Penguins-66

How...how...how can this be?

What did we ever do to you Claudia! Personally, I'm not exactly sure how I'm going to function in every day life. Ever since I watched that clip, I've noticed the skies above me are always dark and flowers wilt as I pass by them. The sound of children laughing or witnessing two people in love depresses me to no end and I find myself crying and hyperventilating uncontrollably when I watch clips of Claudia on the NHLN.

So, now what are we going to do? How are we going to make it up to Claudia and get back in her good graces? I don't think chocolate and flowers will work this time. Does she like shoes? What girl doesn't, right? Maybe a nice dinner at Morton's or Capital Grille and then off to the Pittsburgh ballet theatre for a showing of Swan Lake or Giselle? End the night with a dazzling diamond necklace from Tiffany's?

I don't know what to do? At first, I was worried about the the economy, the lockout, genocide, global war and Obama having his head firmly placed inside his own rectum, but going through life knowing Claudia doesn't like us has completely taken over my life and I WILL make it up to her if it's the last thing I do. Don't fear Penguin fans, I WILL make this right for the entire community.

@Penguins-66: silly.com is just a joke name for philly.com

Ah, okay. I gotcha'.

Was just curious...where are you fellas from? Any of you from the old Silly.com days?

Have to say...it's nice to have some cavalry over here now.

I reside in the South Hills area, born and raised. I never heard of Silly.com.

I've wondered that for years myself. Aren't the two mutually exclusive more or less? It's either one or the other? I don't know, apparently I'm missing something :wacko:

I get why they do it, I just don't agree with it. I think you should call it one way or the other. It's either a dive or an infraction.

For some reason, the PG left out the re-signing of Strait...

The Penguins signed four restricted free agents to one-year, two-way contracts on Thursday.

Left wing Eric Tangradi, along with defensemen Brian Strait, Robert Bortuzzo and Alex Grant, signed deals that were essentially formalities.

Tangradi has been in Pittsburgh for two weeks and recently said he was confident a deal was imminent. His contract is worth $726,000 at the NHL level.

Strait, who has looked solid in 12 NHL games, inked a deal worth $605,000 at the NHL level. Bortuzzo and Grant, meanwhile, signed deals that will pay $525,000 at the NHL level.

Tangradi, 23, has scored only one goal in 40 NHL games.

However, the Penguins remain hopeful that he can become a regular contributor at the NHL level. General manager Ray Shero mentioned in July that Tangradi is a legitimate candidate to replace left wing Steve Sullivan in a "top-six" role.

NOTE - The NHL released its national television schedule on Thursday and, should the season start on time, the Penguins will be prominently featured. NBC will broadcast up to five Penguins' games on Sunday afternoons this season and the Penguins will be on NBC or the NBC Sports Network 17 times.

Read more: http://triblive.com/...l#ixzz252yBY3Ze

The Penguins have re-signed their final three restricted free agents.

Left winger Eric Tangradi and defensemen Robert Bortuzzo and Alex Grant, all of whom are 23 years old, accepted contracts that will keep them with the organization.

The deals are two-way, which means they would earn a reduced salary if they play in the American Hockey League rather than the NHL.

Tangradi's is worth $726,000 in the NHL, while Bortuzzo and Grant would be paid $525,000 each if they make the NHL squad.

Tangradi had two assists in 24 regular-season appearances with the Penguins in 2011-12. He had two strong showings -- possibly his best in the NHL -- in the pair of games in which he played during the Penguins' first-round playoff series against Philadelphia.

He played in 37 games with the Penguins' American Hockey League affiliate in Wilkes-Barre last season, putting up 15 goals and 16 assists

Bortuzzo has just six NHL games on his resume, all from last season, but is expected to make a serious run at a spot on the major-league roster during training camp. He is a strong defensive presence who had three goals and nine assists in 51 games with the Baby Penguins in 2011-12.

Grant has bounced back from a severe wrist injury he received during a prospects-tournament game two years ago, and had 10 goals and 27 assists in 61 games with Wilkes-Barre last season.

Because the Penguins' depth chart on defense is so crowded, Grant figures to be a long shot to earn an NHL job this season.

