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Pirates Vs. Nationals Score Update: Bucs Down 2-0 Early

2012-05-17T00:02:35Z

The Pirates have struggled offensively so far, getting just one hit and struggling to get contact as Washington Nationals pitcher Gio Gonzalez struck out five batters through the first three innings. The Pirates took two of three games from the Nationals in their first match up of the season, but are down 2-0 early to the Nats.

The Nats picked up an early score in the first inning when Ryan Zimmerman plated Bryce Harper on a ground out to shortstop. In the bottom of the third inning, shortstop Ian Desmond extended the Nats lead with a solo home run to left field, giving the Nats the 2-0 lead after three innings.

Center fielder Andrew McCutchen has the only hit so far for the Bucs.

For more on the Pirates, check out Bucs Dugout. For more on the Nats, there's Federal Baseball. For more on baseball and the MLB in general, visit SB Nation's dedicated MLB hub Baseball Nation.

Pirates Option Alex Presley, Recall Evan Meek

2012-05-16T20:26:21Z

The Pittsburgh Pirates made a roster move on Wednesday before their matchup with the Washington Nationals, sending outfielder Alex Presley to triple-a and recalled right-handed pitcher Evan Meek, according to Rob Biertempfel.

#Pirates option Alex Presley to triple-a, recall rhp evan meek
— Rob Biertempfel (@BiertempfelTrib) May 16, 2012

With Brad Lincoln's spot start, the Bucs would have been operating with a short bullpen so they needed another reliever for a few games. The belief is also that the Pirates will send Meek back down in favor of catcher Jake Fox for the Bucs interleague series against the Detroit Tigers.

Presely had struggled while in the lineup as an outfield, so his demotion shouldn't come as too much of a surprise.

For more on the Pirates, check out Bucs Dugout. For more on the Nats, there's Federal Baseball. For more on baseball and the MLB in general, visit SB Nation's dedicated MLB hub Baseball Nation.

Steelers Offensive Line: Willie Colon To Move To Left Guard

2012-05-16T18:37:13Z

The offensive line has been an area that Pittsburgh Steelers fans have been questioning all offseason. After drafting guard David DeCastro in the first round and tackle Mike Adams in the second round, the Steelers look to be going in the right direction as Willie Colon will move from tackle to guard, according to Mike Prisuta.

This isn't to say the move was inevitable.

Several naysayers over the years have stated that it would never happen and they included Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post Gazette who stated just last May, "The move is not going to happen. Cheerleaders on the sideline at Heinz Field will occur before Colon is moved to guard in this offense."

In addition to that, Steelers Depot guesses that Max Starks will start at left tackle and Marcus Gilbert will go to right tackle to at least start the season.

Gilbert is better suited RT long term. Maybe @MaxStarks78 will be ready to start season at LT initially so Gilbert can stat at RT. #steelers
— Steelers Depot (@Steelersdepot) May 16, 2012

But there's also the possibility that because Colon is moving from tackle to guard, that the Steelers are planning on starting Mike Adams at the beginning of the season.

Willie Colon says he's moving to left guard. Guess that means #Steelers plan on starting 2 rookies on OL -- DeCastro and Adams.
— Mark Kaboly (@MarkKaboly_Trib) May 16, 2012

Steelers fans will have to keep an eye on the line as the offseason continues.

For more on the Pittsburgh Steelers, head on over to Behind the Steel Curtain. For all the latest offseason news across the league, please visit the SB Nation NFL Hub Page.

ACC Basketball Tournaments To Expand To 14 Teams With Additions Of Pitt, Syracuse

2012-05-16T18:02:34Z

With the addition of both the Pittsburgh Panthers and Syracuse Orange to the ACC, questions had been floating around as to what 14 teams would mean to the annual men's and women's basketball tournaments. Those questions were laid to rest Tuesday as ACC commissioner John Swofford confirmed that the tournament will expand to include all 14 teams in the conference when both Pitt and Syracuse join in 2013.

