Ben Roethlisberger and Antonio Brown celebrate a touchdown hookup earlier this season. — GETTY IMAGES
DEJAN KOVACEVIC, DK ON PITTSBURGH SPORTS
Feeling especially and personally thankful on this Thanksgiving eve …
• I’m thankful to cover professional sports in a town blessed by not one not two but three truly elite performers on each team, which I’m guessing is more than most would count into that category.
I’ll go Ben Roethlisberger, Antonio Brown and Le’Veon Bell with the Steelers, each of whom can currently claim a legit argument for being the very best at his position in the NFL.
I’ll go Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin and, yes, Marc-Andre Fleury with the Penguins. Because anyone who would discount the latter doesn’t fully appreciate what it meant Monday that he became the third-youngest goaltender in NHL history to 300 wins. And get this: Since making his debut Oct. 10, 2003, at the Civic Arena, Fleury has accounted for 69 percent of the Penguins’ 432 victories while sharing the crease with 15 other men.
And I’ll go Andrew McCutchen, Josh Harrison and Starling Marte with the Pirates. The latter would raise eyebrows here, too, but let the scorebook show that, after the All-Star break this summer, when finally healthy, Marte batted .348 with a .975 on-base plus slugging percentage that ranked fourth in the National League, just seven points behind leader Giancarlo Stanton.
All this would be easily debated, obviously. But the broader point is that we Pittsburghers are blessed beyond words with individual sporting excellence. It’s been the case for a long, long time, actually. And every once in a while, maybe now as perfect a time as any, it’s worth a pause and appreciation.
• I’m thankful to watch Tyler Boyd catch footballs for Pitt. I don’t hesitate to place him any ‘special’ category, to borrow Paul Chryst’s term, and I really don’t like doing that for college athletes. Boyd does things humans aren’t supposed to do.
• I’m thankful that, on a daily basis, I’m reminded that the national narrative that NFL players are thugs and miscreants is the furthest thing from the truth. I only wish Jason Worilds would stop calling me ‘sir’ when he thanks me for interviewing him. Too much, man.
• I’m thankful, above all else on this list, that Pascal Dupuis, Olli Maatta and Duquesne guard Derrick Colter had their illnesses detected early by some of the world’s finest medical men and women, and that all concerned have a clean bill. I saw Dupuis with his beautiful family the other night at Consol and was reminded, powerfully, that what happened to him was a godsend.
• I’m thankful for Clint Hurdle, a giant of a man. I was in Winnipeg covering the Penguins and unable to attend his annual lunch with the local media. When he heard I couldn’t attend, he emailed to ask if we could get together some other time. Less than a month after hip surgery.
• I’m thankful to work in a market where Art Rooney II, Mario Lemieux and Bob Nutting — all of whom I’ve criticized over the years, sometimes blistering in tone — have approached, each at different times and places, to ask how the site is going. I’m sure I’ll rip them again, hopefully fairly and based on facts, but I’ll independently appreciate their relentless professionalism.
• I’m thankful for the professionalism of the participants, as well, notably A.B. spending an extra few minutes at my request Monday explaining how in the blue blazes Odell Beckham Jr. made this catch the other day:
A.B.’s analysis will be part of Friday Insider this week.
• I’m thankful that, for all Pitt’s athletic issues over the past couple years, there has been almost no occasion to document crime and other misbehavior, something that happened every other month when Dave Wannstedt was coach. (Wasn’t wild about seeing Durand Johnson caught on ESPN cameras last night splashing in the Hawaiian ocean when a kid suspended for academics should have been back in Oakland studying, but I’ll leave that for a less upbeat piece.)
• I’m thankful for PNC Park. Never, ever take it for granted. Architectural treasure. All ours.
• I’m thankful for the support, verbal and written, from journalists across North America. Even some of the ones I know hate my guts, I really believe, want this to succeed. We can all be jerks, but we believe in the business, in whatever its forms.
• I’m thankful to have received my first Baseball Hall of Fame ballot in the mail yesterday. That’s due to the mandatory decade in the writers’ association, as well as that group’s continuing recognition of my standing and credentials. Football and hockey have been no different, but their Halls are chosen far differently.
• I’m thankful to have had the good sense to block every last one of those weirdos who track new Hall voters in an attempt to bully them into a ballot to their liking. I’ll check off Barry Bonds’ name in Two-thousand-and-never and enjoy it each time.
• I’m thankful that Le’Veon asked me a couple days ago how he did in his postgame, podium-style press conference last week in Nashville. I reminded him that he credited his offensive linemen multiple times, and he nodded, “That’s good, right? Because those guys were awesome.” You did just fine, kid.
