Pens v Sens (L 2-3)

The Pens face the Ottawa Senators for an afternoon matchup, but since I have a date with my 4 year old Goddaughter at 3:00pm, there will be no recap today. But here are some quick things before the start of the game...

Sid is getting tons of votes for the All Star Games - enough to surpass the JavaScript cheaters' picks. Puck Daddy wonders out loud if it is the legions of loyal Pens fans doing the voting or if something funny is going on here, too. I'm going to go out on a limb here and suggest that it's not too far fetched to believe that the most popular player in the NHL could inspire enough people to register multiple screennames and vote multiple times, but whatever. After this farce, no matter what happens, the top vote getters will be looked at with a twinge of suspicion. (On a sidenote, I still can't believe a multi-million dollar company like the NHL can't hire better web programmers. Pathetic.) Thanks to Friends of The Show Allison Y. and Lauren H. for the link.

IFHSA™ had a meeting to determine an end date for his "indefinite suspension" for running his stupid mouth. Turns out being a douchebag will get you suspended for six games in the NHL. He's been ordered to attend anger management classes, too. (Ha! What he really needs is a long stint in a good charm school.) Even if you've already heard about this, you have to click on that link to see the getup that Avery wore to his hearing. Those sunglasses make me want to punch my monitor.

Friend of The Show Ali W. sent in pictures of a very special adventure for Roamer Brooks Penguin:

Last [month] my hometown got some exciting news when a family from my hometown got chosen to be on Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, produced by ABC. I was pretty bummed that I wouldn't be able to make it back to volunteer and see the build so Brooks Penguin went back to PA without me (courtesy of the USPS) ... Today he had a great time checking out the build, and learning about the family that Extreme Makeover and ABC were helping out.... (the one boy in the family is in my younger brother's class at school)...Enjoy.

#1 - Last night [November 11^th], before he went to see the build, Brooks checked out our local Dick's Sporting Goods -- some employees there were watching the game, so Brooks Penguin cheered with them, and got to see their exciting comeback vs. the Wings.


#2 - Brooks found his very own volunteer badge and famous volunteer blue shirt


#3 - Brooks with the house that is being built -- it's only been since Sunday that they've been building -- WOW!


#4 - The Drumm family that the house belongs to...


#6 - My cousin (and fellow Pens fan) got to go and volunteer, and took Brooks along for the ride!


#7 - Along the way, Brooks snagged a coveted pass to the VIP area. :)


#8 - While in the VIP area, before going to check out the house, Brooks had to get himself one of the hard hats -- just in case. :)


**This episode of Extreme Makeover: Home Edition will be airing on ABC sometime in January... :)


I made this birthday card for my friend who's from the Pittsburgh area (she's not a big Pen's fan, but I always tell her she should be... haha)... I was really excited about how it turned out (since I'm not much of an artist, and I had to do it free hand), and since Brooks Penguin got his picture taken with it, I thought I'd send it along to you over at The Show. Enjoy:

That's so awesome! I hope the Drumm family loved their beautiful new home. And great job on the card! :) Many thanks go out to Ali and her cousin for sending the pictures and story.

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

The Suspension of Sean Avery

Many of you already know how I feel about Dallas Stars forward Sean Avery. After all, his nickname on this site is IFHSA™, which stands for "I F*#@!ing Hate Sean Avery." So it may come as a shock to you that I think his indefinite suspension for a "detrimental" comment he made to the media is out-FREAKING-rageous. It makes a complete mockery of the NHL's disciplinary system.



Why is it that Avery received such a severe penalty while guys like Jarrko Ruutu, Ryan Hollweg, Mike Mottau, Hollweg (yet AGAIN), Thomas Pock, Chris Pronger, and Steve Downie, and Jesse Boulerice (just to name a few) receive slaps on their wrists in comparison of the punishments to their offenses?