Swofford also said all 14 teams will make ACC basketball tournaments. Wednesday through Sunday.
— Ira Schoffel (@IraSchoffel) May 16, 2012

The tournament will be expanded by an additional day, so it is not clear at the outset how many byes will be awarded and how the tournament will be structured now. However, because the tournament will now be spread over five days, it can be assumed that it will not follow the standard structure for a 14-team single elimination tournament, which includes giving only the top two teams byes.

Both tournaments will be held at the Greensboro Coliseum for the next three years, according to Swofford.

Pirates Vs. Nationals: Bucs Face Gio Gonzalez, Jordan Zimmermann In Two-Game Set

2012-05-16T16:34:34Z

The Pirates and Nationals don't face each other very often, but their second series in a week begins in D.C. Wednesday night as Erik Bedard takes on Gio Gonzalez (7:05, ROOT Sports).

Gonzalez didn't pitch in last week's series. He's been a big part of the Nationals' resurgence this year, striking out 50 batters in 41.2 innings so far. Bedard might have his hands full keeping up with him.

Bedard, meanwhile, returns after missing a start due to back spasms.

Since the Pirates and Nationals' last series, one of the bigger stories surrounding the Nats has been Stephen Strasburg's struggles in his last start, and the unusual reason for them -- he somehow got Hot Stuff ointment in his groin. The Pirates, perhaps fortunately, will miss Strasburg in this brief two-game set. After Gonzalez on Wednesday, James McDonald and the Bucs will take on Jordan Zimmermann on Thursday at 7:05 before heading to Detroit for an interleague series against the Tigers.

For more on the Pirates, check out Bucs Dugout. For more on the Nats, there's Federal Baseball.

Penn State Scandal: Jerry Sandusky's Lawyer Asks For Some Charges To Be Dropped

2012-05-16T16:28:35Z

Joe Amendola, the defense attorney for former Penn St. Nittany Lions defensive coordinator Jerry Sandusky is asking the judge of Sandusky's child molestation case to drop some of the charges. In an article published by Sara Ganim of The Patriot-News, Amendola claims that the charges against Sandusky are too vague.

Unless prosecutors can give more specific dates for the alleged crimes, Sandusky can't prepare a good defense, Amendola said. Amendola is also asking Judge John Cleland to throw out two specific cases against Sandusky in which no accusers have been identified.

Amendola claims the witnesses that are a part of the 2000 case, janitors who witnessed strange behavior by Sandusky in a locker room, would not be able to testify at trial. One of the janitors has dementia and the other would only be repeating hearsay.

In one of the other cases, involving alleged Victim 6, Amendola claims there is not enough evidence to claim that anything sexual occurred with him.

For the latest updates on the Penn State scandal and the Jerry Sandusky trial, visit our StoryStream. For more on the Nittany Lions, please visit Black Shoe Diaries, SB Nation's Penn State blog.

Pitt Is Better Off In The ACC, No Matter What Happens Next

2012-05-16T14:00:47Z

It doesn't matter if a school or two leaves the ACC. It's still a great fit for Pitt.

Quick. Sound the alarms. Time to panic. Expansionpalooza is happening again, and we're all doomed.

That's the sentiment you'll get while reading the message boards and Twitter this week. If you haven't heard by now, Florida State is possibly thinking about moving from the ACC to the Big 12.

The rumor has taken on a life of its own. Its origins are debatable, but a lot of the flame-fanning is being done by West Virginia fans on various message boards and blogs. In this day of social networking, a rumor and blog post can turn into a full-blown national story. FSU's Board of Trustees Chairman Andy Haggard made some pretty opinionated and inflammatory remarks regarding his school's place in the ACC. Even though most of his facts were wrong and the fire was seemingly extinguished by FSU's Athletic Director and President, the chatter refuses to die.

As Pitt fans, we're a naturally pessimistic bunch. Just when we get settled in a comfy new home, this happens. It seems like the Big East 2.0 is upon us. Woe is us! Fret not, Pitt fans. I'm here to provide you some logic and comfort. We're better off in the ACC, with or without FSU.

