Ron's Sports N Stuff

Off to Kindergarten

2010-09-09T17:47:00.001-04:00

Meet Spiderman

2010-08-15T10:03:00.002-04:00

The Old and the New

2010-08-09T08:42:00.002-04:00

I found this gem of a picture atop Mount Washington in Pittsburgh. The silver domed building is the Mellon Arena former home of the Pittsburgh Penguins and the arena right beside with the white roof is the Consol Energy Center the new home of the Penguins. It is set to open next week with a Paul McCartney show.

Bret Michaels Concert

2010-08-07T15:09:00.006-04:00

Had a great time at the Bret Michaels concert lastnight. He has been one of my favorites for a long time. He performed a lot of the Poison hits along with a few of his own songs. Nothing beats hearing Talk Dirty to Me live. Without a doubt, Every Rose Has Its Thorn is the best power ballad ever. Rock on, Bret!

At the Beach

2010-07-29T09:03:00.004-04:00

Just a few pictures from the beach at Ocean City, NJ. We were there in June 2010.

Ocean City, NJ

2010-07-15T14:45:00.002-04:00

We spent a few days vacation in Ocean City, NJ. This was a wonderful beach town that was suited for families. It is an old town that has businesses conducted mostly from families. There are not any commercial businesses in the city, like chain hotels and restaurants. The beach is rather clean and a fee is required to use the beach.

Cape May, NJ

2010-07-15T14:36:00.004-04:00

This is a view of Cape May, NJ from the observation deck of the lighthouse. This wasn't the best day for photographers due to the haze, but the beauty is still felt. Cape May is at the very bottom tip of New Jersey.

Hereford Lighthouse

2010-07-14T15:37:00.002-04:00

This lighthouse is in Wildwood, NJ. It was nice, but I expected a lot better. I was surprised to see it was just a normal house and the light was not tall.

Cape May Lighthouse

2010-07-14T15:30:00.003-04:00

I have an interest in lighthouses and this is one of the most recent ones I've visited. This is in Cape May, NJ. There are 199 steps to the top and the climb was so worth it as the view was breathtaking.

Pirates vs. Giants

2010-06-21T10:00:00.005-04:00

We took Jensen to his first Major League Baseball game last week in Pittsburgh. Every Sunday game is kids day at the park with different activities on the street outside the stadium. Once inside, each child receives a free gift from the team. This game it happened to be an Andrew McCutcheon jersey. The best thing about this game was seeing Tim Lincecum of the San Francisco Giants pitch.

Gotcha Day 3 Years

2010-06-20T13:01:00.002-04:00

It has been a long time since I last posted. Our 3rd anniversary of Jensen's Gotcha Day was on May 21. It is amazing how time flies. The pictures are of him on May 21, 2007 and a recent picture at Ocean City, NJ. It is hard to believe this is the same kid.

Jensen's Preschool Graduation

2010-05-23T19:57:00.003-04:00

Jensen's preschool days are officially over as he graduated with his class last week. It was a very nice, short ceremony. It was hilarious watching him on the stage. He was scratching himself, turning around, using the diploma as his telescope, etc. Now, on to kindergarten in the fall.

First Soccer Game

2010-05-05T19:37:00.002-04:00

Jensen had his first soccer game yesterday. He scored a goal and the team won 7-3. I am lucky enough to coach his team this year. They did wonderful considering I don't know much about soccer. Looking forward to the next game.

Easter Brunch and Egg Hunt

2010-04-27T19:49:00.001-04:00

This is a little late, but here are some pictures from the Easter Brunch and Egg Hunt at Heinz Field on Easter Sunday. This has become an annual event for us. Jensen loves the egg hunt on the football field and I love the food on the buffet.

Easter Egg Hunt

2010-04-11T13:12:00.002-04:00

We had an Easter egg hunt for Jensen and his friends during his birthday party. It was a huge success with all the youngsters getting a basket full of eggs.

Jensen's Birthday

2010-04-08T16:28:00.003-04:00

Jensen celebrated his 5th birthday last week. It's hard to believe he is 5 already. He got many awesome gifts and had a great party with family and friends.

Meeting the Easter Bunny

2010-03-28T13:43:00.002-04:00

Jensen met the Easter Bunny yesterday atop the Incline Plane. Every child received a bag of goodies as well.

First Bike Ride of the Spring

2010-03-27T11:51:00.002-04:00

The weather finally allowed Jensen to get on his bike and go for a bike ride. I am hoping his training wheels can come off by the middle of July.

Jensen Celebrating My Birthday

2010-03-13T11:09:00.002-05:00

I think Jensen was more excited to celebrate my recent birthday than I was. He couldn't wait to blow out the candles.

A Great Day For Hockey

2010-03-09T19:51:00.006-05:00

I attended my last Penguins game in the Mellon Arena on Sat. The Pens beat the Dallas Stars 6-3 with Sidney Crosby leading the way with 2 goals and an assist. After 24 years of attending hockey games in that amazing arena, it was time to say goodbye. They are preparing to move across the street next season in the new building.

Here are some pictures of that last, awesome game in the "Igloo."

Olympic Champions

2010-03-01T20:12:00.003-05:00

Congrats to Sidney Crosby and Team Canada on the Gold Medal in the Olympics. Sidney, you showed the world that you are the BEST hockey player in the world!

A Day in the Snow

2010-02-28T09:26:00.003-05:00

We got hit by another big snowstorm which gave Jensen another chance to go outside and sled ride and make a snow man. This month is one of the snowiest February's on record. I am so ready for spring.

A Clown

2010-02-08T12:49:00.004-05:00

Jensen got his face painted as a clown at school then he thinks he can act as one:)

Major Snowstorm

2010-02-06T17:14:00.002-05:00

We were hit with a massive snowstorm overnight. The weather people only forcasted between 6 to 14 inches of snow. I measured 23 inches in the driveway this morning. Our cars were covered in white.

Chinese New Year Celebration

2010-02-03T20:04:00.002-05:00

We went to the Chinese New Year celebration in Pittsburgh with our Chinese Adoptive Families group last weekend. It was a great time. Jensen had such a blast seeing the dragon come out.

