SLAP SHOTS

     Slap me silly, Sidney, it's a great day for hockey! Our Pittsburgh Penguins take their show on the road to Toronto tonight when they faceoff against the Maple Leafs. These are your keys for tonight's game. 1)This will be the 2nd of a back-to-back for Toronto. They lost last night, 3-1, to the Strangers. Blow the Leafs away! 2)The Pens have won 6 of 7 and 3 straight. #4 would be great! 3)For the first time this season, the Pens scored at least 4 goals. This coming in Thursday night's 4-3 win over Buffalo. Keep those Goals, Goals, Goals coming! Let's Go Pens!!!

TRAILERGATING

     If there's one thing Mrs. Black-N-Gold enjoys almost as much as watching her favorite Black-N-Gold teams, live and in person, it's the pre- and post-game parties. Believe it when Mrs. Black-N-Gold tells you that she's partied with some of the best there is at tailgating. Food as far as the eye can see and cold beers chilling on ice. That's the stuff.

     Mrs. Black-N-Gold thought she had it all figured out until she went to Kansas City to see our Steelers play. Walking through the parking lots, Mrs. Black-N-Gold and her Black-N-Gold Niece, Megan, came upon many a tailgate in the areas surrounding Arrowhead Stadium. But even Mrs. Black-N-Gold had to do a double-take when she stumbled upon the latest in tailgating technology, Trailergating.

     Typically a tailgate party will have food, maybe a grill, coolers filled with beer. You also have chairs to sit and relax. Someone may have their stereo cranking with some music or the pre-game. There'll be games like Corn Hole for fans to enjoy.

      Now take that and imagine it on a MUCH grander scale. That's what Trailergating founder/owner Ryan Goyer did when he launched his business back in June. Ryan purchased a trailer that he rents out for not only tailgates but also parties, concerts, wedding receptions, etc. and amped it up with everything you could possibly need to make the most of your experience.

     Ryan supplies the trailer that comes with 2 47" HDTVs (it offers both the NFL Sunday Ticket & the MLB Extra Innings packages in case you don't have tickets to the game), a sound system that blows your mind and too many accessories to list. But Mrs. Black-N-Gold is going to give it the ol' college try.

     There was a tent set up and chairs for the guests, one of the TVs had an XBox for the kids. For the adults, there was a tap system as well as coolers for beer and other assorted beverages. He had a grill on the back for grillin' while you're chillin'. If you want to work off some of those calories, Ryan offers games such as Corn Hole and Ladderball.

     If you're like Mrs. Black-N-Gold, you're going to need to "break the seal" after comsuming mass quantities of beer. Why stand in line to use a crappy (pun intended) port-a-john. The RV-style restroom is nicer than the bathroom at Mrs. Black-N-Gold's house. And has a a small flat-screen so you don't miss any of the game action.

     Another big plus is Ryan brings this all to you, at the parking lot. All you supply is the drinks, food and good times. Ryan does the cooking, too. The only thing you have to worry about is whether your favorite team (in Mrs. Black-N-Gold's case, the Steelers) are going to cover the spread. Because, believe Mrs. Black-N-Gold, with Ryan, everything else is covered.

     Ryan has different packages available for whatever your event may be. He is in the midwest region of the country but may be expanding soon to a tailgate near you. If you have a chance, check out his website and see what it's all about http://www.trailergating.com/home.html. Remember, Trailergating, officially endorsed by Mrs. Black-N-Gold!

THE BLACK-N-GOLD NEWS

     Stop the presses! Stop the presses! Mrs. Black-N-Gold hasn't given you the latest info for all your favorite Black-N-Gold teams, lately. It looks like she owes Black-N-Gold Nation a news update. Without further ado, Mrs. Black-N-Gold brings you the Black-N-Gold News.

                                        THE BLACK-N-GOLD NEWS

STEELERS

Our Steelers toppled one of the better teams in the NFL when they defeated the Arizona Cardinals and former OC Bruce Arians 25-13 on October 18. The Steelers won the game but they lost some key players in the process. LT Kelvin Beachum was lost for the year with a torn ACL, placing him on IR. The Steelers filled Beachum's roster spot with T Byron Stingily. QB Mike Vick also left the Arizona game after suffering a hamstring injury. He was replaced with QB Landry Jones who led the Steelers to victory.

In a weird bit of news, during last week's press conference Coach Mike Tomlin said that C Maurkice Pouncey did not have a 2nd surgery on his injured ankle. The coach also said that he expects Pouncey to return this season. Ok, maybe that parts not weird. What was strange was that it was announced later in the week that Pouncey did, indeed, have the surgery and his return this year is doubtful. Somone may want to let the coach in on this.

Congrats go to rookie K Chris Boswell for receiving the AFC Special Teams Player of the Week award for his performance versus Arizona. In that game, Boz converted on all 4 of his field goal tries, kicking 47, 48, 51 and 28 yarders. Congrats, Boz!

The Steelers made another roster move before Sunday's game at KC. They promoted QB/WR Tyler Murphy from the practice squad and placed CB Cortez Allen on IR. That move was made to assure there was a backup QB available versus the Chiefs due to the injuries to Vick and Ben Roethlisberger. Landry Jones played the entire game, a 23-13 loss to KC.

In, nonsensical league news, both RB DeAngelo Williams and CB William Gay were fined by the NFL this week. Williams was fined for writing an anti-cancer message in his eye-black. Gay was given a fine for wearing purple cleats to raise awareness for domestic violence. Once again, commissioner Roger Goodell proves that he's a jagoff.

This Sunday the Steelers will try to get back in the win column while handing AFC North-leading Cincinnati their first loss of the season. Big Ben is expected back as the starting QB. Let's Go Steelers!!!!!!

PENGUINS

Mrs. Black-N-Gold has some catching up to do for our Pens. On October 17 the Pens defeated the Toronto Maple Leafs, 2-1. The next game, they defeated the Panthers in OT, 3-2.

Rookie W Daniel Sprong missed some action with work visa problems. He returned to the ice last Thursday as did W Pascal Dupuis. Duper was medically cleared to play against the Dallas Stars. The Stars beat the Pens for the second time this season, 4-1. Congrats to Nick Bonino for his first goal as a Pittsburgh Penguin! The Pens struck the right chord in the Music City on Saturday night when they topped the Preds 2-1 in OT.

Some fans were dismayed to learn that W Bobby Farnham was claimed off waivers by the New Jersey Devils. A move was also made to bolster the coaching staff. Former D Sergei Gonchar was named Defensemen Development Coach. Sarge's job will be to help the Pens young defensemen, especially with the Baby Pens.

Last night was a marquee matchup between C Sidney Crosby and W Alex Ovechkin of the Washington Capitals. This game was showcased on NBC Sports Wednesday Night Rivalry. Sid wasn't much of a factor. He was kept off the score sheet, again. But G Marc-Andre Fleury held Washington in check for most of the contest. W Beau Bennett returned to action from an injury. The Pens came out on top, 3-1.

The Pens return to their home ice tonight to battle the Buffalo Sabres and former coach Dan Bylsma. Let's Go Pens!!!

PIRATES

Our Pirates may not be playing on the field but there was alot of action off the field in the past week. Indy C Elias Diaz was named Best Minor League Defensive Catcher of the year by Baseball America. Congrats to Elias!

Some roster moves were made by the Pirates. They placed RH Vance Worley on waivers and he was scooped up by the Orioles. RH Wilfredo Boscan and OF Gorkys Hernandez both declared free agency. Also declaring for free agency were OF/1B Travis Ishikawa and OF Travis Snider. RH Deolis Guerra was outrighted to Triple A Indy.

The Pirates lost a key member of their coaching staff. The Marlins hired away special assistant and pitching guru Jim Benedict as their VP of Pitching. Mrs. Black-N-Gold hates to see him go but wishes him all the best.

The Bucs claimed RH Jorge Rondon off waivers from Baltimore. Basically, the Buccos swapped righthanders with the Baltimorons.