Now I don't believe FSU (or Clemson, because that is even more ridiculous thought) will leave the ACC. But if they were, the ACC is still a huge step up perception-wise for Pitt. While not even close to dominant in football, the potential for ACC teams like Miami, UNC, Virginia Tech, Clemson, and even North Carolina State is much higher than former C-USA schools Louisville, Cincinnati, and South Florida. The ability for the ACC to get back on the national radar is there. Would the Big East, or will the Big East, ever have that chance again? Doubtful.

The ACC also brings TV coverage and exposure unavailable in the Big East. The new contract with ESPN provides even more opportunity for Pitt to be seen in households across the nation. Surprisingly, the ACC also brings stability. Yes, the rumors are out there, but the core of the ACC isn't going anywhere. While a school or two may leave, the base and heart of the ACC is here to stay. I'm comfortable in stating that if the ACC is good enough for UNC, it is good enough for Pitt. Until then, just relax Pitt fans. A year ago the Big 12 was on the verge of collapse with Texas and Oklahoma looking west. What a difference a year makes. And how quickly we forget.

So Pitt fans, there's no need to worry. We're in good company. Better company. Company that isn't halfway across the country (ahem, WVU). Just remember, Pitt fans, in the words of the immortal Stuart Smalley, "We're good enough, we're smart enough, and doggone it, people like us!"

Questions Abound Heading Into Pitt's Football Season

2012-05-16T12:30:08Z

As the team prepares to head into the 2012 football season, several questions remain surrounding Pitt's football program.

How will Paul Chryst handle his first season as a head coach? Paul Chryst will have plenty of challenges in trying to get the team ready to play each week - that much we know. But what I'm interested in are the other things he'll be juggling for the first time. Chryst will need to handle recruiting players, take care of disciplinary issues, and deal with the media on a regular basis, among other things. As a coordinator at Wisconsin, these issues won't be new to him. But as the man in charge, he'll be managing each of those aspects for the first time -- all while trying to lead Pitt's gameday planning. Regardless of what type of an Xs and Os coach he turns out to be, the added pressure of being a head coach is something that shouldn't be taken lightly.

Ray Graham's return from injury. It's easy to forget that Graham is still going to be a bit of a question mark health-wise. He hasn't played a game since late October and while he should be ready for the start of the season, he was unable to participate this spring. Here's the thing -- even if Graham is ready for the team's opener against Youngstown State on September 1, it's quite possible he'll have to shed some rust first.

Will the team start slowly? Pitt's season doesn't start off all that slowly as in past seasons. After that aforementioned Youngstown State game, the Panthers have a big road conference game against Cincinnati followed by a game against Virginia Tech -- arguably the toughest team on their schedule. But that game against the Hokies isn't nearly as important as the one against the Bearcats. If the Panthers drop that first conference game to Cincinnati, they'll be behind early in the Big East standings.

How will Pitt handle their trio of running backs? Three running backs (Graham, sophomore Isaac Bennett, and incoming freshman Rushel Shell) are all expected to compete for time. If Chryst wanted to get creative, he could redshirt Bennett and play someone like Corey Davis or Malcolm Crockett as the third back. But if all three play, it will be interesting to see how the carries are split. Graham is the likely workhorse if he's healthy, but Shell and Bennett should get their fair share of attempts.

Aaron Donald's continued dominance? Donald was the surprise of the team on defense last year, racking up 11 huge sacks. Despite the new defense, though, he was playing with experienced defenders Myles Caragein, Chas Alecxih, and Brandon Lindsey. All three are gone and Donald will likely draw some double teams this season. Donald's talent isn't in question, but increased attention could mean he's slowed down a bit.

Tino, Tino, Tino. No Pitt preview would be complete without mentioning maligned quarterback Tino Sunseri. Most fans will agree that Sunseri should be better going back to the pro style offense after dealing with Todd Graham's quirky up-tempo style. However, there's no guarantee that he'll be successful or even adequate. I do believe Sunseri will rebound to have a good season, but that's far from a slam dunk.

For more on Pitt football, check out SB Nation's Pitt blog, Cardiac Hill.