Bowling

2009-12-31T14:01:00.002-05:00

Jensen went bowling for the first time and he really enjoyed it. He did a lot better once the man gave him a rail to roll the ball from. Near the end of the first game he finally made a spare.

Christmas

2009-12-27T09:59:00.005-05:00

Jensen had a blast this year at Christmas. He knew exactly what to do and he meant business. I think we should've used a moving van to bring all his gifts home from all the family. By the way, as you can see on his face, underwear make lousy presents. Who said the economy is bad?

Packing Treats

2009-12-23T22:59:00.001-05:00

Here is Jensen packing treat bags for his class party.

O Christmas Tree

2009-12-20T14:42:00.001-05:00

The Christmas tree in our house this year.

Playing in the Snow

2009-12-19T16:45:00.002-05:00

Jensen was so happy playing in the snow from the Nor'easter that is happening this weekend. Luckily, our area is on the lower end of the accumulations with 7 inches. I guess we will have a white Christmas after all.

Meeting Santa

2009-12-12T14:02:00.003-05:00

Here is Jensen meeting Santa Claus today. He doesn't seem to be a happy camper. The other picture is in front of our Christmas tree.

Thanksgiving Play

2009-11-26T09:26:00.003-05:00

I'm so bored

Digging for gold

Jensen's pre school class put on their Thanksgiving play yesterday. Nothing funnier than Jensen scratching his butt, picking his nose, and yawning......gotta love boys.

Santa Train

2009-11-21T19:31:00.002-05:00

We rode the Santa Train today from Roaring Spring to Martinsburg. Jensen met Santa en route and he seemed to enjoy the ride. He couldn't get enough of looking out the window as we rode.

Penguins Game

2009-11-07T08:51:00.005-05:00

Here are some pictures of the Penguins game from last Sat.

Trick or Treat Night

2009-11-04T20:12:00.002-05:00

Halloween's Aftermath

I went as a hockey fan.

Packing Treat Bags

2009-11-02T19:20:00.000-05:00

Here is Jensen packing his Halloween treat bags for his party lastweek.

Jensen's Ride

2009-10-25T08:48:00.005-04:00

I was sweeping the floor and Jensen got hold of the broom and wanted a picture of him riding it. This is so funny.

Jensen's Halloween Costume

2009-10-22T18:57:00.002-04:00

He is a very scary dragon.

Penguins Celebration

2009-10-13T14:54:00.003-04:00

Here are 2 pictures from the Penguins Stanley Cup Banner celebration. These pictures are complements of a friend.

#1 Sports City

2009-10-08T14:46:00.002-04:00

It took 16 years, but on-a-roll Pittsburgh has finally been named the No. 1 sports city by Sporting News magazine, beating out 398 other towns in the United States and Canada.

The city was so anointed largely on the backs of the dual 2009 Steelers and Penguins championships, but don't tell that to the former Luke Steelerstahl.

"I don't know how we don't win this every year," Mayor Luke Ravenstahl said at the announcement, held in his City-County Building conference room with Sporting News publisher Ed Baker.

The magazine's cover pairs Sidney Crosby and Ben Roethlisberger, and the 29-year-old mayor noted its resemblance to an iconic Sports Illustrated cover with Willie Stargell and Terry Bradshaw from 1979.

Times are a little bit better now, and the Sporting News designation gave Mr. Ravenstahl a chance to crow again about good publicity for the city. Keep in mind Mr. Ravenstahl is a sports nut who ceremoniously changed his name in January, walked a Super Bowl red carpet in Tampa and is in a charity fantasy football league with other mayors this fall.

"We are in many ways in the national and international spotlight right now because of the G-20 and the economic revitalization of this town. ... It's a great day for Pittsburgh and a great day for sports fans," Mr. Ravenstahl said.

Philadelphia was second in the magazine's ratings and Boston third. Last year Boston won the honor and in 2007, Detroit.

Mr. Baker said the selection incorporates the number of teams in each city (which hurts Pittsburgh, due to the lack of pro basketball), team won-lost records (where the Pirates hurt the ranking), and a lot of things that go in the city's favor, such as playoff records, attendance and fan ferocity.

"There's some science, some math and some subjectivity attached to it," Mr. Baker said.
The issue hits newsstands this week. It contains an eight-page spread on Pittsburgh sports, with stories on Western Pennsylvania quarterbacks, Pitt versus West Virginia, Steelers Super Bowl rings and tips from ex-Pirates on making the team a winner again.

"I think it's a great time to reflect on how lucky we are as Pittsburghers and how lucky we are to have the great fans we have, not only in the city of Pittsburgh but around the world. I hope our fans realize this is a great tribute to them as well," Steelers spokesman Dave Lockett said.

Penguins spokesman Tom McMillan -- wearing a giant Stanley Cup championship ring on his right hand -- noted that Penguins, Steelers and Pirates players routinely attend each other's games. "That is really unique. That doesn't happen in most cities," he said.

Pittsburgh has piled up similar awards to the Sporting News one lately -- Forbes said the Penguins were the fastest-growing brand in hockey this year, and last year's Turnkey Team Brand Index rated the Steelers third in overall brand loyalty after the Packers and Red Sox.

Mr. Baker, the magazine publisher, gave the mayor a Tiffany vase to mark the honor. Mr. Ravenstahl's ornate office already has a number of sports items in it, including a framed football jersey and Tiffany football given to late Mayor Bob O'Connor to mark the Steelers Super Bowl win in 2006.

The mayor -- who after the news conference talked to reporters about the city's perspective on the cash-strapped Carnegie Library system -- talked about the escape Pittsburgh's sports fandom supplies.

"People find comfort and unity in sports and it's an escape for them. ... On a Monday morning, you don't have to pick up the newspaper to know if the Steelers won or not. You just have to walk around town and get the sense of people. ... That really speaks volumes to the intensity of fans here and how much we interact with the teams," he said.

Jensen's Pumpkins

2009-10-06T14:16:00.002-04:00

Jensen loves pumpkins and instead of carving them, he likes to put the pieces into place and make his own faces. He had a blast doing this. The best thing of all is there is no gross pumpkin rot smell involved after a few weeks.