Congrats to RH Mark Melancon! The Shark was named the NL's Reliever of the Year. Way to go, Mark!

One last move, the Pirates signed an extension with Triple A Indy. The Indians will be the Pirates affiliate for 4 more years. Here's hoping they can help the Pirates reach a championship in the not too distant future. Let's Go Bucs!!!!!

SLAP SHOTS

     Mrs. Black-N-Gold is smiling like a butcher's dog 'cause it's a hockey night in Pittsburgh! The Penguins welcome former Coach Dan Bylsma back to town tonight when they faceoff against the Buffalo Sabres at Consol Energy Center. These are your keys for tonight's game. 1)The Pens have beaten Buffalo 6 straight. #7 would be great! 2)With last night's 3-1 victory over the Captials, the Pens have won 5 of their last 6 games. We need more of the same. Keep finding the Goals, Goals, Goals! 3)C Sidney Crosby has not been much of a contributor so far this season. He only has 3 points in 9 games and was held scoreless again last night. Sid needs to shake off this slump and light the lamp while he lights up the Sabres. Slap me silly, Sidney! Let's Go Pens!!!

SLAP SHOTS

     How much fried chicken can you eat 'cause it's a great day for hockey! Our Pittsburgh Penguins continue their road trip tonight for Wednesday Night Rivalry when they faceoff against the Washington Capitals in DC. These are your keys for tonight's game. 1)The Pens continue to play mediocre hockey with a 4-4-0 mark. The Caps are off to a hot start at 6-1-0. Veto the Capitals! 2)The Pens have scored 3 goals or less in 7 of their first 8 contests. Crank up the Crue, we need Goals, Goals, Goals! 3)The Capitals lead the NHL in goals per game with a 4.1 average. The Pens are 4th in the league in goals against at 2.0. Something's got to give. Gimme a D! Gimme a Fense! What's that spell? De-Fense! Let's Go Pens!!!

THE BULLPEN

     Play ball! That cry will ring out tonight as the Fall Classic gets under way in Kansas City. The AL Champion Royals battle the NL pennant winning-New York Mets. As is customary, Mrs. Black-N-Gold has her preview of the Fall Classic. Take a look with her to see who will win, KC or NY.

1)FOOD-Of course, New York is renowned for it's pizza. People come from all over the world to fold up their pizza and scarf down a slice of New York's finest. Kansas City is no slouch in the food department, either, as the purveyor of some of the world's best barbecue. The pizza is typically covered in a light tomato sauce while the BBQ usually has a rich, thick tomato base. Mrs. Black-N-Gold did get to sample some KC BBQ while on her business trip to "The BBQ Capital of the World". Not bad, not bad at all. However, Mrs. Black-N-Gold has to go with her Italian roots.

ADVANTAGE-NY

2)MUSIC-Let's see here.....Both cities have eponymous songs. There's "Kansas City" as in "Kansas City here I come". There is also "New York, New York". You know. If you can make it there, you'll make it anywhere. Kansas City has given us Puddle of Mudd (thanks, a lot), Pat Metheny, Burt Bacharach and Big Joe Turner. New York has produced The Ramones, RUN DMC, The Beastie Boys, Anthrax and Billy Joel (Stranger era BJ, NOT Uptown Girl). New York runs away with this one.

ADVANTAGE-NY

3)FAMOUS FANS-It seemed like many celebrities jumped on the Royals bandwagon with last year's World Series run. But actors Paul Rudd, Jason Sudeikis and Eric Stonestreet were all fans of KC before they burst back onto the baseball scene. New York boasts a bevy of A-list celebrities: Jerry Seinfeld, Chris Rock, Jim Breuer (ok maybe Breuer isn't "A-list" but he was in "Half-Baked") and Jimmy Kimmel. New York steals another.

ADVANTAGE-NY

4)MLB HALL OF FAME-Wikipedia shows 15 players in the MLB Hall of Fame have worn the Orange and Blue of the Amazin's. It's quite a roster, too. Yogi Berra, Tom Seaver, Nolan Ryan, Gary Carter, Willie Mays and Warren Spahn to name a few. Did any of them actual go in as Mets? The Royals have 7 in the Hall. Gaylord Perry, Whitey Herzog, and Harmon Killebrew are some of the former Royals that join George Brett in Cooperstown. Since Brett played his entire Hall of Fame career in Kansas City, this one has to go to the boys in the powder blue and white.

ADVANTAGE-KC

Now it's time for some useless information. Hall of Famer Casey Stengel was born in Kansas City, MO. Hence the nickname "Casey" for "KC". He was also manager for the Mets from their inaugural season in 1962 to 1965. Coincidence? I think not.

Mrs. Black-N-Gold is no mathematician nor is she clairvoyant but it looks like the Mets win in a landslide. She expects it to be a good series. She's extremely happy that the Mets did eliminate the Chicago Cubs from the playoffs, considering they took out our Pittsburgh Pirates in the Wild Card. And really, what difference does it make who wins it this year. Everyone knows the Pittsburgh Pirates will win the World Series next year. Let's Go Bucs!!!!!

THE 50-YARD LINE

     It's back to the drawing board for our Pittsburgh Steelers. Mrs. Black-N-Gold and thousands of other members of Black-N-Gold Nation were treated to a very uninspired, unimpressive showing at Arrowhead Stadium on Sunday afternoon. The 1-5 Chiefs unceremoniously dumped our Steelers right before our very eyes, 23-13. Mrs. Black-N-Gold doesn't appreciate traveling so far and paying so much for so little effort. However, she'll still give her all. So allow me to present to you The Good, The Bad and The Ugly from Kansas City.

GOOD

It was a beautiful day for football. That was good. And Arrowhead Stadium is a wonderful facility. Not a bad seat in the place. Mrs. Black-N-Gold had a great time visiting her Black-N-Gold Niece and enjoyed some BBQ and blues, too. But the best thing about Sunday's loss? The fact that starting QB Ben Roethlisberger is one step closer to returning to the field. As a matter of fact, it's looking more and more like Big Ben will be back in Black-N-Gold for Sunday's showdown with Cincy at Heinz Field

BAD

Although 3rd string QB Landry Jones tossed 2 picks and lost a fumble on the final drive, Mrs. Black-N-Gold doesn't feel that he played all that badly. The 2nd interception was a deflection off of WR Antonio Brown's hands that AB should have caught. But Jones did prove why he can't get off the sidelines. Many of his passes were off target, making it incredibly difficult for the offense against one of the NFL's best defenses. Speaking of defense, they were guilty of 2 infractions on Sunday that could be a toss up for The Bad and The Ugly. We'll give The Bad to the tackling. As in, boy the defense's tackling was BAD. Although now that Mrs. Black-N-Gold thinks about it, tt wasn't really TACKLING. It was more like MISSED TACKLES, plenty of them. The Steelers defense, which had looked so good up to this point, came apart at the seams on Sunday, allowing play after play to be stretched thanks to multitudes of missed tackles. You need to wrap them up, boys.

UGLY

The defense also gets The Ugly award this week. The were ugly in the fact that they allowed KC to convert 9 of 16 3rd downs. Got to get off the field on those 3rd downs, fellas. They also looked ugly with the way they allowed underachieving QB Alex Smith and TE Travis Kelce to march down field on them all afternoon. If the Steelers don't learn how to stop big, athletic tight ends, and soon, things will continue to be ugly for this unit. Oh, look! They have another such tight end facing them next week in Cincy's Tyler Eifert. Of course you can't forget about Cincy WR AJ Green, either. Looks like the Steelers D will have their work cut out for them. Be careful. It could get ugly again.

Getting ready for next week's battle with the Bengals, Cincy remains atop the division with a bye at 6-0. The Steelers are 2nd in the AFC North at 4-3. The Clowns did themselves no favors with their latest loss, falling to 2-5. The Baltimorons continue to be the bottom feeder following last night's loss on MNF.

