By Lynn Saternow
Herald Sports Editor
YOU KNOW YOUR team has reached a sad point when the owner has to help buy up tickets so a Monday Night game isn’t blacked out.
The Browns, ESPN, Bud Light and WJW-TV reportedly bought up enough tickets so the game could be televised. The tickets will be distributed to local organizations and the USO.
Giving tickets to the USO to be dispensed to troops stirred my Steelers-fan sister-in-law Pauline to comment: “Haven’t they been tortured enough?”
Of course in giving out the tickets, the people may be required to be in their seats when the game starts. A movement is on amongst fans to stay out of their seats when the game opens to make a statement.
I think 1-7 makes a statement. I think the fact that the Browns dumped their GM already makes a statement. I think the fact that players are complaining about how coach Eric Mangini runs the team makes a statement.
That statement is: Get rid of Morongini now.
At least Brady Quinn is back at quarterback. Derek Anderson is bad, but really not as bad as it appears. Known as D.A., he was D.O.A. because besides his ineptness, when you have little blocking and receivers that can’t get open or catch the ball, it doesn’t help.
Maybe Quinn will bring some hope to Browns fans. Not that they will win many games, but he may provide a bright spot for the future.
Cleveland won’t get embarrassed by the Ravens Monday night, but they will lose, 20-16.
Meanwhile, the Pittsburgh Steelers have a must-win situation when they take on Cincinnati today. The Bengals already beat Pittsburgh once, so to lose to a team twice in your division makes it tough to reach the playoffs.
Because of the lack of parity in the league this year, even wild-card teams may need 11 victories.
The Bengals are for real after several years of futility. Carson Palmer is healthy and having a Pro-Bowl kind of year. Even Ocho Stinko is keeping his mouth shut most of the time.
This game should be a real battle. Pittsburgh looked good Monday night in Denver, but that makes for a short week when you have to fly back across the country and then prepare for a Sunday game.
This will be one of two great games today. In this one, Cincy will pull out a 27-24 victory. Tonight, the Patriots visit undefeated Indy. Tom Brady will have a field day against the Colts defense that is without Sharon’s Marlin Jackson and Erie’s Bob Sanders. Look for the Pats to prevail, 30-20, as they start a run for the Super Bowl.
Last week my picks went 7-6 for a mark of 68-61. Following are the rest of this week’s predictions (betting line in parentheses just for fun):
Dallas (even) over Green Bay
Philly (plus 1) at San Diego
Jacksonville (plus 6) over NY Jets
Detroit (plus 15) over Minnesota (kidding)
Washington (plus 4) over Denver
New Orleans (-14) at St. Louis
Arizona (-71/2) over Seattle
Tennessee (-61/2) over Buffalo
Atlanta (-2) over Carolina
Miami (-9) over Tampa
Oakland (-2) over Kansas City
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SPORTVIEW: Will anybody use free Browns tickets; Cincy to slip past Steelers
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PIAA Track: Hickory's Bell, Lubarski, Regginello grab gold
SHIPPENSBURG — There’s a big difference between being seeded 1st and finishing 1st — Matt Bell can attest to that.
After settling for silver last year, the Hickory High senior put the shot 59 feet, 6 3/4 inches Friday afternoon to garner gold at the annual PIAA Track & Field Championships at Shippensburg University. -
WM to play for D-10 baseball title; GC, Sharon, Sharpsville lose
Four area baseball teams were in action on Friday in the District 10 semifinals as the squads battled to compete for District 10 championships on Monday.
West Middlesex rolled past error-prone Linesville, 8-0, in Class A action at Slippery Rock University’s Jack Critchfield Park.
In Class AA, both Sharon and Sharpsville suffered 2-1 losses. The Tigers fell to Saegertown at Ainsworth Field in Erie while the Blue Devils lost to Titusville at SRU.
In Class AAA, the Grove City Eagles were denied the chance to defend their D-10 crown after suffering a 6-3 loss to Warren at SRU. -
Farrell volleyball falls in D-10 semifinals
The Farrell High boys volleyball team suffered a 2-0 (25-15, 25-12) loss to Saegertown on Thursday night in the District 10 semifinals at Meadville Area High’s “House of Thrills.”
“This was the first year we made it out of the first day (pool play) of the playoffs,” said Steelers’ coach Dan Dragicevic. “I’d like to cite my seniors (Eric Demus, Anthony Perkins, Jaylen Chambers and Lawrence Hughes). -
Locals ready to go for gold at Shippensburg
Now that Mercer County is on the map, it’s incumbent upon the area aggregation to chart a course for the ultimate destination — Seth Grove Stadium’s medals stand — during this weekend’s PIAA Track & Field Championships.
Led by West Middlesex High sprinter Clay Allen, many Mercer Countians are seeded at or near the top of their respective events for the annual 2-day marathon at Shippensburg University, which commences 9 a.m. Friday. It will continue beginning 9 a.m. Saturday. -
D-10 Playoffs: Local teams go 6-for-6
ä Grove City 1, Harbor Creek 0 — At Slippery Rock University’s Jack Critchfield Park, what the Grove City Eagles couldn’t accomplish themselves, the Harbor Creek Huskies unwittingly did for them.
Unable to plate runs themselves, Torin Smith scored the Eagles’ only run when teammate Tyler Devine’s seeming inning-ending pop-up to left field was dropped by Harbor Creek’s Chris Merritt in the bottom of the 7th inning of Tuesday’s tourney opener. -
Great year for WM track; local qualifiers listed
It’s been a big year for the Big Reds.
Though there’s no official documentation, the 2011-12 academic year may be the most successful in West Middlesex High’s athletic annals. -
SPORTVIEW: Local names Kroko, Lutz, Kareklas in news elsewhere
IT’S ALWAYS GOOD to hear of former area people who have gone on to athletic success in other areas, or the family of former area residents. Following are a few of those stories:
ä Bob and Betty Kroko of Sharon are avid followers of professional baseball. No, not necessarily the Pittsburgh Pirates or Cleveland Indians like many local fans.
The Krokos keep a close eye on the Austria Major League! -
Petty an all-around great athlete in track and gymnastics
When Mercer County’s contingent convenes at the annual PIAA Track & Field Championships this weekend, it will be well represented
Clay Allen, Matt Bell, John Yohman, Johnathan Jacoway, Jeremy Jansco, Nico Zahniser, DeShawn Coleman, Dan Jaskowak, et all, should haul home some hardware. But with all due respect, the aforementioned young men may or may not be best athletes in the area’s aggregation that will assemble this weekend at Shippensburg University. -
Lubarski, Richards, Petty, Allen shine at D-10 Track Championships; Hickory girls, WM boys team champs
Hickory High’s high-jump state champion Lauren Lubarski suffered a severe blow to open her competion at the annual District 10 Class AA Track & Field Championships Saturday at Hickory HIgh Stadium.
She failed to qualify for state in the event she had won the previous year. -
Baseball, softball D-10 playoff pairings
The District 10 pairings for the baseball and softball playoffs have been released. Five area baseball teams and four (possibly 5) softball squads have qualified.
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