Meeting the Penguins

2009-10-05T12:56:00.001-04:00

Ruslan Fedetenko

Brooks Orpik

I went to an autograph session at the Century III Mall yesterday to meet Brooks Orpik and Ruslan Fedetenko. Both players were awesome and Jensen wanted no part of posing for a picture with Brooks. I guess if it's not Sidney, he's not interested.

Penguins Names Engraved on the Cup

2009-10-04T20:05:00.000-04:00

The Banner Rises

2009-10-03T20:31:00.000-04:00

Antietam Battlefield

2009-09-19T20:59:00.006-04:00

Burnside Bridge

Cannons

I love cannons

Maryland Monument

Due to some computer problems I had an unwanted long break between blog posts. I can finally post on the Antietam Battlefield, near Hagerstown, MD. I find Civil War history very interesting and would like to visit more battlefields in the future. This was a nice battlefield, but I still favor Gettysburg.

Baltimore Part 2

2009-09-07T10:29:00.005-04:00

We took another trip to Baltimore over the weekend. This makes 2 trips there in less than a month. I don't care if I see that place for 5 years. Jensen did enjoy riding the dragon boats in the bay.

A Good Time With Friends

2009-09-04T15:01:00.005-04:00

We recently had a weekend away in Lancaster with our friends John, Tara, and Olivia. They are fellow adoptive parents. We met up at Dutch Wonderland once again. Jensen and Olivia really get along great. They seem like best of friends.

Jensen Acting Goofy

2009-08-30T12:48:00.003-04:00

Here are a couple of pictures of Jensen acting goofy.

My New Ride

2009-08-21T10:18:00.002-04:00

Thanks for the Cash for Clunkers deal, I was able to get a new ride this week. I got a 2010 Subaru Forester. I was in the market for an SUV, but didn't think it would happen now. My truck just decided it had enough and died. I can't complain, it gave me 8.5 great years with the last 6 months causing the most problems. I put 199,835 miles on it.

The Best Skyline in America

2009-08-17T23:42:00.000-04:00

Pittsburgh's Golden Triangle at Night!

Preparing for Arrival

2009-08-15T22:57:00.000-04:00

This is a great picture of an airplane getting ready to land at the Arnold Palmer Airport in Latrobe. I took it during Steelers camp a few weeks ago.

A Day in Baltimore

2009-08-14T16:12:00.004-04:00

Holocaust Memorial

Other half of the Holocaust Memorial

We took a road trip to Baltimore a few days ago to show Petra around. She had never been there before. It was a great time and the weather was fantastic. The sun came out as soon as we arrived there.

I never realized Edgar Alan Poe was buried right in the city. It was great checking out his grave. We also made it to Babe Ruth's house. We didn't catch a game, but Camden Yards is still the best ballpark in baseball.

Pittsburgh Zoo

2009-08-10T13:07:00.004-04:00

We spent a day at the Pittsburgh Zoo last week. It was a great time and was finally able to see the lion awake. This is one of the better zoos around.

Hall of Famer Rod Woodson

2009-08-09T12:08:00.002-04:00

CONGRATS, ROD!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Definately the second best cornerback in NFL history.

Steelers Camp 2009

2009-08-05T20:56:00.005-04:00

Jensen at Play

2009-07-31T16:44:00.003-04:00

Here are some recent pictures of Jensen at play. That's what he loves to do best.

Meeting Friends

2009-07-26T22:28:00.008-04:00

We had the pleasure of meeting the Waala family today. They have been blogger friends for about 4 years and fellow adoptive parents. They made a visit to our house on the way to Eastern PA. It was awesome to finally meet!

City of Champions

2009-07-24T16:03:00.000-04:00

I Love this Picture!

Nice Day For a Bike Ride

2009-07-23T20:35:00.002-04:00

We went bike riding at the Ghost Town Trail last weekend. Jensen rode 4 miles and he would've gone more had I let him. He sure loves that bike.

Idlewild Fun

2009-07-17T13:16:00.001-04:00

Here are some pictures of Jensen having fun at Idlewild with Rhonda.