Shake off this loss and get ready for a divisional battle on Sunday as Cincy comes to town. It's a chance to hand the Bengals their first loss of the season and whittle away at their lead. Let's Go Steelers!!!!!!

THE 50-YARD LINE

     Goin' to Kansas City, Kansas City here I come! Your Pittsburgh Steelers take their show on the road to the Show Me state this week when they battle the Kansas City Chiefs. These are your keys for Sunday's game. 1)The word from Coach Tomlin is that with both Ben Roethlisberger and Mike Vick hurt, Landry Jones is practicing this week as the Steelers starting QB. Landry needs to keep his head on a swivel. KC boasts one of the best pass-rushing linebacker tandems in the league with Tamba Hali and Justin Houston. Landry needs to get rid of the rock in a hurry to avoid the rush. Score early, score often, score BIG! 2)The Steelers defense doesn't look too shabby, either. They're ranked 5th in the league in points allowed at 18.0 per game. KC doesn't have much of a running game now that RB Jamal Charles is out for the year and they don't have much at wide receiver, either. QB Alex Smith has never really lived up to his hype as the #1 overall pick in 2005. Hit him early, hit him often, hit him HARD! 3)This is Mrs. Black-N-Gold's big road trip. She doesn't want to see her Steelers lay an egg against a 1-5 team. Don't play down to your level of competition. Don't look ahead to Cincy. Beware the trap game! Let's Go Steelers!!!!!!

SLAP SHOTS

     Shave my face with a rusty razor, it's a great day for hockey! Your Pittsburgh Penguins take their show on the road to the Music City Saturday night when they faceoff against the Nashville Predators. These are your keys for Saturday's game. 1)While the Pens find themselves in the middle of the pack in the Eastern Conference Metropolitan division, the Preds are among the best in the Western Conference Central division. The Pens fell to the Stars last night 4-1. The Preds won their contest, 5-1 over Anaheim. The Pens can't continue this trend of beating bottom-feaders and losing to top teams. To be the best you have to beat the best! 2)The Pens Big 2 of Sidney Crosby and Evegeni Malkin were held scoreless. This is becoming all too familiar to Pens fans. We wanna see some scoring. Crank up the Motley Crue with the Goals, Goals, Goals! 3)Still, the Pens have won 3 of their last 4. Time to get back in the win column! Let's Go Pens!!!

SLAP SHOTS

     Hop in the Cordova, we're going bowling 'cause it's a hockey night in Pittsburgh! Your Pittsburgh Penguins close out their homestand tonight at Consol Energy Center when they faceoff against the Dallas Stars. These are your keys for tonight's game. 1)After going 0-3 to start the season, with Tuesday's 3-2 OT win, the Pens have won 3 straight. #4 would be great! 2)C Sidney Crosby and the power play both got off the schneid on Tuesday. Keep those Goals, Goals, Goals coming, baby! 3)G Marc-Andre Fleury has been nothing short of spectacular, helping the Pens rank #2 in the league with 1.8 goals against. The Pens will have their hands full with the 5-1 Stars who already have 10 points on the young season. Shut 'em down and shut 'em out! Let's Go Pens!!!

THE 50-YARD LINE

     Mrs. Black-N-Gold continues to hear chatter from Black-N-Gold Nation about the Steelers 25-13 win over Arizona this past Sunday. Today she's decided to look at the victory one last time with a new segment called "Takeaways".  It's just Mrs. Black-N-Gold's take on some points from Sunday's game.

TAKEAWAY #1

Yes, QB Landry Jones looked good in relief of the injured and ineffective Mike Vick. But think about it, all week long the Cardinals were preparing for Vick. That element of surprise when Jones finally saw the light of day and the field for the first time in his pro career had to have worked in the Steelers favor. And really, with the way WR Martavis Bryant was ready to roll when Jones entered the game, maybe all Bryant needed was a QB who could actually throw the ball.

TAKEAWAY #2

As usual, Coach Tomlin left Mrs. Black-N-Gold scratching her head. Chiefly, he was quoted as saying had Vick not been injured he would have continued to leave the unproductive QB in the game. He also was reported to say that if Vick were healthy and Ben Roethlisberger was not, Vick would get the start over Jones this week. It seems Tomlin is bending over backwards for Vick when the QB has done next to nothing to warrant such consideration. Another questionable move by Tomlin was going for a 2-point conversion when the Steelers held a 2-point lead. Luckily, thanks to the Jones-Bryant connection, that point was moot. However, it continues to illustrate that the Steelers sometimes win in spite of Tomlin.

TAKEAWAY #3

Hats off to DC Keith Butler. It appears the defense is starting to find their identity. Turnovers, sacks, and QB pressures. Oh my! LB James Harrison is still striking fear in the hearts of opposing quarterbacks. DE Cam Heyward is a fast rising star who terrorizes the other team. He and bookend Stephon Tuitt make a monstrous tandem. Just imagine how scary this defense would be if they had a decent........

TAKEAWAY #4

As Mrs. Black-N-Gold was saying, just imagine how scary this defense would be if they had a decent secondary. It was great to see the Steelers finally get some of their money's worth from S Mike Mitchell on Sunday. But the rest of the secondary is secondary at best. CB Antwon Blake must have a bullseye on his back as opponents regularly target him. CB Ross Cockrell has shown flashes but nothing on a consistent basis. Why CB Brandon Boykin is relegated to strictly special teams is beyond Mrs. Black-N-Gold. If the Steelers ever got a shutdown corner, this defense could be unstoppable.

TAKEAWAY #5

One last takeaway from Mrs. Black-N-Gold while she's on a roll. In keeping with the defense, why not put the following player's picture on the side of milk cartons because they're NEVER seen on the field: LB Jarvis Jones, LB Ryan Shazier and S Shamarko Thomas. Mrs. Black-N-Gold heard Jones was a healthy scratch last week. Sorry but this kid has bust written all over him. Shazier looks like the second coming of former LB Kendrell Bell. He looks otherworldly when on the field but can't get out of the trainer's room. And Thomas? Someone needs to explain to Mrs. Black-N-Gold why the Steelers traded up for this guy. Even RB Dri Archer is looking better compared to this kid. As always, Mrs. Black-N-Gold hopes these gentlemen prove her wrong. She wants nothing more than to see them succeed for our beloved Black-N-Gold.

Well, that's it. Just remember, Mrs. Black-N-Gold calls them as she sees them. That being said, she's oh so happy that our Steelers are 4-2 going into KC this week. But beware the trap game. Looking ahead to the Cincy game in 2 weeks could lead to a loss in KC. Don't let that happen. Let's Go Steelers!!!!!!

SLAP SHOTS

     Eddie spaghetti, it's a hockey night in Pittsburgh! Your Pittsburgh Penguins continue their homestand as they faceoff against the Florida Panthersat Conso l Energy Center. These are your keys for tonight's game. 1)With Saturday's 2-1 win over Toronto, the Pens have won 2 straight. Tonight they go for 3 in a row. If it's 3, it's for me! 2)Unfortunately, the Pens are 0-fer this season on the power play as in 0 for 17. Take advantage of the man advantage. Man up! 3)Pens C Sidney Crosby has been held scoreless thus far this season. Sid needs to catch fire. Oh, Captain, my Captain it's time to light the lamp and slap me silly, Sidney! Let's Go Pens!!!

THE 50-YARD LINE

     Put another W in the win column for our Pittsburgh Steelers! The Black-N-Gold grilled the Arizona Cardinals 25-13 yesterday at Heinz Field. It's wasn't always Good. It wasn't all Bad. Some of it was Ugly. Today Mrs. Black-N-Gold kicks off the week with The Good, The Bad and The Ugly from yesterday's victory.

