Meeting Sidney

Yesterday, Pens fans everywhere got a FANTASTIC bit of news: Siddo has reportedly resumed on-ice workouts an agonizing seven months after having his season cut short by a concussion. And on that happy note, I've got something else pretty cool to share with you.

Last weekend, I received an email from Friend of The Show Andrew C. who had a story he wanted to share with all of us:

I have been following the website for a long time. [snoop: Thanks, Andrew!] I am a huge fan of Pittsburgh and of course Sid. I live in Halifax and was on a field trip with my students when, who we do we see working out with his trainer?? Sidney! He was very nice. I waited until he was finished with the workout on his leg, and when he was finished, he introduced himself, answered my questions, and took a photo with me.

He is a very nice guy. I was nervous and shaking and tried to keep it in (LOL). In all of the excitement, I did not even think about asking for an autograph but thats ok [because] it was the best moment.

Here's the photo of Andrew with our Captain:

How convenient was it that Andrew had on his Aeropostale 87 shirt? ;)

Thanks SO much to Andrew for sharing his experience with all of us. :)

Free Agency Fury

What a day so far, eh? We're going to have a few new heels to hate next season. Some of the day's activities are listed below - not in chronological order, but in order of how much it upset me. (Feel free to share your feelings on the day's transactions in the Friends' Zone below.)

Starting out on the positive, as of the publication of this post, we've signed Asham a one-year extension and Kennedy to two-year extension, and we've snagged former Nashville Predator Steve Sullivan with a one-year $1.5 million deal.

Now on to the losses... Mike Rupp jumped ship to head north by joining the Rangers. We've got a lot of wingers, but Rupp was one of the best of the bunch. He played his role well, and it sucks to see him go.


Well, if he wasn't controversial enough in Pittsburgh already... Jaromir Jagr is about to find out what it really feels like to be loathed by Pens fans: Shortly after his agent claimed Jagr's "heart is in Pittsburgh" came the news that he signed a one-year deal with our cross-state rivals. (That's not exactly doing right by Mario, now is it?) To be fair, Shero had withdrawn his offer to Jagr because the ex-Pen had become the center of a bidding war of sorts. I know this left him with no other choice than to sign with another team, but why OH WHY did it have to be the freaking Flyers?

Speaking of the Flyers... the loss that stung the most was Mad Max Maxime Talbot's unexpected deal with the devil. After rejecting Shero's three year offer in June, he too is now a member of the Flyers and will be for the next five years. Apparently it was all about the Benjamins.



Talbot, I'll always be grateful for that Game 7 pair, but you are now dead to me. I don't wish you well. In fact I hope you lose, and lose a lot. That goes double for you, Jagr. I just have one thing left to say to you both: Bring on December 8.

GO PENS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!