Random Penguin droppings

It’s already been talked about a ton, but the summer of sadness continued the other day when John Barbaro died. People like Seth Rorabaugh did a much better job of putting into words than I could. However, he was truly a Penguin great, and was as much a part of the Penguins Experience as the Igloo for close to 40 years. The game will never be the same.

On a brighter side, the clock continues to tick until hockey season and yesterday was a big day.

In order of importance:

Sir Mario and Sid broke in the Ice at the CEC

Max Talbot called it like it is

The announced some crap about the Winter Classic

Let’s hope that Mr. Barbaro’s untimely passing is the official end to the Summer of Sadness, and we can all begin the countdown to the next Hockey Night in Pittsburgh!

Let’s Go Pens!

You Sir Are a Moron!

I think I'm going to make this a semi-regular theme. People say stupid things all the time (myself especially); but sometimes a comment comes along that is so foolish, is so poorly thought out, and so short sited that you just want to slap them with a little white glove. In celebration of such stupidity, I will make an effort to post these gems when I find them.

Today's entry comes from Chris Robinson of SURPRISE!!!!!!, Arizona.

He writes in the PG Q & A:

"I don't get it. Sidney Crosby hasn't gotten much criticism over this meltdown (in the 2010 playoffs). He gets lauded about being a "big-game player" My question is, in what big game has Sidney Crosby EVER stepped up for the Pens? His two biggest games so far in his career he has been scoreless. Game 7 in the Cup final last summer and, of course, (Game 7 against Montreal). As bad as he was in this Montreal series, his point totals actually doubled his output during the Stanley Cup final last year. Both those series make his two-goal and six-point effort during the 2008 final look like Mario Lemieux-type numbers. He's still a young guy with many years ahead of him. Hopefully, he is the reason the Penguins hoist the Cup again someday instead of winning in spite of him like last year, but right now he is vastly over-hyped and overrated when people mention him in the same breath as Mario Lemieux."

You sir are a moron...Nothing more needs to be said to defend my statement and my frustration towards yours.

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!!!

A Real Test

They wanna REALLY test out the plumbing in the CEC?

Give me a call...he he poop.

http://www.post-gazette.com/neighborhoods/

Save The Civic Arena!

A new website has sprung up to help preserve the Igloo. Found it by way of an interesting Op-Ed piece in the PG.

If you don't want the Igloo saved, then whatevs. If you do, then go to the website. It's at the top of the links on my page. There are TONS of ways to get involved. There is an online petition in addition to tons of links to get in touch with local leaders to let them know how you feel.

If you want the Igloo to stay but don't say speak up, no one of consequence will know.

Surreal

No other words to describe it. Should be sad, but I'm just so shocked to see it, even though I knew it would come. Right now, just more in awe than sad. Plenty of time for sadness this summer...

The Ice melting for the final time

I'll miss you more than I realized Lady Mellon.

Dear Yinzer Fans:

Let me start by saying you have to take the good with the bad and everything has two sides. Pittsburgh sports fans are passionate, and that is a GREAT thing. While that passion is sometimes bad (i.e. screaming for a Malkin trade or Crosby trade*); it is that same passion that causes 5000+ to stand outside the arena in crazy weather to watch the Pens, or causes 250,000+ to attend victory parades. It’s the same passion that led to the birth of Steeler Nation, and the passion that makes Steelers and Penguins paraphernalia the most well traveled team symbols in the world. Most importantly it’s that passion that makes me proud to say that I am a Pittsburgh sports fan.

Now…Having said that: Hey stupid yinzer fans who don’t know their asshole from a hole in the ground when it comes to hockey: SHUT THE FUCK UP!!!!!!!

So let me get this straight, Malkin didn’t get the Art Ross this season and you now want to get rid of him???? Got it. You want to trade him eventhough he played in 18 LESS games this year due to injury, still managed 77 points, and still averaged over a point per game.

EDIT: I got my stat of 18 less games from the Evgeni Malkin unofficial fan page. After checking NHL.com (should have checked there to start), he played 15 less games, not 18. He played a total of 67 games. Regardless of this, he still averaged over a point a game, and had he kept on that pace would have scored about 90 points.

