Category: Media

Matt Bodenschatz – Faceoff Factor

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Matt Bodenschatz – Faceoff Factor

Can you let readers know what’s new at the //www.faceoff-factor.com/ – there’s a new site design for starters.

First off, thanks for the opportunity to talk hockey!  Faceoff Factor has a brand new design implemented and maintained by our new web and graphic designer, Doug Graham.  In addition to the design, Doug has added a new feature called “Talk Amongst Yourselves,” which gives readers an opportunity to discuss a variety of topics before a story is written on FF.  As always, Mike Adams will deliver Game Grades, Jesse Marshall will deliver prospect news and analysis, and the rest of the staff will deliver unique opinions on the Penguins and NHL at large.

James Neal is off to a strong start. What do you attribute this to -was he just “unlucky” last season?

I have been a big James Neal fan for a few years now, and even suggested a year earlier that an Alex Goligoski for Neal swap would benefit both teams.  Last season, his lack of production, in my opinion, can be attributed to a number of things.  For starters, Neal was accustomed to being the third wheel on a line with two high powered offensive players in Dallas.  Coming to Pittsburgh, he was relegated to Mark Letestu and Alex Kovalev, making him the top dog.  Put any secondary-type player in that position and he’ll struggle to score.  Additionally, he was stuck adjusting to a new system on a team without its most talented players.  There was a lot of pressure to produce, and I think it got to him a bit.  Now, this year, he’s had an opportunity to go through Camp Bylsma and, more importantly, has had a chance to skate with Evgeni Malkin and Steve Sullivan, two excellent playmakers.  I don’t think there’s any coincidence that after an adjustment period and an upgrade in linemates, he’s back to the Neal we saw in Dallas.

Conversely, Sullivan seems to be pressing. What are your thoughts on his expected contribution?

Steve Sullivan isn’t known much as a shooter, but rather a playmaker.  I don’t necessarily see him as pressing, but rather finding his way.  I’ve been impressed with his skating and vision and think he’ll be a strong contributor to the team once he settles in.

Vitale has played inspired hockey – will there be room for him on this roster though when Crosby and Jeffrey return?

Last night we saw Mark Letestu riding the pine as Malkin made his way back into the lineup.  As the team gets healthier, I expect to see more of the same, with Joe Vitale getting the fourth line center job.  Don’t get me wrong, I was impressed with Letestu last season and like what he brings to the table, but Vitale, in my opinion, brings a defensive element, a physical element, and a faceoff element that Letestu just doesn’t.  Vitale is a better fit for a bottom line — and I think he’ll win out when it comes time to make room for Sidney Crosby and Dustin Jeffrey.

Speaking of returns, what do you expect the top two lines to look like once Crosby and Jeffrey do return?

That’s a difficult question.  Ideally, I’d like to see Crosby with Kunitz and Kennedy, leaving Malkin with Neal and Sullivan, but Bylsma likes to shuffles lines, making it difficult to predict.

The power play so far is much improved. What do you attribute this to?

From what I can see, there is significantly more unpredictable movement, which can be difficult to defend.  Add in the resurgence of Kris Letang as a dominant offensive (and defensive) defenseman and the addition of the creative Sullivan, and it’s a recipe for success.  It’s early, but for the most part I’m liking what I’m seeing with the man advantage.

Any concerns about the minutes being logged so far by Letang and Staal?

Yes and no.  Obviously, these two players have increased minutes because of injuries to Crosby, Malkin and Orpik, which means this shouldn’t be a permanent thing.  That being said, we don’t know when Crosby and Orpik will return, and with a heavy schedule over the next few weeks, it’s slightly alarming and concerning that Letang and Staal are skating so much.  Let’s just hope they don’t wear out, as it’s a long season.

Any early surprises so far with the team?

I’ve been pleasantly surprised by the play of Matt Cooke and Richard Park.  While both have proven capable in the past, it’s nice to see both having success again.  For Cooke, he appears to have a new-found dedication to respecting his opponents and focusing on hockey — and the result has been tremendous.  For Park, he appeared a likely AHL candidate, but his strong penalty killing (bolstered by a shorthanded goal earlier this week) has given him an opportunity to not only stick with the team, but get quality minutes.  It’s always nice to see a former Penguin return and do well.

Was it at all disturbing to you how enthusiastically the fans responded to the punishment Asham doled out on Washington’s Beagle – especially in light of Crosby’s concussion issues?

Boy, that’s a loaded question.  From a hockey perspective happening “at the spur of the moment,” fans at a game want big plays and hard hits.  Fights are no exception.  In the spur of the moment, fans always are going to be thrilled with a big TKO that results in some blood.  But, I also think most fans are smart enough not to want to see the opponent be significantly injured — hence the applause and stick-taps from the fans and players.

The scoring seems to still be down for this team – even with Malkin in the lineup. What’s the issue behind the scoring problems early on?

No Sidney Crosby.  Let’s face it, he is the key to this team’s offense.  Last season, we saw a bare bones offense without Malkin and Crosby.  This year, it has increased a bit due to Malkin’s return, but Malkin can only do so much when he faces the top defense pairings and defensive forwards each shift.  When Crosby returns, it will give the Penguins that much-needed one-two punch, which should help to increase their offensive efforts and put them back into elite territory.

Any last thoughts for readers?

Watch with pride.  I have a feeling what we are seeing is the making of a very special season from a very special team.  The Penguins are loaded from top to bottom, and with injured players closer to a return, things will get even better.  This has all the makings of being an amazing season, and I for one am enjoying the ride so far!

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Phil Bourque

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Phil Bourque:

How has your NHL playing experience helped and hurt you as a commentator for the team?

My NHL playing experience has given my the credible experiences and knowledge to analyze the game and players. Also having played in the OHL, AHL, IHL, NHL and the German Elite league has given me an appreciation on what it takes to get the NHL and what it takes to stay there. 

What part do Ray Shero and Mario Lemieux play in the day-to-day activities of the team?

Ray Shero is very involved in the day to day operations of the Penguins. Mario, on the other hand does not get quite involved but always has the pulse of the players,coaches and managers. He is always involved in major decisions but on a day to day basis lets everybody just do their job.

What would surprise fans most about this team?

People would be most surprised on how well this team gets along and truly is like a family. 

How do you feel the salary cap has impacted the team specifically and the NHL as a whole? Is it a positive or negative thing in your opinion?

The salary cap has had such a positive effect on the league as a whole. The Penguins were never a team that had unlimited resources so they always had a self imposed salary cap. The cap has helped the “Big Dogs” who couldn’t control their own spending. 

What have been some of the more surprising/interesting players over the years and why?

One the most interesting players I can recall was Al Iafrate who played for Washington and Boston amongst others… He could shoot the puck about 105 mph while using a very short stick….what made him so interesting was that he smoked like a chimney and used to light his cigs while working on his sticks with a blowtorch. Thus earning the nickname Weird Al .

What blogs and websites do you turn to for hockey news and analysis?

I use about 12-15 different web sites including NHL.com, TSN.ca, and Yahoo sports, Also a variety of publications that help me with unique stats and stories. 

If you could make any changes to the game – on or off the ice – what you would do and why?

I would not change many things with the game right now as I feel alot has been done since the lockout. I would consider allowing the coaches 1 challenge per game for goals that are not reviewable by replay. If the coach is wrong with his challenge he would lose his teams timeout. 

Who are some of the AHL and ECHL and other prospects we should watch out for in the next year or so?

Some blue chip prospects coming down the pike are Dustin Jeffrey and Eric Tangradi down in Wilkes Barre as well as Simon Dupres that is playing in the Quebec Major Junior League and representing Canada during the 2011 World Jrs  played in Buffalo.

Anything you’d like to add/further thoughts for Pittsburgh Sports Daily Bulletin Readers on the Penguins or any other subject?

Finally, after being blessed enough to play this great game of hockey professionally for 18 years and retiring in 2000 I spent 3 years trying different lines of work that did not come close to satisfying my hunger for a game that gave me the highest of highs. Thanks to Mario Lemieux I was given an opportunity to work as the radio analyst for the Pittsburgh Penguins and talk about the greatest team playing the greatest game.

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Richard Weiss, Publisher – Sports Business Journal/World Congress of Sports

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Richard Weiss, Publisher – Sports Business Journal/World Congress of Sports (April 7,  2011):

What have you found to be the most interesting developments your publication has covered over the last year or so?

The sports industry bounces back from the recession. In many cases. Sports sponsorships, for example, Are as big or bigger than ever before; NFL ratings dominated.

The labor issue is front and center on everyone’s radar as is the NBC/Comcast deal/

Can you give readers an understanding of what the World Sports Congress is, how it came into being and what the Sports Business Journal’s affiliation is with the event?

A couple years after having launched Sports Business Journal, my dream was to build a World Economic Forum (Davos) type event for the sports industry. It made sense to expand our franchise and bring together industry leaders to discuss and debate strategically where the sports industry is heading andalso provide networking opportunities for industry leaders across different sports.

