December 2 Thoughts.

              It has been a while since I've blogged about anything that does not involve High School Football or Pitt athletics. I am certainly fine with that, the D6 Sports Network, Cardiachill.com, and Our Town Newspaper have kept me busy. I got the itch to talk about what I am feeling every now and then, so maybe I can try to keep up with this blog a little more often.

Irish Eyes are Smiling- Notre Dame back in the national spotlight? You bet. Notre Dame has stood tall for all twelve weeks and they will take on a very tough Alabama team for all the marbles in Miami. Hey you know me, I'm not a Notre Dame guy. I have my reasons, but as a team this year, they were very fun to watch. Manti Te'o can flat out play Linebacker, and that defensive line is something else. They have squeaked by on more than one occasion, but good teams find a way to win. The Irish did just that. Alabama is a better team, but it will be a very entertaining football game.

Expansion......- We are all sick of it, but it is not going away. Louisville is coming into the ACC, after the Big Ten added Maryland and Rutgers.  Yeah, Rutgers in the Big Ten? Ten years ago, that would have been a really bad joke. It is the world we live in these days. ESPN one way or another has ruined college athletics. TV contracts trump natural rivalries, sensible geography, and reasonable numbers. The Big 12 will make a move sooner or later, perhaps the ACC and Pac 12 will make a move. If we have learned anything, it is that we do not know what is coming next.

Bill O'Brien- You have to credit where credit is due. Bill O'Brien has done a tremendous job this season given the circumstances. Penn State had a good team in place led by some great senior leaders. Still, to keep the team together when the world is watching is pretty impressive. O'Brien says he is coming back to Happy Valley, but if I were a Penn Stater, I would be worried about him leaving for the NFL at any time. Remember, things are going to get a lot worse at Penn State before they get better. This season made people forget that the scholarship situation is going to get real ugly. O'Brien will keep them respectable, but the sanctions will catch up to them.

Steven Adams- Many believed that the hope of Pitt Basketball would rely on a freshmen from New Zealand. Adams is still adjusting to the American game, yet he is learning everyday. He will not be that 15 point 10 rebound guy this year, but he can develop into that. It is evident that he is not a "one and done" and that is a very good thing for Pitt, because they have a rare talent hanging around the program for some time to come.

Quality Basketball- Hey, you know how Kentucky is ruining basketball with the one and done players?  Or how the talent pool is drowning out by guys leaving early basically everywhere? Not so much this season. Look at the best teams out there. Indiana has plenty of upperclassmen in their rotation, Louisville relies on their veteran backcourt, and of course Duke is starting three seniors. College basketball seems to have plenty of quality teams this season, with older talent. It should make for an exciting season, but an even better March. Experience typically results in a better brand of basketball. Call me a Basketball geek, it will not bother me in the least.

Locked Out...again-The NHL is not is session for the second time in eight seasons. Does the world care? I'm not so sure it does. ESPN does not cover the NHL, so they do not cover the lockout for more than twenty seconds an episode of SportsCenter. Remember the NFL lockout?  Well I try to forget. It was brutal watching the coverage that thing received. Yes, Hockey affects markets that truly love it, including Pittsburgh but,  I just cannot imagine Phoenix, Miami, or Dallas are dying this. The NHL needs to find a way to market things better, first of all by moving more teams back into Canada and cold weather markets. It is not looking like things will be resolved in time for a season,  which is a real shame. This thing affects plenty of people, and the two parties need to get things squared away soon.

The Walking Wounded-The Steelers are a walking hospital these days. They are an aging franchise that is struggling to overcome injuries. In years past, the Steelers could handle losing Roethlisberger for a few games, now they cannot. The offensive line is so depleted, Antonio Brown's injury hampers the whole offense, and Troy Polamalu's injury are just too much to hang above one team. They have a reasonable schedule left, but they need to start winning now. The offense has to find a way to not depend on Roethlisberger so much. This season should be a big wake up call for the front office heading into the off season, regardless of the team's finish.