basketball programs.

Sound familiar? Yep, basically Pitt will be back where it was in early September before it applied to the ACC. Pitt should try to get into the Big 12. Before everyone starts calling me delusional, let me just remind everyone that the Big 12 has shown interest in Pitt as early as last year. People will accuse Pitt of being "sleazy". You know what, it would be true. It would be absolutely true, it would be a sin, and it would be a wrong. But guess what? In today's world of the business and power driven college football, you either improve, or die. #TCU

DeLlav's Daily Beat - Inside the Life of 3SN

This show is going to feature a little bit of sports, life, and all things DeLlav. Thanks goes to Scott Hall from Last Call with Scott Hall for inspiring me to make this video.


In this first of DeLlav's Daily Beat, we take a look inside the life of a 3SN journalist!

It's a Pirates life for Buccos fans.

I am thrilled the Buccos won the series in Arizona. They are now sitting at 5-7 coming out of a brutal road trip. I have been getting tons of questions about why I even root for the Pirates. So many people (who are often Pens or Steelers fans) tell me that there is no point of rooting for them because they are going to be bad forever. Well I do not think they will be bad forever because eventually they are going to have a winning season. It may take another 20 years but I think it will be sooner. Anway, I am one of few Pittsburgh Pirates fans. I watch all the games I can and while I am stuck and school or at work I constantly check the game center on sportsline or mlb.com. People look at me like I'm an ass (I don't blame them) because how into the Pirates I am. But here is why I root for the Pirates. 1) I always have rooted for them and won't jump ship now 2) I love them 3) I have hope that this is in fact the year  4) they are the home team 5) because I'm proud to be a Pirates fan. SAY WHAT?! Yes I am proud. I will tell you why I am proud. To me, being a Pirates fan means that you have balls.  Wearing that black hat with the yellow "P" on it is like a badge, signifying the suffering and heartache you endure.The Pirates "true" fans are tough as nails. Think of all the suffering we endure. DECADES of losing baseball and yet we still root for them. You know the saying "It's a Pirates life for me"? It is so fitting for not only for the owners and players, but for the fans as well.  I wan't to know what it is like to experience playoff baseball as a fan. I wan't to know what winning is like, and I wan't to know what my grandfathers, dad, and uncles felt when they talk about the good ole days of Buccos baseball. Until then, I can only imagine...

Disco Dan

I have 60 pages of pure bullcrap that I have to write for a graduation research paper in order for me to graduate in less then two weeks. So instead of managing my time wisely while I'm at work, I decided to just rant a little bit about whatever goes through my mind while I finish typing this sentence. And now that I am finished with that sentence I realized how much I dissapointed I am in the Penguins. Ya, I know they won 10-3 yesterday but the odds of them winning the series, let alone the cup, are slim to none. There is a better chance that Tupac and JoePa are still alive chilling somewhere. That being said, the hologram Tupac I saw at coachella gave me chills. The point im trying to make is that the Pens had so much promise coming into the playoffs and look where they are at now. If the Pens truly take it one game at a time then they can win the series. They did win 10 in a row during the regular season but the playoffs is a whole different story. As far as Dan Byslma goes, I do not think he should be fired but do not be SURPRISED if he is on a short leash next year. NHL coaches come and go faster than any other professional sporting league covered by ESPN. When these coaches are let go, It does not necessarily mean that they are not good, it just means the ownership still feels there is a chance that if the right guy comes in and lights a "spark" underneath a team that the season can be saved. Some fans think this is a foolish approach to have, but look at the Pens in 09. Remember when Disco Dan came in after Michel Therrien was fired? The Pens where out of the playoff picture in 10th place. Then comes Byslma and he and the team win the cup with the fourth overall seed in the playoffs.  So we will just have to wait and see what happens next year.

Back in action

My daily blog has been on hold for a while now due to the fact that I have been dealing with a 22 credit semester which includes a 250 hour internship. I will start blogging more now but I wont be back to "daily" until I graduate (hopefully) with my bachelors in about a month. But anyway ill share a few quick thoughts with you all.

-Randy Moss is a 49er and I love it. I am worried that Alex Smith is throwing him passes but I think he could be fairly productive. I can see something like 1,100 recieving yards and 8 tds if he can get a rhythm in the offense but realistically I see something like 800 yards and 4 tds. Not because he doesnt have the talent to do more but I just cant see him and Alex Smith doing much. He will be productive. He would have been better with the Saints but he choose the 49ers so all the power to him.