All of the people who attend our World Congress have other conferences they attend that are “sport specific” but the World Congress brings together industry executives across various sports.
  
Who typically attends?

The World Congress is attended by senior management in the sports industry – league commissioners, team owners and president, network heads, top corporate sponsors, facility owners and operators…

What were the biggest takeways you had from this recent event?

Corporate CMOs talked about the value of sports and social media. Some of the biggest marketers in the industry gathered on a panel to talk about why sports continues to provide a worthy marketing platformfor brands.

The panel featured Reliant Energy CMO Karen Jones; Farmers Insurance Exec VP & CMO Kevin Kelso; Subway Senior VP & CMO Tony Pace; and Coca-Cola North America CMO Bea Perez.

The CMOs all weighed in on how important sports are to their respective brands.

“It’s very important for our brand,” Pace said. “We try to be somewhat surgical with what we do in sports. When we focus on athletes, we pick an athlete first and foremost if they’re a Subway fan. Then you have to look at their short-term growth, long-term potential.”

Kelso provided a different perspective, since Farmers is relatively new to the sports marketplace but made a huge splash earlier this year by agreeing to a $600 million to $700 million naming-rights agreement for AEG’s proposed events center/NFL stadium in downtown L.A. “Sports marketing is a new area for us to participate in,” Kelso said. “It’s been very high-profile for us.” On MLB’s Opening Day, Perez recalled some Coca-Cola history to describe how important sports has been for her brand. “The reason why Coca-Cola went into bottles,” Perez said, “is two gentlemen came to us … and said, ‘We’d really like to be able to drink Coca-Cola at a baseball game.’” She added, “It’s a big part of the fabric of our brand, the DNA.”

WE ARE FARMERS: Kelso took conference attendees a little deeper into Farmers Insurance’s thoughts behind the L.A. stadium agreement. “Just the strength of the announcement really was a powerful thing for us,” said Kelso. He noted that the California-based firm already has seen $3.8 million worth of ad equivalency value just in media from the January announcement, adding that Farmers does not actually pay AEG until it is clear  the stadium is going to be built. “One of our goals for the Farmers Field deal, for sure, was to put the brand on
the national stage and let people know who we are,” Kelso said.

On a similar note, Jones discussed the competition Reliant faces in Texas, since the state deregulated the energy industry 10 years ago, which has led to more than 60 companies competing for consumers. “Three things we love in Texas: trucks, our big hair and sports,” said Jones, who also expounded on the various ways Reliant uses its partnership with the Texans to reach fans on Sundays at Reliant Stadium.

The marketers touched on the power of social media, a big theme throughout the two-day conference. “If you view digital and social media as part of the conversation,” Pace said, “you have to continue to push stuff out there.” Pace specifically highlighted endorser Apolo Anton Ohno’s activity on Twitter as a great plus for the Subway brand.

Perez agreed with her Subway counterpart about the importance of social media, while acknowledging that Coca-Cola hasn’t quite figure it out yet. “We believe that will drive purchase, that will drive transactions,” she said. “Today, can I show you a spreadsheet that shows it translates to sales? No, I can’t. … But we believe this is a space we will continue to learn from, and will be important to our business.”

Kelso said social media is a way for Farmers to stand out in the crowded insurance space. “We are doing a lot of things in social media,” he said. “It’s a great place for us to engage with people. I think we’re all trying to figure out what to do with it. … In terms of just promoting it, updating the brand, all that’s working.”

The NFL lockout is forcing corporate marketers to spend twice as much time developing activation plans for the 2011 season, a panel of sponsorship executives said during a session titled, “Sponsorship Value and Innovation: The New Realities of Sports Marketing.”

Marketers are developing both regular and contingency activation plans for the NFL season. It’s an effort that Jeff Dubiel, Pepsi vice president of sports marketing, called duplicative. “It’s extra resources and extra time,” Dubiel said. It is also an effort that could hurt the return on Pepsi’s activation because it has had to water down its NFL-themed retail displays so that they can be switched from an authentic NFL display to a local college football team. Dubiel said, “It dumbs down the authenticity of the program we’re trying to deliver.”

Gillette and Proctor & Gamble are in a similar situation and have reached a pivotal point in NFL activation plans, said Global Sports Marketing Director Greg Via. The company has developed both NFL and non-NFL-related point-of-sale displays, and retailers will make a decision this May as to which one to feature.

Similarly, Visa has been speaking to its member banks to keep them abreast of the NFL’s situation so that they can determine which marketing materials they choose to use this season. Lynch: “Our plans and our hope is that we’re all systems go. …Everyone is hoping like hell it’s going to be reconciled in time. It’s that powerful a property that we are planning as if things are going to happen.”

Anheuser-Busch, which is starting the first year of a six-year deal valued at more than $1 billion, will test the public appetite for the NFL during the lockout by launching a Bud Light promotion against the upcoming NFL Draft.

A-B VP of Media, Sports and Entertainment Marketing Mark Wright said, “We’re all guns ablazing.”

The ever-elusive ROI: Marketers are still struggling to measure return-on-investment effectively, but the recent recession helped them unearth some formulas that work for their brands.

Pepsi has begun measuring a sponsorship’s effect on brand health, how it delivers against key objectives, and whether it is using all of the assets delivered in a sponsorship contract. Dubiel: “We have a disciplined audit process where a couple of times a year we’re going to report out – yes we got it, down to the picture at an NFL stadium. It forces everyone to think a lot harder about the returns and what we’ve signed up for.”

Lynch said that since Visa went public in 2008, the company’s management has been increasingly insistent that he show the value of a sponsorship. Lynch: “I can’t talk to my management now without talking numbers first. …As a global company, are we making money off this investment or not? If we’re not making money, we won’t be renewing this deal.”

P&G’s marketing objectives increasingly focus on what the results of a promotion are at retail, so it has pushed its agency partners to be more creative in designing programs that help move products.

Via said, “We don’t have a good handle on it at all. We know when we run a commercial and that commercial is tied to a property and tied to retail activation and shelf space, we can say, ‘OK. We sold product off that.’ And that’s the best way we’ve found.”
 
A Champions panel offered reflections, advice on the sports business.

In addition to introducing them during a lunch session yesterday, SportsBusiness Journal/Daily honored this year’s class of “The Champions: Pioneers & Innovators in Sports Business,” during a panel discussion at the end of the day.

The five recipients — former WNBA and USA Basketball President Val Ackerman; former PGA Tour Commissioner Deane Beman; IMG Media Exec VP Barry Frank; ESPN Founder Bill Rasmussen; and Premier Partnerships Chairman Alan Rothenberg — reflected on their years in sports and how the industry has evolved.

Each panelist addressed their many accomplishments, and what made them successful. Beman said, “If you play golf, you know you fail more than you win. … I think I was successful because I wasn’t afraid to fail. I wasn’t afraid to advance an idea that might be difficult.”

Rasmussen also cited not fearing failure. “I never really accepted no for an answer,” Rasmussen said. “I was never afraid to fail. In fact, ESPN got started because I got fired from my job at the Whalers.” He added, “You really have to trust your instincts, your passion, your energy.”

Frank recalled his early days in sports business. “A large part of my success was due to that I wouldn’t quit,” he said. “The first big deal I made was for the 1988 Winter Games in Calgary, and I knew there was big money there. … I made about four trips out to Calgary to convince (the IOC) that I could get them more money than they could get themselves.” Rothenberg chimed in, “It’s the ability to seize an opportunity that’s
in front of you, then work energetically. … You build a reputation over time as a person who can accomplish great things.”

The panelists engaged in a good back-and-forth about what the future may hold for ESPN. Rasmussen, understandably not wanting to seem too biased, suggested that even the new NBC Sports conglomerate will not be able to challenge ESPN. Frank took it a step further, declaring that no one will unseat ESPN from its chair atop the sports media landscape. “That’s not my opinion,” he added. “It’s a fact.”

In addition to recalling their careers in sports business, the panelists also discussed what’s ahead for the industry. Frank and Rasmussen agreed that college sports could experience a rebirth in the coming years. “With production equipments costs coming down,” Rasmussen said, “technology improving every hour on the hour, even the smaller colleges are going to figure out how to produce games.”

Looking at the current sports landscape, the panelists were asked about which league they would like to run today. Beman said, “I think everyone would like to run the PGA Tour. … There are challenges, but not the problems other sports have.” Frank took a different angle on the question, mentioning the biggest league in North America. “There’s only one league to run today if you want to be powerful, and that’s the NFL,” he said.

Rasmussen provoked laughter from the audience when he said, “Is Bud Selig retiring soon? I don’t want all the problems he has, but it’s a fun job.” The five didn’t bite much when asked about regrets and mistakes in their careers, though Ackerman chimed in with what she deemed a smaller issue. “I regret that I don’t speak any language other than English,” she said. “I function now a little in the international world … and the ability not to be able to converse with people in the downtime — I try to cough up a few pleasantries — I regret that.”