Ohhh, I see, you want Staal to be the second line center and you think that if given the same number of minutes that Geno has, Staal will match or surpass Malkin’s point totals.

First I would be willing to bet that you were one of the “trade Staal’s” from last year. You remember; before he was a Selke finalist this year, he had a sophomore slump and he was very popular trade bait among the fans.

You remember that don’t you?

One of the reasons Staal is so effective is that he is a solid 2nd line center ON THE THIRD LINE. That is a match-up most teams do not have the defensive depth to match. Geno is a #1 Center in about 28 of the other 29 franchises in the NHL. He is playing on the second line here.

Just one more time so I have it right in my head; you want to take away that depth and that mismatch because Geno “only” scored 77 points this year and was in the top 20 scorers in the league.

Interesting logic.

I love Jordan Staal, and this is not meant to take anything away from him, but how do you know he is going to match Geno in points? You don’t know if Staal has the talent, even if given the minutes to match Malkin. Do you know if Staal will ever be able to put up 113 points in a season? I don’t, but I do know this; Geno can, because he did it last year.

Remember last year; when he won the Art Ross followed by the Conn Smythe?????

There’s a reason that Ray Shero is GM and you are not. That would be that Ray Shero is smarter and knows more about hockey than you do. That’s the reason that he gets paid to make this franchise competitive, and you pay to go watch this competitive franchise.

If you people had your way Staal would have been gone last year (no Selke nomination this year), and Geno would be gone this year (no more scoring titles for him in Pittsburgh). I get the feeling you would run Fluery out of town too.

Do us all a favor and go back to drooling over the Steelers and spank it while thinking about training camp. Let the people who have half a brain and understand the game root for the Pens.




*Lest we forget everyone that during Crosby's scoring slump during the 2008-2009, there was actual a yinzer fringe that was willing to "trade Crosby to add depth". Hmmmmm, where else would I have heard that...

No Title Required

Great moments are born from great opportunity.
And that's what you have here tonight, boys.
That's what you've earned here, tonight.

One game.

If we played 'em ten times, they might win nine.
But not this game. Not tonight.
Tonight, we skate with 'em.

Tonight, we stay with 'em, and we shut them down because we can!
Tonight, we are the greatest hockey team in the world.
You were born to be hockey players -- every one of ya.
And you were meant to be here tonight.

This is your time.

Their time -- is done. It's over.

I'm sick and tired of hearin' about what a great hockey team the Soviets have.

Screw 'em!

This is your time!!

Now go out there and take it!



Fuckin Goosebump City!

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!

Well Worth The Read

Awesome and fitting "euology" to the awesome and fitting end of the Washington Capitals' playoff run. This is over at Puck Daddy, but done by the best smart-asses in the business, The Pensblog

Check it aaaahhhhht...If you think the opening banner is awesome, what till you read it!

Let's Go Pens!

Mmmmmm....Those Tears Taste Good!

Today is a great day! The President’s Trophy winner (it’s better than the Stanley Cup you know) has been eliminated from playoff contention. I will never cheer against a team the way I cheer FOR the Penguins, but today the hate runs through my veins. The tears of the whiny Crapitals fans give me strength.


Let’s get to it:


To "the great 8"
Remember that tiny little statement you made at last year’s NHL awards? You know, the one where you guaranteed a Capitals Stanley Cup this year? Just in case you forgot: Here’s the clip.

How’s that workin’ out for ya home slice? Maybe if you try it again in Vegas this year it may just work. Or…there’s another option. Talk less shit and work harder. There’s a certain someone I know that could probably give you a few lessons said work ethic.


To the fans:
What brings an even bigger smile to my face is watching the obnoxious, band wagon, know nothing about hockey fans rock the red right off their backs. Aside from your own team winning it all, there is little that is more exciting than watching a loud fan of a hated rival eat their own words. All that bullshit from February on about how the Caps were destined to win the Stanley Cup and how it was as good as theirs was all just that…BULLSHIT! HA HA HA!

