On TV Strike Zones, John Wehner, "Thinclads" and Other Topics

Cleaning out the Mental In-Box, Post-Easter Edition.....

• Hope that everyone had a pleasant Easter Weekend. We attended the Easter Vigil services at St. John Neumann, something that we will probably always do. It has a special meaning since Marilyn came through the RCIA program in 2010.


• Nice touch by Father Al to call up the RCIA "alumni" from past years to the altar at the end of Mass.


• So, exactly how tired are you of all the rain?


• I have been beating the the Pirates pick up of Brandon Wood to death in recent days, so I will give it a rest after making only two more points: (1) Ronny Cedeno stinks, this pick-up costs the Pirates nothing, maybe they'll get lucky, so what the hell?, and (2) did you see the GM's classic NealSpeil on this pick-up in the paper this morning? Among other things, he assured us that the front office did their "due diligence" in scouting Wood. Makes you feel a whole lot better, doesn't it?


• As you know from the lack of hockey writing that appears on this blog, I am not a hockey guy and don't profess to have a lot of knowledge on the subject. That said, how can you explain the Pens losing 8-2 on Saturday when they had the chance to close out the Lightning and end that series? Such things happen in sports, and perhaps that loss will be easier for the Pens to shake off than had they lost 2-1 or 1-0 in overtime. We'll see how it plays out this evening in St. Pete.


• How tired are you already of the "Range Resources Strike Zone" on the Pirates telecasts? Do we really need to see a replay of EVERY pitch in EVERY at bat? I am verrrry tired of it, as well as the cloying Range Resources commercials that run in the late innings of each game.


• I have to admit to a change in my position - and this is gonna surprise certain Loyal Readers out there - regarding Pirates announcer John Wehner (The Man Who Hit the Last Home Run in Three Rivers Stadium), or should I say Carrick's John Wehner (The Man Who Hit the Last Home Run in Three Rivers Stadium). Used to be I couldn't stand the guy with his Yinzer-speak and his odd way of pronouncing words that begin with S-T-R ("this is a guy who can really throw shtrikes out there on the mound"). Oh, he's still a yinzer and he still says that Pedro Alvarez needs to cut down on his shtrike outs, but if you listen to WHAT Wehner has to say instead of HOW he says it, he has a lot to offer.


• That proves that I am not close-minded, right?


• Have been hearing lot lately of various nephews and nieces on both sides of the family and their exploits at school track meets these days. Reminded me of a great old school term used in sports pages in days gone by referring to track athletes: thinclads. As in "Panther Thinclads Rule in Dual Meet with Carnegie Tech." Great stuff!


• Oh, for the good ol' days when the Steelers were "Rooney U.", track teams were "thinclads", boxers were "mitt-tossers", and sportswriters wore their press passes in the band of their fedoras.


• Oh, and by the way, pats on the back go out to all of those familial thinclads: Monica, Brian, Samantha, Zach, and Nate. Good work!!


• Is everyone all excited and geared up for the NFL Draft this week? Wake me up when it's over and let me know who the Steelers drafted. Then, wait until next January before evaluating said players and declaring whether or not Rooney U. had a good draft or not.