Beman joked, “I don’t have too many regrets as commissioner. I’m a little upset I didn’t make one more birdie in the U.S. Open in 1969. I might not have had to take the job as commissioner.”

The panelists were asked, “What advice do you give to young people wanting to get into the sports business industry?”

Rothenberg: “Knock on every door. Take the first and best opportunity you’re given. Then do a phenomenal job.”

Rasmussen: “Go to the local radio station, go to the local TV station. Make a pest of yourself if you have to, just get yourself in the door.”

Frank: “The job you want to take, for your first job, is anything that has upward mobility as a possibility.”

Beman: “I agree with Barry. You have to want to be in the sports business bad enough to start at the bottom. Jim Nantz is the perfect example — he started as a runner.”

Ackerman: “You have to pick a specialty. If you want to work in PR, there’s this skill set and this career path. If you want to work in marketing, there’s this skill set and this career path. … Your attitude has to be: no job is too small.” 
  
What sense do you have of the bigger issues the various leagues and teams are concerned about over the next couple of years?

Labor, labor,  labor!!!

Many leagues are looking to grow internationally – how are leagues working internally and externally to do so?

All the leagues continue to explore international, the NBA leads the pack…

Technology is rapidly changing the way sports are being played. What is your sense of how they plan to utilize those technologies in the near future without “overusing” them to the point they turn fans off to the actual sport?

A huge revenue driver for teams; most are using technology to enhance the fan experience with state of the art video-boards, concessions technology to allow fans to avoid waiting in lines, ticketing technology that allows teams to get the maximum amount for tickets at various points in time, leading up to a game without being stuck with unsold tickets…

How was the economic downturn addressed at this event – do you get a sense teams are feeling better about the economic climate?

The overall buzz was that the economic downturn is behind us…

What is the buzz about the NFL lockout?

Most agree that agreement will be reached before regular season games…

With the various new forms of media growing in importance (blogs, twitter, etc,.) how are you seeing sports teams addressing the need to work with these “non-traditional” but essential media outlets and how does this event address this issue?

For the most part, teams, leagues and other properties, as well as other companies playing in the sports space are embracing social media, some more quickly than others.

All agree that social media is powerful; all agree that social media communication must be authentic; all agree that they continue to grapple with how to monetize social media. But all know and understand that they have to embrace it and experiment with it.

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Cory Giger, Altoona Mirror – On Pirates, Penn State

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Cory Giger, Altoona Mirror (August 8, 2011)

First, the Pirates were fielding a patchwork team with so many players out with injury. Which of these players can come back soon and start helping this offense – and will they return in time?

It is remarkable the Pirates were able to hang around in the division race as long as they did playing so many backups, including going seven deep at catcher with Eric Fryer.

The losses of Alex Presley in particular and also Chase d’Arnaud were big because those guys brought speed and a spark to the top of the order. Will they return in time? No.

The swift and utter collapse of the pitching staff has killed the team’s chances. They allowed 8.2 runs per game during the 10-game losing streak, which makes it virtually impossible to win. Everyone knew the pitching would come back to reality at some point after being so good for this long, but it has to be maddening to Pirates fans to see all of the starters fall apart like they have at the same time.

How frustrating was it for the players knowing that as good as they’ve been, they could have been so much better with those injured players in the lineup? Have those injuries served as a rallying cry/furthering of the underdog role for this team?

No doubt everyone is frustrated about the team’s potential had there not been all the injuries, but let’s face it: They were still right near the top of the standings before this collapse by the pitching staff.

The club probably would have won a few more games up until the Phillies series had the offense been better, but with the way the pitching has fallen apart, it wouldn’t have mattered because the wheels still would have fallen off like they are now.

How excited were you about the Pirates’ recent acquisitions of Lee and Ludwick? Can these two realistically help this offense in a significant way?

They were decent moves. I gave Neal Huntington a B- for the deadline because everyone knew he needed a couple of bats, and he got a couple of veterans without having to give up much.

The acquisitions really haven’t had much of a chance to be difference makers because, again, the pitching has been so bad. It’s incredible how baseball works sometimes. The pitching carried the team all season, and just when some moves are made to bolster the offense, the offense really doesn’t have much of a chance because the pitchers suddenly fall apart.

In your opinion, did the front office over-rate their own prospects as they dealt with possible trades? What trades did they turn down to retain prospects?

I don’t think so. There was no reason to trade a Jameson Taillon or Stetson Allie or Starling Marte unless the return was tremendous, and there didn’t appear to be any deals like that out there.

Maybe they could have gone hard after Hunter Pence, but it probably would have taken Taillon and Marte for that, and given that the club was already starting to fall back in the race, that wouldn’t have been a good move.

Alvarez is still struggling at the plate. What’s the issue there and can this get resolved this season?

Pedro is overmatched right now at the major league level. That’s obvious to everyone.

The organization needs to tread very carefully with him right now. As long as he can at least stay afloat to some degree, then it’s best to keep him in the majors for at-bats so he can get the experience.

However, if he keeps flailing at pitches and striking out a ton and drops into the .170 range, it can do a lot of damage to his confidence. We’re getting closer and closer to September, so I’m not sure what good it would do to send him to Triple-A for a week or two and then call him back up. I can see, though, platooning him so he doesn’t have to face lefties or pitchers with pinpoint control who can eat him up on the inner part
of the plate.

Marte seems to be a player without a position when it comes to the Pirates, as a centerfielder, as he’ll always be stuck behind McCutchen. Should they consider trading him for other positional talent?

Marte is a very good player with a lot of skills who looks like he can be a solid everyday big leaguer.

But he probably will never be as good as Andrew McCutchen, so the Pirates have a very big decision on their hands at some point. I think McCutchen will be moved to a corner spot as his power continues to develop, which can save his body some wear and tear, and that would open up a spot for Marte in center.

But Marte also is behind both Alex Presley and Jose Tabata, so those will be tough decisions dividing up playing time. I would expect one of the three to be traded at some point.

In order, I’d keep Marte, then Presley and then Tabata. I’ve long questioned how effective Tabata can be as a corner outfielder until he develops some kind of power, plus he’s not as good of a pure hitter as Presley.

How have the pitching phenoms looked – Taillon, Allie and Heredia so far? Any cause for heightened optimism or concern yet?

There should be major concern for Allie, even though it’s just his first year.

People I trust have told me he doesn’t know where the ball was going when it left his hand for the State College Spikes, and he doesn’t have a long history of being a pitcher to fall back on to give him confidence.

The Pirates fell in love with his power arm and gave him a big contract, and that is highly suspect given that he had not pitched much as an amateur. Just because a guy throws 100 mph doesn’t mean he can do anything as a pitcher. It’s way, way too early to give up on Allie, and he will be given every opportunity to improve his command for several years.

As for Heredia, he’s so young and it’s so early in his career that he still has a ton to learn about being a pitcher and facing professional hitters. Stats don’t mean anything for him at this point given that he only turned 17 on Aug. 10.

Looking at this team next season, what does this team look like to you? What changes can you see that can help this team further improve, and who will be ready to contribute from the minor leagues next season?

The easy answer is that the team will be better, based on improvements from this year.

But I don’t think it’s that simple.

Can Kevin Correia match what he did the first half of this year? Can Jeff Karstens or Charlie Morton?

I doubt Paul Maholm will be around because the Pirates should not spend $9.75 million on his option.

The point is, there’s no telling what will happen to the pitching staff next year or if all of this we saw this season was a one-time blip that provides false hope. Now, the offense should be better, and it’s unlikely there will be as many injuries as there have been this season. So the younger players will still be developing and coming into their own. Also, Pedro Alvarez simply can’t be any worse than he’s been this year, so that’s somewhat of a positive.

As far as minor leaguers being ready to help, I’d say Brad Lincoln will have to be given a shot in the rotation, and maybe Rudy Owens can make a push, although he hasn’t been as good as everyone hoped this season in Triple-A.

Changing gears a bit, you’ve also written a book – “They Know Joe: Behind-The-Scenes Paterno Stories From Those Who Watched His Legend Grow”” – what inspired you to write the book and how can readers purchase it?

I co-authored the book with my colleague at the Altoona Mirror, Neil Rudel, and we had a blast.

It’s a collection of personal stories from all kinds of sports figures about Joe Paterno. We reached out to people from across the sports world who have known Joe for a long time and got them to share their favorite memories and personal anecdotes about the Penn State coach.

We have forewords from President George H.W. Bush and Bobby Bowden, plus chapters on people such as Dan Rooney, Lou Holtz, Kerry Collins, John Clayton, Johnny Majors, Vince Dooley, Beano Cook, Chris Fowler and many, many others.