I'm not sure when being rude became a more serious offense than causing bodily harm, but I think something is SERIOUSLY wrong with that logic. Downie, for example, sent Dean McAmmond to the hospital following an incredibly vicious hit to the head. (But for the grace of God, that hit could have very well sent McAmmond to a wheelchair.) Yet Downie, a repeat offender who, after one incident in the minors was required to get professional counselling, received only a 20 game suspension instead of an automatic ironclad lifelong ban. Downie got another chance in the NHL. (Just a few days ago, he was recalled by the Tampa Bay Lightning.) On the other hand, while calling an ex-girlfriend "sloppy seconds" is quite disgusting, the only people that Avery really "hurt" with his comments (actress Elisha Cuthbert and model Rachel Hunter) can go home to their mansions and find comfort in their millions of dollars and the adoration from their legions of fans.

Sure, Avery is an ass. I think we all knew that already, and I thought it was common knowledge that anything he has to say should always be taken with a grain of salt. Were his comments crude? Of course! Were they "detrimental" to the NHL? No more so than anything he's ever said in the past. Remember that in the past couple of years he (allegedly) called Georges Laraque "a monkey" and he commented on the hit from Denis Gauthier on Jeremy Roenick that gave Roenick a concussion saying, "I think it was typical of most French guys in our league with a visor on, running around and playing tough and not back anything up." So if a player can be punished for saying something offensive, why wasn't Avery suspended for either of those comments? Is calling an ex-girlfriend something vulgar worse than racism? Apparently the NHL thinks so.

Okay, maybe you could argue the fact that this is an "even up" suspension, that perhaps the suspension is a result of the culmination of his body of work (much like when Martin Scorsese won the Oscar for The Departed). But that's a pretty weak argument because it's quite ridiculous to think that an indefinite suspension is going to teach Avery a lesson. If anything, this whole thing just feeds into his "bad boy" persona. Every major news outlet is carrying this story today, so Avery is getting exactly what he has always craved: national attention.

The most effective punishment for a guy like Avery is to simply ignore him. But thanks to the indefinite suspension, we'll likely be hearing from this idiot - indefinitely.


Many, many thanks to all 86 Friends of The Show who e-mailed me to tell me about IFHSA™'s suspension! And big thanks to DayWalk3r for sending in the video of the interview. :)

Day One Was Fun

I finally started my new job today! It was a day full of meetings, but even so, it was a lot of fun. I think I'm really going to like it there! An added bonus: it's 5:30pm, and I'm already home and in my P.J.s!! NO MORE FIVE O'CLOCK TRAFFIC!!!!! WOOOOOOOOOO!!! :D

Anyways, it looks more and more like I won't be having a chance to answer emails during the day as I did at my old job, but with the extra time I now have at home every night, I hope to be caught up in a week's time. (I'm sooooo far behind on Roaming Penguins it's not even FUNNY.) So I'm going to scratch the surface tonight and get to some of the stuff I've received.

First up, Friend of The Show Paula C. sent in this clip of Sid on TSN's Off The Record - The Next Question:



Friend of The Show Stagerat sent this next tidbit along. IFHSA™ is at it again, and the season just started last week! In the NHL, a player can receive only 2 game misconduct penalties per season without consequence. Once said player gets nailed with a third, he is suspended. (Do you see where this is going?) From the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette:

Sean Avery used both of his lifelines Saturday night against Nashville.

He's a douche with a capital bag.

Avery, the much-ballyhooed agitator who signed a four-year, $15.5 million contract with the Stars in the summer, received an automatic game misconduct penalty for participating in a "second altercation" -- a fight away from a fight that had already started. He then received a second game misconduct penalty for arguing with referees.

A suspension? It should be an expulsion. In the NHL, there are the guys you love to hate (like Hossa - because you have to admit, he's a lot of fun to watch), and then there's IFHSA™. That guy is an embarrassment to the game.

Sad news to report. Good Friend Maria T. found this article detailing the sudden, shocking cardiac arrest death of 19-year-old Rangers draft pick Alexei Cherepanov in a KHL game in Russia on Monday. I found a little more information from The New York Times:

The Russian Web site Allhockey.ru reported the cause of death as cardiac arrest.

According to the Russian daily Sport-Express, Cherepanov’s collapse was not preceded by a collision with another player or blows to the head or chest. The newspaper reported that doctors were able to resuscitate Cherepanov for only about two minutes during their efforts.

