THE 50-YARD LINE

     Our Pittsburgh Steelers returned to the gridiron yesterday with a showdown versus the Seahawks of Seattle. Unfortunately, the Steelers were the turkeys on this Thanksgiving weekend, losing this back-and-forth battle 39-30. Now that Mrs. Black-N-Gold's blood pressure has returned to normal, she brings you The Good, The Bad & The Ugly from yesterday's defeat.

GOOD

Mrs. Black-N-Gold always tries to find a silver lining in an otherwise cloudy loss. There were 2. First, RB DeAnglo Williams continues to show the world that he's be no means washed up. He only had 8 carriers for 29 yards but scored a touchdown on the ground. He was also a force in the passing game with 7 catches for 88 yards. Having DWill back there makes the loss of RB Le'Veon Bell a little less painful. But the big man on the day was WR Markus Wheaton who had a career day. While WR Antonio Brown was blanketed by CB Richard Sherman most of the day and WR Martavis Bryant had a case of the dropsies, Wheaton went out and caught 9 passes for 201 yards and a touchdown. It was nice to hear from Wheaton yesterday since he's been mostly silent this season.

BAD

How bad was it? Oh, let Mrs. Black-N-Gold count the ways. First, is the fact that Seattle converted 3 Steelers interceptions into 19 points. How many points did the Steelers get off of turnovers? Try zero because that's how many turnovers the defense forced yesterday. Zilch. Secondly, there is the putrid Steelers secondary. The Steelers let Seattle QB Russell Wilson beat them with his arm and he was more than up to the challenge, carving up the defense for 21 of 30 passing on 345 yards with a career-high 5 touchdowns. CB Antwan Blake was the real turkey of the day. Teams will continue to pick on him until he is able to make a stop or the Steelers put him out of his/our misery and take him off the field.

UGLY

This one is on the coach, Mike Tomlin. Mrs. Black-N-Gold is sure we can all agree that the coach's big boner of the day was the fake field goal that turned into a 54-yard interception by CB Jeremy Lane. At the end of the 1st quarter, leading 3-0, the Steelers were lined up for a 45-yard field goal attempt on 4th and 2. Only it wasn't a field goal attempt. QB Landry Jones was in to hold and attempted the ill-fated pass to OT Alejandro Villenueva that changed the whole complexion of the game. Jones took the snap, ran to his right and threw across his body and into the waiting arms of Lane. Now Mrs. Black-N-Gold knows if this play were successful, we'd be signing the praises of Tomlin as a genius. But it wasn't. And more often then not, Tomlin's attempts to re-invent the wheel often blow up in his face like a stick of dynamite to Wil E Coyote. There was no reason to think that K Chris Boswell would not have made this field goal. He already converted from 44 yards earlier. This would have given the Steelers a 6-0 lead in a hostile environment. Instead, the Seahawks marched down the field and turned this boneheaded play into a touchdown, giving Seattle the first of many leads, 7-3. Just where did Tomlin get his coaching credentials? From a box of Crackerjacks?

No doubt about it, the Steelers playoff hopes are now dwindling. They've fallen from the top wild card spot and #5 in the AFC to #8 and on the outside looking in. And the chances of winning the AFC North are slim to none thanks to a Cincy win yesterday. At least the Baltimorons and Clowns didn't gain any ground. They play tonight on MNF. Meanwhile, the Steelers need to dust themselves off, hope that injuries suffered to TE Heath Miller (ribs), LB Ryan Shazier(concussion), and ESPECIALLY QB Ben Roethlisberger (left with a possible concussion late in the game) are not serious and that they'll be ready for next week's game. The Steelers return to Heinz Field to face the AFC South-leading Indy Colts on Sunday Night Football. Let's Go Steelers!!!!!!

THE 50-YARD LINE

     We're from the town with the great football team! Our Pittsburgh Steelers are back in action this afternoon when they travel to Seattle to play the NFC-Champion Seahawks. These are your keys for today's game. 1)Seattle QB Russell Wilson leads the NFL in sacks. He's also coming off his best game of the season in last week's win over San Fran. Hit him early, hit him often, hit him HARD! 2)The big matchup everyone has spent the week discussing is Steelers WR Antonio Brown vs Seattle CB Richard Sherman. Mrs. Black-N-Gold will be happy if the Seahawks best corner spends the entire game shadowing the Best Wide Receiver in the NFL. That leaves things open for the other receivers and the running game. But Mrs. Black-N-Gold read that the Seahawks have a problem covering big, athletic tight ends. Could this lead to another big game for TE Heath Miller? If #83 is asked to stay in and help block, could it be a coming-out party for rookie TE Jesse James? Either way, score early, score often, score BIG! 3)The Steelers haven't won in Seattle since going back to the Kingdome days. And there's always the big deal that is made about Seattle's "12th man". Take the crowd out of the game. The best way to do that is to take Wilson out of the game. Don't let him beat you with his legs. Make him beat you with his arm. Beat him like a rented mule! Let's Go Steelers!!!!!!

SLAP SHOTS

     Mrs. Black-N-Gold is smiling like a butcher's dog 'cause it's a hockey night in Pittsburgh! Our Pittsburgh Penguins return home to Consol Energy Center tonight to faceoff against the Edmonton Oilers. These are your keys for tonight's game. 1)Edmonton has lost 3 straight. #4 would be great! 2)In the last 10 matchups against the Oilers, the Pens are 8-0-2, including 3 wins in a row. The Pens have won the last 4 in Pittsburgh. Following last night's 2-1 loss in OT to Columbus, the Pens need to get back in the win column. Gimme a W! 3)This game could be just what the Pens need to get on the stick. The Oilers rank 29th in the league in goals against, giving up an average of 3.1 per game. Score early, score often, score BIG with Goals, Goals, Goals! Let's Go Pens!!!

SLAP SHOTS

     Great balls of fire, it's a great day for hockey! Our Pittsburgh Penguins take their show on the road to Columbus tonight to faceoff against the Blue Jackets. These are your keys for tonight's game. 1)The Blue Jackets got the better of the Pens in the last matchup, winning 2-1 In fact, Columbus has won 4 of the last 5 meetings. Find the win column! 2)C Sidney Crosby may be emerging from his season-long slump. He scored 2 goals in Wednesday's 4-3 win over St. Louie and has recorded 10 points in his last 12 games. Slap me silly, Sidney! 3)The Blues Jackets are ranked 28th in the league in goals against, surrendering 3.1 per game. Hopefully that can help the Pens offense get on the stick. Fire up the Motely Crue and some Goals, Goals, Goals! Let's Go Pens!!!

BLACK-N-GOLD THANKSGIVING

     Happy Thanksgiving one and all! Mrs. Black-N-Gold has much to be thankful for this year, her family and friends and everyone who enjoys reading this little Black-N-Gold Blog. She's also thankful for her favorite Black-N-Gold teams, our Steelers, Pens and Pirates. In the spirit of the holiday, today she lists what she's thankful for on Black-N-Gold Thanksgiving.

STEELERS

Mrs. Black-N-Gold is thankful for QB Ben Roethlisberger. Without him, where would our Steelers be? We had to find out the hard way a few times this season when Ben was injured. Face it, the team goes and Ben goes and he gives them the best chance at a Super Bowl. It's great that we have the otherwordly WR Antonio Brown but AB woudn't be so BA without Big Ben. It wasn't always that way. The Steeler faithful have had to endure many, many growing pains but these days Ben is at the top of his game as he leads the team both on the field and off it. Thank you, Ben!

