Defense is weak and our top two propects are hurt Bourdons skull is an eggshell

[pilldoc]

That's what makes it more disappointing. He actually has talent unlike most headcases.

ans that is what pisses most Flyer fans off...he "HAS" the talent...he just needed to grow up....

Edited January 16, 2013 by pilldoc

[B21]

At least with downie, he is willing to answer the bell. Cooke (with exception to two years ago), generally runs and hides.

Really? When? He answered against Thornton for the Savard hit. I'd say he generally does not run an hide. He has plenty of fights on his resume.

[B21]

I mentioned Downie since it was already in the thread. I'm not going to defend Downie fully, just as far as saying that his suspension with no NHL history is rather...unprecedented...at least in relation to ALL other players up to that point.

Yes, I know Briere is a diving whining, diving, somewhat careless player with the stick. I won't argue against it, and I agree - and that's a strong part of why I never wanted Briere to be considered for captaincy of the Flyers.

I will say, you largely sidestepped the crux of my post and tried to parry. I just get irritated when your fan base (generally) acts like it's okay when Pit does it because Philly does. Truth be told, it isn't okay when EITHER team pulls that kind of crap. So no, don't run your "it goes two ways" crap with me. Your team has a bunch of dirtbags and they get away with it due to their darling status with the NHL. While I do not like wishing injuries on players, I would LOVE Pit to reap what they sow, especially with regard to the deliberate injuries they inflict in the playoffs. Maybe someone could take out Letang's knee or skull, Crosby or Malkin's wrists, etc etc and you'd understand what I mean. And my distaste certainly runs back to that asshole Kasparaitis.

In the end, it's nothing personal against you. But paraphrasing the childish words of your leader, I just don't like those guys.

Neal was suspended. Just not enough to your liking. I'll give you Malkin. I have repeatedly. Total BS on Crosby breaking Giroux's wrists. TOTAL BS. It's called a faceoff. Giroux came off as a whiney b---- and I recall a lot of your fellow fans having that exact same sentiment. Not good after his little tantrum against the Devils. Crosby said Giroux's accusation was "hilarious" and "comedy" coming from the Flyers since your team is partial to that kind of thing, too. Kinda like when Giroux wacked Crosby in the head as @Polaris922 has pointed out on several occasions. So why should he be sorry for something that is not true? Don't just give me some luke warm acceptance of that little punk Briere (talk about running and hiding) either. What about Hartnell? Want me to post that clip of him against the Devils again? The one with a few suspendable incidents in the span of a single shift? Want to see the clip of Rinaldo punching Kennedy in the head and getting nothing? Howabout Briere and Hartnell wacking a guy from the bench and getting only fined??? So yes - you DO get away with ALOT as well.

Letang. Neal. Cooke. All have been disciplined by the league at some point yet there is a certain element of your fan base that just cannot accept the fact that the league has been inconsistent across the board with ALL teams and have favored ALL stars...not JUST the Penguins. Just look at the playoffs last year...nothing for Weber and 3 for Hagelin (among others)? That doesn't seem odd to you?

I hate the cheap shots as much as the next guy. I can grudgingly accept who is on my team and what they do. I don't think my fan base thinks these acts are any more or less OK than any other. I do know my fan base does not like it when other fan bases (not mentioning any names) will not get past the fact that the NHL's discipline, INCLUDING it's lenient treatment of its star players, applies to THEIR team just as much as mine.

As for being the "darlings" of the NHL - prove it. Show me how. You are on TV as much as the Pens. Just as many commercials. Just as many Winter Clasics. So give me solid factual evidence that the Pens are the "darlings" of the NHL.

You don't like us. We don't like you. That should be enough.

[Bertmega]

@doom88

Side not my sig tag line may be hard to come true when there is only 48 games. I would like to say he'll win 24 due to the shortened schedule .

[Vanflyer]

Really? When? He answered against Thornton for the Savard hit. I'd say he generally does not run an hide. He has plenty of fights on his resume.

Perhaps in his time with Pittsburgh, but prior to that he ran and hid. He had 12 fights in his first 10 NHL seasons. Barely one a year (heck, Giroux averages one fight a year)! I watched him play in Vancouver and he was absolutely despised for his antics. He had to have guys like Brashear protect him. Maybe the last two years the bell has tolled for all his past antics- or nobody on Pittsburgh wanted to be his body guard.

