C6 MARCH 10-16, 2010 SPORTS NEW PITTSBURGH COURIER
Raw deal
by Aubrey Bruce
For New Pittsburgh Courier
There are all types of jibber-jabber about
Willie “the quick” Parker having worn out
the welcome sign over at Heinz Field. You
know the guy I’m talking about. The same
guy who helped rescue the Steelers in
Super Bowl XL as they were staring down
the gun barrel of defeat when they faced
the Seattle Seahawks. Parker put away
the toenail clippers as the Black and Gold
fidgeted, fussed and played around with
Seattle. Just after the second half began in
Super Bowl XL, Mr. Parker unveiled the
Steelers version of a
guillotine. He pro-
ceeded to scamper 75
yards untouched (the
longest running play
from scrimmage for a
running back in Super
Bowl history) and thus
sent the “hawks” with
their wings clipped
packing, back to the
West Coast, headless
BRUCE
and still in search of
their first Lombardi.
After a few injury-plagued seasons run-
ning around the backfield as if he were a
chicken with his head cut off, ungrateful
cold winds began to blow over the football
yard. The powers-that-be and the scouting
gods decided that Parker had seen his best
COLONIALS ADVANCE—Robert Morris’ Gary Wallace keeps the ball away from the reach of Central Connecticut State’s Shemik Thompson during the days so they looked high and low, up and
Colonials win in the NEC quarterfinals March 4. The Colonials will face Quinnipiac in the conference championship March 11. down and from side to side at the com-
bines, pro workout days and shazam! low
and behold they snatched a running back
from the jaws of obscurity and the clutches
Big East has tough
of the Cowboys and Bears, two teams that
were looking for a running back but po-
litely passed on choosing Pittsburgh’s first
pick “Sir” Rashard Mendenhall. For
act to follow, itself
Mendenhall to have been chosen in the
first round by the Steelers with a “fast”
Willie on the sidelines was more than
lucky for the young running back. To put it
mildly, God must have made him a special
by Jim O’Connell
1 seed for the NCAA tour-
Associated Press Writer
nament; Pittsburgh; West
Virginia and Villanova.
NEW YORK (AP)—All “You want to play, four-
Inside Conditions
this season’s Big East tour- five days at this point, guys
nament needs to match last want to play, but the main
bling-bling chain with a horseshoe, rab-
year’s edition is two big thing is the other teams
bit’s foot, a four leaf clover, a “mudbone”
quarterfinal upsets, one of have to play some games
(mojo) and all of the other good luck
which goes on for six over- (before playing your team),”
charms that the football gods answer the
times, a school winning the Pitt coach Jamie Dixon
requests of the petitioner when their om-
title for the first time and said. “Whoever we play is
nipotent power is needed. But “Sir”
three teams going on to be going to be a good team, no
Rashard had better beware of the “Ides of
No. 1 seeds in the NCAA matter what round. That’s
March.” The same welcome mat that you
tournament. what we’re going to face.
clean your feet off on your way to a ro-
Don’t know about any re- We’ll take care of our bodies
mantic dinner will be the same mat that
ally long games coming up and get some rest.”
trips you as you fall down the stairs as
again, and three No. 1 Last year, Pittsburgh was
your date’s father tosses you out the door.
seeds would be a stretch, one of the double-bye losers,
And, if Mendenhall sustains one too many
but the way things have bowing 74-60 to West Vir-
injuries or fumbles one too many times, he
gone in the Big East this ginia in the quarterfinals.
will be speed skating on the fast track
season, anything’s possible. “We’re going to practice and
outta the Steel City—faster than Dale
The 31st Big East tourna- try to get better,” Dixon said
Earnhart Jr. can complete a practice lap at
ment—and the 28th held in of his plan for this year’s
the Indy 500.
Madison Square Garden— tournament. “This team has
Willie Parker is a victim of the Kordell
gets under way March 10 improved all year long and I
Stewart syndrome. Let’s look closely at re-
with South Florida, the don’t think we want to stop
ality. When Stewart was “slashing” and
biggest surprise of the sea- improving now.”