I will be blogging about Hines Ward and loyalty in the NFL shortly. I feel as if Steeler Nation was being very rough on the organization for not bringing him back even at the minimum vet salary. He had 14 years with one team. That is so rare and so special. Steeler nation treated him well and even gave him a -3 yard pass to get his record. Might I remind everyone that even the great Jerry Rice didnt play his whole career with one team. San Francisco, Oakland, Seattle, and Denver. Great players dance around teams late in their careers. It just happens. But Hines avoided that and now he awaits (maybe) a hall of fame induction...down the road.

Hines Ward and Peyton Manning's situation made me think of the New England Patriots. The reason why is because they are known for shipping out their veterans and top players when they can't offer any more. Talk about loyalty right? They are arguably the greatest organization of the decade and winning comes before loyalty for them. Think about it. Great Patriot names have been shipped out of there like a misplaced package on an airplane: Lawyer Milloy, Ty Law, Asante Samuel, Richard Seymour, Willie Mcginist, Mike Vrabel, Randy Moss, Deion Branch, Brandon Merriweather, Curtis Martin, Lawrence Marooney, Drew Bledsoe, Terry Glenn, ADAM VINATERI and the list goes on and on.... All these guys were let go by the Patriots one way or another and all these guys STILL love the organization and still are part of the Patriots family one way or another. This is evident by the fact that they all attended Myra Kraft's funeral and they all keep involved in the Patriot community one way or another, if it be alumni games or guest appearances or whatever, they still are in the family. And thats what the Steelers did with Hines Ward. Even when he was exploring other options and couldn't get on a team, they let him come back and do a press conference and announce his retirement as a steeler. Good for him.

Randy Moss works out for the Saints

Randy Moss is reportedly working for the New Orleans saints this week. This could be a good fit for the "toxic" Moss who was shipped around the league like a fedex package. Brees to Moss has a good ring to it but Randy Moss is going to have to show that he still has the 4.3 speed he claims to have. Honestly, I don't buy the fact that he can still run that fast but if the Saints think he can contribute then more power to them. The Saints have a winning culture there and Moss should be willing to play for a team that can contend for a championship. Either that or he just feels this is his best chance of not having a bounty put out for him...

Could the "chosen one" return home?

Lebron James rocked media headlines this week when he said he wouldn't rule out a return to Cleveland in the future. Most Cavalier fans I talked to said they don't want him back. Now I can understand why they wouldn't accept him back but let's be honest here. Let's say if the Cavs continue to have losing seasons and down the road it turns out the Lebron is genuine in his return, would you REALLY not want him back? He may not have won a title during his Cleveland tenure but he can at least deliver winning seasons and playoff appearances. It would bee up to fans to decide if they would want more continuous losing seasons or Lebron. I would take Lebron back in a heart beat, but then again I'm not a Cleveland guy so I may not understand the hatred for him. Yes he embarrassed the City and left, but everyone acts like he assaulted one of their family members or something. The NBA is business and people shouldn't take what happens in it personally. People need to grow up and swallow their pride, Lebron is going to be the NBA MVP and now that Kobe is aging he is gonna be hands down the best player in the NBA. So fans should accept Lebron back because he might be their only shot at ever getting close to a championship, not just in basketball but in any sport. Personally I would take the winning seasons and best player in the NBA over losing seasons and being a bottom dweller in the NBA but hey that's just me I guess.

Randy Moss Wants One More Chance

Randy Moss announced on his ustream that he is going to attempt to return to the NFL. Key word "attempt". You all know Randy Moss is my favorite athlete but i just cant see a team taking a chance on him. He is 35 years old and has been out of football for a year. He says he can still run a 4.3 40 but I dont know how much I believe that. Lets see if he still does have "it" then there could be a few teams that can use his talents but I still think the best fit for him is the Patriots and I don't think they want to deal with him any more. I was estatic to hear about this at first but then I realized that this isnt the Moss of 2007 and sometimes you got to just know when to call it quits. I hope BADLY that I am wrong and he comes back to rip the NFL up.