Read more: http://www.post-gaze.../#ixzz252o8rawg

The problem with that idea is the Blue Jackets natural rivilary with the Red Wings. They sell out every game when the Wings come to town....the fans are really into the Wings vs Jackets,

A rivalry between Pittsburgh and (insert any Ohio-based sports team here) would be just as intense, if not more so. You don't have to look any further than the rivalries formed between the Steelers-Browns and Steelers-Bengals over the decades. A strong disdain between the two regions has already been established. Also, I strongly doubt ownership would struggle with getting butts in the seats at Nationwide Arena in order to regularly watch the likes of Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin. Those two have a knack for putting up big numbers on the ice, but they also have a knack for putting up big numbers in the seats.

so that would be tough for the owner to let go of AND I'm pretty sure Detroit is closer to Columbus than Pittsburgh.

Pittsburgh to Columbus is a little over 3 hours. Detroit to Columbus is a little over 3 and a half hours. It's not by much. But, my intentions were not meant to compare or strictly focus on the distances between Detroit to Columbus and Pittsburgh to Columbus, but to compare fan and organizational traveling costs when it comes to other teams in the western conference and even in their own division. For Columbus fans, getting in your car and driving to Chicago, St. Louis or Nashville isn't exactly a hop, skip and a jump. It's definately farther than driving the 3 hours and 10 minutes to Pittsburgh.

More importantly and to my point, it's the grueling road trips to the California coast or Alberta and back that really hurt them. That's a ton of traveling for an organization that reportedly lost $25 million in 2010. Taking into account traveling cost, player fatigue and the opportunity to regularly watch some of the greatest talent the league has to offer inside their own building and I don't think McConnell/Howson would have a problem moving the organization to the eastern conference. In fact, I believe both wouldn't think twice about the opportunity and would welcome the move with wide-open arms.

I'm pretty sure Ilitich would make a good case to move to the East before the Jackets.

Unfortunately for Columbus, I'm sure Detroit would get the nod over Columbus. I don't agree with it considering Columbus is the organization bleeding money and struggling to establish a consistent fan following, not Detroit, but I'm sure that would be the case if it came down between the two.

My personal opinion...

Move them to the Atlantic division or at least to the east. Pittsburgh and Ohio-based teams never had a problem establishing rivalries, no matter how bad one team is over the other. It would also cut traveling cost for Columbus. If I can get in my car and drive three hours to the nearest hockey city, they should be in our division or conference.

Don't get me wrong, Columbus still has to do their part. My suggestion is not the "answer" to their problems. Ownership still has to put out a better product and do their part, but it would be a step in the right direction. Unlike some other cities in this country, Columbus is not a bad hockey market.

They just need something to cheer for if they're fans are going to put up the big cash. Can you blame them? I realize some are "huge fans" when their sitting on the couch and drinking cheap beer and food, but it's a little different when you have a season ticket package and a family of three or four. It's easy to call people "bandwagon fans" when that's the case.

Like I said, it would be a step in the right direction.

Wait, is this another "Crozby iz da worstes diever in da leega!" thread? lol.

Anyway....

I can see where Polaris is coming from. It's a very thin line. Do we go back to the "hooking the living $%&@ out of Lemieux-era" or do you call-out those who cheapen the game on a regular basis? Tough call. I can't count how many times I've seen the "clear as day dives" not called and when I do see a dive called, they also call the poor S.O.B. who was suckered into the cheap play.

Call me stupid, but to this day I'm still confused. If one guy is embellishing the call, why does the other guy get a penalty? I've been watching the game for as long as I can remember and that rule still doesn't make sense to me.

Still, I want to see the greatest talent be able to perform to it's fullest abilities without some dumb goon hooking and slashing for three straight periods with equally moronic and goonish fans cheering them on to no end and simply passing it off as "part of the game". What's the point in having talented players if that's going to be the case?

Finding a happy medium is the key and it's not easy. I wish them luck.

Yikes. I actually like the guy. He keeps Giannatti (a New York guy) in check on the morning drive show.

Hey, more power to you. To each their own, right?

Personally, I can't stand local sports radio so I wouldn't even know. I find 93.7 to be absolutely abysmal. If Paul Alexander of all people is keeping other hosts in check, I'm definately not missing much. For what it's worth, I listened to 93.7 in the very beginning and this is what I came away with....

Host: Caller, what's on your mind?

