Tip shots
— Frankie says relax
Pittsburgh Pirates’ president Frank Coonelly is backing off his comments last month that the team will quickly turn into a dynasty, but isn’t backing away from his belief that despite trading every player that mattered last season, the Pirates are much improved.
"My use of the term 'dynasty' was a poor choice of words," Coonelly said in his monthly chat on the team’s Web site on his comments made a week earlier at spring training in Bradenton, Fla. "While I should have used another phrase, I make no apology for informing our players that our expectations and aspirations as an organization are at the very highest level.”
Coonelly was named president of the Buccos in 2007. Since taking over, the team’s traded stars Xavier Nady, Jason Bay, Nyjer Morgan, Nate McLouth, Adam LaRoche, Jack Wilson and Freddy Sanchez.
"Gone are the days when anyone in the Pirates organization will use our market size or revenue limitations as an excuse for why we cannot expect sustained excellence in Pittsburgh,” Coonelly continued. “My message to the players was that our expectation was that 2010 would begin the next era of sustained excellence for Pirates baseball and that message is one from which I do not run."
— Held up
It’s taking ex-Toronto Maple Leafs’ left winger Alexei Ponikarovsky a little longer to join his new team than Pittsburgh Penguins’ general manager Ray Shero expected.
The Pens dealt Martin Skoula and prospect Luca Caputi to Toronto in exchange for the player who’s on pace to finish a career year, but Ponikarovsky was unable to join the team as soon as expected because of immigration problems.
The Ukraine native needed to obtain a different visa to work in Pittsburgh than was required to work in Canada.
"Hopefully, it's going to be done by Friday morning, so I can fly to Pittsburgh and practice that day," Ponikarovsky told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
Lucky numbers
2 — The runs Atlanta topped the Pirates by Thursday afternoon in a spring training game, outscoring the Buccos 4-2.
The Braves were backed by a run by the former Pirate, McLouth. Meanwhile, one of the players McLouth was traded for, pitcher Charlie Morton, allowed one hit and one run in two innings. Morton also waled three.
Also for the Pirates, Andy LaRoche homered in the loss.
24 — The games Allen Iverson started for the Philadelphia 76ers after returning to his former team earlier this season.
It was announced this week by the 76ers the star point guard will sit out the remainder of the season as he cares of his ill daughter, 4-year-old Messiah. It was also revealed that Iverson’s wife, Tawanna, had filed for divorce in Atlanta.
By Patrick Connelly, Allied News sports editor. Images by The Associated Press. Follow The Allied News on Twitter at twitter.com/AlliedSports.
Sports
Related Photos
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Frank Coonelly. AP.
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Alexei Ponikarovsky. AP.
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Nate McLouth. AP.
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Charlie Morton. AP. Eric Gay
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Allen Iverson. AP. Matt Slocum
Discussion
Leading Off: March 6, 2010
- Sports
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Errors costly to GC 9
Grove City High baseball coach Pat Forese has been cautioning Eagle fans all year that his squad was an extremely youthful one.
The Eagles (8-5) proved their veteran coach right Monday afternoon by committing three actual errors and many other ‘mental’ errors in a 5-4 inter-region loss to General McLane at Grove City Memorial Park. -
HIGH SCHOOL SPRING SPORTS: GC girls team hot, then cold
Katy Perry may not have known it when she was singing ‘Hot N Cold’ that she was talking about the Grove City High School softball team’s offensive performance through 9 games this year.
The Lady Eagles’ offense has been ‘hot then cold’ for much of the 2012 campaign and unfortunately, they were ‘cold’ Monday afternoon in a 5-0 loss to visiting Titusville at Grove City Memorial Park.
“(The Lady Eagles’ offense) has been off and on,” said a coincidentally named Katie — first-year Grove City coach Katie Calano. “Sometimes, we’re on fire and sometimes, we’re not. Hopefully, we’ll be more consistent at the plate. We’re going to be working on that in practice.” -
Even in cold, Grove City spikers run hot
SLIPPERY ROCK -- The conditions weren’t exactly inviting Tuesday, but they weren’t any different than what most track teams practice in on a daily basis.
But as Grove City coach Mickey Hardenburg likes to tell his boys and girls squads, they may be what they face at the District 10 meet in a month and at the state meet in Shippensburg a week later. -
NCAA Football: Rock 6-1 after 17-3 win over Cal U
Slippery Rock University rode a length-of-the-field scoring drive by its offense and a goal-line stand by its No. 1-ranked defense late in the first half of action Saturday to a 17-3 win over 14th-ranked visiting California (Pa.).
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NFL: Steelers top Jags as Mendenhall makes return
Mike Tomlin isn’t ready to say the Pittsburgh Steelers are back. Not after watching his team sleepwalk through the second half against Jacksonville on Sunday.
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IndyCar Racing: Crash takes Wheldon’s life
Every race car driver heads onto the track understanding this race could be the last and hoping it won’t be. On Sunday, IndyCar drivers got a harsh reminder when the worst happened to one of their own.
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NHL: Sabres beat Penguins 3-2
The Buffalo Sabres have had trouble with the Pittsburgh Penguins whether Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin play or not.
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NHL Quick glance: Montreal at Pittsburgh
A breakdown of the National Hockey League game Thursday night between the Pittsburgh Penguins and visiting Montreal Canadiens.
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High School Highlights: Oct. 19, 2011
A look at the last few days in local high school fall sports action.
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Leading Off: Oct. 19, 2011
News and notes from the local, regional and national sports scene.
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