The book is available at AltoonaMirror.com and by calling 1-800-222-1962.

What surprised you most about Paterno as you researched and (co) wrote the book?

It wasn’t exactly a surprise, but everyone — and I mean everyone — has a story they enjoy telling about Joe.

The man has been a legend for so long and has touched so many people that they all appreciate the opportunity to share their memories. It was fun contacting big-name people around the country and have them be willing to take part in our book.

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Jerry DiPaola – On 1994-2004 Steelers and Pitt Panthers

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Jerry DiPaola, Trib Total Media, On 1994-2004 Steelers and Pitt Panthers (April 27, 2011)

Steelers:

Who have been some of the most interesting characters on the Steelers teams you covered from 1994-2004, and what made them so? Any examples?

One of my all-time favorite Steelers is a guy who spent only a few years here, running back Duce Staley. Very interesting guy, who abruptly ended an interview one day, and gave you enough time to write a book the next.

One day, I arrived late to his locker stall after a game and by that time Duce had had enough. He saw I was disappointed, but he was through for the day and wouldn’t give me even a brief comment. The next day, a Steelers PR guy summons me and says Duce wants to see me in the cafeteria. He saw I had been shut out the day before and wanted to make amends. We talked for an hour, just the two of  us. I thought that was a great thing for him to do, and something most athletes never would consider in similar circumstances.

Another good guy is Duval Love, an offensive linemen from the 1990s. Duval was near the end of his career when I wrote he was in danger of getting cut. The next day at training camp, a Steelers PR guy said, “Jerry, Duval wants to talk to you.” I met him in a meeting room in one of the St. Vincent College dormitories after practice and when he walked in and saw me sitting there waiting for him, he said, “Don’t worry, I’m not going to hit you.”

We talked for an hour and he told me how hurt he was by what I wrote and we ironed out our differences.

There also have been many, many standup guys, including Jerome Bettis, Kordell Stewart (one of the nicest guys on the team), Jim Sweeney, Dermontti Dawson and Mike Tomczak. Joey Porter was another favorite because he just didn’t know how to shut up. Gotta love those kinds of guys.

No one tops Dan Rooney for cooperation, however. And I don’t think I’ve ever interviewed anyone smarter than Tom Donahoe and Kevin Colbert.

The Steelers came so close to so many Super Bowl wins and appearances in the 90’s. How did Cowher and the team handle those frustrations?  How did Coach Cowher and the team pull through those too-frequent failures to win it all when they were consistently so close? Who else led the team through these frustrations?

Bill Cowher had a special talent for keeping a team focused, no matter what was happening around it and what had happened the day before, the week before or the season before. He put a chip on his shoulder when things were going bad and just dared anyone — the other team, the fans, the media — to knock it off.

The Steelers were very talented while he was coach and he knew it, but he never let the disappointment of a bitter defeat get in the way of his goal.

The Steelers lost AFC Championship games for many reasons, including special teams failures, the inability to make a big play at the right time and the fact that the Patriots and Broncos were just better. But they never lost because Cowher didn’t have them ready to play.

Cowher also had a lot of good leaders on his teams, including Rod Woodson, Carnell Lake, Bettis, Dawson and Hines Ward. Men with strong wills and good heads on their shoulders.

Did you ever get a sense from players that they felt the team too often played “not-to-lose” instead of “to win”? Were there ever any vocalized issues with the offensive strategies among players?

Playing not-to-lose is not how I would characterize the way Cowher coached. Before the loss to the Chargers in the AFC Championship Game after the 1994 season, Cowher had found a way to win that worked and was of no mind to stray from it in a big game. To me, that is a sensible way of doing things. The problem was that the Chargers hit one or two more big plays than the Steelers did.

A decade later, Cowher finally had a quarterback he trusted to make big plays and he opened up the offense for Ben Roethlisberger in the playoffs. Cowher trusted Ben more than he did Neil O’Donnell, for obvious reasons.

Ben is a great quarterback; O’Donnell was a good one, on his best days.

I truly can’t remember anyone vocalizing their complaints about the offense.

What memories stand out to you most about those teams? Any experiences/inside stories that would give readers a good feel for the locker room antics or player relationships?

I was once in the middle of a locker room fight. It was during spring drills in 2000, the final year at Three Rivers Stadium. One day, linebacker Earl Holmes gave running back Richard Huntley a shove as Huntley ran through the line n a non-contact drill. Huntley turned and threw the ball at Holmes. OK. That was no big deal.

But when three of us were circling Huntley after practice to ask him about the encounter, poor Richard’s eyes got as big as saucers because behind us was Earl, looking for restitution. Earl pushed me out the way and started going after Richard. Several players jumped in and a melee ensued right there in the locker room. Running back Chris Fuamatu-Ma’afala tried to be a peacemaker and ended up with a black eye and at one point linebacker Jason Gildon raised a stool and started swinging it over his head while shouting, “You want some, I got some.” Whatever that means.

But that was the extent of it. No one really got hurt. Someone ran down the hall to get Cowher and when he arrived, that was the end of that.

But it did make for an interesting story in the next day’s paper.

You covered the Steelers after Roethlisberger’s rookie season.  What was Ben like as a rookie – any indications of who he was as a person then and of just how good he could be on the field? How did other players react to him? How did he react to the veterans/team leaders?

I became the Trib’s high school sports editor, a position I held until 2010. I am now a general assignment writer with a lot of college football and Pittsburgh Power responsibilities.

From what I could tell, Ben had a lot of friends on the team. I remember he and Bettis making plans for a big night out n New York after a Giants game, limo, dinner, things like that.

There were several indications of how good he could be — the Steelers won a lot of games with him at quarterback, and he made a lot of big plays to make that happen.  And that was in his rookie year.

Who were the locker-room leaders on those team and what players kept the team loose? How did they do so? Were there ever rifts in the locker room that you were aware of and who were the “cliques.”

Bettis was a great leader because everyone respected him. He would engage in lots of locker-room banter and was truly one of the guys, but everyone knew he was different. His shoulders were the broadest and he didn’t mind carrying the team. A true professional.

Joey Porter and Lee Flowers were other very vocal team leaders, who backed up what they were saying on the field.

Pitt Panthers:

How has the new coaching staff looked so far? Is the team adjusting as well as it needs to yet and how is the coaching staff doing in preparing this team?

Todd Graham is a good man and, I think, he will be a good coach at Pitt. He means what he says and is honest and sincere about his beliefs. Players recognize that and will play hard for him. But they also adored Dave Wannstedt and played hard for him, and it didn’t matter.

Wannstedt was forced out because he couldn’t win enough big games. Graham will be judged like any coach — on how many Ws he earns.

I believe the team will adjust to the new coaching staff and its new ideas, but it might take a season or two. I still think they can win enough games to get to a BCS game this season because the Big East just isn’t especially challenging, and there is a lot of talent on both the offense and defensive lines.

Is Graham as good of a coach as he is a salesman?

I don’t know yet until we get deep into the season. He looks to be a good coach, and his staff is very professional and very energetic. But it’s too hard to tell by watching practice for an hour a day.

How is this season’s recruiting class and how much of an impact has Graham been able to have on it considering his late arrival? What players should excite fans the most?

There are a lot of speed guys in the 2011 recruiting class, and I will be interested in seeing the running backs — all five of them. Pitt needs depth at that position, and Graham may have to lean on his freshmen to find it.

Graham did the best he could to salvage the class, and I know for a fact that he and his coaches worked hard to keep it together. It doesn’t look great on paper, but let’s see how these players actually perform in games before judging the class.

Can Sunseri be an elite Big East QB and run Graham’s hi-octane offense successfully?

Yes and yes.

It’s the Big East, after all. Tino doesn’t have to be Dan Marino.

That said, Tino is a smart kid with a lot of heart and a good arm. He wants to win and, I think, he will win. There will
be growing pains, and the fans must be patient. But Tino has a good chance of succeeding because he wants it so desperately.

What are going to be the strengths and weaknesses of this team?

Depth could be a problem at running back, wide receiver and in the secondary. But the starters are good enough, if they stay healthy.

The defensive line can be very good, maybe even elite, in time. I am eager to see Tyrone Ezell, freshman K.K. Mosley-Smith and Aaron Donald develop over the next few years, but seniors Chas Alecxih and Myles Caragein are also excellent.

Who are the locker-room leaders on this team and what players keep the team loose?

Wide receiver Cameron Saddler will keep the team loose because of his outgoing and fun-loving personality. Tino Sunseri will be the leader because if he isn’t, Graham doesn’t want him as the starting quarterback.

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Tom Elling – Pennsylvania Football News

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Tom Elling – Pennsylvania Football News  (April 23,  2011):

First., can you tell readers how you got started covering PA high school football and what they should expect from your coverage in the upcoming weeks?

I’ve always had a keen interest in sport, especially at the high school level. In the early 90’s at the PIAA wrestling, I brought
up the idea of a state high school football newspaper to my college buddy Rich Vetock.