PENGUINS

Speaking of players that are at the top of the profession, how about Pens G Marc-Andre Fleury? While our Pens continue to search for offense and find their identity, Flower has bee there every step of the way, pulling their fat out of the fire. Really, would the Pens be as good as they are if they didn't have Flower in goal? Mrs. Black-N-Gold doesn't think so. No doubt about it, MAF is MVP. Thank you, Flower!

PIRATES

Yes, our Pirates have arguably the best player in the game in CF Andrew McCutchen. And this is another case of the team goes as Cutch goes. But without the right leadership, this team goes nowhere. That's why Mrs. Black-N-Gold is thankful for Pirates skipper Clint Hurdle and GM Neal Huntington. It was Hurdle's hire that helped right the ship in Pittsburgh. I brought with him a winning attitude that inspired this organization from top to bottom, ending a 20-odd-year playoff drought in the process. And hats off to NH. He is almost as thrifty as Mrs. Black-N-Gold. He makes the most out of the pittance of a budget that owner Bottom Dollar Bob Nutting throws his way. Now it's time for these 2 to take it to the next level. No more fooling around with Wild Cards. Thank you, Clint and Neal!

     Thank you everyone! Let's Go Steelers!!!!!! Let's Go Pens!!! Let's Go Pirates!!!!!!

SLAP SHOTS

     I'll be cow-kicked, it's a hockey night in Pittsburgh! Our Pittsburgh Penguins are back on the ice tonight to against the St. Louis Blues at Consol Energy Center. These are your keys for tonight's game. 1)After scoring 8 goals in 2 games, the Pens were held to just 1 in their 3-1 loss to San Jose on Saturday. Crank up the Crue with some Goals, Goals, Goals! 2)We could be looking at a defensive battle. Both teams are top 10 in goals against. The Blues are 8th, allowing 2.4 per game. The Pens are 6th, good for a 2.3 average. Score early, score often, score BIG! 3)There may not be much scoring on the power play, either. The Blues PP is ranked 21st with 17.1%. The Pens are 24th at 15.1%. Both teams strength is in the penalty kill. St. Louis is 4th with 85.5%. The Pens are 6th with an 84.5%. Man-up! Let's Go Pens!!!

THE 50-YARD LINE

     Our Pittsburgh Steelers return to the field this week when they travel to Seattle to battle the Seahawks on Sunday. The Steelers should be refreshed following their bye week. It couldn't have come at a better time as players needed to rest, relax and regroup for the playoff run. At 6-4, the Steelers top Wild Card spot in the AFC but Kansas City and Buffalo are both hot on their heals to make the postseason.

      QB Ben Roethlisberger had an extra week to heal his injuries and should be ready to rock as the team chases it's 7th Lombardi Trophy. WR Anotonio Brown is putting up record numbers again this season. RB DeAngelo Williams is turning out to the the steal of the offseason as he has filled in admirably for injured RB Le'Veon Bell. TE Heath Miller continues to be solid in both the running and passing game. The offensive line has overcome season-ending injuries to both C Maurkice Pouncey and LT Kelvin Beachum. OL Coach Mike Munchak has this unit dominating the line of scrimmage.

       The defense is performing well beyond expectations. Thus far, they've intercepted opponents 9 times and forced 9 fumbles. Their turnover differential is at +5. They've also recorded 28 sacks. Sure these number aren't of record-breaking porportions but when you consider the degree of difficulty they had the last few years with turnovers and sacks, this is a vast improvement. They have some good, strong players leading the way in LB Lawrence Timmons, DE Cam Hayward, DE Stephon Tuitt. These players harken back to the days of Jack Lambert, Mean Joe Greene and LC Greenwood. And the secondary has found their forte as a hard-charging, smackdown-laying group led by S Mike Mitchell.

      The Steelers have only won once in Seattle, October 23, 1983. The schedule looks relatively light with 6 games remaining. They face only 2 teams over .500. The Steelers need to keep on keepin' on and stack those Ws. After this week's game, the schedule closes out with all AFC teams, including 3 more in the division. Time to get back to work and carve up the Seahawks. Let's Go Steelers!!!!!!

THE BLACK-N-GOLD NEWS

     Start spreading the news! That's right, Black-N-Gold Nation. It's time for another installment of THE internet sensation. Mrs. Black-N-Gold brings you the latest information on our Penguins, Steelers and Pirates. Allow me to bring you The Black-N-Gold News.

                                    THE BLACK-N-GOLD NEWS

PENGUINS

Our Pens started out the week on the right foot, taming the Minnesota Wild 4-3. In that contest, C Evgeni Malkin scored 4 points, including the 100th power play goal of his career. Congrats, Geno! Unfortunately, D Olli Maatta was lost when he suffered a hit that forced him to leave the game. Olli was released from the hospital and it was announced that he would miss an estimated 3-4 weeks with an upper body injury. Get well soon, Olli! In the meantime, the Pens recalled D David Warsofsky from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton. The Pens also defeated the Colorado Avalanche this week by a score a of 4-3. Alas, their win streak was short lived. On Saturday night they fell to the San Jose Sharks 3-1. The Pens will have an opportunity to get back in the win column on Wednesday at Consol Energy Center as they faceoff against the St. Louis Blues. Let's Go Pens!!!

STEELERS

Our Steelers enjoyed their bye week this week so there wasn't too much to report from their South Side training facility. There was reason to celebrate, though. QB Ben Roethlisberger was named AFC Offensive Player of the Week when he set an NFL record for most passing yards by a backup QB (379). Congrats to Big Ben! There was some bad news for LB Arthur Moats. He was fined $8681 for his facemask on Johnny Manziel last week. The Steelers are back in action this Sunday when they battle the Seahawks in Seattle. Let's Go Steelers!!!!!!

PIRATES

We're creeping closer to our Pirates home opener. At least, that's what Mrs. Black-N-Gold keeps telling herself. And now it's true. Major League Baseball announced this week that the Pirates opener vs the NL-Central champion St Louie Cardinals will be played at PNC Park on Sunday, April 3 at 1:05pm. That game will be part of ESPN's Opening Day coverage. Also, the Bucs will play the Miami Marlins in San Juan, PR on May 30 & 31. May 31 is the day MLB will celebrate Roberto Clemente in 2016. The Buccos also added some prospects to their 40-man roster in order to protect them from the December 10 Rule 5 draft. They are 1B Josh Bell, RH Tyler Glasnow, INF Max Moroff, and OF Harold Ramirez. Hopefully we'll get to see those youngsters in the Black-N-Gold soon. Let's Go Bucs!!!!!

BLACK-N-GOLD BIRTHDAY WISHES

      It's a slow sports day today. Our Pens lost last night and don't play again until Wednesday. Our Steelers have a bye week and don't return to action until next Sunday in Seattle. We're counting down the days until our Pirates return to the field. That puts Mrs. Black-N-Gold in a bit of a quandary. What should she write today? She misses blogging about the blues but nothing has blown her mind lately. She's been so Black-N-Gold sports-oriented of late, anyway. Mrs. Black-N-Gold strives to be the Joe DiMaggio of blogging. No, not a Hall of Famer (although that would be cool to sign you name on a piece of paper with the letters "HOF" affixed to it). No, much like Joltin' Joe she wants to continue her string of consecutive blogs. She also understands they can't all be homers. Sometimes you have to eek out a hit. With that in mind, she lay in her Black-N-Gold bed this morning wondering about what she could write today. Then, it hit her. Mrs. Black-N-Gold's birthday is this week. No need to run out and buy her something (she's a size extra-small, just in case). Today, Mrs. Black-N-Gold will bring you her Black-N-Gold Birthday Wishes for when she's blowing out the candle on her birthday cake (just 1 candle, she doesn't want to burn down the house). Cue the Happy Birthday music.