• I’m thankful LeGarrette Blount is out of his life.
• I’m thankful that the Penguins from the first two championship teams greet you with a hug, not a handshake. Says so much about who they were and how they did it.
• I’m thankful the Browns took Johnny Manziel. Not a day goes by without that being appreciated.
• I’m thankful that Mean Joe Greene finally got the ‘Football Life‘ treatment from NFL Network. Still unexplained is the mindboggling omission of Chuck Noll, of all people.
• I’m thankful that all of the NHL’s top young talents wind up washing down the drain in Edmonton rather than doing damage on some of the league’s more detestable teams.
• I’m thankful, speaking of the Oilers, for this amazing knuckle-puck goal last night in Dallas, one of countless magical moments that occur in sports everywhere dying to be documented:
• I’m thankful that the Steelers, Penguins and Pirates all play in competitive divisions. Had my doubts about the Metro, but the recent — and very real — rise of the Islanders has changed that. Some of the best writing material comes from rivalries.
• I’m thankful that at least West Virginia grasps that, as related to reviving the Backyard Brawl.
• I’m thankful not only to have professional soccer in Pittsburgh but also to be powerfully reminded of that every single time over the Fort Pitt Bridge.
• I’m thankful to the Riverhounds in ways I can’t even describe. It’s a story I promise to share. Someday.
• I’m thankful that a venerable columnist like Gary Shelton, formerly of the St. Petersburg Times, trusted so much in what I was doing that, after a few discussions we had, he’s doing likewise. Only he got a public endorsement from Tony Dungy to start out! Good luck, my friend!
• I’m thankful for the Maple Leafs being in town, just so I can run this pic on social media all day:
Yeah, I know. You’re thankful for that one. Beauty, eh?
• I’m thankful that I’ll have the holiday off. Oh, not this one, of course. I’ll cover Penguins-Leafs tonight at Consol, build up the Friday Insider on Thanksgiving, return to Consol for the Hurricanes on Friday, head over to Palumbo for the Dukes on Saturday, and then it’s Steelers-Saints on Sunday at Heinz Field.
And I’m thankful I wouldn’t have it any other way.
• Thanks to you, above all, and 6,037 times over. May you and yours have the most joyous holiday.
Thanks for the thoughtful and intelligent writing day after day. Thanks for keeping us "expats" informed on all things Pittsburgh while we make a living in lands far and wide. You remind us all how lucky we are to be Pittsburghers, even if from afar.
We are all thankful you took the leap and asked us along for the ride. Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours. Hug your kids today everyone and every day, just because .....
Wow, fantastic columm Dejan! Even though I no longer live in Pittsburgh it's always the place I call "home" when asked. Every non-Pittsburgher should read this to find out why I say that.
As always a wonderful column. I believe in the depths of my heart you reap what you sow and your integrity and clarity have spawned the relationships you cite above. Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family and my fellow DK club members.
As always, another great column DK. All of us as your subscribers are thankful for DKonPittsburghSports.com. It's such a great forum for a writer like you. Thank you for providing this to us. Hope you and your family have a great Thanksgiving!
I am thankful for a site that I can go to, to read well written articles by a professional that I enjoy reading. Happy Thanksgiving DK and all of my fellow lunatics!
DK, I'll add my voice to those who are thankful for you and the dedication you bring to your awesome life's work. Additionally, I think we fans should be grateful that the players on all of our professional teams are so visible in the community, helping wherever they can. They set a great example and shine a light on many worthwhile causes.
Two interesting possibilities in Rule 5 draft:
1/ Delino Deshields——had 12 HR and 102 steals in 2012. Back up infielder/outfielder with speed and pop. Possible attitude.
2/ Gregory Infante——from Blue Jays. Spent last season split between AA & AAA. Hit 100 on the gun. BMTIB kind of guy for pen.
It's snowing, I am now done with work, I am watching a close Butler/UNC hoops game on TV with a nice adult cocktail while my dogs occupy the other couch. Yeah, life is good.
I am thankful I have a place to go for informative, honest information and enjoyment about the the teams I love to follow. Have a peaceful thanksgiving.
I am thankful that moving to Western PA in 1985 gave a big boost to this native Clevelander's sports addictions. It took me awhile, but WOW, it's a lot more fun being a Pittsburgh sports fan! (Still can root for the Tribe, of course - that lifetime of pain is self-inflicted and ingrained since childhood by the curse of Rocky Colavito).