2009/2010 Penguins Schedule

2009-07-16T08:49:00.001-04:00

Fri Oct. 2 NY Rangers 7:30 PM
Sat Oct. 3 @ NY Islanders 7:00 PM
Wed Oct. 7 Phoenix 7:30 PM
Thurs Oct. 8 @ Philadelphia 7:00 PM
Sat Oct. 10 @ Toronto 7:00 PM
Mon Oct. 12 @ Ottawa 7:30 PM
Thurs Oct. 15 @ Carolina 7:00 PM
Sat Oct. 17 Tampa Bay 7:30 PM
Tues Oct. 20 St Louis 7:00 PM
Fri Oct. 23 Florida 7:30 PM
Sat Oct. 24 New Jersey 7:30 PM
Wed Oct. 28 Montreal 7:30 PM
Fri Oct. 30 @ Columbus 7:00 PM
Sat Oct. 31 Minnesota 7:30 PM
Tues Nov. 3 @ Anaheim 10:00 PM
Thurs Nov. 5 @ Los Angeles 10:30 PM
Sat Nov. 7 @ San Jose 10:30 PM
Tues Nov. 10 @ Boston 7:00 PM
Thurs Nov. 12 New Jersey 7:30 PM
Sat Nov. 14 Boston 7:30 PM
Mon Nov. 16 Anaheim 7:30 PM
Thurs Nov. 19 @ Ottawa 7:30 PM
Sat Nov. 21 @ Atlanta 7:00 PM
Mon Nov. 23 @ Florida 7:30 PM
Wed Nov. 25 Montreal 7:30 PM
Fri Nov. 27 @ NY Islanders 2:00 PM
Sat Nov. 28 NY Rangers 7:30 PM
Mon Nov. 30 @ NY Rangers 7:00 PM
Thurs Dec. 3 Colorado 7:30 PM
Sat Dec. 5 Chicago 7:30 PM
Mon Dec. 7 Carolina 7:30 PM
Thurs Dec. 10 @ Montreal 7:30 PM
Sat Dec. 12 Florida 7:30 PM
Tues Dec. 15 Philadelphia 7:00 PM
Thurs Dec. 17 @ Philadelphia 7:00 PM
Sat Dec. 19 @ Buffalo 7:00 PM
Mon Dec. 21 New Jersey 7:30 PM
Wed Dec. 23 Ottawa 7:00 PM
Sun Dec. 27 Toronto 7:00 PM
Tues Dec. 29 @ Buffalo 7:00 PM
Wed Dec. 30 @ New Jersey 7:00 PM
Sat Jan. 2 @ Tampa Bay 3:00 PM
Sun Jan. 3 @ Florida 7:00 PM
Tues Jan. 5 Atlanta 7:30 PM
Thurs Jan. 7 Philadelphia 7:30 PM
Sat Jan. 9 @ Toronto 7:00 PM
Mon Jan. 11 @ Minnesota 8:00 PM
Wed Jan. 13 @ Calgary 9:30 PM
Thurs Jan. 14 @ Edmonton 9:30 PM
Sat Jan. 16 @ Vancouver 10:00 PM
Tues Jan. 19 NY Islanders 7:30 PM
Thurs Jan. 21 Washington 7:30 PM
Sun Jan. 24 @ Philadelphia 3:00 PM
Mon Jan. 25 @ NY Rangers 7:00 PM
Thurs Jan. 28 Ottawa 7:00 PM
Sun Jan. 31 Detroit 3:00 PM
Mon Feb. 1 Buffalo 7:00 PM
Sat Feb. 6 @ Montreal 2:00 PM
Sun Feb. 7 @ Washington 3:00 PM
Wed Feb. 10 NY Islanders 7:30 PM
Fri Feb. 12 NY Rangers 7:30 PM
Sun Feb. 14 Nashville 1:00 PM
Tues Mar. 2 Buffalo 7:30 PM
Thurs Mar. 4 @ NY Rangers 7:00 PM
Sat Mar. 6 Dallas 1:00 PM
Sun Mar. 7 Boston 3:00 PM
Thurs Mar. 11 @ Carolina 7:00 PM
Fri Mar. 12 @ New Jersey 7:00 PM
Sun Mar. 14 @ Tampa Bay 5:00 PM
Wed Mar. 17 @ New Jersey 7:00 PM
Thurs Mar. 18 @ Boston 7:00 PM
Sat Mar. 20 Carolina 1:00 PM
Mon Mar. 22 @ Detroit 7:00 PM
Wed Mar. 24 @ Washington 7:00 PM
Sat Mar. 27 Philadelphia 1:00 PM
Sun Mar. 28 Toronto 5:00 PM
Wed Mar. 31 Tampa Bay 7:30 PM
Sat Apr. 3 Atlanta 1:00 PM
Tues Apr. 6 Washington 7:30 PM
Thurs Apr. 8 NY Islanders 7:30 PM
Sat Apr. 10 @ Atlanta 7:00 PM
Sun Apr. 11 @ NY Islanders 6:00 PM

Jensen Meets Chuck

2009-07-14T08:24:00.002-04:00

Duck Season

2009-07-11T15:52:00.003-04:00

Jensen had a blast feeding these ducks lastweek at the Vo-Tech school. They are so tame except for that evil mother goose.

My Dream Ride

2009-07-09T09:51:00.001-04:00

I've always wanted to drive a Mini Cooper, I guess this will be the closest I ever get to.

A Day at the Pittsburgh Children's Museum

2009-07-08T22:16:00.004-04:00

Note the shirt, I wear it with PRIDE!!!!

We took Jensen to the Children's Museum in Pittsburgh on Sunday. He had such a great time. I think his favorite thing there was the water area.

Jensen Playing

2009-07-03T09:49:00.001-04:00

Penguins re-sign Guerin, Adams

2009-06-30T09:01:00.001-04:00

The Penguins don't figure to be terribly active when the NHL's free-agency signing period begins tomorrow.

If general manager Ray Shero has many more days like yesterday, he won't have any reason to be.

Shero finalized a one-year, $2 million contract with right winger Bill Guerin last night, just hours after working out a two-year deal worth $550,000 per year with fourth-line forward Craig Adams.

Both players took a pay cut. Guerin, acquired from the New York Islanders for a third-round draft choice March 4, made $4.5 million last season while Adams, picked up on waivers from Chicago the same day, earned $600,000.

Both would have become unrestricted free agents if they hadn't been re-signed by tomorrow.

Guerin wrapped up his talks with Shero during a telephone call last night. Although Shero and Guerin's agent, Bob Murray, had done most of the early negotiating, Shero and Guerin were the ones responsible for ultimately shaping the settlement.

"He was real up front and honest," Guerin said. "That's what made the whole thing work. I talked to him and we just tried to express to each other what made sense to me and what made sense to him.

"That kind of made it happen. It was like, 'Let's cut to the chase.' We went back and forth a couple of times, but it was easy. It was good dealing with Ray."

The feeling clearly was mutual.

"I think we were both realistic," Shero said. "We wanted him back and he said, 'This is where I want to play. Let's try to make it work.' "

The Penguins opted against signing Guerin, who plays on Sidney Crosby's right wing, to a contract laden with performance bonuses, although Article 50.2 of the league's labor agreement allowed them to because he is 35 or older and got a one-year deal.

While it had been assumed that Guerin would have to accept a reduction in salary to remain with the Penguins, Adams taking a pay cut was a bit of a surprise and, according to Shero, not something he particularly enjoyed doing.

"That's not easy," Shero said. "But he was understanding."

Probably because Adams understands the economics of today's NHL, where the salary-cap ceiling is expected to drop significantly in 2010-11. Getting the security of that second year helped, too.

"It was a bit of a tradeoff," Shero said.

The obvious loser in the Adams signing is center Mike Zigomanis, since both work on the fourth line. It's highly unlikely that the Penguins will keep both.

Shero continues to negotiate with winger Ruslan Fedotenko, who was effective on Evgeni Malkin's left side during the playoffs. He made $2,250,000 last season on a one-year contract, and is seeking a longer deal.