GOOD

Yes, our Steelers pulled out another come-from-behind win this week. That, in itself, is good news. And some good things happened along the way. S Mike Mitchell finally showed up to a game, recovering a fumble that was made possible by LB James Harrison and intercepting Arizona QB Carson Palmer in the end zone in the 4th quarter to help secure the win. As a matter of fact, Arizona came into this game with one of the best offense's in the league. The Steelers defense held them to 13 points. The D also recorded a sack, 6 tackles for loss and 7 QB hits. Looks like DC Keith Butler is starting to help this defense find it's identity. On the offensive side of the ball, it appears the Steelers found a replacement for injured QB Ben Roethlisberger and it isn't Mike Vick. With Vick out of the game with an injury, Landry Jones made his long-awaited Steelers debut. He proceeded to go 8 of 12 with 2 TDs, no INTs and a passer rating of 149.3 to lead the Steelers back from a 10-6 deficit. Congrats to Landry for landing his first NFL TD, on his 2nd NFL pass! We also welcomed back WR Martavis Bryant who caught 6 passes for 137 yards and 2 TDs. Jones-MB could be the new Ben-AB. Last, but not least, let us not forget rookie K Chris Boswell. Just a few weeks ago, fans where saying "Chris Who?". With a 4 for 4 day, including a 51 yarder, Steelers fans now know who's the Boss.

BAD

You know Mrs. Black-N-Gold can't be all sunshine and rainbows. There's always room for improvement and yesterday was no different. The defense allowed Arizona to rack up 469 yards of total offense. That included 414 yards in the air. WR John Brown hauled in 10 passes for 196 yards while WR Larry Fitzgerald caught 8 for 93. Seriously, the outcome could have been completely different had the Cardinals not continuously shot themselves in the foot. Arizona penalties and turnovers surely helped the Steelers defense put on a good show.

UGLY

Unfortunately, the Steelers suffered an ugly injury during this game. And no, it wasn't Mike Vick's hamstring. LT Kelvin Beachum left with what was later announced as an ACL tear. Ouch! He's expected to miss the rest of the season. Alejandro Villanueva filled in admirably for Beachum. If he continues to perform the way he did yesterday, the offensive line won't miss a beat. There could be some more ugly news this week. It's still not known when Big Ben will return from his injury. There is no word on Vick's status for next week following his early departure. Mrs. Black-N-Gold knows one thing: If Ben isn't ready for next Sunday and Vick is, people will be screaming from the rooftops of Black-N-Gold Nation for Landry Jones to start. Vick was 3 for 8 passing with a measly 6 yards before he left the game. The guy continues to show why he was unemployed before the Steelers signed him. Mrs. Black-N-Gold isn't comparing Jones to Ben. Oh, no! But it's nice to have a QB back there who can actually pass the ball. Coach Mike Tomlin may want to think about that before naming next week's starter.

Mrs. Black-N-Gold is sorry to say the Steelers didn't move up in the AFC North standings. Cincy won and continues to lead the division with a 6-0 mark. The Steelers are 2nd with a 4-2 record. The Clowns lost in OT and sit at 2-4. The Baltimorons are in the basement with their latest loss, dropping them to 1-5. On Sunday it's a road trip for both our Steelers and Mrs. Black-N-Gold. She'll be traveling to KC to see our team in action. She's got her Terrible Towel all warmed up and ready to wave high atop Arrowhead Stadium. Let's Go Steelers!!!!!!

THE 50-YARD LINE

     Rah, rah, ree, hit him in the knee! Rah, rah, rass, hit him in the other knee! Your Pittsburgh Steelers are back home at Heinz Field this week as they battle their old OC Bruce Arians and his Arizona Cardinals. These are your keys for today's game. 1)The Steelers also face a familiar face under center for Arizona. For years the defense teed off on QB Carson Palmer when he was a member of the Cincy Bungles. Give him flashbacks to the good old days. Hit him early, hit him often, hit him HARD! 2)It took QB Mike Vick most of the game last week to get things going in the win over San Diego. Arizona doesn't have a 4-1 record for nothing. RB Le'Veon Bell had a terrific game but the rest of the offense needs to get involved. Score early, score often, score BIG! 3)The Steelers continue to find themselves looking up at 5-0 Cincy in the AFC North. Gotta keep pace to get to first place. Gimme a W! Let's Go Steelers!!!!!!

SLAP SHOTS

     Great balls of fire, it's a hockey night in Pittsburgh! Your Pittsburgh Penguins are on their home ice at Consol Energy Center tonight to faceoff against the Toronto Maple Leafs. These are your keys for tonight's game. 1)The Pens finally found the win column on Thursday with their 2-0 shutout of the Senators. Now they go for 2 in a row versus Toronto. Time to break out the Goals, Goals, Goals!  2)The Pens power play continues to be powerless. They've started the season 0 for 12 with the man advantage. Man up! 3)The Pens have beaten Toronto 6 of the last 7 times in Pittsburgh, including 5 straight. #6 would be great! Let's Go Pens!!!

THE BLACK-N-GOLD NEWS

     What's the news across Black-N-Gold Nation? Mrs. Black-N-Gold has the information. She just loves to give you her views. Ladies and gents, Mrs. Black-N-Gold gives you The Black-N-Gold News. Scanning the globe to give you the latest on your favorite Black-N-Gold teams, the Steelers, Pens and Pirates.


                                              THE BLACK-N-GOLD NEWS


STEELERS

Our Steelers had to wait until Monday night to play. They traveled to the friendly confines of Qualcomm Stadium to battle the San Diego Chargers. Mrs. Black-N-Gold is sure it was "the friendly confines" for the Steelers since Black-N-Gold Nation was out in full force. The Steelers gave the faithful something to cheer about, sending the crowd home happy with a 24-20 come-from-behind, last-second win.

The Steelers made a roster move this week, too by activating WR Martavis Bryant. To make room for Bryant, the Steelers released S Ross Ventrone.

Some good news on the injury front for the Steelers. QB Ben Roethlisberger returned to practice this week in a limited capacity. Ben hopes to play against this Sunday, but that's not likely. Mrs. Black-N-Gold will keep you updated on Ben's status as it develops.

The NFL proved it's not only the No Fun League this week. First, they fined DE Cam Heyward for paying tribute to his father, the late Craig "Ironhead" Heyward. Cam wrote the name Ironhead on his eye black in remembrance of his father. Roger Goodell and the NFL fined Cam for this "infraction". Second, Goodell went even lower by not allowing RB DeAngelo Williams to wear pink the entire season in honor of his mother who passed away from breast cancer. So if the NFL can't make any money from it, you can't wear it. Is that right, Roger?

The Steelers received some bad injury news this week, too. C Maurkice Pouncey has suffered a setback to his injured ankle. He's expected to undergo a second surgery and miss the remainder of the season. Mrs. Black-N-Gold knows Pouncey is a Pro Bowler but doesn't it see like he's becoming the Beau Bennett of the Steelers?

This Sunday our Steelers go for 2 when they return home. Old OC Bruce Arians flies his Arizona Cardinals into Heinz Field for a 1pm kickoff. Let's Go Steelers!!!!!!

PENGUINS

Boy, our Pens did not have a very good week. They dropped their second game of the season on Saturday, 2-1 to the Arizona Coyotes. Pens fans did get to see F Phil Kessel record his first goal in a Penguins sweater. Congrats to Phil!

On Tuesday, the Pens lost their third straight contest, 3-2 to the Canadiens. Word around town was that Coach Mike Johnston's seat was beginning to get a little warm.

Thursday brought the injury bug. It was announced that F Beau Bennett would miss the Senators game with an undisclosed injury. Penguins fans have heard this on many occasions when it comes to Bennett. Which begs the question: Is Beau Bennett the Maurkice Pouncey of the Penguins?

There was a roster move, as well. F Bryan Rust was brought up from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton while D Tim Erixon was sent to WB/S.

Some good news from Thursday evening. The Pens finally got off the schneid and recorded their first win of the season, a 2-0 shutout of the Senators. C Evgeni Malkin scored his first goal of the season and G Marc-Andre Fleury gets the goose egg. Congrats to rookie W Daniel Sprong for his 1st NHL goal!

