Some Thoughts on the Cup

-THANK GOD the Flyers did not win!

-No matter who they played, I would have rooted for the Blackhawks (unless of course the Greatest Team in the History of Hockey was playing them). I like them. I like the style of hockey they play and they remind me of the Greatest Team in the History of Hockey.

-Good for Hossa. I actually clapped when he picked up the Cup. I have absolutely no ill will for the guy. That MAY have been different had the Pens not won, but the hockey gods made things right last year. Good for him, some people take long winding roads to the Cup, his was perhaps the longest and the most winding!

-Ha Fuckin Ha Flyers fans!

-So far 1 team from every Winter Classic has gone to the SCF...and lost. Ohhh, that's an ugly thought for 2011. Either the Pens lose another SCF, or we have to endure the Crapitals going all the way to the SCF

-What a moment when Jeremy Roenick got choked up! NBC botched the moment, surprise, surprise, but that right there is why I love the Stanley Cup and hockey. Players give up more in hockey than in any other sport to try and get it, and it really hit him that he never touched it and never will. There's MUCH more of a mystique surrounding the Stanley Cup than there is about a World Series Trophy, Lombardi Trophy, or NBA trophy. There's hundreds of those. A new one is made every year. There's one Stanley Cup. Having your name inscribed on the one and only championship trophy of the NHL is an accomplishment unlike any other championship in sports.



-Fuck, it's back to the Pirates full time.

-Come on Pens training camp, fantasy football and Pitt football!!!

Equilibrium is Restored

I hate the very existence of the Philadelphia Flyers. However, tonight they served up a nice piping hot plate of tasty justice.

You knew this video would either go down in Montreal lore for eternity or bite them in the ass for eternity.

The Hockey Gods have spoken. They do not take lightly to such hubris from young, brash, and unproven defensemen.

I hate you Flyers; I hope you lose to the Blackhawks in four games, but I thank you for setting things straight within the hockey universe.



Montreal's gonna burn tonight.

It's Time to Buckle Down

When you are traveling through the pits of hell, the worst thing can do is stop. Remember that.

Right now, this is hell for Pens fans. We all watched the Pens blow a 2-1 lead and watched a team lifted by an insane crowd. We also watched that insane crowd help grind the Penguins into the ground. What we have feared most short of elimination has occurred. A dreaded game 7.

Before you begin heading for the bridges, stop. Forget about the history up until now. It's all meaningless. 1996 was 1996, 1993 was 1993. None of those players for either side will be on the ice tomorrow night. It's all about the 2009-2010 Pittsburgh Penguins and the 2009-2010 Montreal Canadiens.

There's a game to be played. Don't think about what could be, think about the game. If you are attending the game, make it the loudest game in Igloo history. If not, scream like you're there! The players will hear you.

We can't play the game, but we can help our team to victory. Don't wallow in your own depression at the game 6 loss. Focus your energy. Help propel your team to the next round.

Wednesday night has the chance to be a special moment in Penguins history. Do your part and say you were a part of that amazing Game 7 back in 2010; the turning point for the Penguins playoffs.


Fucking Do IT!

A Post Game 3 Riddle

If you take two goalies from two different teams over two games; in one game the first goalie plays behind a trapping team that allows them clear views of the shooter and clears out rebounds, and that goalie gives up one goal; in the second game the second goalie plays behind a trapping team that allows them clear views of the shooter and clears out rebounds, and that goalie gives up NO goals; which goalie is better?

The answer is: Suck it Fluery haters! Go Pens!

The Bestest Time of Year

Wow, what a past few days! Times like these are the reason why I love hockey. I like to watch playoffs in pretty much every sport but nothing combines the speed, and physicality you get in hockey with the frequency of playoff hockey. Every other day you get to watch an edge of your seat roller coaster ride. Take the games from Friday and Sunday; two great games in three days. Less than a week ago, I was on the bridge (yes I doubted the team), now I am riding high on two consecutive hard earned victories. That is playoff hockey in a nutshell.

Right now, I’m livin’ for Tuesday night. It won’t be easy though. I am concerned that this will be the biggest challenge to the Pens so far this series. Ottawa doesn’t want to go down 3-1 coming back to Pittsburgh. Even if they would win a game five after a loss tomorrow night, seeing what I’ve seen so far, I don’t know if the Senators have the goaltending or stamina to win in 7 games.

With that said, I think you will see Ottawa’s best effort tomorrow night. Taking a 2-2 tie into Pittsburgh would make a world of difference to the Senators. The Pens will have to weather a Senator storm. If they can do that while maintaining their physical play, both hitting and along the boards, they should be able to wear down an already tired Senators team. They Pens know the formula for playoff hockey, and proved to a lot of people (me included) that they had, in fact, “found the switch”.

Now the question is; can the Senators ratchet their play up to the Pens level, and if so, can the Pens raise their play to that next level?

Oh yea, and if you didn’t know, Andy Sutton is a douche nozzle (from Empty Netters)

It's Time to Get Your Mind Right

Fans aren't just fans anymore, they're all analysts, general managers, and owners to boot (I'm guilty of it too). Sometimes though, it's nice to be a fan, just to root for a team and be excited about what is to come without worrying about such things as critiquing a coach's game plan, or questioning a GM's player moves. I think there's an innocence to just being a fan, and rooting for your team, and when everyone becomes a statistician, it takes something away from the purity and fun of being a fan.

Luckily there is still game day to make you feel like a real fan. Days like today make me glad to be alive. It's a Playoff Hockey Night in Pittsburgh! My mind is consumed by hockey, and I love it. The adrenaline is coursing through my veins, and consists of equal parts hope, fear, and excitement. The sky is the limit; The Pens may make another successful drive for the cup, or they may get an early tee-time on the golf course, but right now it's all about the anticipation, and I wouldn't have it any other way! It's a great day to be a Penguins fan and it's a Great Day for Hockey!

LET'S GO PENS!

DO IT!

A Good Swift Kick in the Ass

From all indications, The Pens got what they should have out of their surprise practice yesterday. A good wake up call/glass of cold water in the face/kick in the ass, call it whatever you want, but as a Pens fan, I feel good about it this morning.

Yesterday I was perilously close to the edge of the Ft. Pitt Bridge, but I did not jump as so many fans have over the last tumultuous 48 hours. We don’t know if the practice helped, or hurt, but early indications are good. From reading a couple articles in the papers, there was no dicking around, and the work was fast and crisp. The way things should be this time of year.

My prediction, if the Pens turn this thing around, is that this two day period could cement Disco as being fo’ real. I really liked his reaction, he didn’t call the team soff in the media or call anyone out (although he did make his discontent known), he took the calm logical approach of handling the situation behind closed doors and taking actions to address the sloppy play(making them practice on a day off). That is straight out of the book on leadership (The non-Mike Richards version).

Money.

I’ll be honest, I still don’t know if he is making the right adjustments in-game, but one thing I do not question is his leadership ability. I will always have a soff spot for FHCMT, but his attitude was his downfall. In my humble opinion, after two+ years of yelling and screaming, the players just stopped responding to him.


You see that twinkle in my eye? That hop in my step? That is because the playoffs grow near my friends. The most magical time of the year.

Fuckin DO IT!
Let’s Go Pens!