STEELERS

Mrs. Black-N-Gold wishes good health and good luck for our Steelers. She knows that both are needed for a run to the Super Bowl, much like the Steelers of 2005 that won their final 4 regular season games and won out from the wild card all the way to their 5th championship. This wish is especially directed towards QB Ben Roethlisberger 'cause without Big Ben, the Steelers time will run out. Let's Go Steelers!!!!!!

PENGUINS

Mrs. Black-N-Gold wishes for Goals, Goals, Goals for our Penguins. Hopefully, they'll start to find the net on a consistent bases. This wish is most certainly pointed towards the power play which is still a woeful 23rd in the league. You don't win a Stanley Cup without offense. The team with the most goals wins. Let's Go Pens!!!

PIRATES

Mrs. Black-N-Gold wishes for an everyday first baseman for our Pirates. She'd like a first baseman that can catch the ball, throw the ball and hit the ball. She'd prefer one that can deposit balls into the outfield seats, too, please. This won't solve all of the Buccos problems but it could be just the ticket to put them over the top and into the World Series. Remember, Mrs. Black-N-Gold will be another year older (and, yes, deeper in debt). She'd like to see the Pirates win another championship before she goes to that great ballpark in the sky (she hopes). Let's Go Bucs!!!!!

Hopefully, Mrs. Black-N-Gold won't have to put these same times on her list to Santa come Christmastime next month. Meanwhile, enjoy the birthday cake below. Let's Go Steelers!!!!!! Let's Go Pens!!! Let's Go Bucs!!!!!

SLAP SHOTS

     Let's go hunt moose on a Harley 'cause it's a hockey night in Pittsburgh! Our Pittsburgh Penguins return to the ice tonight when they faceoff against the San Jose Sharks at Consol Energy Center. These are your keys for tonight's game. 1)With Thursday night's 4-3 win, the Pens have scored 8 goals in their last 2 games. Keep the Goals, Goals, Goals coming! 2)Unfortunately, they've also surrended 6 goals in the last 2 games. Gotta tighten up. Put the "D" in defense! 3)The Pens have won 2 in a row to move them to 12-7-0 and 24 points, good for 3rd in the Eastern Conference Metropolitan Division. San Jose is no slouch, either. They've won 4 straight, including Thursday night's 1-0 OT win over Philly. They're now 11-8-0 with 22 points and are in 2nd place in the Western Conference Pacific Division. Take a bite out of the Sharks! Let's Go Pens!!!

TAKEAWAYS

     It's time for Mrs. Black-N-Gold's Takeaways. These are the topics that has all of Black-N-Gold Nation buzzing. She picks one nugget from our Steelers, Penguins and Pirates and gives you her take on the situation. Take a look and see if you agree.

STEELERS

On the heels of WR Antonio Brown's flip into the endzone to complete his second touchdown of the day Sunday versus the Clowns (he did stick the landing, by the way) comes word from QB Ben Roethlisberger to knock off the shenanigans. Ben, being a team captain and all, would like to see his star receiver healthy week in/week out, especially with the Steelers continuing to fight for playoff position. AB responded that he would put an end to the showboating only to turn around and say he may try some other moves such as a cartwheel or back flip when he reaches the endzone next time. Mrs. Black-N-Gold wonders where is Coach Tomlin during all this? Is Ben the only one concerned with the welfare of the NFL's best wide receiver? Dahtahn Brown is lucky he wasn't injured or flagged for his acrobatics. It's quite simple, AB. Do you want to win a Super Bowl or do you want to win the gold medal in the individual all-around competition? Again, Mrs. Black-N-Gold is forced to say "act like you're been there before." Let's Go Steelers!!!!!!

PENGUINS

Our Pens found the net and the win column on Tuesday night with a 4-3 win over the Wild. And, drum roll please....C Evgeni Malkin found the scoresheet. Geno spoke out about the lackluster play of this team, himself included, following the embarrassing 4-0 loss to the Devils on Saturday. Tuesday's victory looks like it can buy coach Mike Johnston some more time but is it worth it? The Pens don't often put forth efforts like Tuesday night any more. It seems like this win will be one step forward. Unfortunately, under this regime that inevitably leads to two steps back. If Geno can continue to put up numbers like he did on Tuesday, 2 goals, 2 assists good for 4 points, and if C Sidney Crosby can EVER get on the stick, the Pens might find their former glory. Get that mojo working. Let's Go Pens!!!

PIRATES

This week word surfaced that our Pirates had trade discussions with the Baltimorons regarding 2B Neil Walker. The Pittsburgh Kid is in his final year of arbitration and expected to command a salary in the neighborhood of $10 million this season. Being a Pittsburgh guy, The Real Deal is most definitely a hometown favorite. But Neil is much more than that. He's a solid player, both with the glove and with the bat. All Neil has ever done in his career is whatever the Pirates have asked of him. He was drafted as a catcher but converted to 3rd base in the minors. Then they moved him to 2B. He's blossomed into a team leader and one of the best at his position. Mrs. Black-N-Gold understands the economics of the game. The Bucs would like to trade Walker in order to get some type of return. He'll be a free agent after the 2016 campaign and it appears he will not re-sign with the Buccos. But if you say you want to win the division and go on to win a World Series, doesn't Neil Walker give you the best chance to do so? The Pirates have made clear that Alen Hanson isn't Major League-ready. It WAS announced this week that INF Jung Ho Kang is progressing nicely as he recovers from his September knee injury. However, Kang is still expected out until May and there is no guarantee that he will recover completely and without any residue effects from the injury. Who's on 2nd? While Mrs. Black-N-Gold would love to see the Homeboy finish his career in Pittsburgh, she wants nothing more than to see the Pirates win a championship. If they trade Neil away, they'd better damn well make sure they get a worthy return. Otherwise, suck it up and pay the man and get that World Series trophy this season. Let's Go Bucs!!!!!

SLAP SHOTS

     Lookout, Loretta, it's a hockey night in Pittsburgh! Our Pittsburgh Penguins return to the ice tonight to faceoff against the Colorado Avalanche at Consol Energy Center. These are your keys for tonight's game. 1)The Pens got back in the win column and C Evgeni Malkin got back on the scoresheet in Tuesday's 4-3 win over the Wild. Geno had a role in all 4 Penguins goals. C Sidney Crosby was shutout again. Time for Sid to get on the stick. Slap me silly, Sidney! 2)Despite collecting 2 goals on the power play Tuesday night, the Pens continue to struggle with the man-advantage. They're 27th in the NHL at 14.3%. Colorado's penalty kill is ranked 22nd at 77%. Time to man-up! 3)The Pens are also #27 in goals per game with a 2.2 average. Colorado is ranked 21st in goals against at 2.8. Break out the Goals, Goals, Goals, baby! Let's Go Pens!!!

THE BLACK-N-GOLD NEWS

     Have you heard the news? It's all over town. Mrs. Black-N-Gold sure has. Now she's got it for you, the latest low-down on your favorite Black-N-Gold teams in town: Steelers, Penguins and Pirates. Here it is, The Black-N-Gold News.


                                            THE BLACK-N-GOLD NEWS

STEELERS

Our Steelers renewed their rivalry with the Cleveland Clowns this week while continuing to fight for a wildcard spot. QB Landry Jones started the game for the "injured" Ben Roethlisberger. Jones ultimately left the game early in the 1st quarter with an ankle injury. Big Ben came out of the bullpen in the 30-9 clobbering of the Clowns. Ben also moved into 13th place for all-time passing yards in the NFL. Congrats to Ben! Our Steelers are off this week. On November 28, they'll travel to Seattle to battle the NFC Champion Seahawks. Get rested and healed up, fellas. Let's Go Steelers!!!!!!