The Pens continue their homestand Saturday night as they go for 2 in a row vs Toronto. Let's Go Pens!!!

PIRATES

Now that our Pirates season is over, news will trickle in occasionally until the hot stove heats up. There was some news to report, though. Word is 3B coach Rick Sofield met with San Diego Padres officials this week regarding their managerial position. The Padres have yet to make a decision. Mrs. Black-N-Gold will let you know if Sofield will be windmilling runners home next season, as soon as she finds out. Let's Go Bucs!!!!!

SLAP SHOTS

     Call Arnold Slick from Turtle Creek, it's a hockey night in Pittsburgh! Your Pittsburgh Penguins continue their homestand at Consol Energy Center tonight when they faceoff against the Ottawa Senators. These are your keys for tonight's game. 1)For the first time since 2001, the Pens are 0-3. They're on the wrong side of the win column, that's for sure. Need to get off the schneid and get a W! 2)There's no way to sugar-coat it. The Pens have been awful. They're 27th in goals per game with 1.0. They're 14th in goals against at 2.7. Their power play is 27th, 0.0%. They're 21st in penalty kill at 72.7%. They're in last place in a highly competitive Metropolitan division. They've got nowhere to go but up. Time to get fired up! 3)Through their first 3 games, the Pens have scored just 3 goals. Centers Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin have only 1 assist between them. This team goes as Sid and Geno go. Time to light the lamp with Goals, Goals, Goals! Let's Go Pens!!!

THE 50-YARD LINE

     We have a winner! Our Pittsburgh Steelers pulled out a last second, come-from-behind win on the west coast on Monday Night Football, 24-20. Mrs. Black-N-Gold needed a day to come down from that nail-biter. Today she looks back at the win as she brings you The Good, The Bad and the Ugly from Monday night.


GOOD

This wasn't the prettiest of wins but there were some good things happening for our Steelers. RB Le'Veon Bell and his 111 rushing yards are chief among them. Bell continues to be a beast for the Black-N-Gold. And who could forget CB Antwon Blake's pick-6 off Chargers QB Philip Rivers? With the Steelers trailing 7-3 in the 3rd quarter, Blake's pick put the Steelers on top 10-7. Heinz Field West erupted with cheers for the Black-N-Gold. Don't forget about Bell, too. Then there was QB Mike Vick's 72-yard TD to WR Markus Wheaton. And Bell. Vick scampered for 24 yards on a 3rd and 6 deep in the 4th quarter with the Steelers trailing 20-17. That helped setup the 16 yard reception from Vick to TE Heath Miller to the 1 yard line with 5 seconds on the clock and a Steelers timeout still available. By the way, has Mrs. Black-N-Gold told you how good Bell is lately? The play call was for the Wildcat. Bell received the snap from center, he took it left heading for the end zone. As he was being brought down to the ground, he managed to avoid getting tackled long enough to stretch the ball over the plain as time expired. Touchdown Steelers! K Chris Boswell added on the extra point for good measure. Steelers 24-20. Boy, that Bell is good!

BAD

True, Vick came through on the final drive that brought the Steelers the win but before that he was.....bad doesn't even really describe it. He was absolutely awful. He completed just 13 of 26 passes for 203 yards (a good chunk of that was the Wheaton 72-yarder). He was sacked 3 times and hit several more and basically looked lost for most of the game. Luckily, the only pick he had was on a Hail Mary in the endzone to end the first half. The Chargers defense must have felt sorry for him because they dropped not 1 but 2 sure interceptions. It wasn't all Vick's fault. The playcalling was pretty bad, too. It seems like Coach Mike Tomlin and OC Todd Haley are afraid to let Vick throw the ball (perhaps, rightfully so). If that's the case, why did you sign him?  Hopefully, Vick and the playcalling will impove. Or QB Ben Roethlisberger's injury will improve. Maybe both?

UGLY

This game could have gotten ugly early, when San Diego marched down field on their first possession to take a 7-0 lead. The Steelers let TE Antonio Gates, just back from suspension, record his 100th and 101st career TDs. It also could have gotten ugly late, when the officials allowed 18 seconds to tick off the time clock with 2:56 left in the game. Of course, we can't forget all the penalties the Steelers committed, especially on special teams. Yes, this wasn't the prettiest of wins. In fact it was downright ugly. Keep playing like this and you may not find yourselves sitting pretty with a win next time, Steelers.

A look at the standings shows Cincy still on top of the AFC North with an undefeated mark of 5-0. The Steelers win has them in second place at 3-2. The Clowns are next with a 2-3 record following their win over the Baltimorons. And those same Baltimorons are in the basement at 1-4. Next, a familiar face returns to Heinz Field this Sunday afternoon. Bruce Arians leads his 4-1 Arizona Cardinals into town to battle the Black-N-Gold. Word is Ben wants to play in this game and beat his old golfing buddy. Mrs. Black-N-Gold doesn't know if Ben will be healthy enough, but she'll take a win for sure. Let's Go Steelers!!!!!!

SLAP SHOTS

     Lookout, Loretta, it's a hockey night in Pittsburgh! Your Pittsburgh Penguins faceoff tonight against the Montreal Canadiens in their home opener at Consol Energy Center. These are your keys for tonight's game. 1)The Pens have a tall order ahead of them. They face a Canadiens team that is so far undefeated this season at 3-0-0. Meanwhile, the Pens have yet to find the win column. Give 'em "L".  Gimme a "W"! 2)Through their first 2 games, the Pens have scored only 1 goal. Time to crank up the Motley Crue with some Goals, Goals, Goals! 3)Hopefully the Pens will start G Marc-Andre Fleury. Since 2011-12, Flower is 8-2-2 with a 2.34 GAA vs. Montreal. Come out smelling like a rose! Let's Go Pens!!!

THE 50-YARD LINE

     Chew tobacco, chew tobacco, spit, spit, spit! Your Pittsburgh Steelers  travel to San Diego to clash with the Chargers on Monday Night Football. These are your keys for tonight's game. 1). The Chargers welcome back TE Antonio Gates who was suspended for the first 4 games. This could mean trouble for the Steelers D. They typically have problems with big, athletic tight ends. The Steelers will have their hands full facing the #1 passing offense in the league AND Gates without LB Ryan Shazier. Hit him early, hit him often, hit him HARD! 2)Meanwhile, the Steelers expected WR Martavis Bryant to return from his 4-game suspension. Instead, he will miss the game with a knee. The Steelers offense needs to find a way to stretch the field to help Mike Vick settle into his role as the QB. Score early, score often, score BIG! 3)Both teams are sitting on 2-2 records. The Steelers are looking for the win column following last week's loss. Gimme a "W"! Let's Go Steelers!!!!!!

THE BULLPEN

     Mrs. Black-N-Gold still isn't ready to write this article about your 2015 Pirates season. It wasn't supposed to end this way. Not this year Not again. For the second year in a row, the Buccos were blanked on their home turf in the Wild Card game.

     This year was going to be different, they assured us. The goal was to settle for nothing short of the NL Central division flag. This was a team of destiny. Who could forget AJ's return to Pittsburgh? Or Cervelli stepping up and playing an injury-free season to help us forget Martin? And don't forget how Kang came over from Korea to win the hearts of Pitttsburghers everywhere.

     This year saw a historic 4-5-4 triple play. It saw not 1, not 2, but 3 grand slams. 2 of them in the same week. 1 of those a pinch hit grand slam. There was the scoreless run by the pitching staff. 2015 also saw a new Pirates record for saves.  And don't forget that not 1 but 2 starting pitchers recorded at least 200 strikeouts this season.

     And then, of course, there were the 98 wins. Oh, we can't forget the 98 wins. You'd think a team with that many Ws would win the division. Now don't start going on about the Wild Card format, either. Mrs. Black-N-Gold is fine with a 1-game Wild Card. Where else do you get a game 7, right off the bat? It's not like the Pirates didn't know the rules going in. They had many chances to nab the top spot in the division. Back at the end of March, Mrs. Black-N-Gold even gave the Pirates keys to winning the NL Central title: Improve on the road. They did. Get off to a good start. They did not. Take care of business in the division. Again, they did not. They were 1 for 3. That's good for a .333 batting average but not good enough to avoid the Wild Card and the red-hot Cubs and Jagoff Arrieta.