The newspaper reported that Jaromir Jagr, the former Ranger who joined Avangard this season and was seen as a mentor to Cherepanov, was distraught and in tears after the game.

So, so awful.

Changing the subject back to happier things, Friend of The Show Lisa-Marie W. recently had a birthday. Her family got her the BEST. BIRTHDAY CAKE. EVER.:

That's quite a cake! (Click to enlarge)

Check out some sweet pictures from Saturday's home opener that Friend of The Show Lizzybeth8771 took from her amazing seats (click them to enlarge):
















And finally tonight, we had our first Roaming Penguin land overseas! Marc-Andre Penguin arrived in Duisburg, Germany to visit the home of Friend of The Show Anne H. Her own words explain the photos:

First of all he learned to know some of his new familiy members (pic 01)...


...and became friends with a mascot of my favorite soccer team (pic 02).


On Friday we went cycling and he saw the Regattabahn Duisburg, where several world rowing and canoeing championships took place (pics 03-05).




Afterwards I showed him the stadium of our local soccer team (pic 06).


Today we took a walk through Landschaftspark Nord, which is part of the industrial landscape characteristic of the area I live in (pic 09).

That is AWESOME, Anne!!! I was thrilled to pieces to see the little guy in Europe!

Thanks to everyone - Paula, Stagerat, Maria, Lisa-Marie, Lizzybeth8771, and Anne - for their assistance with tonight's post.

Tomorrow. The Flyers. Crush the orange.

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

Six Days Until Training Camp Begins

Training camp starts in less than a week!!! You can get all the details as well as the practice and preseason game schedules here. (Tip of the hat to Friend of The Show Jan M. for sending the link to me, which made me realize that I had forgotten to include it in today's post even though I used it for the title. I think I'm losing my mind, LOL!)

I am so excited! I got an email from a new Friend of The Show yesterday, Björn A., who just happens to live in Sweden:

I'm just sending a little hello from Herrljunga, Sweden! Got my ticket for the game on October 5^th, so psyched about finally getting to see the Penguins live, got up in the middle of the night to see them for over 40 regular season games + all of the playoff games last season.

Included in the email was a photo:


Now you KNOW I just had to ask Björn this question:

Congrats on getting a ticket for the October 5^th game! That will be an AMAZING game!! I would absolutely LOVE to be there... Do you think I could impose and request a few photos of the game? Getting some photos from the inside from someone who is actually going to be there would be fantastic!

To which Björn replied:

I will send in some pictures from the game, sure, actually I was already planning on sending in some photos :P

I think I speak for everyone when I say I can't wait to get them and have a WONDERFUL time at the game, Björn!!!

So I saw this on CNN yesterday and I thought it was a typo: Slovakia's women's ice hockey pummels Bulgaria 82-0. Turns out, it was correct. YIKES! That's an average of 1.367 goals per minute! That's quite a beating - more like something I'd expect if the Pens played a high school team! :P

From the "Who the hell would watch this?" department: poor Friend of The Show Stephanie S., who now has to endure having IFHSA™ on her beloved Stars team, found this piece on Boxoffice.com that New Line Cinema - yes, this is the same company that brought us the unmatched awesomeness of The Lord of The Rings trilogy - is planning to make a movie about the life and times of Sean Avery, Vogue intern. I have but one thing to say about that. W-T-F?!?! It gets even worse - it's going to be a romantic comedy. Unreal.

It makes me wanna gag, too, Sean.

Kim S. can be added to the list of Friends of The Show who have "Pensified" [← *nods at Jaime for coming up with that word*] their dormrooms:


A Friend of The Show was bored on the commute home from work and discovered that an anagram of SIDNEY PATRICK CROSBY is "SCORED BY A TRICKY SPIN." It's fitting, don't you think? :) If you come up with any other good ones, let me know.

After taking a short break, Sidney Penguin is on the move again. He left Welland and made his way south to Austin, Texas...