PENGUINS

Our Penguins saw W Pascal Duquis return to the ice this past week following a health scare. Duper checked out healthwise and helped lead the Pens to a 4-3 shootout win over Montreal. The Pens dropped Friday night's contest to Columbus, 2-1. Saturday night they laid an egg, a goose egg, that is. They were shut out in New Jersey, 4-0. The Pens were so upset by this latest loss that they staged a closed door, players-only meeting following the game. The sit-down must have made an impact, the Pens went out and edged the Wild the next game, 4-3. C Evgeni Malkin was especially impactful, totaling 4 points in the contest. The Pens next game is tomorrow night at home versus the Colorado Avalanche. Keep that fire burning. Let's Go Pens!!!

PIRATES

This is normally the time of year where hardware is handed out in MLB. Our Pirates were in contention to collect some of those trophies. INF Jung Ho Kang was named a finalist for NL Rookie of the Year voting. Jung Ho came in 3rd for the Jackie Robinson Rookie of the Year honor. Congrats to the Kang Show! He wasn't the only Pirate receiving accolades. LF Starling Marte collected the 1st Gold Glove award of his career. He was also named 2015 Wilson Defensive Player of the Year for left field. Congrats to the Marte Partay! CF Andrew McCutchen was honored again this week. Cutch won his 4th straight Silver Slugger award. Cutch is the 1st Pirate to win the award 4 consecutive seasons. Congrats, Cutch! We had a Pirates prospect get in on the action, too. Baseball America named RH Tyler Glasnow the Pirates top prospect. Congrats, Tyler! Hope to see you in Black-N-Gold at PNC Park soon. We'll close out this segment with an award that was bestowed upon the Bucs closer. RH Mark Melancon won the IBWAA Hoyt Wilhelm NL Relief Pitcher of the Year award. Congrats to the Shark! It's great that our Buccos are receiving such awards. Hopefully next year they'll collect a World Series trophy to put in their case, too. Let's Go Bucs!!!!!

SLAP SHOTS

     Michael, Michael, motorcycle, it's a hockey night in Pittsburgh! Our Pittsburgh Penguins return home tonight to face the Minnesota Wild tonight at Consol Energy Center. These are your keys for tonight's game. 1)Minnesota has been going Wild with a 10-3-3 start, good for 23 points. They're 6-2-2 in their last 10. The Pens are 10-7-0 with 20 points. Although they're 7-3-0 in their last 10 games, they've lost 3 of the last 4 and 2 straight. Having an offense that is ranked 27th in the league with a 2.1 goals per game average doesn't help. Light the lamp with some Goals, Goals, Goals! 2)The Wild bring with them the 25th ranked penalty kill in the league at 75.7%. That should help the Pens 29th ranked power play (12.3%). Man-up. Take advantage of the man-advantage! 3)Scoring is down across the league and has been for quite sometime now. If this lack of offense keeps up, the owners will also begin to notice that ratings and attendance is down, too. That's throughout the entire league, not just with the Pens. It's like watching ice melt. Still, you'd think Mario and Burkle would be upset that they're paying Sid and Geno big money to score and they're not getting it done. Better start making hay and find the net, boys! Let's Go Pens!!!

THE 50-YARD LINE

     Put another W in the win column in the latest installment of our Pittsburgh Steelers rivalry with the Cleveland Clowns. Big Ben comes on in relief and gets the win, 30-9. Today Mrs. Black-N-Gold takes you back to those magical moments of yesterday with The Good, The Bad & The Ugly.

GOOD

There was a lot to like in yesterday's win. For starters, WRs Antonio Brown and Martavis Bryant put up impressive numbers. AB caught 10 passes for 139 yards and 2 TDs. He also received a 9.5 from judges for his acrobatic flip into the end zone on his 2nd touchdown (the Russian judge refused to give him a perfect score). Bryant was able to overcome a fumble that came on a beautiful pass play. He finished with 6 receptions for 178 yards and a touchdown. The defense also came up big. The D recorded 6 sacks after being shutout in that department last week. They also had 6 QB hits and 9 tackles for loss. They won the turnover battle, snagging 1 interception and recovering 2 fumbles. But the best part of the 30-9 victory was that QB Ben Roethlisberger came on in relief for only the second time in his career and pulled out the win. QB Landry Jones left the game early in the first quarter when T Marcus Gilbert accidentally stepped on Jones foot/ankle. Big Ben moved into 13th all-time in the NFL in passing yards. Congrats to Ben! He also finished 22 of 33 for 379 yards, 3 TD and 1 INT. All this with virtually no running game. Ben continued his dominance over teams from his native state of Ohio. The Clowns haven't won in Pittsburgh since the Tim Couch era. Good job, Ben. Now rest that foot during the bye and we'll see you under center in Seattle!

BAD

Don't get Mrs. Black-N-Gold wrong. The defense has had their moments this year. They've managed to get to the quarterback and turn the ball over many times more than they have the last few years. That's a good thing. Now here comes the asterisk: The defense still has much room to improve. They surrendered 372 yards passing to Clowns QB Johnny Manziel who also converted 33 of 45 with 1 touchdown and 1 interception. WR Travis Benjamin hauled in 7 passes for 113 yards. If/when the Steelers ever get themselves a shutdown corner, this defense is going to return to its former greatness. Until then, they'll have to make just enough splash plays to make up for all the big plays they allow.

UGLY

Early on, the game itself was ugly but Cleveland pulled way ahead in the second half with all kinds of ugliness. Yes, Cleveland proved, once again, just why they are the Clowns. Cleveland committed 12 penalties for 188 yards, constantly shooting themselves in the foot. And why did their coach not use the 2 timeouts he had in the 4th quarter to try and stop the clock? Mrs. Black-N-Gold bets he went to the Mike Tomlin School of Clock Management (Sorry, Mike. That was a cheap shot. Mrs. Black-N-Gold just couldn't help herself). Anyway, yes, Cleveland really stunk up the joint. Mrs. Black-N-Gold really started to feel sorry for the Cleveland fans. Then she remembered, they don't have to like Cleveland. It's their choice to root for this miserable team. That being said, the Steelers may want to watch it in the next meeting. That one will be at the Mistake by the Lake.

The Steelers playoff hopes remain alive with yesterday's win. Cincy plays on MNF this week and are still in the top spot in the AFC North at 8-0. The Steelers are #2 with a 6-4 record. The Baltimorons fell to the Jagoffs and now sit at 2-7. The Clowns are in the cellar with a mark of 2-8. No Steelers football next week with the bye. They'll come off of the bye on Nov. 28 when they travel to Seattle for a 4:25 game. Enjoy the week off. Let's Go Steelers!!!!!!

THE 50-YARD LINE

     Chew tobacco, chew tobacco, spit, spit, spit! Our Pittsburgh Steelers go for 2 in a row this afternoon when they battle the Cleveland Clowns at Heinz Field. These are your keys for today's game. 1)The Clowns may be 2-7 but don't take them lightly. The Steelers have been caught with their pants down on Cleveland on more than one occasion during the Tomlin era. Don't look ahead to the bye. This is a division game. With the Steelers in a tight race for the Wildcard, every game counts. Gimme a W! 2)The Clowns were up in the air late in the week over who their starting QB would be Josh McCown or Johnny Manziel. The Steelers defense has spent the week preparing for both. No matter who it is, McCown or Johnny Football....hit him early, hit him often, hit him HARD! 3)Meanwhile, QB Landry Jones gets the start for Ben Roethlisberger and his boo-boo foot. Jump out to an early lead and keep your foot on the gas and on their throats. Score early, score often, score BIG! Let's Go Steelers!!!!!!

