Idle Thoughts- Pens Hopes Of Post Season Marathon Could End In 5K Run
I'm not one to share my opinion, but since you asked...
- I know it's just one game in a seven game series, but the Pittsburgh Penguins need to get a win on Friday at home against a Philadelphia Flyers squad that has basically owned them this season. Say all you want about the high potent scoring, having a healthy Sidney Crosby back or the soon to be Hart Trophy winner Evegni Malkin. Talk all you want about James Neal or Marc-Andry Fleury in net. The bottom line is the Flyers own the Penguins right now. I said before this started that the Pens can't win a series that goes seven games against the Flyers. And the odds of Pittsburgh winning four of the next five are very slim.
- What started out as a nice season opening series win against the Philadelphia Phillies for your Pirates baseball club has quickly turned to a pile of festering crapola. The LA Dodgers sweep of the Pirates puts them at 2-4, staring down a weekend series vs. San Francisco and 2011 West Division champ Arizona up next. It is early in the season, but the team needs to salvage some wins and fast before they get too far down a rabbit hole they can't possibly work themselves out of.
- Not for anything, but even I didn't feel all that comfortable when the Pens got up 3-0 after 20 minutes vs. the Flyers on Wednesday. The Flyers have spotted the Pens a couple of early 2 goal leads in the past few weeks, only to come back and win. It's hard to put a finger on any one particular reason why Pittsburgh hasn't done well vs. Philly this year. Maybe the Flyers just want it more than the Pens do.
- I'm gong to go out on a limb here and predict that the Pittsburgh Steelers will take some big offensive lineman in the 1st round of the upcoming NFL draft. Who that man is remains a mystery, as most late 1st-round picks usually are until they are actually drafted.
- If the Pens have any shot of taking this series vs. Philadelphia, Evegni Malkin needs to be a big part of it. He was radio silent in-game 1. That can't happen over the rest of the series, or it will end fast for the Pens.
- Dwayne Wade needs to just shut up about getting paid to perform in the Olympics. Its bad enough they stay in 5-Star hotels instead of living with the rest of the Olympians in the Olympic Village. His comments smack of arrogance and he should be thrown off the team for them.
- You gotta love a golfer named Bubba. You really have to love a golfer named Bubba that uses a hot pink driver.
- Having only played six games, the Pirates have managed just two three runs and a total of 11 runs. God help that pitching staff, as they will need round the clock psychiatric help as the season moves along.
- I was shocked (not really) that Baylor's basketball programs violated some sort of NCAA rules regarding recruitment of high school athletes. I was even more shocked that anybody keeps a log of how many text messages you are allowed to make to said recruits. What's next, monitoring the amount of Facebook likes you can make? Or maybe how many tweets you can send? Yet another reason college athletics is so sleazy and run by a bunch of misfits.
- I laughed at the Pirates website when I saw a news headline that screamed 'Alvarez hits BP homer into Dodgers parking lot.' Really? This is the best good news you have to tell your fans?
- I cried when I saw that only the Boston Red Sox have hit few home runs so far this season, not to mention that the team batting average is .199 and that the Pirates are dead last in runs, RBI's and walks while having the 2nd fewest hits. It's not looking good to start the year Pirates fans. Brace yourself for some ugly baseball in 2012.
John Phillips is the author of this article and a former secret member of the Galactic Empire. Since he no longer chases down Jedi across Wholey's Fish Market, he can now be heard anchoring sports updates and hosting the occasional talk-show on 93.7 The Fan. Follow JP on Twitter at www.twitter.com/937Phillips