Rob Scuderi, who teamed with Hal Gill on the Penguins' shutdown defense pairing, is expected to explore the free-agent market before giving the Penguins the option to counter, if not match, the offer he deems most attractive.

He has made it clear that he prefers to remain with the Penguins, but it remains to be seen if that will be viable. They already have a little more than $51.1 million in salaries committed to 17 players for 2009-10, when the salary cap ceiling will be $56.8 million.

If Scuderi doesn't return, it could enhance the chances of Gill, who also will be unrestricted tomorrow, rejoining the Penguins.

"I think it's obvious to everyone that they can't bring both Scuderi and Hal back," said agent Peter Fish, who represents Gill. "They would like to bring Hal back. They're doing some serious number-crunching there."

He added that the Penguins "expect that we'll test the market and see what happens."

Another of Fish's clients, goalie John Curry, appears to be penciled in as Marc-Andre Fleury's backup for next season, although he will qualify for restricted free agency if not signed today. There is less urgency to get something done with him, because the Penguins can match any offer he would receive.

"There's no doubt in my mind that they really like John Curry," Fish said. "We feel, as agents, that John has done just about everything he needs to do at the minor league level.

"What little he did play at the NHL level this year, he showed he's more than capable of being an NHL goalie and helping as part of the tandem with Fleury."

The Penguins retained Curry's rights by making him a qualifying offer before yesterday's deadline.

They did likewise with defenseman Ben Lovejoy and winger Tim Wallace, but allowed goalie David Brown to become an unrestricted free agent.

Jensen's First Baseball Game

2009-06-29T11:02:00.003-04:00

Pedro Alvarez, the Pirates $6 million man!

We took Jensen to see his first baseball game yesterday, it was only to Altoona to see the Curve, but it's still baseball. He was very good there and he spent most of the time in the play area. He did manage to watch about 3 innings and enjoyed the fireworks.

Jensen Planting Flowers

2009-06-26T13:02:00.002-04:00

These are about a week late. Here are some pictures of Jensen planting flowers. After about 10 minutes, he lost all interest in that.

Portrait of a Champion

2009-06-22T10:00:00.002-04:00

Boston Red Sox Game

2009-06-19T20:46:00.010-04:00

Tim Wakefield

Dustin Pedroia

Jason Bay

David Ortiz

JD Drew

Big Papi at bat

Fenway Park

Me posing with the Green Monstah

The Green Monster

Boston

2009-06-18T17:21:00.003-04:00

Old South Meeting House

Old State House

Paul Revere Statue with Old North Church in the background

Old North Church

We had a wonderful time in Boston. It was short, but enjoyable. Here are some pictures.

Lemieux text message lifts players

2009-06-15T09:09:00.002-04:00

Despite having a bad back and being a lot older than he used to be, Mario Lemieux had no trouble hoisting the Stanley Cup into the Detroit air Friday night. Pretty impressive, but there's more. Turns out Lemieux had the strength to lift an entire team.

This goes back to the troubling minutes immediately after the Penguins' 5-0 loss to the Detroit Red Wings in Game 5 of the Stanley Cup final. The players were a mess. You aren't supposed to lose a game by nearly a touchdown with so much at stake. The coaches might have been worse. What had just hit their team and what in the world were they going to do to keep it from happening again?

"We were, obviously, pretty upset," coach Dan Bylsma said yesterday.

But there, suddenly and unexpectedly, was Lemieux. He was the first to meet the dejected players coming off the ice, which is something he never does. He then huddled briefly behind closed doors with Bylsma and his staff.

It was all positive.

"All he said basically was, 'We'll be all right,' " Bylsma said. "He did the same thing with the coaches in Washington D.C. after we lost the first two games of that series. I clearly remember him saying, 'It's a long two months.' "

Bylsma was touched by the support in a tough moment and said as much to general manager Ray Shero as the team was boarding its flight back to Pittsburgh that night. Shero sent Lemieux a text message to thank him.

Lemieux sent one right back.

We are a family and in this together. We don't need anyone that is only with us WIN or TIE. I really think this is our year. Let's forget about tonight ... It happens. We will win Tuesday and win the Cup Friday.

"Amazing," Shero said yesterday. "We had just got shellacked, 5-0, our goalie had been pulled and he says he's got a great feeling about this team? That's awesome to me."

Shero showed the text to Bylsma, who asked Lemieux if it was OK to send it to each player. Lemieux agreed. The Penguins won Game 6, 2-1, at Mellon Arena Tuesday night.

Just as the boss said they would.

Now, it was Lemieux's turn to ask Bylsma if he thought it would be appropriate for him to send the players one more text. As the Penguins owner, he has tried hard not to interfere with the team. But this was a special case. Just one more win would mean the precious Cup. Lemieux wanted to make sure he did all he could.

Of course, Bylsma told him, send the text.

So on Friday morning, each of the Penguins awoke to find this on their cell phone:

This is a chance of a lifetime to realize your childhood dream to win a Stanley Cup. Play without fear and you will be successful! See you at center ice.

Maybe it wasn't Herb Brooks' speech to the "Miracle on Ice" team before it beat the Russians in 1980, but it was just the right message at just the right time for the Penguins. Lemieux's co-owner of the team -- California billionaire Ron Burkle -- could have sent the same text, but it wouldn't have meant nearly as much. Lemieux is one of hockey's all-time legends. He has been in the players' skates. He knows what they were feeling in those tense moments leading up to Game 7. And his words came from the heart.

"I thought it was perfect," Shero said. "I loved the no fear part."

"Made me want to put on skates and go play," Bylsma said.

"Huge," Penguins defenseman Sergei Gonchar said.

No one is suggesting that Lemieux's message was the biggest part of the Penguins' 2-1 win in Game 7. That would be winger Max Talbot's two goals. Or maybe goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury's 23 saves, including one on Detroit's Nicklas Lidstrom in the final seconds.

But when you're playing one game for everything, every little bit helps.

See you at center ice ...

Kind of makes you want to put on skates and play, too, doesn't it?