I am sure you Caps fans will come back with such silly things as “the Pens were too afraid to play us”, or “you would have lost” or “we still swept you this season”. All can be easily countered by a few simple comebacks:

“HA FUCKIN HA! YOUR TEAM MADE HISTORY THE OTHER NIGHT! THEY CHOKED HARDER THAN ANY OTHER #1 SEED IN NHL HISTORY!!! NO MATTER WHAT YOU SAY OR WHAT YOU BELIEVE, REMEMBER THAT.”

Or

“REMEMBER THAT NO MATTER WHAT THE PENS DO FOR THE REST OF THE PLAYOFFS, YOUR UNSTOPPABLE JUGGERNAUT OF OFFENSIVE TALENT, YOUR PRESIDENT’S TROPHY WINNER LOST; IN THE FIRST ROUND; TO THE EIGHTH SEED.”

What a great day.

Now, it’s time to get focused. Thank you Habs for what you have done for us Penguins fans. However, nothing lasts forever, and you are now the enemy. Get ready to meet a more balanced and all around grittier team, and we’ll see who comes out on top.

DO IT!
WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

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)

What to Do with the Igloo?

I’ve often heard the phrase “You Americans have no sense of history”. This is usually spoken by non-Americans, and is usually directed at Americans with little sense of history.

It’s in this spirit that I write this post. Fifty-odd years ago, Pittsburgh destroyed a neighborhood in order to build what is now Mellon Arena. They destroyed a piece of our history. Now they threaten to destroy history again, although in a different way; by knocking down a piece of American Engineering AND Cultural history.

Two wrongs don’t make a right. Was obliterating that neighborhood bad in the first place? Absolutely. Does that make it ok to destroy this landmark which was the first EVER retractable dome and is a piece of Pittsburgh history? No way.

The common theme I hear is “we must connect the Hill back to Downtown”. The Radical Middle does a GREAT job of throwing this argument out the window. Check it out here. To roughly paraphrase, The Hill IS connected to downtown, and always has been. If you are worried about “restoring the street grid”, get rid of those damn parking lots and rebuild the street grid, complete with whatever type of development you would like, residential, commercial, WHATEVER.

What to do with old Lady Mellon?

The harder issue to tackle is the sheer fact that the old lady is old and broken. To continue to use it in something approaching its current capacity would require a lot of $$$$. You can’t just let it sit empty either, as it would continue to deteriorate, and eventually become a safety hazard. My favorite idea, pushed here, would be to gut the arena, leaving it’s signature feature, the roof intact. The roof would then be retracted (permanently, I think) and the shell of the arena could house an outdoor amphitheatre.

By using this approach, you are saving an engineering first, and avoiding many of the other problems, including continued maintenance. This would also would allow for more extensive development than by leaving the arena/parking lots fully intact.

The Civic Arena has somewhat of a sordid history, but that history is nonetheless extremely important to this city and Western Pennsylvania. The story of The Civic Arena/Igloo/Mellon Arena should be preserved, not just in pictures and thoughts, but in real concrete and steel.

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!

One Last Dance with the Old Lady

I wish it would have gone differently last night. I could have truly enjoyed my last event hosted by the old broad. Sadly, it was not meant to be. The last dance did not go as planned.

Still, I am glad to say I saw her one last time. Old lady Mellon has been showing her age for a long time, but there is no place like Mellon Arena in the NHL, and pretty soon there will be no Mellon Arena period.

In all my trips to the arena, I had never had the fortune, and the joy of sitting in the F Balcony where the Pens shoot twice. Despite last night’s outcome, I am sure glad that I had that opportunity. For all the hubbub about the new arena, I doubt that it, or any other hockey arena will be able to match the experience of watching a game from F section at the Mellon. I’ve often heard people say that in E and F sections you are right on top of the ice, but I was never able to picture it for myself. After last night, I now know what they were talking about, they could not have been more right. What an experience; what a great way to watch a hockey game!

I know things can’t last forever, and the old lady is tired and broken. This amazing team deserves a first class state of the art venue. I am glad they are getting that new facility. Still, I can’t help but feel a little sad. There was no NHL experience like the Mellon Arena. I don’t just mean the amazing views in the balcony seats, I mean the Standing Room Only, and the seats where there was a big chunk of concrete in your way. Those sections were ugly, but they were unique and they brought balance to the arena. You had the funky sight lines, but by the same token, in some sections you literally hovered over the ice, giving an unrivaled view of the action.