Yinzer: I think the Stillers are underappreciated and I've been a fan since I was an embryo.

(Note: This is a must, share how long you've been a fan. I guess they feel it somehow shows credibility?)

Host: How so caller?

Yinzer: Because every time yinz in the media talk abaht'em, yinz are always talking bad.

Host: Ummm...all we do here is kiss Steelers butt. We have to or we're out of a job.

Call #2:

Host: Caller, you're up.

Yinzer: I think Shero and Bylsma need to be fired.

Host: Why so caller?

Yinzer: Cause they haven't won a cup since 09, know what I mean? We need to get Patrick back!

Host: Why do I work here?

Call #3:

Host: Caller, speak.

Yinzer: Why yinz skeptical abaht the Pirates?

Host: It's been 19 years since they have made the playoffs you drunk dolt (I added the drunk dolt).

Yinzer: I know, but yinz are so negative abaht it.

Host: 19 years.

In short, the biggest problem I have with 93.7 is that they allow the "fans" to run the show. The end result - You get drunk Tony from Turtle "Crick" and Danny from Munhall calling in every day spewing pure idiocy. It's completely mind-numbing to me and I find it to be painfully embarrassing as a Pittsburgh sports fan. Just my two cents.

@DinahMoeHumm Don't really know the guy, not familiar with him that I can remeber, but media types are getting offed at a record pace for controversial tweets, so this guy is deep do-do.

Unless you live in the Pittsburgh area, chances are you never saw him. This is him....

It's not exactly hockey related, but he is involved with ROOT sports and conducts player interviews...

http://www.post-gaze...-of-dui-650966/

Personally, I'm not a fan of the guy. I find him to be arrogant and egotistical.

I realize people make bad decisions. Being tanked at 5:00 in the afternoon and making the moronic decision to get behind the wheel is bad enough. Taking it a step further and fleeing the scene after you struck another vehicle is a completely different story. This "mistake" could have easily killed an innocent human being.

In all right, he should lose his job.

The fact that so many players are now making these kinds of contingency plans sure doesn't give a warm and fuzzy vibe in terms of the season starting on time, does it?

It's definately not sounding good DMH.

I've already come to the somber realization that they're probably not going to start the season on time. I'm at the point now where I'm just praying Malkin doesn't blow out a knee while playing in Russia.

I can't stay away, love the game to much

Same here.

Plus, I'm not getting rid of my seat license and season tickets over it. For starters, they've been in my family for decades and I plan on eventually handing them down. I kept them when this organization resembled a minor-league hockey team after Craig Patrick's fire sale and I kept them after the last lockout. It's just not going to happen.

I'm also not dumping the NHLN or the Center Ice package, why bother if I'm already paying for tickets/parking/food/beer? lol.

Geno planning ahead...

http://www.post-gazette.com/stories/sports/penguins/malkin-agrees-to-khls-magnitogorsk-contract-reports-say-650729/

As for Crosby's "ego", he doesn't really have one. The guy takes $5 mill a year less than he could command. He lets assistant captain Malkin be the last out of the locker room. He does everything the team, community, and NHL ask of him without a fuss.

Crosby and his supposed "ego" is definately a new one for me and it's completely unfounded.

I've met my fair share of athletes in my time and he was great. He took time with the fans and he wasn't fake about it. I've never heard rumors from locals when it comes to Crosby's supposed ego and word definately gets around in this city when athletes treat their fans like garbage, just ask Ben Roethlisberger. I've also never heard a complaint from the talking heads inside the local media who are always looking for controversy and more importantly - from his teammates and those involved in the front office.

When it came to his immaturity on the ice, he even admitted he was immature in his early years. At least he manned up to it. Still, can you imagine that? A teenager/young adult being immature? Shocking. If taking a dive or complaining to an official when he was younger is the worst thing the kid has ever done, I'll gladly take it. It sure as hell beats what other athletes are doing these days, like getting arrested every other week or hurting team chemisty by being a cancer with a large ego.

Let's face it, higher talent players spend their lives under the microscope.

Bingo.

Lemieux was known as a "whiner" and "crybaby". Sound familiar?

Yeah, that didn't get old and lame. *yawn*

As a Penguins fan, it doesn't even bother me these days. At the end of the day, I mark it down mainly as pure jealousy and in some cases - utter stupidity. When Crosby dives, he's a career diver. When some lower-level player or no-talent thug decides to take a dive, it's either completely ignored or some lame excuse is fabricated and all is forgotten. Very convenient.