And so it was at center ice of Detroit's Joe Louis Arena that Lemieux met up with his hockey club for the presentation of the Cup. He congratulated Shero on a job well done. It was Shero, who brought in Bylsma to be coach in mid-February and traded for valuable veteran wingers Bill Guerin, Chris Kunitz and Craig Adams. Lemieux offered congratulations to Bylsma, as well, and also had a playful message for him. "It's been a long two months," he said, giving the coach a nod, a wink and a big smile.

Finally, after each player and coach had his time with the Cup, it was Lemieux's turn to push it high toward the sky. Bad back? What bad back? The prized trophy felt like a feather in his hands at that moment.

And why not?

The truly heavy lifting already had been done.

The Stanley Cup in Pictures

2009-06-14T11:20:00.003-04:00

The Look of Shame

2009-06-13T10:25:00.003-04:00

Stanley Cup T Shirt, $20

A ticket to game 7, $620

This look on Marian Hossa's face, PRICELESS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

STANLEY CUP CHAMPIONS

2009-06-12T23:51:00.001-04:00

Teen Diagnosis Her Own Disease in Science Class

2009-06-11T21:58:00.000-04:00

For eight years, Jessica Terry suffered from stomach pain so horrible, it brought her to her knees. The pain, along with diarrhea, vomiting and fever, made her so sick, she lost weight and often had to miss school.

During a science class, Jessica Terry, 18, discovered a tell-tale granuloma in her own pathology slide.
Her doctors, no matter how hard they tried, couldn't figure out the cause of Jessica's abdominal distress.

Then one day in January, Terry, 18, figured it out on her own.

In her Advanced Placement high school science class, she was looking under the microscope at slides of her own intestinal tissue -- slides her pathologist had said were completely normal -- and spotted an area of inflamed tissue called a granuloma, a clear indication that she had Crohn's disease.

"It's weird I had to solve my own medical problem," Terry told CNN affiliate KOMO in Seattle, Washington. "There were just no answers anywhere. ... I was always sick."

Terry, who graduated from Eastside Catholic School in Sammamish, Washington, this month, is now being treated for Crohn's, says her science teacher, MaryMargaret Welch.

"She was pretty excited about finding the granuloma," Welch said. "She said, 'Ms. Welch! Ms. Welch! Come over here. I think I've got something!' "

Welch, who has taught the Biomedical Problems class at Eastside for 17 years, immediately went on the Internet to see whether Terry had indeed spotted a granuloma.

"I said, 'Jeez, it certainly looks like one to me,' " Welch remembered. "I snapped a picture of it on the microscope and e-mailed it to the pathologist. Within 24 hours, he sent back an e-mail saying yes, this is a granuloma."

Although Terry was relieved to finally get a diagnosis, it was also tough for her to hear that she has such a serious disease.

There are treatments, but there is no cure for Crohn's, a condition in which the digestive tract becomes inflamed. It can lead to ulcers, malnutrition and other health problems.

"As I get older, the disease can get worse," Terry told KOMO.

Crohn's disease is often misdiagnosed or diagnosed very late, says Dr. Corey Siegel, director of the Inflammatory Bowel Disease Center at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center in Lebanon, New Hampshire.

"Granulomas are oftentimes very hard to find and not always even present at all," Siegel said. "I commend Jessica for her meticulous work."

Pathologists also sometimes miss important findings for other diseases, says Dr. Mark Graber, chief of the medical service at the Northport VA Medical Center in New York.

"This story carries a valuable lesson about how errors are found. It's very often by 'fresh eyes,' just like in Jessica's case," he said. "Some specialty centers, recognizing the reality of perceptual error and the power of a second independent reading, are now requiring second reviews on certain types of smears and pathology specimens."

Welch credits Terry's "fresh eyes" but also local pathologists who volunteered to train her and her classmates on how to view specimens under the microscope.

"We've been lucky to have that partnership. It allowed Jessica to think of herself as a scientist," she said. "The class empowered Jessica to think of herself as being a partner in her own health care."

As for Terry's future, she'll start nursing school in the fall. She's written a book for children about Crohn's disease, which she hopes to have published. In the meantime, she's grateful for her science class and for the pathologist for giving her her slides.

"This has been the highlight of my high school career, for sure," Terry told the Sammamish Reporter newspaper. "It's been amazing."

Steelers' Super Bowl ring: Latest one includes 63 diamonds and traditional setting of black and gold

2009-06-10T08:48:00.001-04:00

The Steelers' Super Bowl ring keeps getting bigger, and Joe Greene, who picked up his sixth last night, could not decide which he likes more.

You have six kids, you love them all equally.

"There is no best," Greene said.

The latest, which weighs in at 3.7 ounces and contains 63 diamonds that go 3.61 carats, is Greene's and the Steelers' biggest, by far, dwarfing their ring from Super Bowl XL.

Counting all the diamonds, it was another whiteout night across town in Pittsburgh.

"It is a beautiful ring," said Greene, who earned four as a Hall of Fame defensive tackle for the Steelers and two more as a scout. "Beautiful, beautiful ring."

Greene is one of five club employees who have earned six rings, including Dan Rooney and scout Bill Nunn. At one time, 22 players owned four Super Bowl rings, earned over six seasons in the 1970s.

Last night, the two-ring club of modern Steelers numbered 28 members, including linebacker Larry Foote. After the Steelers granted his wish to be released so he could sign with his hometown Detroit Lions, Foote rejoined them for one final time for their ring ceremony inside Heinz Field's East Club Lounge. He skipped their White House visit May 21, but said there was no way he would miss this trip.

Homestead native Charlie Batch, who picked up his second ring, held it up next to his Super Bowl XL ring, which looked half the size of the new one.

"Everybody's in awe right now," Batch said. "When everybody opened his box, it was like 'Wow!' "

The latest ring, in keeping with a long-held tradition of championship rings, is gaudy. In keeping with Steelers tradition, it is black and gold -- 14-karat gold (and all those diamonds) on a black background.

The face contains six large, brilliant-cut diamonds, one for each Super Bowl victory. There are seven other diamonds that represent the Steelers' seven conference championships and seven others below to add up to their 14 division titles in a football design.

