http://www.post-gazette.com/sports/columnists/ Sports columnist Ron Cook en-us Copyright 2010, post-gazette.com. Tue, 7 Sep 2010 22:09:16 -0400 15 http://www.post-gazette.com/includes/2007design/images/150x30pg_now_logo.gif http://www.post-gazette.com/ 144 39 http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/10250/1085586-66.stm?cmpid=cook.xml So Dennis Dixon will get the start at quarterback Sunday afternoon against the Atlanta Falcons. It's not the right call by Steelers coach Mike Tomlin, not the right call at all. Charlie Batch is the better option because of his experience. ... Commentary by Ron Cook Tue, 7 Sep 2010 13:12:00 -0400 http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/10249/1085428-233.stm?cmpid=cook.xml Big East Conference football loyalists love to point to the league's 11-6 record in bowl games the past three seasons and say, "See! We can play with anybody!" as if Rutgers' win against Ball State in the 2007 International Bowl or South Florida's win against Memphis in the '08 St. Petersburg Bowl or -- let's be honest -- Pitt's win against North Carolina in the '09 Meineke Car Care Bowl really meant all that much. ... Sports commentary by Ron Cook Mon, 6 Sep 2010 00:00:00 -0400 http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/10248/1085225-143.stm?cmpid=cook.xml UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. For a guy who is running to make Penn State history, running to get off coach Joe Paterno's spit list and running to shake a new and unwanted reputation for being the fattest of Nittany Lion cats, Evan Royster didn't cover much ground Saturday. Would you believe 40 measly yards on 11 carries? ... Sports commentary by Ron Cook Sun, 5 Sep 2010 00:00:00 -0400 http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/10246/1084743-87.stm?cmpid=cook.xml You are about to read a sentence that I never imagined in my wildest dreams that I would be writing this morning. The starting quarterback for your Steelers in their opening game against the Atlanta Falcons a week from Sunday will be Charlie Batch. Not Dennis Dixon. Really. Fri, 3 Sep 2010 00:20:00 -0400 http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/10245/1084440-87.stm?cmpid=cook.xml KDKA-TV's Bob Pompeani hit a nerve, as he so often does on our twice-weekly hair-pulls on the "Subway Nightly Sports Call" on Pittsburgh's CW. He said the Pitt-Utah game tonight is a "must-win" for Pitt. I told him he was ridiculous. What if Pitt loses? Pompeani conceded the Pitt season hardly would be over after just one game. Thu, 2 Sep 2010 00:00:00 -0400 http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/10244/1084048-87.stm?cmpid=cook.xml You have heard people say that life isn't fair? How's this for an example? Wed, 1 Sep 2010 00:00:00 -0400 http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/10243/1083873-87.stm?cmpid=cook.xml Steelers coach Mike Tomlin likes to use fancy words. This summer, "clarity" has been a popular choice for him, as in, "We're striving to find clarity with our quarterback position." There's only one problem. Tomlin doesn't appear to understand what the word means. Tue, 31 Aug 2010 00:38:00 -0400 http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/10242/1083690-233.stm?cmpid=cook.xml For the first time in 34 years, the Heisman Trophy is coming back to Pittsburgh. Not necessarily to Pitt, although running back Dion Lewis has a big shot of winning. To Pittsburgh. Give me Lewis and Ohio State quarterback Terrelle Pryor. You can have the rest of the Heisman field. ... Sports commentary by Ron Cook Mon, 30 Aug 2010 00:00:00 -0400 http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/10241/1083476-233.stm?cmpid=cook.xml Later today, before he and his quarterbacks get down to the very serious of business of preparing to beat Utah Thursday night, Pitt offensive coordinator Frank Cignetti will hit his favorite book hard. No, not the playbook. "The Maxwell Daily Reader" by John C. Maxwell. ... sports commentary by Ron Cook Sun, 29 Aug 2010 00:00:00 -0400 http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/10238/1082780-87.stm?cmpid=cook.xml As of 8 p.m. Wednesday, there had been 878,045 hits on the YouTube video of Baylor punter Daniel Sepulveda knocking North Texas return man Johnny Quinn into next week during a game in 2004. Thu, 26 Aug 2010 00:46:00 -0400 http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/10237/1082430-63.stm?cmpid=cook.xml Russell must go as manager, but other half of equation is key element for future ... Sports commentary by Ron Cook Wed, 25 Aug 2010 00:00:00 -0400 http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/10236/1082196-143.stm?cmpid=cook.xml Penn State opens the college football season Sept. 4 at home against Youngstown State. What if it's 85 degrees and muggy? Or how about the final regular-season game Nov. 27 at Beaver Stadium against Michigan State? What if it's 28 that day with snow flurries and a bitter wind? Tue, 24 Aug 2010 14:13:00 -0400 http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/10235/1081975-87.stm?cmpid=cook.xml They say it's the little things that tell so much about a person ... Just about everybody knows Aaron Smith is a terrific defensive end, the best 3-4 defensive end in the NFL. "One of the greatest players in Steelers history," teammate Brett Keisel gushed last week. Mon, 23 Aug 2010 00:00:00 -0400 http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/10220/1078524-87.stm?cmpid=cook.xml Steelers safety Ryan Clark knows the high risk he takes every time he makes one of his ferocious hits and likes NFL's heightened interest in the subject Sun, 8 Aug 2010 00:00:00 -0400