dashing around Three Rivers Stadium and
son and the No. 9 seed, fac- The other double-bye
Heinz Field he was basically on his own. In
ing DePaul, which man- quarterfinal loser last sea-
less than four years Mr. Stewart lost his
aged one conference win. It son was Connecticut. The
two starting wide receivers in Yancey Thig-
will end Saturday night. Huskies lost to sixth-seeded
pen and Charles Johnson. He also was
That’s about the only sure Syracuse 127-117 in six
forced to forego the services of his best O-
thing about the 16-team ex- overtimes, a game that
lineman, Leon Searcy. All were forced to
travaganza. ended at 1:22 a.m. and
BIG GAME—Duquesne’s Melquan Bolding throws down two of his game-high 32
follow the yellow brick road to St. Else-
Connecticut-St. John’s, went directly into the dis-
points during the 111-100 win over the Fordham Rams March 5.
where and ply their trade (at least tem-
Seton Hall-Providence and cussion as one of the top
porarily) where they were welcomed and
Cincinnati-Rutgers complete games of all time.
wanted. Compound that with the sizzling
the first of three days with Notre Dame comes into
four games. The teams with the tournament having won
the first-round byes—Mar- four straight, including Pitt in Coaches vs Cancer field
hot, here we go round the mulberry bush-
like revolving door that put three offensive
coordinators in Stewart’s ear. But unlike
quette, defending champion wins over Pittsburgh,
the moves they made for Tommy Maddox
Louisville, Notre Dame and Georgetown and Mar- PRINCETON, N.J. (AP)— tournament will be announced
and Big Ben Roethlisberger, Stewart was
Georgetown, which are quette, the last two on the Ranked teams Pittsburgh and later. The semifinals and finals are
often seen running for his life, attempting
seeded fifth through eighth— road. Maryland, as well as former No. 1 at Madison Square Garden on Nov.
to avoid decapitation because the players
enter play Wednesday. “No one is hotter than us Texas highlight the field of the 18-19.
around him were forced to adjust to new O-
The four big guns show up going to New York,” Fighting 2010 Coaches vs. Cancer Classic. No. 16 Pittsburgh, No. 19 Mary-
coordinators and different systems year
for Thursday’s quarterfi- Irish coach Mike Brey said. Illinois and Rhode Island are also land, Texas and Illinois will host
after year. On top of that, finger-pointing
nals after a double-bye: “I love that we’ve earned a among the field along with College regional round games from Nov. 8-
at Stewart developed into an art form in
Syracuse, which won its bye. We don’t play until of Charleston, Illinois-Chicago, 12. The four hosts advance to the
Pittsburgh and the perverted form of yel-
first solo regular season Wednesday. I want to see if Louisiana Tech, Navy, Seattle, semifinals, while the remainder of
low sports journalism that comes with it
title since 1990-91 and is we can keep that momen- Toledo and UC-Irvine. the field will participate in subre-
along with a misinformed and misled fan
considered the only lock No. tum going in New York City.” The brackets for the 16th annual gionals held at campus site
base that continues to this day. More nasty,
sword-tongued rumors about Stewart
came from the Steelers nation fan base
than the ‘National Enquirer could ever
dream up.
Parker was forced to line up behind a dis-
combobulated offensive line where accept-
able run and pass blocking was the excep-
tion rather than the rule. If you don’t be-
lieve me, ask Big Ben who at times was on
his back so frequently that he had to be
thinking that sacks were a macabre part of
the Black and Gold’s playbook.
According to ESPN.com’s Matt Mosley,
Parker has been banged up the past couple
seasons, but he was a prolific runner ear-
lier in his career. He and Redskins starter
Clinton Portis are at about the same stages
in their careers, but Parker has more
speed and quickness.
It appears as if the Redskins are getting
their O-line ready for “fast” Willie or an-
other running back because Washington
agreed to a three-year contract with
Vikings guard Artis Hicks on Saturday and
really don’t have any “in-house” running
backs at this point. Signing Parker
wouldn’t preclude the Redskins from se-
lecting a running back in next month’s
draft, but it may allow them to wait until
the later rounds.
Willie Parker deserved more than he got
from his former head coach who preaches
unity in public but when he takes the pul-
pit inside the locker room, clearly does not
utilize the entire football bible as a basis
for his sermons but only preaches from his
favorite books.
(Aubrey Bruce can be reached at: abruce@new-
PHOTOS BY CHRIS LOPEZ
pittsburghcourier.com. Also talk and listen to
CHAMPIONS—The New Castle girls basketball team raise their trophy after winning the WPIAL girls AAA championship, defeating Hopewell, 66-61. Head
Aubrey Bruce on PressPass on: www.blogtalkra-
coach Jason Rankin celebrates with the team.
dio.com on Thursdays from 6-7PM along with John
Harris from the Pittsburgh-Tribune Review.)
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