The face includes a red, blue and yellow stone to resemble their hypocycloid logo. On one side of each ring are six Lombardi Trophies with the 27-23 score of their victory against Arizona in the Super Bowl. On the other is the ring owner's name, the Steelers helmet logo, the NFL logo and the player's number.

"This is the defining moment," Batch said, "to put an exclamation point on last season. It signifies everything we accomplished last season."

The Steelers moved the start of their ceremony 30 minutes ahead to 6 p.m. because many of them had tickets to the Stanley Cup final game between the Penguins and Detroit Red Wings.

The ceremony, which included dinner and a band, was supposed to last until 11 p.m.

Ben Roethlisberger was the first to emerge at 7:43 p.m., holding the large box with the large ring inside. He jumped into his Porsche and sped across town to Mellon Arena for the game.

The 28 players who received the past two Steelers Super Bowl rings:

Jeff Reed, Roethlisberger, James Farrior, Hines Ward, Batch, Bryant McFadden, Tyrone Carter, Ike Taylor, Deshea Townsend, Willie Parker, Troy Polamalu, Foote, Andre Frazier, Greg Warren, Chris Kemoeatu, Kendall Simmons, Chris Hoke, Marvel Smith, Max Starks, Trai Essex, Heath Miller, Nate Washington, Travis Kirschke, Aaron Smith, James Harrison, Arnold Harrison, Casey Hampton and Brett Keisel.

Weekend at the Zoo

2009-06-08T09:43:00.003-04:00

Jensen and Nathan standing under a misting machine.

Jensen's first Metro ride.

Jensen and Valeri posing with an elephant.

Jensen all wet.

Family portrait

Jensen and Nathan outside of the zoo.

The Aftermath of a Long Day at the Zoo

2009-06-07T20:56:00.002-04:00

Yes, Jensen is sleeping on my shoulders!

It's a Great Day For Hockey

2009-06-05T10:45:00.000-04:00

Hey Rob, do you remember this from 1992?

2 More Wins

2009-06-05T10:16:00.002-04:00

Look out, here come the Penguins!!!!!!!!!! You can do it, Pens! Put the boots to Detroit.........

Gettysburg

2009-06-01T20:51:00.003-04:00

The Pennsylvania Memorial, the largest in the park.

Statue at Little Round Top.

I had a field trip to Gettysburg last week and here are a few pictures. The day was a total washout so I was ripped off getting pictures. This was my 4th time there and still didn't make it to the cemetery. Gives me a reason to go back.

LET'S GO PENS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

2009-05-30T09:06:00.001-04:00

"Great moments... are born from great opportunity. And that's what you have here, now, boys. That's what you've earned here this year. One series. If we played 'em ten times, they might win nine. But not this series. Not this year. This year, we skate with them. This year, we stay with them. And we shut them down because we can! This year, WE are the greatest hockey team in the world. You were born to be hockey players. Every one of you. And you were meant to be here this year. This is your time. Their time is done. It's over. I'm sick and tired of hearing about what a great hockey team the Red Wings have. Screw 'em. This is your time. Now go out there and take it." Quote taken from Herb Brooks

Come on Pens, you can do it!!!!

Back to Back Eastern Conference Champions

2009-05-27T16:59:00.002-04:00

WAY TO GO PENGUINS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Just a sweepin' up the dust!!! 4 more wins to go.

Want a Bite?

2009-05-25T10:31:00.002-04:00

Nothing better than a bowl of ice cream on a hot day.

Tiger Woods, Jensen is not!

2009-05-24T10:27:00.003-04:00

We took Jensen miniature golfing for the first time yesterday. He had fun and seemed to enjoy it.

Jensen's Gotcha Day

2009-05-23T15:47:00.002-04:00

Here are some pictures from Jensen's gotcha day anniversary. He got a couple new toys then went to Chuck E. Cheese.

Swine Flu Alert

2009-05-22T16:47:00.000-04:00

If you wake up looking like this, don't go to work.

Jensen, Then and Now

2009-05-21T21:10:00.004-04:00

Jensen on Gotcha Day.

Jensen about 2 weeks ago.

Today marks the 2 year anniversary that we got Jensen. He has changed so much in the 2 years. Just look at the pictures.

More Dutch Wonderland Pictures

2009-05-20T20:02:00.001-04:00

Dutch Wonderland

2009-05-18T20:05:00.002-04:00

Here are some pictures of Jensen at Dutch Wonderland. We met some friends there over the weekend and had a blast.

Photographer who took famous Saigon photo dies

2009-05-15T19:48:00.001-04:00

HONG KONG – Hugh Van Es, a Dutch photojournalist who covered the Vietnam War and recorded the most famous image of the fall of Saigon in 1975 — a group of people scaling a ladder to a CIA helicopter on a rooftop — died Friday morning in Hong Kong, his wife said. He was 67 years old.

Van Es died in Queen Mary Hospital in Hong Kong, where he had lived for more than 35 years. He suffered a brain hemorrhage last week and never regained consciousness, his wife Annie said. Hospital officials declined to comment.

Slender, tough-talking and always ready with a quip, Van Es was considered by colleagues to be fearless and resourceful. He remained a towering figure after the war in journalism circles in Asia, including his adopted home in Hong Kong.

"Obviously he will be always remembered as one of the great witnesses of one of the great dramas in the second half of the 20th century," said Ernst Herb, president of Hong Kong's Foreign Correspondent Club.

"He really captured the spirit of foreign reporting. He was quite an inspiration," Herb said.

Van Es arrived in Hong Kong as a freelancer in 1967, joined the South China Morning Post as chief photographer, and got a chance the following year to go to Vietnam as a soundman for NBC News, which he took. After a brief stint, he joined The Associated Press photo staff in Saigon from 1969-72 and then covered the last three years of the war from 1972-75 for United Press International.

His photo of a wounded soldier with a tiny cross gleaming against his dark silhouette, taken 40 years ago this month, became the best-known picture from the May 1969 battle of Hamburger Hill.

