Xploding on the Scene

First of all, I'd like to clear up any rumors you might have heard. Yes, there is a professional basketball team in Pittsburgh and yes, they are actually called the Xplosion. (Apparently, ABA franchises follow the WNBA trend of dropping a letter from the nickname, as opposed to the late 80s NBA trend of names taking on the singular form (see Heat, Miami and Magic, Orlando), but I digress). Anyway, the Xplosion finished with a winning record last season and made a decent playoff run. Unfortunately for them, no one in Pittsburgh paid attention.

In direct response to this problem, the team embarked on an off-season mission to sign any and every available player with even the smallest connection to western Pennsylvania. So far the Xplosion's haul includes Schenley High School and Kent State alum Nate Gerwig, former Pitt Panthers Jaron Brown and Chris Seabrooks, former Duquesne guard Bryant McAlister, and WVU alumni Drew Schifino and (gasp!) Kevin Pittsnogle. Personally, I'm surprised the Xplosion weren't scouting PSL Basketball games.

Clearly though, character wasn't a requisite characteristic when the Xplosion over-hauled their roster. Seabrooks was a highly rated recruit who got into a few fights on campus was evnetuially kicked off the team. Schifino was the Mountaineers leading scorer before he was kicked off the team for undisclosed reasons. And Kevin Pittsnogle, well, as everyone knows he committed the most egregious offense by serving corn dogs and Domino's pizza at his wedding reception, the posting these pictures online. Needless to say, I am so disappointed the team doesn't have a beat writer this season.