SLAP SHOTS

     Make me a milkshake, Malkin, it's a great day for hockey! Our Pittsburgh Penguins take their show on the road somewhere in the swamps of Jersey tonight when they faceoff against the New Jersey Devils. These are your keys for tonight's game.  1)Following last night's 2-1 loss to Columbus, the Pens have dropped 2 of 3. Get back in that win column and gimme a W! 2)This is the 2nd of back-to-back games for the Pens. They've already dropped the back end of back-to-backs twice this season. You can get out of this funk this by putting the rock in the box. Fire up the Motley Crue and some Goals, Goals, Goals! 3)The Devils are 6-0-1 in their last 7 games against the Pens in New Jersey. Turn things around. Give 'em hell! Let's Go Pens!!!

SLAP SHOTS

     Great balls of fire it's a hockey night in Pittsburgh! Your Pittsburgh Penguins continue their homestand tonight when they faceoff against the Columbus Blue Jackets at Consol Energy Center. These are your keys for tonight's game. 1)Columbus is off to a disappointing start, 4-12-0 with 8 points. They've lost 2 straight. #3 would be great! 2)The Blue Jackets are 29th in the NHL in goals against, giving up an average of 3.7 per game. That should help the Pens who are #25 in goals per game at 2.3. Goals, Goals, Goals, baby! 3)The Pens 23rd ranked power play (14.6%) could see improvement, too. The Blue Jackets have the 27th ranked penalty kill at 75%. Take advantage of the man-advantage. Man-up! Let's Go Pens!!!

TAKEAWAYS

     Happy Thursday! No games going on today so Mrs. Black-N-Gold thought she'd give you some Takeaways. It's her take on some of the goings on of our favorite Black-N-Gold teams, the Steelers, Penguins and Pirates. So, let's take it away!

STEELERS

Playing to the whistle. Mrs. Black-N-Gold briefly weighed in on this earlier in the week with The Good, The Bad & The Ugly. Allow her to expand. Athletes are paid handsomely to do a job. That job may be to run with the ball, to catch the ball or to separate said ball from an opponent. When this task is performed accordingly, it can lead to an outburst of emotion on both the player's and spectator's part. Mrs. Black-N-Gold singled out S Mike Mitchell earlier this week for prancing and preening after her caused a crucial fumble in the Oakland game. Lucky for him, teammate Jarvis Jones had the presence of mind to pounce on the ball or the celebration may have been for naught. What Mrs. Black-N-Gold failed to do was admonish RB Roosevelt Nix for the same infraction. She, too, was too busy celebrating the fumble to actually notice that the ball was still in play. That's ok when a fan does this. It is definitely NOT ok when a player does it. Gentlemen, please allow me to explain again that you must play all the way through, until the official blows his little whistle thus ending the play. Then you may go off and do your little dance and play to the crowd and celebrate with your teammates. ONLY if it's an exceptional play. Do not celebrate tackling someone on 1st & 10 if your team just gave up 8 yards on the play. Do not celebrate a 1st down in an exhibition game. In other words, act like you've been there before. And for crying out loud, DO NOT get a penalty for any of these ridiculous celebrations. Thank you.

PENGUINS

No doubt about it, G Marc-Andre Fleury is playing crazy-out-of-his-mind hockey right now. Without Flower the Pens would surely not carry a 9-5-0 mark, 18 points, and 4th place in the Metro division. Yes, MAF is M-V-P. This is a good thing because the Pens have most certainly been without their other M-V-P, C Sidney Crosby. Sid has been dreadful in the early part of the season, managing just 7 points in the first 14 games. Some people think it's due to Coach Mike Johnston's 200-foot system. Others feel maybe Sid is too concerned about the injuries he has suffered during his illustrious career and may be playing scared. Sid himself has bristled about the Pittsburgh media making such a big deal of the slump. First of all, Mrs. Black-N-Gold is not a member of the media so she can expand on the topic of Sid's slump all she wants. Secondly, now that Crosby's offensive woes stem all the way back to last season, is it considerded a slump or is Sid on the downside of his career? Mrs. Black-N-Gold thinks that the Pens can't continue to play winning hockey without their captain contributing offensively. Maybe Sid is finally coming around. In last night's 4-3 shootout win over Montreal, he recorded 2 assists as well as putting one on the net in the shootout. If it was a fluke, and he's not coming around, it's time to put on the big-boy pants and start finding the net, Sid.

PIRATES

Pirates LF Starling Marte was honored this week when he received the Rawlings Gold Glove Award for NL leftfielders and the Wilson Defensive Player of the Year Award for leftfielders. It was the 1st time Marte received such an honor but more than likely will not be the last. He came close to snagging the award last year, as he was named a finalist. This season he recorded a .995 fielding percentage by committing only 1 error in 196 chances. His 24 defensive runs saved was 3rd best in the Majors. And Marte led the NL with 16 assists. He is the 1st Pirate to do so since Jose Guillen had 16 in 1998. The converted centerfielder is considered one of the fastest players on the team and has the best arm, to boot. Not to take anything away from CF Andrew McCutchen but Mrs. Black-N-Gold can't help but wonder why Marte is in left and Cutch remains in center. In an age where saving runs is as important as scoring them, don't you want to give your team the best possible chance to win? Doesn't that include putting your best lineup on the field defensively? Yes, Cutch himself finished as a Gold Glove finalist this year. But the fact remains, Marte is younger than Cutch, faster than Cutch and has a better arm than Cutch. The Pirates once prided themselves on good defense. That trait seems to have trailed off the past few seasons. It may be time to put stock in defensive metrics again. Your best outfielder belongs in centerfield.

That's it for Mrs. Black-N-Gold's Takeaways. There may come another day when she needs to set the record straight with some issues regarding our favorite teams. Until next time, Black-N-Gold fans. Let's Go Steelers!!!!!! Let's Go Pens!!! Let's Go Bucs!!!!!

SLAP SHOTS

     Call Arnold Slick from Turtle Crick 'cause it's a hockey night in Pittsburgh! Our Pittsburgh Penguins return to the friendly confines of Consol Energy Center tonight when they faceoff against the Montreal Canadiens. These are your keys for tonight's game. 1)The Canadiens skate into Pittsburgh owning the NHL's best record with a 13-2-1 mark, good for 27 points. However, their 2 losses have come on the road. Make them road kill! 2)Both teams are top 3 in goals against. Montreal is 2nd with a 1.8 goals against average. The Pens are 3rd at 2.0. Shut 'em down! 3)The Pens continue to struggle for goals, averaging just 2.2 per game, 25th in the league. Good news for the Pens. Montreal G Carey Price is expected to miss this contest with an injury. Time to crank up the Crue with Goals, Goals, Goals! Let's Go Pens!!!

THE BLACK-N-GOLD NEWS

   Extra! Extra! Read all about it! My, it's been a busy week for all of our favorite Black-N-Gold teams, the Steelers, the Penguins and the Pirates. Mrs. Black-N-Gold has been diligently checking her notes to give you the newest edition of the internet sensation that's sweeping Black-N-Gold Nation. It's time for the latest news that you can use, The Black-N-Gold News.

                                                   
                                         THE BLACK-N-GOLD NEWS


STEELERS

Last week started off on a losing note for our Steelers. They lost last Sunday's showdown with AFC North-leading Cincinnati, 16-10. That wasn't the only loss they suffered. RB Le'Veon Bell was knocked out of the game with a knee. Congrats to QB Ben Roethlisberger who became just the 9th QB in NFL history to pass for over 40,000 yards with one team. It's a shame he threw 3 picks on the day to contribute to the loss.

The following day it was officially announced that #26 was out for the year with a torn MCL. The Steelers signed former Rams RB Isaiah Pead to add some depth to their depleted running attack.