His wife said in an e-mail to friends that he was proudest of the pictures he took during the Hamburger Hill battle — not the evacuation photo.

Van Es' shot of the helicopter escape from a Saigon rooftop on April 29, 1975 became a stunning metaphor for the desperate U.S. withdrawal and its overall policy failure in Vietnam.

As North Vietnamese forces neared the city, upwards of 1,000 Vietnamese joined American military and civilians fleeing the country, mostly by helicopters from the U.S. Embassy roof.

A few blocks distant, others climbed a ladder on the roof of an apartment building that housed CIA officials and families, hoping to escape aboard a helicopter owned by Air America, the CIA-run airline.

From his vantage point on a balcony at the UPI bureau several blocks away, Van Es recorded the scene with a 300-mm lens — the longest one he had.

It was clear, Van Es said later, that not all the approximately 30 people on the roof would be able to escape, and the UH-1 Huey took off overloaded with about a dozen.

The photo earned Van Es considerable fame, but in later years he told friends he spent a great deal of time explaining that it was not a photo of the embassy roof, as was widely assumed.

The image gained even greater iconic status after the musical "Miss Saigon" featured the final Americans evacuating from the city from the Embassy roof by helicopter. Van Es was not upset about the play's use of the image but wanted to be introduced as the shooter and went backstage several times to mix with the producer, cast and crew, his wife said.

"The producer told Hugh he wishes he had never taken that picture because it was extremely difficult to build the prop and to re-enact in a musical," his wife said.

Born in Hilversum, the Netherlands, Hubert Van Es learned English from hanging out as a kid with soldiers during World War II.

He said he decided to become a photographer after going to a photo exhibit at a local museum when he was 13 years old and seeing the work of legendary war photographer Robert Capa.

After graduating from college, he started working as a photographer in 1959 with the Nederlands Foto Persbureau in Amsterdam, but Asia became his home.

When the Vietnam war ended in 1975, van Es returned to Hong Kong where he freelanced for major American and European newspapers and magazines and shot still photos for many Hollywood movies on locations across Asia.

Van Es, who served as president of the Hong Kong FCC in the early 1980s, was often found holding court at the club, his firsthand accounts and opinions sought out by reporters new and old.

"His presence there is really memorable," Herb said.

He covered the Moro rebellion in the Philippines and was among the horde of journalists who flew into Kabul to cover the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan. CBS cameraman Derek Williams got through immigration but everyone else was stopped and held in the transit lounge.

"As they were then being shepherded back to the plane," Williams recalled, "Hugh saw an open door to his left, and just made a break for it with only his camera bag. He ran through the terminal and jumped into a taxi to try to get to the Intercontinental Hotel."

Afghan police arrested van Es, but the plane had taken off so they took him to the hotel. Williams said he and van Es spent three days in Kabul before being expelled. Van Es' still photos, for Time magazine, were the first to capture Soviet tanks rolling into Afghanistan.

The Foreign Correspondents Club in Hong Kong held a minute's silence for van Es on Friday.

He and his wife, Annie, whom he met in Hong Kong, were married for 39 years. He is survived by Annie and a sister in Holland.

Spring Dam

2009-05-14T22:14:00.002-04:00

Here are some pictures from the Spring Dam in Roaring Spring. I work not far from this dam so I went there for lunch yesterday and took a few pictures. If anyone from this area ever heard of the Roaring Spring Bottle Water, well, it comes out of here.

Pens Win Series

2009-05-13T21:52:00.001-04:00

The Penguins defeated the Crapitals 6-2 to win the best of 7 series 4 games to 3. Ovechkin, you SUCK!!!!!!!!

Survey supports limits on teen drivers

2009-05-12T22:57:00.000-04:00

HARRISBURG -- A new survey of AAA members has given a boost to state Rep. Joe Markosek's efforts to limit the number of passengers a junior driver can carry and to ban junior drivers from talking on cell phones or texting while driving.

The survey of 369 members of AAA clubs in Pennsylvania showed that 96 percent favored limiting the number of teen passengers that 16- or 17-year-old junior drivers can have in the vehicle at one time.

The measure that Mr. Markosek sponsored, House Bill 67, limits the teen passengers to just one (unless they are siblings of the junior driver, when there can be more than one). The AAA survey didn't contain a specific number of allowable teen passengers, but Mr. Markosek yesterday said he considers the survey support for his bill.

The AAA survey also showed that 98 percent of respondents favored banning the use of cell phones or other interactive wireless devices by 16- and 17-year-old drivers. That prohibition also is contained in House Bill 67, which has passed the House but still needs action in the Senate.

The survey also showed considerable support for making failure to wear a seat belt -- by a driver of any age -- a primary offense, meaning a police officer could stop and ticket a driver simply for not wearing a belt. Currently, failure to be belted in is a secondary offense, meaning an officer has to stop a car for another reason, such as speeding, and issue a separate ticket if he notices the driver is not wearing a seat belt.

Mr. Markosek said it's difficult enough to enact a few changes to driving laws without trying to make too many changes at once, so he isn't trying to change the seat belt law at this time.

The AAA survey also showed 61 percent support for an even more controversial measure -- requiring senior citizen drivers at a specified age, perhaps age 65, to retake the state driver's test to keep their license. That idea, which is unpopular with many senior citizens, isn't included in the Markosek bill.

Lincoln Highway Artwork

2009-05-10T10:50:00.003-04:00

A local Vo-Tech school students created this artwork along the Lincoln Highway(Route 30) in Somerset County. There are some more sculptures along the highway that I couldn't find yesterday. Will look for them later.

More of Jensen at Play

2009-05-09T08:52:00.001-04:00

Jensen loves the playground!

Swinging Away

2009-05-08T17:13:00.002-04:00

Here is Jensen on the swing that Pap Pap made for our deck.

Bye Bye Cavalier, Hello Vibe

2009-05-05T21:38:00.004-04:00

Valeri got her new ride today, a 2010 Pontiac Vibe. It is a very nice car. It has a lot of great features that the Cavalier didn't have like On Star and All wheel drive. It would be awesome if the Vibe can give us 11 great years, too.