He loved the idea and we published the first ever state high school newspaper we called Pennsylvania Football News.

In 1999, we decided it would be more expedient to drop the hardcopy version and go entirely on the web. I had earlier developed the nation’s first ever high school wrestling website. We have been going strong.  Right now we are gathering the complete schedules for this fall. Our PFN site (www.pafootballnews.com) site attracts millions of viewers from many states. We are eager to get better each year.  We have so many contributors that I can’t name them all. But I do appreciate each and every one of them.

What are some of the services you offer readers and coaches and who’s a typical reader of the publication/site?

We provide a weekly scoreboard that includes EVERY high school football game played each weekend. It includes their classification, W-L record, and District.

We also highlight players across the state each week in our Stat Stars pages. Every player who rushes for 200 yards or more, passes for same, received 100 yards or more, etc., we highlight.

We also provide a PFN/Coaches All-State Team for all four classifications (4-teams deep).

What have been some of the most interesting stories you have covered and/or remember on PA high school football?

There are so many but one of the tops was the great Manheim Central vs Pine Richland when Neil Walker (now of the Pirates) played. The game was played in a virtual blizzard and it went into overtime. A blocked extra point won the game for Manheim.

Also an exciting time was when Robbie Gould (now a kicker for the Chicago Bears) kicked the winning FG for the Big 33 to beat Ohio. The snap was high but Ed Hinkel (Erie Prep then Iowa) put it down and Robbie got it through.

Who are some of the elite PA high school football players we should be paying attention to this season?

Probably the top two would be Brendan Nosovitch, QB at PIAA Champion Allentown Central Catholic and Hopewell’s RB Rushel Shell.

Also we expect great things from Upper St Clair’s Dakota Conwell, Luke Hagy (Mt. Lebanon), Josh Stepoli , OL from Greensburg Central Catholic. Woody High’s Mike Caprara (LB), PCC’s Anthony Nixon (RB), and Robert Foster (DB/WR) for Central Valley should have great years.

Do Pitt, PSU and WVU have chances at any of these elite players?

I think the vast majority of these players will be outstanding prospects for all three. We noticed Steve Slaton from Conwell Egan a few years back. He proved to be a great back for WVU and now in the pros. All three could use a QB with the skills Nosovitch has. He may be the most difficult to land.

How does the college recruiting process work – any interesting stories/recruiting techniques you’ve learned of over the years?

The recruiting process has become more of a science with the advancement of technology.

Coaches/parents routinely make highlight DVDs and can ship them off to colleges and universities. But it still boils down to high recommendations from former players and the coaches actually going to watch the player on every down. They look a lot at what the player does when he isn’t directly involved in a play or if he is consistent.

Should college football players get paid – what are your thoughts/opinions on this?

I vacillate on this more than a wishy-washy politician. But I tend to side with not paying the athletes. They do get scholarships, books, etc. So that is something.

I guess my reason for allowing some leeway is for those players who have a family emergency and the school cannot assist him in getting home.

Who have been the most impressive PA high school football players you remember over the past 10 years and what made them so?

Terrell Pryor was electric. No on could get a clean shot on him.

Stevie Breaston wans’t big but he could sure scoot. LaSean McCoy was a dangerous back but the GREAT Pittsburgh Central Catholic defense controlled him in a playoff game at Altoona’s Mansion Park during their run in 2004.

Eugene Jarvis was a jitterbug. Loved to see him carry the ball. In high school. Austin Scott looked like the next Gale Sayers, but he fizzled out in college. Chad Henne was also fun to watch. He was rock solid.. and of course Billy Stull, Tyler Palko and Bruce Gradkowski – all provided thrills with their passing abilities.

Which area players have made it to the NFL over the past 5-10 years that you remember covering – did any surprise you, if so, how?

Robby Gould, Jon Condo, Steve Breaston, Steve Slaton, Sean Lee, LaRod Stephens-Howling, Chad Henne, Darrell Revis, Ryan Mundy, Paul Poluszny, and Kevin Jones.

None were really surprises.. You could say LaRod Stephens-Howling size was against him and Jon Condo made it as a long-snapper.

Do college and NFL teams ever consult with you and/or use your information when evaluating players?

We’ve been contacted by both college and pro coaches as well as several media outlets. Basically, we provide a service for the under-the-radar players.

Everyone is aware of the ‘blur-chippers.’ Many of the smaller programs have told us they found out about players through our publications.

Many of these kids are going go offseason camps to improve their physical abilities. What are your thoughts on them doing so at the high school  level and do you see them losing the appreciation for technique as they look to impress colleges with their physical measurables?

I think kids need to be kids.

We sometimes try to push them way too much. I am not a big fan of kids going to college the last half of their senior year in high school. I am also against the NCAA wanting to rush their seasons. All-Star games such as the Big 33 suffer.  

A week at a camp would be fine but some spend much more time and money. 
 
If you had one piece of advice for a high school football player – what would it be?

Prepare yourself academically. It is great to have the college football experience, but that won’t last forever and at any time an injury could cause the time you are planning on to be curtailed. No one can take away your education.

Who are some of the best high school coaches in Pennsylvania – and have any area high school coaches made it to the NFL ranks recently?

There are so many. Naturally, winning guys like Mike Pettine (CB West), George Curry (Berwick), and George Chaump have to be in anyone’s TOP listing. Guys like George Novak, who produces top players year-after-year would be in the list. Art Walker had done well at his stops.  Mike Williams of Manheim Central has been in PIAA playoffs year-after-year.

And guy like Bob Palko, Joe Hamilton, and Jim Render out your way have been more than competitive year in and out.  There are so many more I could mention, but I truly feel the real success of a coach is what kind of citizens his players become.

Mike Pettine, Jr. is the defensive coordinator for the NY Jets. We knew Mike way back when he was at North Penn trying to beat his dad’s CB west teams.

Any other thoughts for readers?

I think we in Pennsylvania are fortunate to have the quality of football for so many years.

The outstanding thing about any sport is the many friends you make. This is especially true in football. I’ve come to know such guys as Mike Ditka, Joe Namath, Bill Contz, Mike Reid, Foge Fazio, and many others because of my involvement in football.

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Tim Williams, Pirates Prospects

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Tim Williams, Pirates Prospects (August 11,  2011):

First, can you tell readers about your Piratesprospects.com web site – how it got started and what your plans are for it moving forward?

I started Pirates Prospects in January 2009.  At the time it was called BUCCO Fans.  I was writing for a company called AccuScore, providing content to ESPN, USA Today, Yahoo Sports, and Versus on the NFL, NHL, and MLB.  For obvious reasons, I didn’t get a lot of opportunities to talk about the Pirates.  

I also noticed a lot of the same questions being asked on Pirates forums: how many options does Player A have?  What’s the contract status of Player B?  And then there were the general questions about the prospects.  

At the time, I lived close to Lynchburg, which was home to the high-A team.  I figured I could provide some first hand reports on the players coming in to the system, and answer all of the contract questions, since I love researching the rules of baseball.

Going forward, I’ve got big plans for the site.  It’s already a credentialed media outlet with every level in the Pirates’ system, but my goal is to make it the top outlet for all Pirates news.  

I’m planning on covering the MLB Winter Meetings this off-season from Dallas, and I’ll be down in Spring Training next year for the entire month of March.  

When I started the site, I didn’t think there was any way it would be a full time job.  We’ve seen over a million hits in the last two months, and at this point I’m not putting any limitations on what the site can one day be.  

I always say thank you to the readers, and that’s not just a token thanks.  I can’t really express how much the support shown to the site has meant to me.

How do you think Clint Hurdle has handled what might be his first big challenge as the Pirates manager – i.e. the big losing streak?

I think the real impact will be displayed over the next few weeks.  

They rebounded well in the last few games, taking the series against the San Francisco Giants on the road.  They have a very tough schedule coming up, and a lot of people have pretty much written them off because of the losing streak.  

They can make a big statement with how they rebound from the losing streak over the next few weeks.  They’re off to a good start.

How has the team dealt with it – do they seem to be playing with the same fire/energy -was .500 a rallying cry?

When you think about it, what this team has gone through this year has been pretty impressive.  

Their expected top hitter, Pedro Alvarez, has had an extremely disappointing season.  Their other top hitters,Neil Walker, Jose Tabata, and Andrew McCutchen, have had periods of inconsistent play.  Their top starter from the last two seasons, Ross Ohlendorf, struggled early on and has been injured all year.  They played a third of the season with catchers six and seven on their depth chart.  Two of their big free agent additions on offense were big disappointments.  They’ve lost Ronny Cedeno twice due to injury, which is a big loss considering his defense, and considering that the pitching staff has been carrying the team.

It’s impressive that the team has managed to overcome all of that, while plugging in replacements from AAAwith little to no major league experience, and keeping things together until late-July/early-August.  

