To Obama: "What now Bubbe?"

Obama and the Democrats will now be more dangerous than ever. Losing control of the House they will return to subterfuge instead of the past two years of hammer-to-the-cranium method of governing.

Will the "team" that played in Dallas tonight please tell us where the Penguins are?

The other day my daughter asked me if we were going to the Penguins-Stars game. I said no. The reason was two-fold--The Penguins have a terrible record in Dallas (I can't find the actual figures but I did a couple of years ago and they weren't favorable) and the Pens aren't playing well this season, particularly on the PP (0-23 going into the game tonight). Guess what? The Penguins played like a BAD last-place team, including Brent Johnson who was on a hot streak, and they lose once again in Dallas.


Speaking of the PP, it's time for Bylsma to put the five lowest goal-scoring players on the roster together and try them out on it. How could it be worse? I know anytime an opposing player of any significance comes into a game with the Pens on a long goal-scoring slump he always seems to get well that night. Why couldn't it work for the Pens?


Speaking of worse, my patience are running out with Malkin, again. On one PP the Stars failed to get the puck out of their zone on three straight occasions until it finally found it's way to Malkin who proceeded to mishandle the chance, knocking it out of the zone for them. An he is getting how many millions for the "effort?"

Hopefully Jordan Staal will return soon and we at least have our best penalty-killer back on the ice, giving Fleury one less excuse for being scored upon.

Steelers Status at the End of Week 8

With the disappointing loss in New Orleans, the Steelers are now in second place in the Division (tie-breaker going to the Ravens) a position with which, prior to the start of the regular season, most Steelers fans would have been pleased. Overall five AFC teams now have 5-2 records (Steelers, Ravens, Jets, Colts, and Chiefs) with the Patriots the lone team at 6-1, the best record in the NFL. 

Looking ahead the Steelers final nine games (five at Heinz Field) appear to lend themselves to a very achievable 12-4 or at least an 11-5 record: Cincinnati, New England (H), Oakland (H), Buffalo, Baltimore, Cincinnati (H), NY Jets (H), Carolina (H), and Cleveland. The Division and Conference games are musts, as is the meeting with New England, since it is the only chance the Steelers have to directly get back in the hunt for the first round playoff bye. Otherwise they depend on help from others. In the long run it still may not be possible to chase down New England as the second half of their schedule is even more favorable than that of the Steelers. 

Next week's game with Cincinnati IS a must win as the Steelers already have one loss in their division and, after losing to New Orleans, need momentum going into the game with New England the following week. After New England only two tough opponents follow in the final six games (Baltimore--another must win--and New York Jets). It is very possible that the Division title and a first round bye could come down to a win in Cleveland, where the Steelers lost last season. So, barring key injuries, in the final nine games I predict a 7-2 record, with wins over New England and Baltimore, for a 12-4 regular season finish.

I got in trouble last season counting "wins" looking ahead in the schedule. Hopefully, the Steelers defense will continue to play well and save us from a repeat of the horrendous endings of five games last season.

Saving the Day

Kudos to goaltender Brent Johnson for saving the Penguin's bacon and eliminating the need to start the more and more unreliable Marc-Andre Fleury. Johnson is second in the NHL in GAA at 1.16 behind Tim Thomas' outrageous 0.50. He's also second in SV% behind Thomas with a .960. Johnson's been in goal for five of the Penguins' six wins so far this year. And he's only making $600,000 as opposed to Fleury's $5,000,000! Can anyone use an over-priced back-up goalie?

And the Randy Moss we all know and love surfaces, again.

Perhaps this is the FINAL reason for cutting MotorMouthMoss (from The Huddle, USA Today).

"Randy Moss made a disparaging, expletive-laced tirade about a buffet spread inside the Minnesota Vikings' locker room last Friday, the man hired by the team to cater the event said."

Perhaps the Patriots will take him back, essentially getting a third-round draft pick free. I say he goes to Oakland, they like the bad boys.