Another roster move was made mid-week when the team released WR Tyler Murphy and called up CB Doran Grant from the practice squad. And still one more move came as the Steelers released RB/Returner Dri Archer and signed WR/Returner Jacoby Jones. Jones was claimed off waivers from the San Diego Chargers. He's no stranger to Steelers fans from his days with the Baltimorons. It was only a few Thanksgivings ago that Coach Tomlin danced a little two-step with Jones as he sprinted down the sidelines to return a TD in a Steelers loss. Let's hope the coach doesn't have flashbacks if/when Jacoby does the same for the Black-N-Gold.

The Steelers continued to keep their playoff hopes alive when they defeated the Oakland Raiders this past Sunday in a 38-35, heart-stopping win. Don't look now but Big Ben had to leave this game midway through the 4th quarter. He suffered a mid-foot sprain and is expected to just miss a few weeks. Whew!

Meanwhile, QB Landry Jones filled in admirably in Ben's abscence. Hopefully he can do the same this week when the Cleveland Clowns come to town. Let's Go Steelers!!!!!!

PENGUINS

When last we saw our Pens they were in the early goings of a winning streak that would take them to all the way to western Canada. They edged former Coach Dan Bylsma's new team, the Buffalo Sabres 4-3 before hitting the road for the Great White North.

Along the way, they also did some roster shuffling. They sent F Kevin Porter back to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton. That cleared the way for F Eric Fehr to make his long-awaited Pens debut. Fehr debuted in fine fashion, scoring his first goal (shorthanded) for the Black-N-Gold in a 4-0 shutout of the Maple Leafs. F Matt Cullen also picked up his first career goal for the Pens in that contest. G Marc-Andre Fleury was credited with the shutout, the 40th of his career. Congrats to Fehr, Cullen and Flower!

The Pens also nipped the Canucklheads 3-2. In that game, Fehr found the net again with another shorty. He became the 1st player in NHL history to score a shorthanded goal in his 1st 2 games played with a team. Congrats again to Fehr!

We learned that over Halloween weekend Baby Pens D Derrick Pouliot was cited for public drunkenness in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton. Not too cool if you want to make it back to the big club, dude.

This past weekend the Pens were given a health scare. W Pascal Dupuis was not in the lineup for the Pens 2-1 win over Edmonton. Duper was taken to the hospital for examination. The team announced it was not related to his recent blood clot issues. Duper rejoined the team in the locker room following their victory but was still not cleared to play.

Saturday night saw the Pens road trip and winning streak come to an end. They fell to the Flames 5-2. Congrats to W David Perron who scored the 300th point of his career!

Yesterday brought the return of Duper to the ice when he practiced with the Pens at their complex in Cranberry. Hopefully he'll be back in the lineup when the Pens take the ice tomorrow night against the Montreal Canadiens. Let's Go Pens!!!

PIRATES

Our Pirates made some roster moves this week. The Braves acquired Indy RH Chris Volstad. Volstad spent the season in Triple A last year to provide the organization some pitching depth.

CF Andrew McCutchen collected some new hardware in the last week. Cutch was awarded the Roberto Clemente Award. This award goes to the player that "best exemplifies the game of baseball, sportsmanship, community involvement and the individual's contribution to his team". Congrats to Cutch for the honor!

Some Pirates prospects also received honors this week. OF Austin Meadows and C Reese McGuire were named AFL Fall Stars. Meadows celebrated by hitting a home run in the game. Congrats to both Austin and Reese! See you in the Black-N-Gold at PNC Park soon!

Of course there were more moves in the early goings of the offseason. RH Deolis Guerra elected for free agency rather than be outrighted to Triple A Indy. The Bucs declined their 2016 option for RH Radhames Liz, making him a free agent. 3B Aramis Ramirez made it official when he announced his retirement from MLB. The Buccos added INF Gift Ngoepe to their 40-man roster.

The Bucs announced that RH Casey Sadler had undergone Tommy John surgery in October and would miss all of the 2016 season. The Pirates outrighted both Sadler and RH Brandon Cumpton to Triple A Indy. The Pirates lost another player when Oakland claimed OF/1B Andrew Lambo off of waivers.

Rumors abounded yesterday that the Pirates had won the bidding rights to KBO 1B Byung-Ho Park, INF Jung Ho Kang's former teammate. That rumor turned out to be unfounded when it was officially announced that the Minny Twins won the bidding.

The Pirates made some front office promotions. Pro scout Ron Hopkins and national supervisor Matt Ruebel were named special assistants to GM Neal Huntington.

One last move was made. The Pirates claimed RH Guido Knudson off waivers from the Detroit Tigers.

The hot stove is only now beginning to warm up. Many more moves will be made before winter is over. Hopefully they'll be moves that will get our Pirates to a World Series in 2016. Keep it here for the latest. Let's Go Bucs!!!!!

THE 50-YARD LINE

     Whew! Our Steelers almost managed to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory again this week but it wasn't meant to be. Steelers win a nail-biter to keep their playoff hopes alive when they defeated the Oakland Raiders on a 19 yard Chris Boswell field goal with 2 seconds remaining yesterday, 38-35. Mrs. Black-N-Gold has recovered from this back-and-forth emotional train wreck of a game. We laughed, we cried, we won! Now Mrs. Black-N-Gold has The Good, The Bad & The Ugly from this week's win.

GOOD

RB DeAngelo Williams is a godsend for the Steelers. Taking over for the injured Le'Veon Bell, DWill rushed for 170 yards with 2 touchdowns and 55 receiving yards. How was it he was still available when the Steelers picked him up in the offseason? Mrs. Black-N-Gold doesn't know but she's grateful. But that wasn't all. Kudos also to CB Ross Cockrell for his INT, to LB Jarvis Jones for his fumble recovery and to special teams players Roosevelt Nix for his forced fumble and Vince Williams for recovering said fumble. Congrats go to TE Jesse James for his 1st career reception which also turned out to be his 1st career touchdown. But really you can't talk about the Good today without giving the honor to WR Antonio Brown who set new Steelers records by hauling in 17 receptions for 284 yards. He did muff a punt return that Oakland recovered (why was he back there anyway? Isn't that why they brought in Jacoby Jones?). But AB helped us forget that miscue later in the 4th quarter with a 57 yard reception from QB Landry Jones. #84 can be a pain in the neck when he complains about not getting the ball. He can also be a diva when he wants to increase his stats. But whether you like him or not, learn to love him because he's the best thing going. Congrats to AB for his record-breaking day!

BAD

The Steelers defense is a lot like Dr. Jekyl and Mr. Hyde. Sometimes they're so good, it's scary. And sometimes they're so bad, it's maddening. They didn't record any sacks yesterday but they were all over the place, making plays and turning the ball over. Except when they weren't. I mean, they DID give up 35 points, after all. S Mike Mitchell is a good example. He delivered some bone-crunching blows yesterday. But in the 3rd quarter, he delivered a hit to Oakland's RB Latavius Murray that not only knocked the ball loose but knocked Murray out of the game. What did Mitchell do following the hit? He was too busy celebrating to notice the fumble and notice that the whistle had not yet been blown. Luckily, Jones had enough sense to dive on the football. Mrs. Black-N-Gold feels the Steelers defense will never reach the next level if they don't learn to act like they've been there before.

UGLY

Speaking of being there before, once again, all of Black-N-Gold Nation held it's collective breath as QB Ben Roethlisberger was helped from the field in the 4th quarter. LB Aldon Smith fell on Ben's left foot awkwardly yesterday on a sack. It could have spelled doom for the Black-N-Gold. Again, the Steelers dodged a bullet. It was later announced as a mid-foot sprain. Ben is expected to miss just a few weeks. It could have been ugly, folks.

