TAKEAWAYS

     Our Penguins have the night off. Our Pirates played their home Grapefruit League Opener this afternoon. Our Steelers are busy prepping for next month's draft. No games? No problem. Mrs. Black-N-Gold brings you another edition of Takeaways. These are the topics that just won't go away. They have all of Black-N-Gold Nation talking. Mrs. Black-N-Gold weighs in with her 2 cents today (it's all she can afford).

PENGUINS

Monday was the deadline for trades across the NHL. Aside from a minor trade (a trade of minor league players, including C Dustin Jeffrey's return to the Black-N-Gold) the Pens made nary a sound. They weren't the only team that didn't pull the trigger on a big deal. Outside of the defending Stanley Cup champion Blackhawks, hardly any moves were made. According to Pens GM (Trader) Jim Rutherford, the asking price from the sellers was just too high. Who wants to mortgage more of the future for a 2-month rental? Especially when some of the youngsters (Murray, Pouiliot, etc. )are finally getting playing time in Pittsburgh and looking good in the process. Kudos to Trader Jim. And with Malkin and Cullen back and Fehr, Lovejoy and Bennett(?) expected back, it will be like the Pens made some trades anyway. Now just get on a good run all the way to Lord Stanley's Cup. Let's Go Pens!!!

PIRATES

The big word out of Bradenton during our Pirates first week of spring training isn't Jung Ho Kang's recovery from a terrible knee injury. It isn't the questions surrounding our rotation, either. No, it's the tiff that's developed between RH Gerrit Cole, his agent Scott Boras and the Pirates front office. The way Mrs. Black-N-Gold understands it Cole and Boras are upset that the Pirates didn't tender him a significant raise following last year's 19-win season. Since Cole is a 0-3 year player, he is obligated to except whatever salary the Pirates give him per the CBA. The Pirates had the audacity to threaten to lower Cole's salary to the league minimum ($507,500). Ultimately, the Pirates settled on $541,000 for this, Cole's last season before arbitration. Of course, Cole and Boras weren't complaining when the Pirates gave Cole an $8 million signing bonus before he ever stepped onto a mound for them. The Pirates back-pedaled by claiming it was all a mathematical error on their end that led to the brouhaha. In the end, it's we, the fans, who are the losers. We have to hear the whining from Cole and Boras. Remember last October's Wild Card loss to the Cubs? Cole pulled an Invisible Man act in that loss, failing to leave up to 1st round pick expectations. And shame on the Pirates for penny-pinching (again). We all know when Cole hits free agency, he won't re-sign with the Bucs and they won't even make an attempt to retain him. Suck it up, boys. Kiss and makeup. Go out and try to play nice and get to the World Series before it really hits the fan. Let's Go Bucs!!!!!

STEELERS

Mrs. Black-N-Gold is still reeling from the retirement of TE Heath Miller. She continues to hear our Steelers mentioned in the same breath with some of the draft's top tight ends. And that's cool. She has also heard that this draft is heavy on the cornerbacks. If the Steelers feel they need to get a tight end in the draft, have at it. But do not forget about the secondary. It's been forgotten for far too long. CB William Gay is a free agent. CB Brandon Boykin is a free agent. CB Antwon Blake is a free agent (see ya!). S Will Allen is a free agent. S Robert Golden is a free agent. We wish that CB Cortez Allen, S Mike Mitchell and S Sharmarko Thomas were free agents, too. What's that tell us? The Steelers better go draft DBs early and often. The Steelers defense could return to greatness if they just had some players on the back end that could shut down opponent's passing game. So go tight end if you must but don't forget to stock up on the DBs, too. We'll need them to get to the Super Bowl. Let's Go Steelers!!!!!!