When a player like Ovechkin or M. Richards decide to cry to the officials or take a dive, they're just "being team captains" or "playing smart hockey by buying the call".

At the end of the day, I don't even bother fighting Crosby's case. Much like with a thousand other young athletes, he's matured over the length of his career. It happens. Fighting his case is simply not worth it in my book. I prefer to enjoy his cup win and highlight goals. Much like with Lemieux, I will gladly take him on my roster any day of the week, along with the personal hardware and cup wins.

@Penguins-66 I've been saying that forever! Just cause you have cap space, does not mean you have to spend it! Leino is a fine example. What were the scouts thinking recommending him? He's a guy who leech's off creaative guys, not a guy who creates!

I think Bertmega said it best, "it just seems like they are spending money to spend money.".

Ever since Pegula took over the team, he promised to spend more money. From an outsider looking in, it seems as if he's trying too hard to make up for the failures and lack of spending by former ownership. Rather than spending wisely, he's simply throwing cash around (Leino) in order to appease the great sports fans of Buffalo.

They deserve better in my opinion.

I'm not keen on the inner workings of the Buffalo Sabres organization, but I am fairly certain that dishing out $7.5 million on a 4-year deal to Shane Doan is not a smart move. I don't care if Shane Doan was capable of sacking Rome while "leading" the Huns or conquering the Persian Empire with Alexander, he is not worth that type of money or length.

This guy is not Crosby. He's not Malkin. He's not Stamkos. $7.5 million for Doan is absolutely comical in my opinion.

Some of my personal favorites...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sZEqub4A2kc

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TRrJYckXLiM

Wow.

I can totally respect an owner who is willing to open up the wallet and I realize the FA market is completely barren of high-caliber talent, but you have to spend that money wisely. I'm fairly certain he will sign with Phoenix, but the fact that Pegula and Regier are actually willing to dish out that type of a deal to a player like Doan is a little scary.

Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin “isn’t what he used to be,” teammate Michal Neuvirth says in a surprisingly candid interview that also touches on the goalie competition, new Coach Adam Oates and more.

“He isn’t what he used to be, that’s for sure,”

That's frikkin AWESOME! lol

Neuvirth in 2012!

Once lazy, always lazy, if he did not work hard to say in good shape, odds say he will revert back to his old ways once he gets a roster spot secured. Sure, some Leopards change their spots, but it is rare. Good work ethic and staying in shape is something that is instilled in you as a youngster, something you have or you don't....in most cases.

Plus, it's not like Tangradi is playing in the local beer league and is surrounded by lazy examples/leaders...

He goes to work and witnesses one of the hardest working players in all of sports (#87) on a regular basis. He has seen Malkin bring Kadar to Russia with him during the last two offseasons. While Letang had a career-high 50 points in 2010-2011, that didn't stop him from tweaking his training regimen during that particular offseason in order to better his game.

But, when it comes to Tangradi, I'm not sure if it's laziness or simply a lack of skill and knowledge. I have no idea. I just find it strange that he has waited until now to finally start improving himself. It's not like a top-six job spot just recently presented itself when Parise decided to sign with Minnesota. The job has been there for the taking, especially for a touted prospect like Tangradi.

For our sake, I wish the guy all the best, but time is ticking and the excuses can only last for so long.

I thought it was pretty cool.

It was also pretty convenient when it came to color coordinating your sports gear. If you wanted to wear a Steelers or Pirates cap with a Penguins jersey, you could pull it off. With the tacky vegas gold, it's not so easy.

Any other city have all of their major franchise's rocking the same color scheme?

Off the top of my head, I can't think of another city that has the same color scheme for every one of their sports franchises.

Wasn't a fan of the futuristic orange jersey

I'm more of an old-school jersey fan in the first place, so the "futuristic" look doesn't do it for me.

I'm still trying to figure out why they went with the vegas gold rather than keeping the "real" colors of Pittsburgh (Steelers, Pirates, the city flag). Changing the design is one thing, changing the color was just wrong in my book. I refuse to purchase a new Penguins jersey until they change back to the original gold and get rid of the vegas gold.