...where good Friend of The Show AustinLovesCrosby him to her favorite restaurant, Home Slice Pizza in downtown Austin:


Her own caption explains the second photo:

"I took my Sidney Penguin to the big D for some field hockey; at 105 ̊ we were the Girls of Summer!!!"

It's time again for TSCS's Quote of The Day. Today's quote is a reminder why IFHSA™ is a more than appropriate acronym for him:

"I think it was typical of most French guys in our league with a visor on, running around and playing tough and not back anything up."

~ Sean Avery commenting on an incident in 2005 in which forward Jeremy Roenick suffered one of his many concussions after he took a hard, clean hit from defenseman Denis Gauthier in a preseason game

What a tool.

Thank yous go out to Jan, Björn, Stephanie, Kim, the anagram Friend, and AustinLovesCrosby for their contributions to today's post. :)

Winter Classic II: Penguins in Lion Country?

First things first: You'll have to forgive me for the links to two of the following articles. CentreDaily.com archives their articles after only a short time of availability. The articles are then made available for their paid subscribers only. I am not a subscriber, and I am fairly certain most of you are not, either. So the links I've used below will direct you to Google's cached version of the articles. However, I'm not sure how long Google stores their cached pages, so make sure you check them out now if you're interested.

Siddo was in front of Geno (click to enlarge - you can only see Sid's shoulders).

Waaaaaaay back in December 2007, when all the hype for the highly anticipated Winter Classic was in full swing, I told you about reports that Pennsylvania Governor Ed Rendell proposed holding an outdoor game between the Pens and their cross-state rivals the Flyers at Penn State University's Beaver Stadium. It may seem to some like that idea has been forgotten, but here in central PA, this rumor has grown legs:

Gov. Ed Rendell wants to see an annual outdoor hockey game between the Pittsburgh Penguins and Philadelphia Flyers at Beaver Stadium. He suggested the idea in a letter sent to the owners of both teams and the National Hockey League’s commissioner Gary Bettman.

Bettman discussed Rendell’s letter at a May 24 news conference, saying he didn’t “envision” a scenario where both teams would play annually outdoors, saying those events are “special and need to stay special,” according to a transcript.

“We’re not going to overdo it. The possibility of having the Penguins play the Flyers at some point in Happy Valley is intriguing and it’s on the list of possibilities that we are and will explore,” he said.

I must admit that I definitely agree with Bettman (WHAT?!) that having an annual outdoor game would definitely cheapen the experience. And if I'm being brutally honest with myself, I should also admit that I think the next outdoor game should be a few years from now and, in the interest of fairness, it should NOT include either the Buffalo Sabres or the Pittsburgh Penguins.

You have no idea how much I now wish I'd bought my new camera BEFORE the Winter Classic.

With that said, I don't think there are words in the English language to describe how excited I would be if the next outdoor game came here. But not everyone thinks it's as awesome an idea as I do. Why? In short, the region's weather and Beaver Stadium's parking (or lack thereof):

Two thoughts immediately sprang to mind on seeing Rendell’s request: Do you really think Central Pennsylvania’s weather will cooperate for you every year? And, more importantly, even for just a single game, where will everyone park?

While Penn State is certainly equipped to host a major sporting event in that stadium and in this town, where do the vast majority of football fans park? On the grass fields surrounding the stadium. Would you care to take your chances in one of those parking spots if there are a few inches of snow on the ground? Or if we’ve had several inches in December and it recently melted?

Plus, you cannot count on 30,000 students walking to the game from campus, like they do for football, because they would be on break and the dorms are closed, putting even more pressure on the parking situation.

Both of these are legitimate concerns. There's a saying here - if you don't like the weather, wait 15 minutes. It's cliché, but it's true. But the argument can be made that the weather is going to be a variable in any city that is chosen to host an outdoor game. Case in point: The weather in Buffalo switched back and forth between rain and snow throughout the entire game (haha, and the looooooong, careful drive home).

Our view of the National Anthems. I still can't get over how big the flags were.