     Don't get me wrong. Mrs. Black-N-Gold would like to thank the Bucs for another wonderful, fun-filled, action-packed season. It's just hard to do that when your 2 biggest division rivals are still playing. She'll do it anyway. Thank you Neil Huntington for continuing to get the most from one of the tightest budgets (and, therefore, one of the tightest owners) in baseball. You deserve Executive of the Year, for sure. Thank you, Clint Hurdle. Although there were many times when you tried to outsmart the game, with your double switches and your constant platoons, right down to the last game, you still managed to earn 98 wins. And thank you to the Pittsburgh Pirates. We laughed, we cried, we loved every minute of it.

     Mrs. Black-N-Gold is sure the names will change in 2016 but hopes that the outcome continues to improve. Sure, we'll hear from the front office in the offseason about how difficult it is to navigate a successful organization in the current MLB structure when you're a small-market team. That's not a question of right or wrong. It's just a hard, cold fact. And the Pirates will surely lose some players because they've priced themselves right out of Pittsburgh. But there should be players in the pipeline who are ready to step up to the plate. And there's talk that Pittsburgh is no longer the wasteland where players' careers go to die. On the contrary, the Bucs have developed a reputation as a desired free agent destination, especially for pitchers eager to re-start their careers under the tutelage of Ray Searage and Jim Benedict.

      So, thank you again, Pittsburgh Pirates. Baseball is alive and well and living in Pittsburgh, PA. Mrs. Black-N-Gold just hopes it stays that way. Let's Go Bucs!!!!!

SLAP SHOTS

     Michael, Michael, motorcycle, it's a great day for hockey! Your Pittsburgh Penguins continue their first road trip of the season tonight as they faceoff against the Coyotes in Arizona. These are your keys for tonight's game. 1)In Thursday's 3-0 loss to the Stars, the special teams weren't very special. The Pens were 0-3 on the power play and gave up 2 short-handed goals. Take advantage of the man advantage and man-up! 2)Following the season-opening shutout, the Pens are anxious to show off their firepower and light the lamp. Break out the Goals, Goals, Goals! 3)AZ got off to a good start, defeating the LA last night, 4-1. Give 'em "L"! Let's Go Pens!!!

THE BLACK-N-GOLD NEWS

     May I have your attention, please. Spanning the globe to bring you the most up-to-the-minute info on your favorite Black-N-Gold Teams, Mrs. Black-N-Gold gives you The Black-N-Gold News.


                                         THE BLACK-N-GOLD NEWS


PIRATES

It was, sort of, a quiet week for our Pirates. Oh, they did have a game in the middle of the week to break up the monotony. Maybe you heard about it? The Wild Card game with the Cubs? Well, 40,000 strong came out to cheer on the Buccos (with some Cubs faithful mixed in, how in the world did that happen?). Mrs. Black-N-Gold is sorry to report that the Bucs bats were silenced by the Jagoff Jake Arrieta again for the 2nd time in 2 weeks. Our Pirates closed out the season with a whimper, falling to the Cubs 4-0. That's 2 straight shutout Wild Card losses the Bucs have suffered on their home turf. They gave a valiant effort, but, hey, Arrieta IS the Cy Young favorite, ya know. Mrs. Black-N-Gold is proud of the Buccos and would like to thank Clint Hurdle and the guys for another wonderful, fun-filled season. The Bucs will hold the #29 pick in June's amateur draft. They will be back, better and stronger than ever. Let's Go Bucs!!!!!

STEELERS

Not much has been heard from our Steelers this week. They are busy preparing for Monday Night Football in San Diego versus the Chargers. In that game, they'll welcome WR Martavis Bryant back to the fold. He returned this week from his 4-game suspension. Mrs. Black-N-Gold hopes Bryant can help boast the offense and get the Steelers back in the win column. Let's Go Steelers!!!!!!

PENGUINS

It was our Pens that made the most noise this week, readying for the season-opener in Dallas. Unfortunately, F Pascal Dupuis did not join his teammates for the game in Big D. It was announced at the beginning of the week that Duper would miss at least a week with an undisclosed injury not related to the blood clots that ended his season last year. The next day, the Pens issued a statement that Duper is now expected to miss 4-5 weeks with a lower body injury. Get well soon, Duper! The Pens also made some roster moves to get ready. On Tuesday, they sent D Olli Maatta to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton and called up F Oskar Sundqvist. They assured the fans that this was a salary-cap/paper move and Olli would re-join the team soon. Sure enough, just before the opener yesterday, the Pens called Olli back up, along with F Kevin Porter and sent Sundqvist back to WB/S. Unfortunately, the moves didn't help the Pens find the win column. They dropped the opener in Dallas 3-0. They'll have a chance to light the lamp and get the W tomorrow night in the desert when they faceoff against the Coyotes. Let's Go Pens!!!

SLAP SHOTS

     Buy Sam a drink and get his dog one, too, it's a great day for hockey! Your Pittsburgh Penguins drop the puck on another season beginning tonight as they faceoff against the Stars in Dallas. These are your keys for tonight's game. 1)Sure it's an 82-game schedule but it's nice to start the season off in the win column. Score early, score often, score BIG and break out the Goals, Goals, Goals! 2)This season "D" may stand for disarray. The boys on the blue line need to step up and shut the door this season. Put the "D" in defense! 3)Power plays and penalty kills were a problem for the Pens last year. Make the special teams special! Let's Go Pens!!!

THE BULLPEN

     Root, root, root for the home team! Your Pittsburgh Pirates collide with the Chicago Cubs in tonight's NL Wild Card game at PNC Park. These are your keys for tonight's game. 1)Of course everyone has heard by now that the Cubs will start Cy Young favorite, RH Jake Arrieta, 22-6, 1.77 ERA. Arrieta has put up monster numbers this season, especially in the second half where he's posted an ERA of 0.75, the best in MLB history. The Bucs were only able to score 3 runs vs Arrieta in 5 starts this season. He's due to be lit up. Hit him early, hit him often, hit him HARD with a big can of Hit, Run, & Score! 2)The Pirates have themselves a pitcher with a good pedigree, RH Gerrit Cole, 19-8, 2.60 ERA. Ride the Cole Train all the way to a win! 3)Many fans have complained about the Wild Card's one-and-done format. Like it or not, that's just the way it is. Go hard or go home. Play smart baseball. Use your head. That's that lump that's 3 feet above your ass. Win and you're in! And here's a key for the fans. Be loud and be Pittsburgh Proud! Happy Buctober! Blackout the 'Burgh! Let's Go Bucs!!!!!

SLAP SHOTS

     Scratch my back with a hacksaw! It's time to drop the puck on another season of Pittsburgh Penguins hockey. Mrs. Black-N-Gold has broken out her Pens gear to get fired up for the Pens run to the Cup. Since the Pens are shooting for their 4th Stanley Cup, Mrs. Black-N-Gold gets you ready for Thursday night's season-opener in Dallas with 4 keys to the Pens season.

 1)Phil Kessel-The Pens pulled off one of the bigger trades of offseason when they acquired W Phil Kessel from Toronto. Kessel is expected to provide some fire power for the Pens, skating on the top line alongside C Sidney Crosby. When the deal was made, there was talk around town of Kessel's shortcomings, reasons that Toronto was so willing to part with the powerhouse. #1 was that Kessel bristled under the media scrutiny and pressure of the fans in Toronto. They expected him to be the savior to lead them back to the Stanley Cup. Things didn't turn out the way they'd hoped and they turned on Kessel. He, in turn, became prickly with both fans and media alike. In Pittsburgh, Kessel feels he won't be the one in the spotlight that has to carry the team, not with star centers Crosby and Evgeni Malkin. Mrs. Black-N-Gold can't help but wonder. If the Pens get off to a slow start, Kessel in particular, will the local media outlets and the fans focus on Kessel and his shortcomings? If so, could that end the love affair with Phil before it even starts? #2 Kessel also came to Pittsburgh with a repuation as a bit of a softy, not known for his workout methods. That's not the case this year. Kessel spent the offseason training with former Penguin and current training guru Gary Roberts (more on him later). Roberts is well regarded for training players in the offseason. If there's anyone that could whip Kessel into shape, it's Roberts. Mrs. Black-N-Gold hopes that the new training regimen and the change of scenery do both Kessel and the Pens some good.

