×

Expect Hurdle to be staying in Pittsburgh

PITTSBURGH – It is highly unlikely the Pirates will make the postseason this year.

It is even more unlikely they will fire Clint Hurdle.

This disappointing, frustrating season has led the trigger fingers who dial sports talk radio to call for a change.

The rationale varies: He doesn’t motivate the players enough. He can’t get the team to that “next level.” He tinkers too much with the lineup.

Pick a reason, and none of them will be shared by the people who actually make the decision on who manages the Pirates.

Hurdle is not blameless in this season. Virtually nobody escapes criticism when a team wins 20 fewer games than it did the season before.

But the Pirates aren’t looking to make a change, and there’s no reason for them to consider one.

It isn’t Hurdle’s fault that Andrew McCutchen slumped for three-fourths of the season. It isn’t his fault that the team’s No. 1 and 2 starters, Gerrit Cole and Francisco Liriano, underachieved badly.

There are disappointing performances all over the field – Jung Ho Kang, Francisco Cervelli, Jared Hughes, to name a few. Those are on the players and circumstances, not on Hurdle.

When a team has a bad season, people start flailing away and wildly pointing fingers.

The ones aimed at Hurdle are missing the mark. He has no reason to fear for his job.

Rivalry renewed

You may have heard that the Penn State-Pitt rivalry re-starts this weekend.

It’s a big deal to a lot of people, mostly people who have gray hair and bifocals.

The last football game between the schools was played in 2000. James Franklin pointed out that most of his players were pre-schoolers then.

It really was a long time ago.

Consider:

n The Steelers and Pirates were still playing at Three Rivers Stadium.

n Gene Lamont managed the Pirates that season. Among the names he wrote on his lineup card were Wil Cordero, Bruce Aven, Ivan Cruz, Dan Serafini, Brad Clontz and Steve Sparks.

n Bill Cowher was the Steelers coach. Kevin Gilbride was his offensive coordinator. Some of the players on the roster were Kent Graham, Bobby Shaw, Will Blackwell, Hank Poteat, Ainsley Battles and Scott Shields.

n Sidney Crosby was 13 years old and may not have known where Pittsburgh was.

n “Who Wants To Be A Millionaire” occupied four of the top 10 spots in the prime time TV ratings.

n Dale Earnhardt was still racing.

Anyway, you get the idea. It was a long time ago. Don’t expect the players to head into Saturday feeling this as much as some of the fans will.

Wrong day

The San Francisco 49ers play at home in their opener, in the second half of the Monday night doubleheader.

Assuming that Colin Kaepernick continues his sit-down protest on the national anthem, it’s good that his team is playing on Monday.

Sunday is Sept. 11.

Mehno can be reached at johnmehnocolumn@gmail.com.

NEWSLETTER

Today's breaking news and more in your inbox

I'm interested in (please check all that apply)
Are you a paying subscriber to the newspaper? *
   

Starting at $4.39/week.

Subscribe Today