As for the parking situation, I'm pretty sure it could be worked out with a mandatory shuttle system. This town has more than a few parking garages. Local businesses might even want to get in on the act and close their stores down for the day (everyone's hungover on New Year's Day anyway, haha). Instead they could make a decent amount of money charging for parking spaces. Over the winter break, enough of the students return home for the holidays that perhaps even PSU could designate a few parking lots for ticket holders... Okay well, and maybe pigs could sprout wings and fly, but you get the point. Because of the number of students living here, there is a decent public transportation system, so shuttling fans to Beaver Stadium wouldn't be a difficult feat to accomplish at all. I can't wait to see how this all pans out. If it happens, I'm SO THERE. :)

Now I leave you with few links for tonight:

• Seth of Empty Netters drops some knowledge on the Ryan Malone situation.


• IFHSA™ gives us the nauseating quote of the day:
  

  "...and I'm rocking a straight Speedo all summer."

  Uncool. If anyone cares, he completed his Vogue internship.


• Frank D. of Pensburgh.com is using his summer break to take a look back and appreciate the Pens of the past. So, can you guess who the first entry is dedicated to? ;)

Thanks so much for your feedback on our TSCS Summer Project. I'm really looking forward to seeing everyone's hometown + Penguins pride!

"I'm working on that right now."

Those are the words of our fearless leader, Coach Michel Therrien, regarding IFHSA's™ slash on Sid on Sunday. From Joe Starkey of the Pittsburgh Tribune Review:

Nobody asked Crosby about the incident, either, which means a lot of people probably didn't see it. ...I asked Crosby if he thought Avery was trying to injure him.

"He wasn't going for the puck," Crosby said. "He was going for my wrist." ...How's the wrist? "I felt it," Crosby said, smiling. "It's just sore, nothing major."

Penguins coach Michel Therrien said he was well aware of the incident and added, somewhat cryptically, "I'm working on that right now." Asked if that meant he was going to send a tape to league headquarters, Therrien said no. I asked NHL spokesman Frank Brown if the league was reviewing Avery's actions.

"We review everything; every play of every game," Brown said. [snoop: Hey, Brownie, did you happen to notice the face wipe Sid got from IFHSA's™ stick in game 1?]

But is the league reviewing that particular play for the purpose of possibly suspending Avery? "If there is any action that is needed that would cause this person not to play (tonight), it will be announced before the game is played," Brown said.

So why is IFHSA™ such an incredibly immature attention whore? Giant Hal Gill thinks he knows the answer to that:

NBC analyst Pierre McGuire, stationed between the benches, said, "Hal Gill just said to Avery, 'You just weren't hugged enough as a child. That's why you've got issues.'"

Exactly. But truthfully, who could blame his parents? They probably don't even like the guy. Thanks go to both Ali & XDancexxforxxmeX for posting the link in the comments. :)

Now on to happier things: our good Friend of The Show Mike H. (aka Mike @ Japan) was stateside this past week. He was lucky enough to score a ticket to Friday's Game 1 against the Rangers. He was so lucky that he got an AMAZING seat in section A21, row C! Mike is actually visible in this Getty Images shot of the Pens celebrating Marian Hossa's tying goal in the 5-4 comeback:

Mike is in the left half of the crowd.
(Photo courtesy of Getty Images)

By now, you all have figured out how much I love your shots of the games. (← Hint, hint!) Mike got some ABSOLUTELY STUNNING shots of the game which he has graciously shared with us. All photos in today's post are Mike's photos, unless otherwise noted (like the photo above). We'll start out with some great closeup shots of Sidney:







Heeeeeerre's GENO!



Now for my favorites: He got a picture of the Saint with his arms raised like Rocky Balboa at the top of those stairs after Sid fired the shot that banked off Geno's leg for the win. First, a refresher of what Sid looked like from the front:

(Photo courtesy of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)

...and this is the photo Mike captured at what appears to be the exact same time as the shot above:



The rest of the guys bum rush Sid to celebrate, again starting with the professional shot:

(Photo courtesy of Getty Images)

...and here are two shots from Mike's view:





Go raibh mile maith agat, Mike!!! (For all the non-Gaels, that means "A thousand thank yous!!!")