[pilldoc]

You don't like us. We don't like you. That should be enough.

And that my friend is the true definition of a rivalry. Pretty much sums of everything in the previous 5 pages of posts.

Saturday can't get here fast enough!

Should be a fun first game!

Over/under when we see our 1st fight? I say within the 1st 5 min the gloves are dropped. Just to remind everone what happened last April.

Cheers!

[B21]

Perhaps in his time with Pittsburgh, but prior to that he ran and hid. He had 12 fights in his first 10 NHL seasons. Barely one a year (heck, Giroux averages one fight a year)! I watched him play in Vancouver and he was absolutely despised for his antics. He had to have guys like Brashear protect him. Maybe the last two years the bell has tolled for all his past antics- or nobody on Pittsburgh wanted to be his body guard.

In that case I'll utilize the standard Flyers fan defense when I bring up Chris Pronger...."not when he was on my team".

[B21]

And that my friend is the true definition of a rivalry. Pretty much sums of everything in the previous 5 pages of posts.

Saturday can't get here fast enough!

Should be a fun first game!

Over/under when we see our 1st fight? I say within the 1st 5 min the gloves are dropped. Just to remind everone what happened last April.

Cheers!

Thank you!

As for the first fight...since you have last change as the home team I guess it depends on who Bylsma starts with.

My guess is he rolls the 3rd line out...Sutter/Cooke/Kennedy. Since Cooke has found Jesus and is no longer a pugilist on skates, I'll take the first fight after 5:00.

Now let us let this thread die a quick death.

[jammer2]

@pilldoc I think a fight in the first 5 minutes is guaranteed. I also think there will be 6 fights total....we shall see, but both teams will want to set a physical tone, impose their will on the other squad, and fisticuffs are a given. Plus, I guarantee you everyone in the Pens locker room has been snarling all summer, waiting patiently for revenge...this is gonna get ugly!!!

[pilldoc]

@pilldoc I think a fight in the first 5 minutes is guaranteed. I also think there will be 6 fights total....we shall see, but both teams will want to set a physical tone, impose their will on the other squad, and fisticuffs are a given. Plus, I guarantee you everyone in the Pens locker room has been snarling all summer, waiting patiently for revenge...this is gonna get ugly!!!

yeah pretty much....

here is something to help us get in the mood...

and this one....

enjoy folks

and yes I agree the Pens are just itching to get even after pretty much being embarressed by the Flyers last year. during the playoffs.....

Edited January 17, 2013 by pilldoc

[pilldoc]

Nothing like a good ol' heated debate with our rivals to hijack a thread that initially started with a topic that our "D" was maybe being on the weak side...

(stands up and applauds everyone for their efforts)

Well done everyone! Well done!

[jammer2]

@pilldoc Dear Lord, can we just fast forward to Saturday!?!?!?

[pilldoc]

@jammer2

I can't agree with you more....I'm tired of talin about it...I want to see a game!

[flyercanuck]

As much as the Pens may be itching for payback, I think there are more than a few Flyers who haven't forgotten Neals dirty filthy cheapshots on a rookie and our best player, or Ashams dirty filthy cheapshot on another rookie. Neal especially deserves a good beating or two.

[mojo1917]

Let the guy who received the cheap shot make Neal answer for their last encounter.

I'm not sure couterier is a "settle up" type player, he could be with his size, but i don't know if that's his mindset, any way that would be my first choice for evening the ledger, however, if I were the coach...

I dress the Tito-train for Saturday and I pay his fine and compensate him for his suspension and i tell him, Neal does not finish this contest... this is why i'm not a coach at any level of our beloved game.

[B21]

Nothing like a good ol' heated debate with our rivals to hijack a thread that initially started with a topic that our "D" was maybe being on the weak side...

(stands up and applauds everyone for their efforts)

Well done everyone! Well done!

Getting things back on track....

Not everyone can have the kind of dept on D throughout their ranks that the Pens have.

[OH1FlyersFan]

Head games! ---- Ha! That is Bryz's excuse!

