Willie Parker rushes for 223 yards last night and people are still saying we need a Jerome Bettis type of back. The Steelers may be built for a grind it out back but how can they go into the draft next season looking for one when Willie Parker is on his way to a pro bowl season. The biggest question coach Cowher should be scrutinized on for the next 3 games is his personnel decisions. Will Ryan Clark and Cedric Wilson return as starters? Smith and Holmes should be starting the rest of the season to build for next year but after watching Cowher coach for over 15 years that is unlikely to happen. He’s always been for sticking to his veteran players and this year is no different with Deshea Townsend starting over Ike Taylor

Sidney Crosby has the ‘drive’ of a Michael Jordan

At age 19 Sidney Crosby has already established himself as the greatest player in the game. I have never seen a star athlete in any sport work as hard as he does in both ends of the ice. Players such as Mario and Gretzky had the god-giving talent that no hockey player is ever going to have but Crosby has the drive of a Michael Jordan. Crosby’s sidekick Evgeni Malkin has struggled since Crosby has returned from his groin injury. In Crosby’s absence, Malkin seemed to take the team on his shoulders but the since Crosby’s return he has decided to take a backseat to Crosby. For the Penguins to get out of their funk they need Malkin to play with the drive he had against Boston where he single handily took over the game in the third period. Michel Therrien feels the same way. “Malkin’s line has to give us a lot more,” Therrien said. “We can’t rely on Crosby’s line every game. Evgeni’s got to pick it up a little bit.”
Reported on our Baseball Hot Stove section a few days ago that the Pirates have been in discussions with the Phillies about pitcher Jon Lieber. Three days later, post – gazette writer Dejan Kovacevic is reporting the same thing.