State of the Pirates

It's been a long time since the Pirates have had a winning season. 1992 was the last time. Most 90's kids that grew up in and around Pittsburgh don't really know what it's like to follow a baseball winner unless they root for a team outside of the Burgh. Last season the Pirates were competitive basically up till the beginning of August. Even though the team finished with a losing record I still had so much fun following the season. You all know how much I love my Pitt Panthers and Steelers but up until August I can honestly say I never had as much fun following a Pittsburgh team.  That is mostly due to the fact that I never seen the Pirates win the way the did. I have always followed the Pirates but up until August I truly felt like a was watching something special. Something special for the first time and then It was taken away from me. I want to be able to follow the Pirates without being in heartache for most of the season. More than anything though, I wan't Pittsburgh to be known as the "City of Champions" not the "City of Champions, and the Pittsburgh Pirates."

DeLlav's Daily Blog: Ochocinco going back to Johnson

Ochocinco is changing his name back to Chad Johnson. Good for him. Good for everybody. I never thought it was "cool" when Chad changed his last name to Ochocinco. It was creative and unique but I just thought it was clownish. Ever since Chad changed his last name a few years ago, he was on a steady decline in terms of statistics and production. Of couse, a different last name isn't/shouldn/t bring a player down but its almost as if thats when Chad became full of himself and lost his game. After having a disaster season in Foxboro this past year, many are wondering if this is the beginning of the end for Chad "Ochocinco" Johnson.

DeLlav's Daily Blog: Eli vs Ben

Eli Manning has two Super Bowl rings and both came at the expense of Tom Brady and the New England Patriots. Big Ben has been to three Super Bowls and has two Super Bowl rings just like Eli. The difference though is that Eli has been SB MVP both times he was in the game and Ben doesn't have any MVP's. Ben's first Super Bowl performance wasn't that impressive even though his Steelers beat Seattle 21-10. He had a 23.9 passer rating and almost cost his team the game. He played great against Arizona in 2008 but he played awful against Green Bay in the Super Bowl last year. So how do you compare Eli Manning to Big Ben? I say Manning has the edge because of the two MVP awards but Big Ben's three Super Bowl trips are pretty good also.

DeLlav's Daily Blog: Future of Peyton Manning

I think it would be wrong if Peyton Manning was on any team besides the Colts. That dude buit Lucas Oil stadium. That being said Jim Irsay and the Colts are in a difficult situation. Do they draft Andrew Luck and part ways with their head horse or could they possibly have both on the roster? I would like to see them both on the roster. People have to realize no matter how good Andrew Luck is (and he is good) he will never be Peyton Manning. That is no knock on him but Peyton Manning is Peyton Manning for goodness sakes!  The Colts have the cap room to have both Luck and Manning on the roster but Irsay is not sure if he wants to use up all that cap space on two quarterbacks. Well we all saw what happend to Indy when they didnt have Manning so at this point do they really expect any thing to be different if Manning is not under center for at least the next couple of years? Colts should draft Luck and keep Manning. Period.

DeLlav's Daily Blog : ACC insterts Pitt, Cuse into future schedules

Finally after all these years The Pitt football schedule will face a significant increase in quality.Today the ACC announced that the new format will be employed when Pitt and Syracuse join the league (hopefully for the 2013 football season). Pitt will be plugged into the Coastal Division in football, which has Virginia Tech and Maimi in it. There will be no divisions when it comes to basketball because teams will be assigned a "primary partner" that they will play two times during the season. For Pitt, Maryland will be that partner. It will play the rest of the league once a season on a rotating basis. I think its great that Pitt will be paired with two great programs in Miami and Virginia Tech. Pitt has history with both schools so its nice to see these rivalries renewed. I can't wait for this because It will as if we will be brought back to the Walt Harris era of Pitt football!!! Oh well, on second thought....

DeLlav's Daily Blog

This is my new installment for blogging. I'm actually going to be commenting about other blogs. Either agreeing with them or disagreeing. Ill try and keep this daily but chances are ill miss a day here and there. I'm going to talk about Chris Dokish's blog about the Pitt Panthers recruiting class. I agree with him for the most part although im not sure how I feel about QB Chad Votyik. He is a talent that for sure but I'm a little bit worried because he was recruited to play Grahams radical spread offense but if anyone can get the most out of him its Paul Chryst. Also, its not like the talent at QB right now is that great for Pitt...