2)The defense-Mrs. Black-N-Gold recently tried to name the defensmen the Pens will be using this season and ran into a roadblock. Of course Kris Letang and Olli Maatta are expected to be the top pairing. Both have a problem staying healthy so who knows how long they'll stay matched up. From there, it's anyone's guess. The Pens did retain deadline pickup Ian Cole. He can help shore up the D. After that there's Ben Lovejoy and greybeard Rob Scuderi. Neither have set the hockey world on fire in recent memory. Then there are youngsters Brian Dumoulin, Tim Erixon and Adam Clendening. Dumoulin spent part of last season with the Pens and can help inject some youth into the lineup. Erixon and Clendening aren't names that strike fear into the hearts of NHL fowards. Derrick Pouliot was expected to make a big contribution to the defense this year and may still do so. For right now, he'll have to do that from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton. There will be nights the offense doesn't light up the board, especially in today's NHL. On those such nights, the defense will be called upon to make sure the opposing team is kept off the scoresheet. Too bad Mrs. Black-N-Gold didn't get to see the Pope when he visited the country last week because the Pens are going to need a miracle with this defense.

3)Health-Not only is Roberts working with the Pens to establish a better training program for the players, they're doing so at the brand spanking new UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex. The Pens are training and practicing at the facility to get the latest and greatest as they train, both health-wise and nutrition-wise. After losing countless games to injury the past few years, the Penguins are exploring new frontiers to train better and remain healthier. This could go a long way towards a run to the Cup.

4)Marc-Andre Fleury-G Marc-Andre Fleury has played out of his mind the past few years, only to see the Pens flameout in the playoffs. They're bracing themselves for a long run in the postseason this year and will need the Flower to bloom again into late spring. If he wilts under the pressure, the Pens may see themselves on the golf course come May.


As usual, Mrs. Black-N-Gold expects the Pens to hoist the Cup when June rolls around. The Pens window of opportunity is closing quickly, time to make some hay and say hello to Lord Stanley. Let's Go Pens!!!

THE BULLPEN

     Pennant fever, catch it! Your Pittsburgh Pirates live to fight another day as they clash with the Chicago Cubs in Wednesday night's Wild Card game at PNC Park. Someone get Steve Bartman and tell him to bring a billy goat because the Bucs are going to blackout the 'Burgh again. The Pirates will face 22-game winner Jake Arrieta. The Pirates pitcher is no slouch, either. 19-game winner Gerrit Cole will look to help the Bucs steamroll into the division series with St Louie. Mrs. Black-N-Gold brings you her Wild Card preview. Since this is the Bucs 3rd trip to the Wild Card, she'll give 3 you key points.

1)Of course there is the pitching matchup. Arrieta is expected to win the NL Cy Young Award. Cole came into his own this season to become the Pirates ace. Cole needs to come out firing with first-pitch strikes and avoid giving up free passes. The Bucs need to make Arrieta battle, working deep counts. The sooner than can up his pitch count, the quicker he can exit the game. Be patient and don't swing at any junk. If it comes down to a battle of the bullpens, Mrs. Black-N-Gold feels that the Buccos win out.

2)Play it smart. The Pirates can ill afford any mental errors in this matchup. That means play a clean baseball game. Don't give an opportunistic team like the Cubs any chances to get on the scoreboard. Play good, solid defense in the field and don't run yourselves out of innings on the basepaths.

3)Both teams have impressive firepower in their lineups. Of course the Cubs have MVP-candidate Anthony Rizzo, favored NL Rookie of the Year Kris Bryant as well as Jorge Soler, Kyle Schwarber and several others. It's not like the Pirates cupboard is bare in the power department. Pedro Alvarez, Aramis Ramirez, Starling Marte and Neil Walker are all capable to taking a pitcher deep. So is our own MVP, Andrew McCutchen, who has had the most success against Arrieta. Cutch is also due to get off the schneid in the playoffs. In his postseason career, Cutch has zero home runs and zero RBIs. The Bucs go as Cutch goes. It's important for him to get off to a good start and take the team with him.

There you have it. Mrs. Black-N-Gold will have more thoughts on the Wild Card game tomorrow with her keys to the game. Meanwhile, does anyone know where we can find a billy goat? Let's Go Bucs!!!!!

THE BLACK-N-GOLD NEWS

     We interrupt our regularly scheduled program to bring you this important Black-N-Gold News bulletin. We now go to Mrs. Black-N-Gold, live on the scene with the latest updates on your favorite Black-N-Gold teams, the Pirates, Steelers and Penguins. Take it away, Mrs. Black-N-Gold.


                                        THE BLACK-N-GOLD NEWS


PIRATES

Our Pirates week did not start off on the right foot. They were shutout by St Louie 3-0 in the first game of their showdown for the NL Central division title. Tuesday night's matchup was rained out, moving it to Wednesday afternoon as part of a day/night doubleheader. Wednesday began with a W. The Bucs buried St Louie 8-2. Unfortunately, they weren't able to pull of the doubleheader sweep, dropping the nightcap 11-2. With that win St Louie won the division, celebrating on the Pirates home turf of PNC Park. Ouch!

Friday night the Pirates opened a 3-game set with the Cincy Reds, their last regular season series. The Buccos won in walk-off fashion, Starling Marte cracked a 2-run cannonball in the bottom of the 12th-inning to secure the 6-4 victory. Saturday night's game was bittersweet. RH AJ Burnett was pitching in his last regular season game. The fans gave AJ a hero's send off. The Pirates were not able to do the same, dropping the game, 3-1. AJ did make history in this contest, recording strikeout #2,508, moving him past Hall of Famer Christy Mathewson for 31st place on the all-time list. Congrats, AJ and thanks for the memories!

Sunday found the Pirates still 1 game up on the Cubs for home field advantage in the NL Wild Card game. The Cubs had won 7 straight when the faced they Brewers yesterday afternoon in Milwaukee. Remember, this year all games would start at 3pm Eastern. The Bucs took care of business with a 4-0 shutout behind LH JA Happ, securing Wednesday night's Wild Card will be at PNC Park. The Buccos also officially announced that RH Gerrit Cole will start that game versus Chicago RH Jake Arrieta. Mrs. Black-N-Gold will have her Wild Card preview on Tuesday. Get ready for another Blackout in the 'Burgh! Let's Go Bucs!!!!!

STEELERS

Our Steelers opened divisional play on Thursday night when they faced the Baltimorons at Heinz Field. During halftime of the game, HOF RB Jerome Bettis was presented with his Hall of Fame ring by former Steelers coach Bill Cowher. Too bad the rest of the evening didn't go as well. The Steelers lost to the Baltimorons in overtime, 23-20.

Following the Steelers defeat, they announced later in the week that K Josh Scobee had been released. Missing 4 out of 10 field goal attempts will do that to you, especially when 2 were missed in the loss to the Baltimorons. Scobee will be replaced by K Chris Boswell. "Who is Chris Boswell?", you may ask. Mrs. Black-N-Gold did, too. Boswell kicked at Rice University and was released by the Houston Texans last season. That's the only info Mrs. Black-N-Gold was able to dig up. Can he be much worse than Scobee? Let's hope not. QB Ben Roethlisberger is still out with an injury and QB Michael Vick didn't have the best of games on Thursday. He will have more time to prepare this week. The Steelers don't play again until a trip to San Diego on October 12 for Monday Night Football. Let's Go Steelers!!!!!!