Unlike some others who cut their last visit to the old Igloo short last night once it became apparent the Pens were not going to pull it out, I stayed and walked around the seating bowl. I took some pictures and stopped to reminisce about my own personal experiences in this fine old arena.

I’ll always remember my first trip to the Igloo, as a “student rusher” with maybe about 4000 other people there (I missed Mario’s comeback by a few scant weeks). I’ll also never forget Ryan Malone’s wrap around goal during game two of the Senators series in 2008. It broke a 3-3 tie with under a minute to play and I remember thinking the roof was going to fly off as the place went absolutely NUTS!

Finally, I’ll always remember the Game 3 OT Goal by Letang to turn the series around against the Caps. I have never experienced a louder more intense crowd in any sport, at any venue than at that very moment. It was amazing and still makes the hair on the back of my neck stand up.

Even as your time grows near Lady Mellon, It’s hard to say goodbye. I’m not exactly sure how, suffice to say it’s been a wonderful ride, and thank you for all the memories.

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!

Can You Say Something Out of Nothing?

http://www.nypost.com/p/sports/more_sports/sid_blows_nhl_golden_chance_22VH7UimsoimIdQfehXQTJ

Oh wait....No one cares!

People act like he was fondling a 20 year old in a bathroom or something...

Those Little Capitals Fans are SO Easy to Rile up!

Mike Wilbon of ESPN’s PTI wrote a GREAT (in my biased Pens fan mind) article about Ovechkin in the Washington Post of all papers. I had a great time looking through the comments section to see the screaming that erupted as a result.

I think it went something like….”WAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!”

You see, I think those lovable little Caps fans who have just recently discovered that hockey IS in fact a sport, got their panties in a bunch because Wilbon mentioned the “C” word. No, I don’t mean Champion, Captain or even, Canadian Gold Medalist. I mean Crosby. I would honestly be pissed too (imagine if hockey moron Ron Cook had the audacity to compare anyone poorly on the Pens to another NHL player, especially Ovechkin), but the Mike Wilbon is spot on about Ovechkin’s behavior. He better watch out, or he may end up in a women’s bathroom in Georgia chasing after an under-age girl with Ray Lewis’ attorney on speed dial.

On a slightly related note, I love the Ovechkin vs. Crosby debate that Caps or Pens blogs often devolve into. I don’t care about the statistics and keep your individual awards. NOTHING was better than celebrating in the streets after the SCF victory, NOTHING. Seriously, it was something I’ll tell my grandkids about. That doesn’t happen without Crosby, so thanks, I’ll keep him.

Monday Brain turds

-This weather is beautiful and makes me doubly unhappy that I am stuck inside working for the man. All this sunshine in March makes me worry about what is to come. You know we’re going to have to pay for this nice weather somewhere down the road. We will probably get the snow storm from hell in April, or at the very least the sun will go behind the clouds on or about March 15th and stay there until well into May...

-There was a great article in the Post Gazette yesterday about Ronald Reagan and the Republican Party (I am eagerly awaiting being called anti-American, socialist, etc. because #1 I am not Republican, and #2 agree with something that is not pro-Republican) The article talked about how despite the popularity and success of Reagan’s policies, it shifted Republican thinking, and took them away from their core values of fiscal responsibility and practicality. If you have half an open mind to dissent and candor, read it. If not, let the screaming begin.

-Sorry, but Matt Cooke deserves a suspension for his hit on Mark Savard yesterday. I can’t believe he wasn’t at LEAST tossed out of the game. Did he mean to hurt the guy…no way, but the hit was at the very least reckless. TPB has a different take on it. I respect their opinions (to start, they are waaayyyyy more knowledgeable than I am about hockey, I am just a run of the mill fan), but I have watched more than a couple Pens games and his hit was reckless, the kind that the NHL is trying to cut down on. They are correct that an agitator plays on the edge, plays with fire if you will, but as the old adage goes, sometimes when you play with fire, you get burned. Cookie deserves to get burned for a couple games on this one.