And grazie for this great site...I'm here for the writing, and Dejan, you've always been one of the best. Thank YOU, and a blessed Thanksgiving to you and your family. :)
Thank you, DK, for helping this western PA ex-pat keep up with all the goings on in Pittsburgh with coverage that is far better than anything I've read from any of my "local" (by geography, not connection) teams.
And thank you, Pittsburgh, for always keeping me coming back (born and raised in western PA, Pitt alumnus) even when I've lived in many "big markets" including New York, Chicago and Toronto.
Happy Thanksgiving to all who are reading this, n'at!
Thanks DK ! I look forward reading on your site Everyday. Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family and to everyone else. Really enjoyed this article about our own hometown sports. We really are Lucky to have all these sports teams here.
I love that Maple Leafs 1967 team photo. First time I saw it was in the lobby of MLG in the 1970s when I got a maintenance worker to let me sneak into the building during a summer visit. That photo was relevant in those days. Now it's relevant in a very unflattering way. I still like the Leafs somewhat, well, at least more than I like the Flyers. But I get why you don't. :-)
I really am glad that I pulled the trigger for the lunatic purchase. I have enjoyed every column and now that I figured out how to activate my iPhone App, I can read your stuff anywhere. Happy Thanksgiving DK. I also enjoyed your stint on Mark's show.
DK, I'm thankful that you get it. You really do. You're good a what you do, you seem to love every minute, and you're thankful for it. You're lucky beyond words. Have a wonderful Thanksgiving.
Wow. Really nice column DK. For some reason I have allways particularly enjoyed these notes types of columns and this one was a goodie. And yes, I am very thankful for you and your guts in starting this venture.
It'll be exactly one year when my health went very sour. So sour that I did not see single minute of the Steelers - Ravens game last year. That's how sick...only coming out of that funk now...so I have a ton to be thankful for. Besides my health and my family/friends, sports is a solid third and DK, you make it worth my time. And please, get out of my head will ya? You can count on one hand how many times I have disagreed with you on anything Pittsburgh sports related (and I have the majority of the fingers on that hand to still use). Keep up the good work...
November 26, 2014
Column: A Thanksgiving appreciation in threes
by Dejan Kovacevic • Columns • Duquesne, Penguins, Pirates, Pitt, Riverhounds, Steelers
Ben Roethlisberger and Antonio Brown celebrate a touchdown hookup earlier this season. — GETTY IMAGES
DEJAN KOVACEVIC, DK ON PITTSBURGH SPORTS
Feeling especially and personally thankful on this Thanksgiving eve …
• I’m thankful to cover professional sports in a town blessed by not one not two but three truly elite performers on each team, which I’m guessing is more than most would count into that category.
I’ll go Ben Roethlisberger, Antonio Brown and Le’Veon Bell with the Steelers, each of whom can currently claim a legit argument for being the very best at his position in the NFL.
I’ll go Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin and, yes, Marc-Andre Fleury with the Penguins. Because anyone who would discount the latter doesn’t fully appreciate what it meant Monday that he became the third-youngest goaltender in NHL history to 300 wins. And get this: Since making his debut Oct. 10, 2003, at the Civic Arena, Fleury has accounted for 69 percent of the Penguins’ 432 victories while sharing the crease with 15 other men.
And I’ll go Andrew McCutchen, Josh Harrison and Starling Marte with the Pirates. The latter would raise eyebrows here, too, but let the scorebook show that, after the All-Star break this summer, when finally healthy, Marte batted .348 with a .975 on-base plus slugging percentage that ranked fourth in the National League, just seven points behind leader Giancarlo Stanton.
All this would be easily debated, obviously. But the broader point is that we Pittsburghers are blessed beyond words with individual sporting excellence. It’s been the case for a long, long time, actually. And every once in a while, maybe now as perfect a time as any, it’s worth a pause and appreciation.
• I’m thankful to watch Tyler Boyd catch footballs for Pitt. I don’t hesitate to place him any ‘special’ category, to borrow Paul Chryst’s term, and I really don’t like doing that for college athletes. Boyd does things humans aren’t supposed to do.
• I’m thankful that, on a daily basis, I’m reminded that the national narrative that NFL players are thugs and miscreants is the furthest thing from the truth. I only wish Jason Worilds would stop calling me ‘sir’ when he thanks me for interviewing him. Too much, man.
• I’m thankful, above all else on this list, that Pascal Dupuis, Olli Maatta and Duquesne guard Derrick Colter had their illnesses detected early by some of the world’s finest medical men and women, and that all concerned have a clean bill. I saw Dupuis with his beautiful family the other night at Consol and was reminded, powerfully, that what happened to him was a godsend.