PENGUINS

Our Penguins closed out their exhibition schedule this week. They lost to Montreal on Monday 4-1. They came back to beat Tampa Bay on Tuesday 4-2. They followed that up with a 7-2 loss to Detroit on Wednesday. They wrapped up the preseason with a 2-1 loss to Carolina on Friday.

On Saturday the Pens announced some roster moves as they prepare for the start of the regular season. D Sergei Gonchar did not make the club. Rookie W Daniel Sprong did. The Pens also sent some players to their Wilkes-Barre/Scranton club: D Derrick Pouiot, F Jean-Sebastien Pea and F Bryan Rust. D David Warofsky and D Kevin Porter will join them if they clear waivers.

Now the Pens get ready for the puck to drop on the regular season with Thursday's game at Dallas. Mrs. Black-N-Gold will have her Penguins preview for you on Tuesday. Let's Go Pens!!!

THE BULLPEN

     It's not over, till it's over. Your Pittsburgh Pirates put a wrap on the regular season this afternoon as they square off against the Cincy Reds at PNC Park. But we're not done yet. The Pirates will use today as a warmup for Wednesday's Wild Card matchup with the Chicago Cubs. These are your keys for today's game 1)With last night's 3-1 loss and Chicago's win, the Pirates still have not clinched home field for the Wild Card on Wednesday. If the Bucs can't pull out a win today and the Cubs don't lose, that Wild Card game will be at Wrigley Field, not PNC Park. You gotta want it to win it. 2)The Buccos can make some homestyle Meatloaf with a win today 'cause 2 outta 3 ain't bad. Love that home cookin'! 3)Cincy will start RH Josh Smith, 0-3, 7.22 ERA. He'll face Pirates LH JA Happ, 10-8, 3.74 ERA. The Bucs bats usually fall into a funk against ham-and-eggers like Smith, much like they did last night. Don't worry. Be HAPPy. Have a Happy Happ Day! Let's Go Bucs!!!!!

THE 50-YARD LINE

     Someone once said "You can't win them all". Mrs. Black-N-Gold knows this is true, but for goodness sakes, can we please win when we play the Baltimorons? Mrs. Black-N-Gold has had time to simmer down and sober up so it's now time to take a look at The Good, The Bad & The Ugly from Thursday night's 23-20 Steelers loss.

GOOD

There were some good points in this disappointing overtime loss. The defense sacked Baltimorons QB Joe Flacco 5 times. CB Ross Cockrell, a waiver-wire pick up when the season started, nabbed an interception and recovered LB Lawrence Timmons forced fumble. Good to see the D stepping up. Unfortunately, they weren't able to do so the entire game. There were 2 players that did stand out to Mrs. Black-N-Gold, one on each side of the ball. ILB Sean Spence looked good, helping out in place of injured LB Ryan Shazier. Spence finished with 8 total tackles, 5 solo, 1 sack and 2 TFLs. Considering the horrendous knee injury this kid has had to overcome, it's a miracle he's able to play the game at all. Good to see him doing well and contributing to the defense. On the offensive side of the ball, it's nice to see WR Darrius Heyward-Bey help keep WR Martavis Bryant's spot warm. Heyward-Bey has looked like a bust for years, including last season in Pittsburgh. He turned in numbers of 4 catches for 31 yards on Thursday. Not spectacular but he did score a touchdown. We'll see if DHB continues to find the field when Bryant returns.

BAD

Things are pretty bad when you carry a 20-7 lead over your division rivals into the 3rd quarter and let them score 16 unanswered points on their way to a win in OT on your home turf. The offense couldn't come up with a first down to run out the clock and the defense couldn't come up with a stop. Back to the drawing board.

UGLY

Mrs. Black-N-Gold has two words for ya. Josh. Scobee. It's a head-scratcher why the Steelers ever traded for this much-maligned kicker. When K Shaun Suisham went down in the preseason, the Steelers held a tryout at Heinz Field. Those in attendance were Alex Henery, Jay Feely, and Garrett Hartley. Hartley won the job then proceeded to suffer a season-ending-injury in the preseason himself. What did the Steelers do? They went out and wasted valuable cap space and a draft pick on Scobee. Scooby-Doo could kick better than this guy has. Seriously, why didn't the Steelers sign Henery or Feely? Where they that bad in the tryout? Could they be any worse than this former Jagoff has been? Don't get Mrs. Black-N-Gold wrong. Everyone has an off day. But clearly, he's not working out. You especially need a good kicker to help pick up some of the offensive slack with QB Ben Roethlisberger out. Even Mrs. Black-N-Gold is willing to tryout.

The Steelers still find themselves in second place in the AFC North at 2-2. Cincy continues to lead the pack at 3-0. The Clowns are next with a 1-2 mark. The Baltimorons get their first win as they sit in the basement at 1-3. The Steelers have a whole 1 1/2 weeks to prepare for their next game, Monday, October 12 at San Diego on Monday Night Football. San Diego is off to a 1-2 start so maybe this can be a good matchup for the Michael Vick-led Steelers. Goodness knows, it can't get much worse. Can it? Let's Go Steelers!!!!!!

THE BULLPEN

     Buy me some peanuts and crackerjacks! Your Pittsburgh Pirates continue their final homestand of the season tonight as they have another showdown with the Cincy Reds at PNC Park. These are your keys for tonight's game. 1)Last night's come-from-behind, walk-off win, 6-4 in 12 innings, lowers the Pirates magic number to clinch home field for the Wild Card to 1. Let's get 'er done! 2)Cincy has now dropped 13 straight. #14 would be great! 3)Cincy starts LH Brando Finnegan, 4-2, 3.86 ERA. The Pirates bring RH AJ Burnett, 9-6, 3.15 ERA to the bump for what could be his final start. Batman returned to the 'Burgh to help the Bucs win a World Series. Don't let it be in vain. Get AJ the W! Let's Go Bucs!!!!!

THE BULLPEN

     One, two, three strikes, you're out! Your Pittsburgh Pirates begin their final series of the regular season tonight as they face the Cincy Reds at PNC Park. These are your keys for tonight's game. 1)To quote the legendary thespian John Belushi in the cinematic masterpiece Animal House, "Nothing is over until we decide it is." It wasn't over when the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor and it's not over now. The Pirates still have something to play for as their magic number to clinch home field for the Wild Card is 2. They can't depend on anyone but themselves as they begin this 3 game series with Cincy. Take care of business! 2)Cincy starts rookie RH Keyvius Sampson, 2-6, 6.46 ERA. He's lost both of his starts against the Bucs while carrying a 6.97 ERA against them. Give him more Hit, Run, & Score! 3)The Buccos go with LH Francisco Liriano, 12-7, 3.27 ERA. A W would give the Pirates 16 wins in Frankie's last 17 starts. Cincy has lost 12 straight but are 10-6 vs the Pirates this year. Give 'em L, Frankie! Let's Go Bucs!!!!!

THE 50-YARD LINE

     Here we go Steelers, here we go! Your Pittsburgh Steelers are back home at Heinz Field tonight as they battle their division rivals, the Baltimorons. These are your keys for tonight's game. 1)You'd better believe that with backup QB Michael Vick starting for the injured Ben Roethlisberger, the Batlimorons will stack the line to stop the run. It's up to the offensive line to open holes for RBs Le'Veon Bell and DeAngelo Williams. The offense needs to help Vick as much as possible since he had a short week of reps with the 1st team. Score early, score often, score BIG! 2)The defense, too, needs to do it's part to help pick up the slack. That includes getting to the quarterback. Sacco Flacco. Hit him early, hit him often, hit him HARD! 3)It would be a good thing for the Steelers to get their first division win under their belt right off the bat, especially at the hands of the Baltimorons. The Steelers have won 2 in a row. If it's 3, it's for me! Let's Go Steelers!!!!!!