Mondesi: Best of the Web
Each week, The Fan's resident nerd (me), will be taking you on a whirlwind trip around the internet with a new feature creatively titled, "Best of the Web". For those of you looking to fritter away time at work, this is the column for you. We'll be looking at the latest trending stories for the Penguins, Steelers, Panthers, and yes, even the Pirates. There will be a lot of links, a lot of videos, basically a lot of everything. It's a virtual cornucopia of the internet in one shot. But enough talk. It's time to get down to business, because we go more than 20 links deep in the maiden voyage.
PENGUINS:
- The Penguins will be unveiling their new Winter Classic jerseys on Thursday, just in time for holiday shopping season. They probably won't be playing in these golf shirts. [Empty Netters]
- Sidney Crosby has been named #37 on Askmen.com's "Top 49 Most Influential Men" list for 2010. Your top three: Comedy Central's Jon Stewart, Microsoft founder Bill Gates, and Facebook creator Mark Zukerberg. [Askmen.com]
- Ever wondered what it looks like inside the uber-elite luxury area dubbed "Suite 66" at Mellon Arena? Wonder no more. [PittsburghPenguins.com]
- The Travel Channel Show Ghost Adventures was recently in New Castle to check out the supposedly-haunted Hillview Manor, and guess what? It seems that at least one ghost there is a Pens fan! [MH]
- Remember when #66 dumped that Mellon Arena ice/water before the first game at the Consol Energy Center? Well, some enterprising mind had the bright idea to bottle that Mellon Arena ice, and it can be yours - for just under $50 a bottle. [MH]
- Everyone who's been to a Penguin game is familiar with the Cotton Candy Man, and his cult status has reached new levels in the form of a faux movie trailer. [MH]
STEELERS:
- Could Aaron Smith have played his last game as a Pittsburgh Steeler? My heart says no, my head says "maybe". [Trib]
PITT:
- If you ever wanted to see slow-motion video of Jamie Dixon exiting an ambulance looped over and over, then today is your lucky day, my friend. [WPXI]
PIRATES:
- This is how Freddy Sanchez reacts after making the postseason for the first time. Let's never speak of it again.
- Have the Pirates given up on off-season marketing? I think that's a big, fat "YES". [RumBunter.com]
- Here's a list of five Pirates who could make a difference next year. [Bucs Dugout]
- What are the Pirates' off-season needs (beyond pitching, hitting, and a manager)? [Pirates Prospects]
- The world's most valuable baseball card, a T-206 Honus Wagner, is being auctioned off by Baltimore nuns who received it in a box of donations from the deceased brother of one of their nuns. The card is expected to yield between $150,000-$200,000, making it some very valuable cardboard. [MH]
CITY OF PITTSBURGH:
- Everyone who moved out of the city over the years might soon be regretting their decision, as Pittsburgh was recently named as the #1 best city to relocate to in America by CNBC. I love this as part of their rationale: "It's also repeatedly ranked as one of the best sports cities, with the six-time Super Bowl champion Pittsburgh Steelers, the Pittsburgh Pirates baseball team and the Pittsburgh Penguins hockey team. You would be hard-pressed to find a city with more loyal sports fans – a fact that should not be underestimated when it comes to quality of life." [CNBC]
NBA:
- A Hollywood, Florida bar offered to pay the tab of everyone in the house if the Heat fell to the Celtics in their season-opener. As you know, that's exactly what happened, and the bar lost more than $4,000 in receipts "but did fine", according to their manager. [Sun Sentinel]
- Who should LeBron James be? That's what this new Nike commercial is trying to figure out. [Youtube]
NFL:
- It's Joe Flacco as The Situation! Note: The Situation has a higher completion percentage in 2010. [Sports Pickle]
- If you're Tennessee Titans head coach Jeff Fisher, and one of your wide receivers gets in a bar fight, what do you do next? Would you guess going to the bar in a detective role? [Deadspin]
- Saturday Night Live piles on embattled Vikings QB Brett Favre with "Open Fly Jeans":
NCAA:
- It's been a rough couple of years at Notre Dame. How rough, you ask? Let's just say they're talking about storming the field as the losingest class in school history after their probable loss to Utah on November 13. If only I had a sad trombone... [Sports by Brooks]
- Here's a look at how college football coaches on the hot seat have fared so far this season. Hot enough for you, Rich Rod? [The Big Lead]
MLB:
- Yankee fans sure do have a strange way of recruiting free agent-to-be Cliff Lee, spitting on his wife while she attended ALCS games in New York. Stay classy, Yankee fan. [ESPN]
Don Spagnolo is the founder of the Pittsburgh sports and entertainment blog Mondesi's House.
Send your links via email at Don.Spagnolo@cbsradio.com and on Twitter @mondesishouse