Now that the Steelers have found the win column, let's look at this week's standings. Believe it or not, Cincy continues to lead the pack in the AFC North. With their Thursday night win over the Clowns, they are 8-0. The Steelers are in 2nd with a 5-4 record. The Baltimorons had a bye this week. They're at 2-6. The Clowns are in the basement with a 2-7 mark. Those same Clowns travel to Pittsburgh this week to face our Steelers at Heinz Field. Mrs. Black-N-Gold thinks the Steelers should start Landry Jones at QB this week. He played admirably in relief of Ben. Plus, playing the Clowns could be a good boast to his confidence. Just don't take this team too lightly by looking ahead to the bye week. Get ready for another divisional foe and stay in that win column. 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. Our Pittsburgh Steelers try to break out of their slump and keep their playoff hopes alive today when they battle the Oakland Raiders at Heinz Field. These are your keys for today's game. 1)Over the past decade, the Raiders have a winning record against just 1 team in the NFL, the Steelers. The Steelers are 1-4 in the AFC. You can't get in if you don't win. Gimme a W! 2)The Raiders have the 25th ranked passing defense in the league. The Steelers will need to lean on QB Ben Roethlisberger's arm a little more this week with RB Le'Veon Bell lost for the season. Following last week's 3-interception performance, the Steelers need to play mistake-free football. Air it out and let it fly. Score early, score often, score BIG! 3)Unfortunately, the Steelers passing defense is right behind Oakland at #26. Raiders QB Derek Carr is turning into one of the better young quarterbacks in the NFL. And WR Amari Cooper is a favorite target for Carr. How do you stop them? Hit him early, hit him often, hit him HARD! Let's Go Steelers!!!!!!

SLAP SHOTS

     Donna needs a donut 'cause it's a great day for hockey! Your Pittsburgh Penguins wrap up their road trip to Canada tonight when they faceoff against the Flames in Calgary. These are your keys for tonight's game 1)The Pens picked up another win last night, 2-1, over Edmonton. They're won 9 of 10 and 6 straight. #7 would be great! 2)The Pens are 9-1-0 in their last 10. Calgary is 3-6-1. Put out the Flames! 3)The Pens are still just 24th in the league in goals per game, averaging 2.3. Calgary is 30th in goals against, giving up 4.0 per game. Light em up with Goals, Goals, Goals! Let's Go Pens!!!

SLAP SHOTS

     Let's go hunt moose on a Harley 'cause it's a great day for hockey! Our Pittsburgh Penguins take their show on the road tonight when they faceoff against the Edmonton Oilers. These are your keys for tonight's game. 1)Following Wednesday night's 3-2 win over Vancouver, the Pens have scored 11 goals in their last 3 games. Love those Goals, Goals, Goals! 2)The Pens are ranked 24th in the league in goals per game with a 2.3 average. They have a chance to improve on that against Edmonton. The Oilers are 26th in the NHL in goals against, allowing 3.2 per game. Score early, score often, score BIG! 3)Edmonton won't have it so easy. The Pens are #1 in the league in goals against, giving up just 1.8 per game. The puck stops here! Let's Go Pens!!!

THE BULLPEN

     Mrs. Black-N-Gold continues to hear the chatter. Pittsburgh Pirates fan are all abuzz regarding the offseason. Will our Pirates sign a blockbuster free agent? Will trades be made? What players will be offered salary arbitration? Will any minor leaguers make the team out of spring training?

     On Tuesday, Mrs. Black-N-Gold looked at the Pirates free agents. Today she looks at 3 key players that are in their final year of arbitration, RH Mark Melancon, 2B Neil, Walker and 1B Pedro Alvarez. All 3 players were crucial to the Bucs 3 straight playoff appearances. All 3 are also in line for a BIG payday. Should the Pirates offer them arbitration? Can they afford it? If they do go to arbitration, will the Pirates keep them or trade them away?

  1)RH Mark Melancon-Many fans thought the Shark was washed up at the start of the season, claiming he had lost velocity as well as save opportunities in the early going. Melancon showed them a thing or two, setting a new Pirates record with 51 saves and leading the NL to boot as the top reliever in the league. The Shark converted 51 of 53 save opportunities while fanning 62 in 76 2/3 innings with a 2.23 ERA. Doesn't sound like a has-been to Mrs. Black-N-Gold. The thing is, Pirates GM Neal Huntington has had a knack for tacking less expensive pitchers and turning them into closers (see Joel Hanrahan and Jason Grilli before Melancon). Melancon is expected to garner about $10 million in arbitration. Mrs. Black-N-Gold can't believe the tight-fisted Bucs would commit that much to a reliever, especially a closer. If they don't bring back Melancon, will they be able to find lightning in a bottle again? Will they be able to do so now that pitching guru Jim Benedict has left the fold?

2)2B Neil Walker-The Real Deal didn't duplicate his numbers of 2014 but still put together a fine season. Walker finished with a .269 batting average, 32 doubles 16 home runs and 71 RBIs. The Pirates won their arbitration hearing with Walker last offseason. They also attempted to open negotiations for a new deal with The Pittsburgh Kid. Those talks appeared to stall before they ever started. Fans would love to see Homeboy finish his career where it all began, in the Black-N-Gold. It may have been easier for the Buccos to part company with Walker had it not been for the injury to Jung Ho Kang who isn't expected to begin baseball activities again until at least May. That may have been the break that Walker needed to spend at least 1 more season in Pittsburgh.

3)1B Pedro Alvarez-Yes, Pedro led the Pirates with 27 homers, in limited playing time, no less. He also led them in errors with 23. It appears El Toro has worn out his welcome in Pittsburgh. It became obvious at the trade deadline when Huntington was openly shopping Alvarez to anyone that would listen. He's expected to do the same this offseason. The problem is, the market is limited to just AL teams since Pedro has become a liability at not only 3B but 1B, too and only has potential as a DH. Maybe they can get a bag of balls for him.

     Mrs. Black-N-Gold hates to see any of these players go. They've all been important pieces to the Buccos these past 3 seasons. But some times you have to move on in order to move forward. Mrs. Black-N-Gold will continue to keep her ears and eyes open to any new developments and will pass the news along to you when it's available. Until then, she'll just count down the days until pitchers and catchers report. Let's Go Bucs!!!!!

SLAP SHOTS

     I'll be cow-kicked, it's a great day for hockey! Your Pittsburgh Penguins continue their road trip to the Great White North when they faceoff against the Vancouver Canuckleheads tonight. These are your keys for tonight's game. 1)The Canuckleheads have won 2 straight. The Pens skate into Vancouver winning 7 of 8 and 4 in a row. Keep the streak alive with win #5! 2)Vancouver is 2nd in the league on the penalty kill at 90.6%. The Pens power play has begun to show signs of life but they are still ranked 28th overall at 11.4%. Man up and take advantage of the man-advantage! 3)The Pens have scored at least 4 goals in each of their last 2 games. Keep the Goals, Goals, Goals coming! Let's Go Pens!!!

THE BULLPEN

     It's over, the fat lady has sung. The 2015 MLB season is in the books. The Kansas City Royals are World Champs. Now, the other 29 teams will begin their goal to usurp KC next season. That includes our Pittsburgh Pirates. With the World Series over, eligible players are able to declare free agency. Their teams can negotiate with them until the free agent signing period begins on Saturday, November 7. Today, Mrs. Black-N-Gold takes a look at the Pirates potential free agents.

1)LH Antonio Bastardo-The Pirates made a trade with Philly last offseason to land the lefty reliever. It took him awhile to earn Manager Clint Hurdle's confidence, but Bastardo came on strong in the second half of the season. Still, don't look for the Pirates to make a push to keep the southpaw, especially with Tony Watson as their top left-handed specialist.

