Welcome to the first ever Best Pittsburgh Sports Blog Tournament! As I mentioned on Monday, my main motivation behind doing this is to try to create a thorough list of the best blogs that cover and discuss Pittsburgh sports. I also hope that this to be something fun and that no one takes things too seriously. The first round voting starts now (assuming that the survey software works OK) and ends on Friday, February 20 at 8:00pm Eastern time. If nothing else, enjoy the logo!
A few items that I didn't address when I posted the 32-blog bracket yesterday. The seedings were partially based on Ballhype rankings and partially on my perspective on the blogs' overall popularity. I also created four divisions named for four of my favorite Pittsburgh sports athletes: Sammy Khalifa, Jock Callander, Demetreus Gore and Rich Erenberg.
Let the voting begin! (One vote per person, please. We don't want this to be like the NHL All-Star voting.)
Sammy Khalifa Division
1. Behind the Steel Curtain vs. 8. Sean's Ramblings
4. RizzoSports Blog vs. 5. D.C. Steeler Nation
3. Where Have You Gone Andy Van Slyke vs. 6. Staal Tactics
2. Heels, Sox & Steelers vs. 7. Sportsocracy
Jock Callander Division
1. The Pens Blog vs. 8. Hyzdu Headquarters
4. Nice Pick, Cowher vs. 5. The Steel Tradition
3. One for the Other Thumb vs. 6. Raise the Jolly Roger
2. Empty Netters vs. 7. Pittsburgh Lumber Co.
Demetreus Gore Division
1. Mondesi’s House vs. 8. Steelers Gab
4. Faceoff Factor 5. The Sidney Crosby Show
3. Pitt Blather vs. 6. Post Game Heroes
2. The Confluence vs. 7. Bucs Trade Winds
Rich Erenberg Division
1. Pittsburgh Sports and Mini Ponies vs. 8. Igloo Dreams
4. Bucs Dugout vs. 5. Honest Wagner
3. Blog ‘n’ Gold vs. 6. Hockey, Football and Stiletto Shoes
2. PensBurgh vs. 7. Steelahs.com
Thanks for voting and thanks to all of these great bloggers for providing hours of entertainment and information!
Thanks again to Cotter of One For the Other Thumb for creating the logo.
Update: Voting is now closed. You can click the vote now buttons to see who won but the vote won't count. The Sweet 16 will be available on Monday morning. Thanks to everyone for visiting and voting!
Posts
19 comments:
I am stunned that Bob Smizik's blog didn't make the cut. Then again, i suppose that wouldn't make it fair for the other 31 blogs.
I'm crushed that I must choose between Postgame Heroes and Pittblather. Both were seeded too low! Heartbreaking.
Did I overlook Dejan's blog on the Post-Gazette? It's a comment beast, and the place to be on deadline days.
Where's The PBC Blog from the Post Gazette?
That would be a #1 seed in my opinion!
PBS hasn't been around a year yet, has it? Plus, Dejan is a print writer, unlike the rest of us lowly bloggers
PBC
PBS has been around for at least a year...
Where is stillers.com? The only Steelers blog I surf. Great stuff there and this tournament is a sham without it.
Where is "Steve Is Alive"?
http://steve-is-alive.blogspot.com/
AJ - Smizik didn't meet the requirement of being around for one year.
Brother Anthony - The seeding process was difficult so there are some tough first round match-ups. As for Dejan, the PBC blog is not eligible since he also writes almost daily columns. As I wrote in the comments section earlier this week, Dejan would easily win this contest. He is the best Pittsburgh sports blogger out there (his sources and access to the Pirates facility and clubhouse also helps). To AJ's question, if there is a 2nd annual tournament (huge if), I'm not sure what to do with Smizik. Although he gets paid, he's a full-time blogger now. Seth at Empty Netters and Dan at Blog 'N' Gold made this list since they don't write in the print edition of the P-G.
Lou - See above.
Tecmo - Thanks for answering the earlier comment. Do Big Bird or Oscar the Grouch have a blog? :)
Nick - I had a feeling I might miss someone. I thought I knew most of the Pittsburgh sports blogs and also checked Ballhype to see if there were others I didn't know. My apologize to Stillers.com.
Patchovan - Steve Is Alive has not been around a year.
Thanks to everyone for stopping by and voting thus far! The first round voting ends Friday at 8:00pm Eastern.
Bucs Dugout a 4 seed? Absurd.--azibuck
I Agree with Azibuck. Bucs Dugout is top-shelf.
pensblog is BY FAR the best blog in pittsburgh
fyi, voting is VERY easily rigged. anyone can vote an unlimited number of times by changing a certain setting in your browser
Should have got Dutch from smartmoniesclub.com involved.
I had to vote for Sean after seeing a Demetreus Gore division. Go Meats!
I guess TIOPS didn't qualify either...darn!
You probably just let http://5goldenrings.net slip your mind, it's pretty good too check it out, at least an 8 seed.
Yeah, I'm really surprised 5 Golden Rings didn't make the cut...weird...
Racist Joke About Malkin Incident (Fox Sports 907) Inappropriate!
Pittsburgh Penguins standout and NHL scoring leader Evgeni Malkin should answer to the NHL for his disgraceful hit to the head of Kings forward Wayne Simmonds in the waning seconds of the Penguins' 4-1 victory over the Kings Friday at Pittsburgh.
Malkin got his left shoulder into Simmonds' face as Simmonds was pursuing the puck, and the blow clearly dazed Simmonds for a few seconds. It was a needless, senseless play seconds before the end of a game that had been decided -- and it's exactly the kind of shot to the head that the NHL claims it's intent on ending.
Wayne Simmonds is a professional ice hockey player, currently playing as a right wing for the Los Angeles Kings of the National Hockey League (NHL). He is one of a small number of black players in the league. A right-handed shooter, Simmonds was drafted by the Los Angeles Kings in the second round of the 2007 NHL Entry Draft, 61st overall.
It's inappropriate to recite the racist joke that the men at Fox Sports 970 decided to share about the Malkin incident Saturday evening. In short, they thought it was hysterically funny to make a racist joke about the NHL being racist, the color of the puck, and the like. It obviously likens Wayne Simmonds to a hockey puck and played on a long-standing African-American racist slur.
To Pittsburgh's absolute shame and regret no one made a fuss about how inappropriate the racist joke was. As a city we should do something more! But, what?
Apparently, Fox Sports 970 wanted tongues furiously wagging, enraged emails, letters and phone calls pouring in. Now they will put forth the predictable defense calling this a parody, a free speech right, and harmless spoofery.
George Lopez, D.L. Hughley and Eddie Murphy all talk about race in their jokes. However, they understand the fine line between what is funny and what is truly offensive. People who don't get this go into entertainment purgatory and pay for their sins. Can you say Don Imus?
Will Simmonds get any justice?
Similar to the drawing, from famed cartoonist Sean Delonas (a cartoon likening the author of the stimulus bill, perhaps President Barack Obama, with a rabid chimpanzee graced the pages of the New York Post), the Fox Sports 970 racist joke was rife with violent imagery and racial undertones.
Nonetheless, the most important question? Does the NHL apply equally to grunts and superstars.
No consideration should be given to the fact that the Penguins are in the thick of a playoff race. Malkin should have considered that before he delivered that very dangerous blow to Simmonds' head.
First known as "970 The Burgh," today, WBGG-AM calls itself "Fox Sports Radio 970." It is one of the premier destinations for Pittsburgh-area sports fans, serving as a flagship for the Steelers, Penguins and University of Pittsburgh Radio Networks.
toddelliottkoger.blogspot.com
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