I don’t think .500 was really a goal, and it shouldn’t be, but it would definitely be nice to see for the fans, and I think the team has a good shot with a lot of their injured players set to return soon.

 Do you feel the All-Star break hurt this team in cutting short the momentum and focus it had?

I think you could make that argument for some players.  Andrew McCutchen has certainly struggled since the break.  However, the team won four out of five coming out of the break, and took sole possession of first place for the first time all year.  

I think a better focus point would be the injuries to Alex Presley and Chase d’Arnaud.  They were providing a spark at the top of the lineup that really seemed to disappear during the losing streak.
 
In discussing prospects, which “under-the-radar” prospects do you think will surprise fans next season and make it to the big leagues?

I always have a hard time figuring out who is “under-the-radar”, mostly because no one is under the radar to me.  

I think if we’re talking about someone who is under the radar to casual fans and national media, it could be Matt Curry.  He dominated the South Atlantic League, and after some early struggles, has done well in the Eastern League at the AA level.  Curry is a left handed hitting first baseman who gets his value from his bat, hitting with power to all fields.  If he continues hitting in the upper minors like he has been over the last month, I wouldn’t be surprised to see him as the starting first baseman by mid-season 2012.

Curry definitely isn’t under the radar for anyone following Pirates Prospects. A guy who might be under the radar, even to my readers, could be Jared Hughes.  He’s been quietly putting up a strong season out of the bullpen this year, recently flashing a 96 MPH sinker in AAA.  

I saw Hughes a lot in 2010, mostly as a starter, but also saw him hitting 94 as a reliever.  He’s a guy who could provide strong depth out of the bullpen next year, and with a 96 MPH sinker, he might even emerge as a potential late inning reliever.
 
Indianapolis’ Hague seems to be hitting well again. Could he be the Pirates 1B of the future? If not, why? And if so, what does he still need to work on?

I’ve always seen Hague as having the ceiling of an average major league starter.  He’s hit for average at every level, gets on base at a strong rate, plays great defense at first base, and has good gap power, with 15 HR a year potential.  

The downside is that he struggles against left handers, which might limit his average in the majors.  You also want to see more power from your first baseman.  Hague does have power, but it’s shown more as gap power, with a lot of doubles.  

I’ve already mentioned Matt Curry.  He’s got home run power, plus he’s left handed, which might play better at PNC Park.  Hague would have been an upgrade this year over Lyle Overbay, but he ranks third or fourth on our depth chart for first base prospects in the Pirates’ system.

How does Sterling Marte fit on this squad? Is he a man without a position with McCutchen in center field?

We came in to the season higher on Marte than anyone else, having him as our number two overall prospect.  He’s got the defensive skills – speed, range, arm strength – to move McCutchen over to left field.  That wouldn’t be a bad thing for McCutchen, as left field needs a guy with his range.  

The question for Marte is really about his bat, and whether he can hit for average and add some power.  He answered a lot of questions this year by hitting for average in AA, and even showing some power.  

The biggest concern comes with his low walk rates, and high strikeout rates.  We’re not as concerned, since he’s lowered his strikeouts to an acceptable rate, and his speed allows him to bunt his way on base and beat out infield singles, keeping his average high and making up for the lack of walks.

There seem to be conflicting reports on Taillon. Is his record/ERA indicative of his play, or is there more to that? Some reporters say he’s widely inaccurate, others not….

I’ve seen Taillon several times this year, and have spoken with a few scouts about him.  His stats don’t Really tell the story.

I talked about this last week on the site.  I spoke with an American League scout who said Taillon has the best curveball in the game, Major Leagues included.  Combine that with his upper 90s fastball, and you potentially have one of the best combinations in the game.  

The key for Taillon will be whether he can drive the ball down through the zone.  He’s been leaving his fastball up, and even a 98 MPH fastball is going to get hit when it’s coming in chest high.  If he can learn to put the ball low around the knees, he could become a very dangerous pitcher.  

He’s still young, and is working on some minor adjustments to make these things happen.  Those adjustments might hurt the stats now, but they’ll help down the line when it matters: in the majors.
 
Sanchez is still struggling in the minor leagues. What’s the issue behind his hitting woes – are the past injuries still affecting him?

At this point I think the biggest issue is that Sanchez is pressing.  

It’s hard to say what made the struggles start up.  The jump to AA is the hardest for hitters, but Sanchez was also coming off of an injury.  The biggest concern is the total lack of power.  Ultimately Sanchez will be valuable because of his defense behind the plate, which hasn’t struggled nearly as much as his offense has.  

However, his power and hitting skills will determine whether he’s an average catcher with strong defense, or a potential All-Star catcher.  It would be nice to see him get his hitting back on track, as the Pirates don’t have any other starting options in the upper levels.

Do you think the Pirates sign their first and second round picks Cole and Bell? How are the odds l ooking for both prospects to sign?

I think they will definitely sign Cole.  

As for Bell, I don’t think anyone really knows.  In either case, we won’t know until August 15th around midnight.  I’ve always been skeptical about Bell and the talk that there’s zero chance of signing him.  If that’s the case, why hire Scott Boras as an adviser?  Why not see if MLB can remove you from the draft?  

I don’t think he’s a guaranteed sign by any means, but if he does sign, I won’t be surprised.

And is there more PR pressure to sign them now in the midst of the team’s downward spiral?

I think the biggest PR pressure will be with Bell.  

From what I’ve seen, people understand that if they don’t sign him, it will be because he truly didn’t want to go pro right now, and wanted to go to college instead.  

The issue, and it’s something we’ve already started to see, is the talk that it was a mistake to draft Bell in the first place.  I don’t see it as a mistake.  It’s a high risk/high reward type move.  It’s the same approach the Pirates have been taking the last few years with guys like Stetson Allie, Zack Von Rosenberg, Robbie Grossman, and Colton Cain.  They’ve been going after guys with strong commitments to college, and trying to lure them away with over-slot bonuses.  Bell just happens to have the strongest commitment yet.

 Any other thoughts for readers?

Having seen pretty much every player in the system over the last few years, I really think things are starting to look up for the Pirates.  We’re starting to see that this year with how the team has performed, even with all of the obstacles they’ve faced.  

I think we’ll start to see more prospects make the jump to the majors in the next few years.  The highlight will be Jameson Taillon, and Gerrit Cole after he gets in the system.  But I think we could also see some good things from people like Curry, Marte, and Robbie Grossman.  

It’s definitely a fun time to be covering the minor league system.

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Corey Pronman Hockey Prospectus

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Corey Pronman, Hockey Prospectus (September 6, 2011)

First, can you tell readers about Hockey Prospectus, how it got started and what readers should expect from your site over the next few months.

Well I wasn’t an original member of Hockey Prospectus– I joined the site in late 2009 whereas the site launched in early ‘09. While I am the prospect expert for the site regularly providing scouting and player development insight on the prospect world, the website is mainly one dedicated to statistical analysis in the sport of hockey.

Our writers are provide very quality work in the field of advanced hockey analysis, and we have our own proprietary metrics such as Goals Versus Threshold (GVT) which is a hockey version of baseball’s Wins Above Replacement but with goals instead of wins.

We also have a top of the line projection system in the sport called VUKOTA which provides projections for Goals Versus Threshold on top of your usual stats.  
 
Recently, you ranked the Penguins organization 25th in the NHL in terms of prospects (//www.puckprospectus.com/article.php?articleid=1044). Where do you see the organization lacking and how did this year’s draft help?

They lack a top-end prospect in the system that’s truly an anchor youngster. There’s talent, but not elite talent.

The system’s depth is good, if not above-average, but asides from Morrow, Despres and Kuhnhackl there’s not much top 6 F/top 4 D projection in that system. Beau Bennett has that upside, but I’m not that sold on him– for reasons I explain in the Penguins system profile.

The Pens draft was alright. They didn’t have many picks, Harrington I though was a decent pick where they got him, but getting Joe Morrow in the 20’s was excellent value. If it wasn’t for Joe Morrow, the Pens system may have been ranked a few spots lower. 
 
You rate Morrow as the top prospect of the organization – what impresses you most about the young defenseman to rank him higher than players like Despres?

His hockey sense definitely separates him from Despres as for Morrow it’s a clear strength, while for Despres it’s still a part of his game that holds him back. Morrow’s possession skills are top-end as he’s a tremendous puck-mover and thinker.

His skating is also very good. The physical part of his game raises some concerns, but the game revolves around possession and player’s possession skills and Morrow has a ton of those.

Despes has tremendous tools as he’s big, skates well, has good puck skills etc. but he’s still a bit of a project despite his great QMJHL season. I’d say both of Morrow and Despres’ ceilings are equivalent, but I have a bit more confidence in Morrow’s projection. 
 
 You also have Kuhnhackl ranked surprisingly high, at least to some. What do you see in his game and will he crack this Penguins lineup this season?

