The Steelers now need a backup plan.

Second-string quarterback Charlie Batch is lost for 4-6 weeks after suffering a broken right collarbone, his throwing arm, in the Steelers' first preseason game. The 33-year-old Batch injured his shoulder trying to scramble on a broken play. Another reason why preseason games are a waste of time.

Byron Leftwich, the former starting quarterback for the Jacksonville Jaguars, will pay the Steelers a visit and could possibly sign with the team to serve as Ben Roethlisberger's backup.

Leftwich lost his starting job last year to David Garrard and was traded to the Atlanta Falcons. The former Marshall standout did not have a good stint with the Falcons and was released last February. Let's hope Leftwich signs because should Roethlisberger go down, the Steelers will be forced to turn to rookie Dennis Dixon, the team's fifth-round draft choice.

Continue reading "BAD BREAK FOR STEELERS"

Pau Gasol is seven feet tall but he just got taller in my eyes.

Gasol and his teammates on Spain's Olympic team was put in an embarassing position this week of having to explain why they agreed to pose for an advertisement that reflected a racist tone.

The ad showed members of the Spanish team using their index fingers to stretch their eyes to make "slant eyes" as part of media day in preparation for the Beijing Olympics. Gasol and his teammates thought the gesture was innocent and was not meant to be demeaning. But after a London paper recently published the controversial photo, Spain's men's basketball team was thrusted into the spotlight and needed to defend its actions.

Continue reading "GASOL GETS THE BIG PICTURE"

In the greatest gold-medal game in the history of men's basketball in the Olympic Games, Kobe Bryant proved beyond any reasonable doubt that he is the best player in the world.

When Spain got to within two points at 91-89 with about eight minutes left in the fourth quarter, the United States, a team loaded with a number of all-stars, called on No. 10 to close the game and all Kobe Bryant did was score 13 of his 20 points in the final quarter, including a dramatic four-point play that not only gave the United States an eight-point lead but it also resulted in Spanish stud Rudy Fernandez fouling out.

It seemed every time the Americans got in a tight spot, Kobe was there to pull them out of harm's way. He made a fall-away shot in the paint. He hit a runner over Lakers teammate Pau Gasol. Buried a 3-pointer from the corner. And he converted all his free throws.

Continue reading "KOBE SAVES TEAM USA, LOOKS AHEAD TO LONDON IN 2012"