I thought bears was Bryz's excuse.

[OH1FlyersFan]

Has any rookie ever laid a hit like that on a guy in his first preseason

So just to be clear, you're implying the League should set degrees of punishment and hits ("a hit like that") based on the players status ("rookie"), years in the League, etc., during a particular time of the season ("preseason")? So if he had hit him as a veteran player with 5 years experience in the League and during the regular season the outcome, or punishment, could have been something other than a 20 game suspension?

I don't see what being a rookie in his first preseason delievering a hit "like that" has anything to do with the severity of punishment he recieved, or should have recieved in your opinion.

[OH1FlyersFan]

Yes, he is not a Cooke- thats for sure. He can play hockey without the need to be a cheap shot. I think Downies issues are more a lack of control on his anger where-as Cookes are pre-meditated meanness. Cooke has always been a mucker and does not have the skill of a Downie.

Sounds Rinaldo-esque.........

[B21]

So just to be clear, you're implying the League should set degrees of punishment and hits ("a hit like that") based on the players status ("rookie"), years in the League, etc., during a particular time of the season ("preseason")? So if he had hit him as a veteran player with 5 years experience in the League and during the regular season the outcome, or punishment, could have been something other than a 20 game suspension?

I don't see what being a rookie in his first preseason delievering a hit "like that" has anything to do with the severity of punishment he recieved, or should have recieved in your opinion.

They already do just that. Take you quote and replace "rookie" with "superstar"and replace "preseason" with "playoffs". Same thing happens, no? Player and time of season treated differently?

As for "hits like that"...isn't a chronic head hunter going to be more severely punished than a chronic slew footer? We already know that is true.

You also leave out the biggest part of the equation...Downie's actions in Juniors.

I not going to hash this debate again (OK - I will) other than to say this is what I think Campbell's mindset was when he handed this one down.

"So I have this rookie who has not even played a regular season game yet already throwing around pretty vicious (and illegal) head shots in pre-season games. I know he had some serious issues in Juniors...a big suspension and he had to see a shrink. Clearly that did not have the impact it should have. I am going to see if I can nip this head case in bud. 20 games."

Hindsight is 20/20 but apparently even that didn't send the intended message. A slashed referee and a sucker punched Jason Blake would agree.

For the world-is-out-to-get-Downie-because-he's-a-Flyer crowd, he wasn't suspended for the Blake sucker punch.

Here's another...

1 game? For that? A guy with his history up to that point...and against those NHL darling Penguins that the league goes out of their way to protect.

James Neal has been cited over and over...prior suspension but only 1 game for the hit on Courturier in the playoffs. Proof the Pens get off easy right?

I give you Exhibit A...Downie on Lovejoy. Worse hit. WAY Worse history. Regular season. Same # of games.

And here I was ready to let this go.

Edited January 18, 2013 by B21

[Vanflyer]

Sounds Rinaldo-esque......

But Rinaldo is nowhere near as cheap shot artist as Cooke.

[OH1FlyersFan]

And here I was ready to let this go.

That would've been too easy. You had to let me pile on too! Hehe.

[Polaris922]

I'm in Lake Placid at a veterans reunion enjoying the history if the 80's Olympics. And tomorrow I'll be in my Orpik jersey at the bar with two other Pens fans watching them start the season 1-0. for the record, a Caps fan and a Bruins fan here both said they think the Flyers "get away with everything"... And I had this whole conversation over beers at the sports bar! Lol

[Mad Dog]

for the record, a Caps fan and a Bruins fan here both said they think the Flyers "get away with everything"...

And were YOU agreeing with them? I thought as a member of this board, albeit a Penns fan, you would defend the Flyers when the fans of other teams trash them.

Edited January 19, 2013 by Mad Dog

[pilldoc]

for the record, a Caps fan and a Bruins fan here both said they think the Flyers "get away with everything"...

LOL..oh yeah...you are asking 2 fans whose teams are rivals with the Flyers.....LOL what do you expect them to say. they hate our guts as much as Pens fans hate hate Flyers. That is like Japan asking Hitler "do you like the United States and the Jews?" before they bomb Pearl Harbor. Hitler hated the Jews and he actually had plans to invade the United States.