Kuhnhackl was seen as a potential first round pick at the beginning of the 2010 draft season, but his development stalled playing in Germany.

However his play in the OHL this year was nothing short of stellar, and had many scouts saying he looked like the player some thought he could be back in 2009. He’s a very skilled all-around player as he can skate, handle the puck, thinks the game well and shows a good physical work ethic.  

I doubt he makes the team, just because he has a lot of bulking up left to do. 
 
Conversely, Tangradi’s stock seems to be slipping as he struggles to take that next step. What’s missing in his game?

I personally think expectations were set too high for Tangradi, he’s progressed about what I’ve expected from him. He’s an okay 2nd liner/good 3rd line type of player as he’s a big man, will bang bodies, and has fine offensive skills.

His skating holds back his potential mostly.  

Which of the Penguins prospects has the greatest upside and potential to surprise, in your opinion?

I really like Kenneth Agostino. I tabbed him with a third line ceiling in my Penguins write up, but he’s progressed well over the summer and looked very good at the USA Under-20 camp. He had a great Freshman season and could be set to take the next step.

Pure upside is Simon Despres, but if I had to bet on who becomes the best player, it would be Joe Morrow.  

The Penguins signed Steve Sullivan this offseason. What can fans expect from Sullivan – can he be the 30-goal scoring winger this team seems to look for each season?

He’s in the tail-end of his career.

On a top team like the Penguins, he’s not a top-six player. His possession game last year was below-average, despite being relatively guarded in terms of his usage such as which zones he started in at even strength and the quality of competition he faced. He can still score when he gets his chances, which is nice, but the talent of being able to generate quantity of shots which is much more important has faded.

Speaking of new Penguins wingers, Neal seemed to do everything for the Penguins but score goals. What was the issue with him last season?

He was so, so unlucky. His shooting percentage 1.9% in Pittsburgh, as opposed to 13.1% the same season in Dallas. He’s a career 12.5% shooter too.

Research has shown shooting percentage tends to fluctuate like crazy and is mostly luck dependent than actual skill. If Neal gets 200 shots or more like he has the past two seasons he’ll score around 25 goals for Pittsburgh.
 
The Flyers and Capitals were very active this offseason. How do the Penguins match up with these teams now?

The Caps are the top guns in the conference as they’re stacked all-around.

I’m sure Pens fans are well aware of this, but if the Pens want to be a top player, it all revolves about the health of their top two guns especially Crosby. The Flyers took a step back, as they got NHL talent, but with a focus on future talent. Putting all their eggs in a basket with a goalie is usually a mistake, because goalie production is volatile and unpredictable, even for the best like Bryzgalov. 
 
Focusing on the league – any thoughts on any of the new ideas stemming from this year’s Research, Development and Orientation Camp?

No idea. I talked to a few sources about the event, but as one pro scout told me, “This camp is 80% about scouting prospects and 20% about the development ideas.”

I focus on the 80%.  

Any last thoughts for readers?

Be sure to stay tuned this summer for our annual yearbook Hockey Prospectus 2011-12 which will be available in mid-September. It will have detailed team essays for all 30 clubs with some of the best analysis in the business, on top of the VUKOTA projections for every player in the league.

It will also include a couple of research essays, and my Top 100 NHL Prospects.  

Thank you!

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Aaron Schatz – Football Outsiders

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Aaron Schatz, Football Outsiders  (May 5, 2011)

First, can you tell readers about your site – your focus, how it got started and what readers should expect over the coming weeks/months?

Hey. We consider Football Outsiders to be the site for the intelligent football fan. (The place where nobody writes MY TEAM RULEZZZZZZ with six Z’s.)

It started with advanced statistics for the NFL, similar to what folks like Bill James and Baseball Prospectus had been doing for baseball, and that’s still the centerpiece of our work. However, we also do tape study, write humor and fantasy football columns, and last year we added a weekly column about offensive line technique. We also have been expanding our coverage of college football over the last couple years with new writers and new metrics. And of course we have discussion threads on all our articles, and they get pretty active and interesting. With, as noted earlier, a limited number of “Z’s.”

I got started as just a normal fan who just had some questions about the game, and I ended up putting together some numbers so I could answer them. Once I had some numbers, I created some new metrics and we ended up putting a website together.

We got lucky in the timing, because this was right after Michael Lewis had written Moneyball and everyone went out there on the Internet looking for “the Moneyball of ____.” If you looked for the Moneyball of football, there we were. Once we had been publicized to people, my readership grew and really good writers started coming out of the woodwork, guys who had been waiting years to write for a site like this.

Over the next few weeks or months, readers should expect… more of the same stuff they always love! I don’t really have anything fascinating and new to report. We’re mostly sitting around right now trying to figure out how on earth to write our usual preseason book when there hasn’t been any free agency yet.

We’ll still get Football Outsiders Almanac 2011 out there, we’re just not sure when.

By your metrics who would you have tagged – Lamarr Woodley or Ike Taylor. And why?

From a business point of view, I would have tagged Taylor, and here’s why: When it was time to lay out franchise tags, it seemed likely that there would be some kind of labor impasse. The most likely result of a labor impasse would be to continue the free agency rules of 2010 if there is some sort of court decision that ends the lockout and forces the owners to start the league year without a new CBA.

Lamarr Woodley has four years of experience, which means under those rules he would not need to be Franchised, he would be a restricted free agent. The same would be true if they had negotiated a new CBA and had the rules say that you needed either five or six years for unrestricted free agency.

However, if we were working under the old rules where you COULD get unrestricted free agency after four years, then I would have tagged Woodley. He’s younger and still may be growing as a player.

Taylor, on the other hand, isn’t getting any better. He’s a good cornerback, but not a great one. And when you play primarily zone coverage — the Steelers mostly play Cover-3 behind those blitzes they run — your pass rushers are more important than your cornerbacks. (At least, I think so; if you look at this year’s New England draft, Bill Belichick seems to disagree with me.)

Which teams have more success in the NFL over the past few years – teams that run much more than pass or vice-versa – and why?

Passing is more successful than rushing, period. You need to have some balance, of course… that keeps the defense on its toes, it allows for play-action, it lets you convert short yardage — but in general, passing is more efficient and the best teams are those that pass best and stop the pass best.

What’s the best indicator of a successful quarterback? Yards-per-attempt, completion rate ….another?

If you are talking about standard stats, the answer is net yards per attempt — passing yards minus sack yards, divided by sacks plus attempts. 
 
What’s most over-rated and overpaid position in NFL in your opinion – and why?

Oh, that’s easy, running back.

The last few years have shown that there are only a handful of running backs who excel to such a level that it is worth paying them big money, and even then, running backs wear out much faster than players at most other positions.  

The difference between a good running back and an average running back isn’t that wide, and the success of the running game has a lot to do with other players, the linemen, rather than the running backs. Look at how many teams have been able to put together successful backfields without spending a lot of money — the Patriots, the Packers, the Broncos for all those years.

Conversely. What’s most Under-rated and underpaid position?

I would say probably nickelback. Last year, teams actually used three or four wide receivers more often than they used two wide receivers. You really need to have three starting-quality cornerbacks in today’s game, and it is worth paying a third cornerback to get a good one.
 
In your estimation, how successful are pass defenses that rely on blitzing? Do pass blitzes create more positives than negatives throughout the course of a game for a defense?

Yes, I think so. I think the worst strategy is to spend a lot of time rushing four, to be honest. If I were a defensive coordinator, I would alternate blitzes with heavy coverage plays that rushed only three. 
 
How important is time of possession? Do teams that win the time of possession battle usually win more often than lose – and is that changing with NFL rules making it easier for pass-oriented offenses?

Honestly, it’s not that important. What’s important is to score more points, and to gain more yards which leads to advantageous field position which in turn usually leads to scoring more points.

If you convert first downs, you’ll hold on to the ball longer, so of course a team which converts a lot of first downs will have good time of possession. But what’s important there isn’t the actual time of possession, it’s the process of converting first downs and getting four more opportunities to advance the ball and try to score.

How important is it really for teams to have big plays (40 yard or more gains) in games? Are big plays as important for example as turnovers or do teams win consistently without them?

To be honest, big plays are similar to turnovers in that both are examples of plays that are highly random even though there is some skill involved and talented teams will generally have more than less talented teams. You can win consistently without big plays if you are constantly matriculating the ball down the field and converting first downs to move the chains.

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Jim Wexell

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Jim Wexell Interview (January 29,  2011):

Where can fans find you  – online, in print and elsewhere?

I’m at SteelCityInsider.net.
 
Tell us about the books you’ve written – what have been your biggest takeaways from the books you wrote – what are some of the biggest things you learned and/or realized because you wrote these books?