• I’m thankful for Clint Hurdle, a giant of a man. I was in Winnipeg covering the Penguins and unable to attend his annual lunch with the local media. When he heard I couldn’t attend, he emailed to ask if we could get together some other time. Less than a month after hip surgery.
• I’m thankful to work in a market where Art Rooney II, Mario Lemieux and Bob Nutting — all of whom I’ve criticized over the years, sometimes blistering in tone — have approached, each at different times and places, to ask how the site is going. I’m sure I’ll rip them again, hopefully fairly and based on facts, but I’ll independently appreciate their relentless professionalism.
• I’m thankful for the professionalism of the participants, as well, notably A.B. spending an extra few minutes at my request Monday explaining how in the blue blazes Odell Beckham Jr. made this catch the other day:
A.B.’s analysis will be part of Friday Insider this week.
• I’m thankful that, for all Pitt’s athletic issues over the past couple years, there has been almost no occasion to document crime and other misbehavior, something that happened every other month when Dave Wannstedt was coach. (Wasn’t wild about seeing Durand Johnson caught on ESPN cameras last night splashing in the Hawaiian ocean when a kid suspended for academics should have been back in Oakland studying, but I’ll leave that for a less upbeat piece.)
• I’m thankful for PNC Park. Never, ever take it for granted. Architectural treasure. All ours.
• I’m thankful for the support, verbal and written, from journalists across North America. Even some of the ones I know hate my guts, I really believe, want this to succeed. We can all be jerks, but we believe in the business, in whatever its forms.
• I’m thankful to have received my first Baseball Hall of Fame ballot in the mail yesterday. That’s due to the mandatory decade in the writers’ association, as well as that group’s continuing recognition of my standing and credentials. Football and hockey have been no different, but their Halls are chosen far differently.
• I’m thankful to have had the good sense to block every last one of those weirdos who track new Hall voters in an attempt to bully them into a ballot to their liking. I’ll check off Barry Bonds’ name in Two-thousand-and-never and enjoy it each time.
• I’m thankful that Le’Veon asked me a couple days ago how he did in his postgame, podium-style press conference last week in Nashville. I reminded him that he credited his offensive linemen multiple times, and he nodded, “That’s good, right? Because those guys were awesome.” You did just fine, kid.
• I’m thankful LeGarrette Blount is out of his life.
• I’m thankful that the Penguins from the first two championship teams greet you with a hug, not a handshake. Says so much about who they were and how they did it.
• I’m thankful the Browns took Johnny Manziel. Not a day goes by without that being appreciated.
• I’m thankful that Mean Joe Greene finally got the ‘Football Life‘ treatment from NFL Network. Still unexplained is the mindboggling omission of Chuck Noll, of all people.
• I’m thankful that all of the NHL’s top young talents wind up washing down the drain in Edmonton rather than doing damage on some of the league’s more detestable teams.
• I’m thankful, speaking of the Oilers, for this amazing knuckle-puck goal last night in Dallas, one of countless magical moments that occur in sports everywhere dying to be documented:
• I’m thankful that the Steelers, Penguins and Pirates all play in competitive divisions. Had my doubts about the Metro, but the recent — and very real — rise of the Islanders has changed that. Some of the best writing material comes from rivalries.
• I’m thankful that at least West Virginia grasps that, as related to reviving the Backyard Brawl.
• I’m thankful not only to have professional soccer in Pittsburgh but also to be powerfully reminded of that every single time over the Fort Pitt Bridge.
• I’m thankful to the Riverhounds in ways I can’t even describe. It’s a story I promise to share. Someday.
• I’m thankful that a venerable columnist like Gary Shelton, formerly of the St. Petersburg Times, trusted so much in what I was doing that, after a few discussions we had, he’s doing likewise. Only he got a public endorsement from Tony Dungy to start out! Good luck, my friend!
• I’m thankful for the Maple Leafs being in town, just so I can run this pic on social media all day:
Yeah, I know. You’re thankful for that one. Beauty, eh?
• I’m thankful that I’ll have the holiday off. Oh, not this one, of course. I’ll cover Penguins-Leafs tonight at Consol, build up the Friday Insider on Thanksgiving, return to Consol for the Hurricanes on Friday, head over to Palumbo for the Dukes on Saturday, and then it’s Steelers-Saints on Sunday at Heinz Field.
And I’m thankful I wouldn’t have it any other way.
• Thanks to you, above all, and 6,037 times over. May you and yours have the most joyous holiday.