Sports are back in Pittsburgh

After a few down weeks from Thanksgiving to about mid December where nothing good was happening for Pittsburgh, thing have turned around. The Football team finished strong with a last second 19-17 win over North Carolina in the Meinke Car Care Bowl, improving to 10-3 on the season. This was the first time since 1981 that Pitt has won 10 games in a season. Dion Lewis broke Tony Dorsett's freshman yardage record with 1799 rushing yards and LeSean "Shady" McCoy's scoring record with 18 total TD's. Pitt returns the record setting true freshman back Lewis as well as his backfield mate Ray Graham. Also returning are Redshirt Freshman QB Tino Sunseri who played sparingly this season, Junior QB Pat Bostick who in 2007 led Pitt to the 13-9 victory over then # 2 archrival West Virginia. Whoever wins the Quarterback competition in camp will be throwing to 1100+ yard WR Jonathon Baldwin as well as Redshirt Freshman Mike Shanahan who came on towards the end of the season After their a second consecutive loss at Madison Square Garden to Tom Crean's Indiana club, the Panthers home away from home, Pitt put on an embarrassing display at home against New Hampshire. The Panthers managed only 15 points in the first half and 48 for the game. All but one field goal and a few free throws came from Ashton Gibbs and Brad Wanamaker. Since the loss to Indiana, Jamie Dixon's team had returned a fully healthy Jermaine Dixon and welcomed back Gilbert Brown. Since having those to back and in the regular rotation, the Panther have not felt defeat. With a stunning win on the road against #5 Syracuse, Pitt improved to 12-2 (2-0) and is now ranked #23 in the AP Poll for the first time during the 2009-2010 season. After beating Syracuse for the 11th time in 14 tries, it doesn't get any easier for the Panthers as they go to 10-3 (2-0) Cincinnati then #13 UConn before they host 10-4 (1-0) Louisville and 11-1 (2-0) #12 Georgetown. If Pitt is going to weather the beginning of the Big East schedule they will be doing it with Defense and Rebounding, staples of Jamie Dixon coached teams. Although they came up short of a playoff berth, the Steelers also turned things around by finishing the regular season with three wins.

Iverson Returns

Warrick Dunn returned to the Bucs a few years ago after spending time in Atlanta. Ken Griffey Jr, one of the greatest baseball players of all time, went back to Seattle after years of his body and ability deteriorating in the cellar of the NL Central. Neither of those will compare to tonight when Allen Iverson returns to the team he carried night in and night out during his youth. Iverson won scoring titles, MVP's and one eastern conference championship during his first tenure with the Sixers. He had the greatest basketball player of all-time on his heels with a crossover that dropped both mouths and defenders-just ask Antonio Daniels. Iverson will return to an arena that he routinely filled in the late 90s, but lately has been as full as the Petersen Events Center with Pitt up 30 on a helpless out of conference foe-or DePaul. With the Sixers minus guard Lou Williams and forward Marreese Speights, the Sixers were in need of a spark. Allen Iverson is more of a fire starter. With the Sixers riding a nine game losing streak they will need that fire inside of The Answer or this season will be up in flames. With more than likely a soldout Wachovia Center for probably the first time since Philadelphia native Kobe Bryant brought his Lakers in and bombarded the basket with an array of bricks and clankers. At least for tonight, it's the house that A.I. built.

World Cup

The World Cup draw was today. Though it was tough to concentrate between the excutive's English, which was less understandable than an ewok, and Charlize Theron, who tried to make herself look like she actually belonged there, none the less the groups were set. A few things stood out in the 2010 World Cup groupings.

The U.S. should go double or nothing on the national debt with Saudi Arabia and China right now. Because if the luck carries over from these selections, we would be out of the red. The United States is in a great position to get out of the groupings. Though they've never played, the U.S. should get victories over Algeria and Slovenia, at the least a win and draw. But against the big boy of the group England, America needs no motivation. Just go and get things done. Even without a victory, the U.S. should be fine.

The only other place I would have like to see the United States was in group A to get the host country, which is the only group without a traditional seeded power. A place the team might have wanted to go was possibly group H with Spain. After this summer's monstrous upset of the Spaniards in the Gold Cup, the team could have seen this as another opportunity to put a signature win on this team. On the other hand it's difficult to beat a team like that twice-in-a-row, and no doubt Spain would have been heavily motivated in a rematch

I'll be interested to see what happens in group A. Every team selected was praying to get put with the South Africans in their initial groups. However, this group now has two traditional powers in Mexico and France. Though both teams haven't played well lately (just ask Henry's hand), these teams show up for the World Cup making it an interesting group to watch. Plus host countries always play well, so don't count the South Africans out.

The "Group of Death" goes to group G no question. North Korea returns to the World Cup after an absence, but good luck getting out of this group. Brazil, Portugal, and the Ivory Coast should all get 3 points from North Korea, but after that you might as well pull names out of a hat. One has to figure Brazil will find a way to get in regardless of this competition, so the opening game between Portugal and the Ivory Coast will be pivotal.

None of this actually matter until next June when the cup will kick off with South Africa versus Mexico, but it's always fun to take a look into the future. Hopefully, all teams can stay healthy, prepare well and make the 2010 World Cup a memorable one.