I’ve written three books: Tales From Behind the Steel Curtain, Men of Steel, and Steeler Nation. The first two were for a publishing house that has since gone bankrupt and left a trail of I.O.U.s. Someone told me he bought one of them at Amazon for $70. Are you kidding me? Anyway, another publishing house is buying them and yhey’ll be made available at regular rates again.

I did Steeler Nation myself and it worked out. I had all the control and, frankly, made more money. I’m not telling you this to brag, I’m just taking a long time getting to the most important thing I’ve learned: If you think you can market it yourself on the Net, do it.

A photographer and I thought we had an agreement with Hines Ward to do his biography. Later, we found out Hines hired a writer from New York to do it. I heard Hines talking about it on the radio and so I asked him about it the next day. He said his agent hired the writer, that he thought it would be best for Hines to go with the people who did Bettis’s book, and that they’d be able to find a publishing house easier with this writer. I told Hines that sounds fine, but now he’ll be paying his agent, his writer, and his publishing house and to watch that he’s not left with a trail of IOUs some day.

I told him to watch out for this and that, told him he could’ve marketed it himself on the Net just as easily, and he said, “Man, we should sit down some day and go over this.” I told him he didn’t need to be adding me to his growing payroll. But my point is that I’ve learned this: Don’t let people steal your money!

As far as what I’ve learned about the Steelers, from my road trip book, I’ve learned about their families. I’ve become interested in them as people. Now when they see me coming in the locker room they don’t say, “Oh, what does this guy want from me now?” Because a lot of times we’re just shooting the breeze, whether it’s their brother, mother, or how their college football team did over the weekend. So that’s a tip for aspiring reporters to go along with the previous tip for aspiring authors. I feel bad for the 99 percent reading this who just want to know something about the dang team.

What would surprise fans most about this Steelers team?

And here’s where I don’t have anything for you. I would be surprised if Steelers fans can still be surprised. Since this is a Net interview, I’m sure these readers are the most-informed fans of this team. I’m sure they know everything that I do. I’ll hope to provide something in the coming questions.

What are some of the most memorable players and coaches you experienced covering the Steelers – and what made them so? Any experiences you can relate about those players?

I’ve covered them since 1995 and since 1998 I’ve been sharing my experiences every day. I really wouldn’t know where to begin to answer those questions.

To me, Anthony Madison is just as memorable as Greg Lloyd. I still think I see Corey Holliday in the cafeteria every day. Um, one image just flashed into my mind, was the way rookie Aaron Smith used to watch the media and team interact. He sat there alone, a mid-round rookie without any attention, and he was an eagle-eye. He’s since become a team spokesman with whom I have a great relationship.

I think about him when I see people like Jonathan Dwyer doing the same thing as a mid-round rookie these days. You have to be nice to begin relationships with even the most uninteresting rookie, because you never know who they’ll grow up to become. 
 
What are some of the most memorable experiences you had covering the Steelers – and what made them so?

I feel like James Harrison trying to dodge these questions because I don’t have the quick-twitch memory that so many of today’s best sportswriters have. Man, I could sit down with Vic Ketchman and listen to his detailed memories of the 70s Steelers for hours. Ed Bouchette’s the same way. Gerry Dulac. Dale Lolley. These are sharp people.

I’m not nearly in that realm, and that’s why I’m glad I’ve kept all my daily notes and quotes. My first day with Harrison was memorable. I asked him about Jack Lambert and the Kent State connection and Harrison, on his first day of spring camp as a rookie, blasted Lambert for never having come around. “You’re supposed to be this all-time great, but you never came around and blah, blah, blah …” Anyway, I asked James recently if he’s ever heard from, or met, any of the 70s linebackers. He told me he received a letter from Lambert after Harrison’s wrecked the Ravens in his great 2007 game, and he told me the letter meant a lot ot him. I was happy for James and for Lambert, who remains a literary idol of mine because of his prolific letter writing. It’s so old school and very cool and courteous and smart. I’ve got to write more letters to people when they do great things. I’ve got to be more like Jack Lambert.

We heard Tomlin speak out recently about media members revealing “in house” information. How do you draw the line between what you report on and what you decide not to report on?

My readers have been good about this. They understand I can’t report tactical information gleaned from practice, whether it be position changes, injury replacements, interesting plays, whatever. You know something can help the opposition when you see it. That I don’t — even in message board interaction — exploit this in order to get more subscribers, I think, is appreciated by the readers I already have. They appreciate that I’m not going to become sensationalistic to make sales; and I appreciate that they re-subscribe year after year so that I have a base that I can count on to eat. And I really don’t need to eat steak. I’m happy with salami sandwiches and the best office in the world — the press box.

Getting to the Green Bay game – how does this defense attack that explosive Green Bay offense – especially one that performs so well in a dome?

Hmmm. You think I’m smart, do you?

First, stop the run. I like what James Starks has brought to GB, but I believe he’s got a fumble in him with that large strike zone. He hasn’t done it yet, so that means he’s due. But don’t believe this team will Brady you with 40 consecutive passes. Play that run and look for blitz opportunities when they’re “behind the chains.” And keep sprinkling in that press man that seems to have become so useful since the Brady disaster at mid-season. Just keep doing what they’ve been doing.

On offense, what do you see as the biggest vulnerability of the Green Bay defense and how do you think the Steelers attack it?

I may have watched them twice this year. I usually ask these questions. By the numbers, they’re average against the run, but with Raji coming on strong (vs. a backup) and the Steelers having been so average with their run game, and their lack of patience with it, that won’t be the edge. I think it could be the short underneath stuff to all of those speed guys, and I’m including Heath Miller, an athletic TE. The Packers’ WRs may have the better reputation and numbers, but these Steelers WR are coming on, and they are fast — Mendenhall included.

How important is the fact that many of the Steelers players and coaches have been to the SB before – is that a decidedly large advantage or overplayed? And why?

Absolutely. Here’s another long, bore-ass story about myself: On Monday morning, before I even knew whether my wife and daughter would get tickets, I bought them airfare. I saved about $400 by doing that right away. On Tuesday, I e-mailed the league to confirm my media credential. They did not have it, so we began a 2-day process to get the paperwork done on that. On Wednesday, I called the hotel to confirm my reservation. They did not have that, so we began what’s now been a 4-day process to slash through that mound of paperwork. On Thursday, my 2 tickets were confirmed, so the airfare didn’t go for naught. Now, had I not covered 3 Super Bowls previously, I would’ve assumed all would’ve been taken care of. And next week I’d be living on some street in Forth Worth, and a couple grand to the bad. That’s just my story.

Think of that and add game preparations to the list. Experience is huge.

Who or what do you see being the “surprise” difference-maker in this game – for both teams – and why?

I’m worried about Andrew Quarless, the rookie TE from Penn State. I thought he was such a good player at PSU but knew he had too much baggage for the Steelers to draft this year.

And that gets me into another topic: It’s really pissing me off how lousy journalists are shaping the facts and ripping the Steelers as some kind of hypocrites because they project themselves as “a paragon of virtue” but yet are as dirty as the rest, and these hacks are shaping the myths surrounding Ben, Harrison, Hines etc. to their liking.

Well, the draft is the lifeblood of this team. And all of your readers know they’ve hurt themselves by consistently down-grading prospects who’ve been in trouble. At the Senior Bowl, Phil Taylor was the best player on the field. He was a man amongst boys.

Do you think the Steelers will get him? Not a chance. He was kicked out of Penn State and may as well have been kicked off the Steelers’ draft board. But the point is the draft is their lifeline and they do their best to draft good people (and it’s not for some altruistic aim that will surely please their owner; it’s because good people make for good teams, as evidenced). But anyway, because of Andrew Quarless, I can prove that the Steelers are indeed a paragon of virtue and screw anyone who has an agenda coming into their story or talk show and uses these myths as vindication

Whew. Thanks for letting me get that off my chest. As for your question, I see no surprises from the Steelers. I think it’s Ben’s MVP trophy to win or lose. 
 
A recent ESPN report says LeBeau could go to AZ next season when his contract expires – any accuracy there? What are your thoughts?

No. Arizona’s waiting on Keith Butler. The Steelers, intelligently, want to make sure LeBeau re-ups before giving Butler the OK to head west.

Its early, but still, what are the main priorities for this team in the offseason?

Forget about free agency because of the lockout. In the draft, it’s value, value, value. Any idiot like me can say they need another O-lineman or another cornerback, but as long as either position presents value they will remain the annual contender they’ve become. 
 
Pittsburgh has a new football team in the Pittsburgh Power – what do they have to do to win over Pittsburgh fans? What are your thoughts about this new team?

We who live in Pittsburgh will give our pocketbooks a rest until next September. Any new league needs to serve as some type of minor-league team for the Steelers for the discerning fan in these parts.

Any last thoughts for Pittsburgh Sports Daily Bulletin readers?

Sorry for going so long on some of these. As I said, there’s really not much more that can be known about the Steelers. Hope I didn’t bore you by talking so much about myself. Take care.

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