2)RH Joe Blanton-The veteran right-hander was a deadline pick-up that helped the Bucs tremendously down the stretch. His ability to pitch multiple innings out of the bullpen helped keep the starters fresh. But Joe is a little long in the tooth and has already retired once in his career. The Pirates should be able to find long relief somewhere off the scrap heap.

3)LH JA Happ-Mrs. Black-N-Gold would love to see the Pirates retain this lefty. She admits she wasn't very high on Happ when the Buccos added him at the deadline. His first start in Black-N-Gold, a 5-0 loss to the Cubs, did nothing to endear JA to Black-N-Gold Nation. But then, something magical happened. Mrs. Black-N-Gold doesn't know if it was help from pitching guru Ray Searage, the water from the 3 Rivers or a combination of the 2 but somehow Happ turned it around to go 7-2 with a 1.85 ERA for the Buccos. Because of this newfound success, the lefty will be in high demand. The Pirates lost out in the Edinson Volquez sweepstakes last season after helping revitalize his career. And look what happened. Eddy was just crowned a World Champion with the Royals. Don't let the same mistake HAPPen twice. Sometimes you have to overspend a little to get what you need.

4)OF/1B Corey Hart-Sorry, this one's a no-brainer. The Pirates didn't even allow Hart to rejoin the team after coming off the DL. Hart's career is flat-lined.

5)UT-Sean Rodriguez-Mrs. Black-N-Gold isn't quite as enamored with the super-utility man as Hurdle was. He is a good defensive replacement, especially at 1B for the woefully dreadful Pedro Alvarez. But his lack of offense can be vexing. He's Ben Zobrist without the bat. The Pirates have a knack for finding no-hit utility men. Maybe they ought to make it an offseason priority to find one who CAN hit.

6)RH Joakim Soria-It looked like Soria's tenure with the Pirates following his pick-up at the trade deadline was up-and-down. He probably prefers the closer role to that of a setup man, anyway. Plus, Soria is on the wrong side of 30. They may be able to find a younger, cheaper option.

That's it for the Pirates free agents. Mrs. Black-N-Gold would really only like to see the Bucs keep Happ and hit the market or the dumpster to replace the other dearly departed. Mrs. Black-N-Gold is concerned, though. 4 of the 6 FAs are pitchers. The Pirates recently lost another pitching guru, Jim Benedict, to the Miami Marlins organization. This offseason, the Buccos will see just how much Benedict brought to the table in assessing talent and turning that talent into production. Let's hope the ship doesn't sink. Let's Go Bucs!!!!!

    
    

THE 50-YARD LINE

     Our Pittsburgh Steelers clashed with the Cincy Bengals in an AFC North matchup yesterday. Unfortunately, things didn't go so well for the Black-N-Gold. The Steelers suffered a 16-10 defeat to the AFC North leaders. Like the outcome or not, Mrs. Black-N-Gold brings you The Good, The Bad and the Ugly from yesterday's contest.

GOOD

Believe it or not, Mrs. Black-N-Gold saw ALOT of good in this game. First of all, QB Ben Roethlisberger returned to action. Sure everyone is complaining about the 3 interceptions Ben threw and rightfully so. But remember, this is the same group that's been screaming for Ben's return ever since he was injured. You can't have it both ways, so there. Secondly, Ben's return to the field coincided with the re-emergence of TE Heath Miller. During Ben's injury, plus the injury to LT Kelvin Beachum, Heath had been asked to stay home and help block, keeping a vital cog in the offense under wraps for several weeks. All that changed yesterday. #83 caught 10 passes for 105 yards. It's a shame Heath had a holding penalty called on him early in the 4th quarter. But believe Mrs. Black-N-Gold, he wasn't the only one that was flagged in this game. More on that, later. Another good thing about this game was the defense. The D played simply ferocious at times. They held one of the best scoring offenses in the league to just 16 points. They blocked a field goal attempt (really, Cam IS the MAN!). The had 2 interceptions. They recorded 3 sacks, 7 tackles for loss and 7 QB hits. Mrs. Black-N-Gold knows what you're thinking already. The defense didn't hold when they needed to the most. She gets that and it's true. But come on, man! No one expected this defense to be THAT good this season. They really have performed beyond expectations. There's got to be some kind of silver lining in this cloud for crying out loud.

BAD

Now that Mrs. Black-N-Gold has gone all sunshine and flowers on you with the Good, it's time to get down on the bad. How about 10 penalties for 91 yards worth of bad? Or maybe, just 3 for 11 on 3rd downs. Yes, CB Antwon Blake had an interception and led the team in tackles this week with 8 but jeez, Louise, the guy gets burned more than Mrs. Black-N-Gold's Sunday morning toast. Is it worth it to keep starting him when teams will continue to expose Blake for the mediocre CB that he is? Speaking of bad, RB Dri Archer is back in Mrs. Black-N-Gold's doghouse. 2 ill-advised returns cost the Steelers valuable field position. While we're on that topic, the special teams gave up numerous big returns today that also set the Steelers up for failure. Oh, and you want to talk failure? Then please explain to me why Coach Tomlin would let the clock run down to the 2 minute warning when they were down 13-10 and had 3 timeouts remaining. Really? Sometimes it seems like this team takes 1 step forward, 2 steps back.

UGLY

Mrs. Black-N-Gold was saving the worst for last. RB Le'Veon Bell leaving the game with an injured right knee in the 2nd quarter was devastating. Like when Ben injured his knee earlier this season, if he's out for an extended period of time, things could get ugly. At least there is a worthy backup waiting in the wings this time with RB DeAngelo Williams. Still, it's never a pretty sight seeing your workhorse running back go down with a knee. This morning, brings word that Bell is out for the year with a torn MCL. The team is expected to bring in former Rams RB Isaiah Pead for a tryout. Get well, Bell!


Let's have a look at the AFC North now. The win keeps the Bengals on top at 7-0. The Steelers fall to .500 with a 4-4 mark. The Clowns lost and the Baltimorons won so they're both now 2-6. In order to win the division the Steelers would have to win out, hope Cincy collapses and still get some help. Realistically, the Steelers are now in a dogfight for 1 of 2 wild card spots in the AFC. Another team fighting for a wild card is the Oakland Raiders. They visit Heinz Field next week when the Steelers look to avoid a 3-game losing streak. Get healthy and get back in the win column. Let's Go Steelers!!!!!!

THE 50-YARD LINE

     Yoi and double yoi! Our Pittsburgh Steelers are back on their home turf of Heinz Field to battle the AFC North-leading Cincy Bengals. These are your keys for today's game. 1)Call them the Bungles no more. Cincy is off to a 6-0 start. The defense will have their work cut out for them. QB Andy Dalton has connected with WR AJ Green for 3 TDs. He's found TE Tyler Eifert in the end zone 6 times. Pick your poison and make sure you wrap up when you tackle, especially when it's a big, athletic tight end like Eifert. The Steelers typically have problems with guys like that. Get to Dalton quickly so he can't put the ball in the hands of his playmakers. Hit him early, hit him often, hit him HARD! 2)QB Ben Roethlisberger may test out his injured knee in a hurry. DL Geno Atkins and Carlos Dunlap have combined for 10.5 sacks. The Steelers went away from putting the ball in RB Le'Veon Bell's hands in the 2nd half of last week's loss. Ben needs to keep Bell in mind as a safety valve when looking down field. Score early, score often, score BIG! 3)So far, the Steelers are 0-1 in divisional play. A win today could go a long way towards moving up in the division. Give them "L". Let's Go Steelers!!!!!!