Abel to Yzerman
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Bitterness in…Pittsburgh?
by IwoCPO on 09/19/07 at 09:01 AM ET
Comments (40)
I’ve been delinquent in bringing you Wing previews courtesy of my fellow bloggers. To make up for it, I’ll give you a conversation piece on this fine Wednesday. A short story to set the stage. I was at my local healthfood restaurant last week, ordering a sausage and cheese biscuit. The guy taking my order had a Penguin necklace kind of thing on, holding an id badge or whatever. Always willing to engage a fellow hockey fan in conversation, I said. “How are your Pens looking this year?”
“Great,” he said. “Who’s your team?”
Now, we must pause for a moment. Understand something. That question anywhere but Michigan is always tricky and here’s why. If I automatically say “the Red Wings” to a fellow hockey fan, I’m immediately paranoid that he thinks I’m some sort of bandwagoner, new to hockey, who decided I was a Wing fan in
‘97. So, I’m always quick to reply with something like, “I’m a Wing fan, grew up in Saginaw.”
His response, as other health-conscious patrons waited to order their breakfast burritos, was: “Oh, the Yankees of hockey aren’t doing quite so well with the salary cap are they?”
And, as the kids would say, it was on.
That argument is so stale, so flawed that it offends me. The reference is so ignorant that I couldn’t let it pass.
So I asked him, with fat people in line tapping and huffing, to back it up. “How are we like the Yankees?”
“Well, the free agents...”
Like who? Which ones. Hasek for 850 or whatever he’s making? Drake for 250? Osgood for 2.0? Rafalski? There’s one. One big name on the market and at least every team has one of them, or at least every team who wants to be competitive. So, I got on him a bit. Threw names like Datsyuk and Zetterberg and Holmstrom and Kronwall and Filppula and Howard at him. Asked him how scouting them, then growing them through the system made us “the Yankees.” Asked him how picking up good players like Draper, Maltby, Cleary for essentially nothing made us “the Yankees.”
It’s a stupid, ridiculous statement. Especially now that the Cap has brought with it all sorts of fiscal parity. He deserved what he got, even if it meant the herd behind me had to wait their turn at the trough.
I’d always considered Penguin fans a knowledgable bunch. I like their passion for their team and the fact that they’ve supported them through rough times. In my opinion, they deserve the success that’s ahead of them.
So, I was a bit surprised when I found the Pensblog this morning with a headline for their Wing preview post that read, “All Good In Homotown.”
At first I blew it off as an idiotic, teenaged play on words. I scoffed because you all know I never make fun of alternative lifestyles here at A2Y, unless we’re discussing Transvestite Dive Fans.
But I read on because the preview itself was written by Christy Hammond of Behind the Jersey. Good stuff.
Do I think the Wings have drastically improved from last season? No, but they did lose deadweights Lang and Calder. Admittedly, Lang had an incredibly critical goal against San Jose in the playoffs, but the rest of the time he spent on the ice gave Wings fans ulcers and a reason to yell at the TV.
While the Wings have only picked up a veteran forward who will spend most of his time on the fourth line, he is another physical body to make the Wings an even more physical team.
Nothing like a little Enigma bashing to start my day, so by the time I finished it I’d forgotten the 6th grader’s “homotown” remark. Ahhh, but after Christy’s analysis I was reminded that the headline author had more to say.
The Yankees of the NHL have adapted beautifully to the salary-cap era.
Yes they have. But even if you’re referring to the Wings as “the Yankees of the NHL” in some sort of past tense, it still doesn’t apply as there’s never been a time that the Wings went hog-wild with free agents. And if you’re going to reference ‘02, check your math and look at the players who took a pay cut to bring in Hull and Robitaille. The Wings are a team that, despite idiotic statements like that, have built from within consistently. Those of you who take issue with that statement, check your facts.
To cement his brilliance the blogger concludes with this gem:
And Detroit will still be there, somehow, at the top of the Central, waiting for another team to knock them off in the second round of the playoffs.
‘nuff said.
Filed in: | Abel to Yzerman | Permalink
Tags: Idiots,
Comments
Don’t worry about what the IDIOTS at pensblog write they are a bunch of college & high School MORONS who “THINK” they’re funny.
THEY’RE NOT
Posted by Evilpens on 09/19/07 at 09:13 AM ET
The funny thing is, the Yankees of MLB have also been trying to build from within recently. Trading away a bunch of prospects for old famous-named pitchers hasn’t been bringing them as much success as hanging ot to Phillip Hughes and Joba Chamberlain will in the long run. They still have the expensive free agents, but A-Rod is certainly worth the money.
( I love the screen name “Evilpens!")
Posted by Baroque from Michigan on 09/19/07 at 10:24 AM ET
evilpens is about one of the most intellectually devoid penguins fans there are. (see: letsgopens.com for proof).
suck it up detroit. your whining is lame and you deserve to be made fun of --you gave the world kid rock and now you must pay.
Posted by evilpens is ghey from pittsburgh on 09/19/07 at 11:18 AM ET
The “New York Yankees of hockey” are..."the New York Rangers.”
Now, I’m no Red Wings fan. Their system reminds me a little too much of Jersey (though not nearly as extreme). However, this guy was both wrong and a jerk.
The two surest places to find a jerk in Pittsburgh are:
A) anywhere after a Steelers’ loss
B) at a health food store/restaurant
Nothing against health food, but the people who frequent those establishments (here) tend to include a higher percentage of those who practice a particular kind of faux-erudite know-nothing stupidity like attributing the WTC attacks to Americans.
Posted by Steve from Pittsburgh on 09/19/07 at 11:34 AM ET
Steve, for the record...my reference to a healthfood store was less than serious. The guys here know I’d rather be caught dead in a Mike Keane jersey at an Avs game than a healthfood anything.
So I definitely appreciate your opinion of those who frequent those places.
Posted by IwoCPO from Washington, DC on 09/19/07 at 12:19 PM ET
As a Rangers fan, I gotta kinda agree with Steve here. I WAS an Ottawa fan, being in Ottawa and all, but since the Rangers purged their roster and then re-binged this past offseason, I have to say the comparison is there…
Anyway, I have to wonder about guys like Evilpens is ghey. Why bother spamming the thread with absolutely meaningless flames and contribute nothing to the actual discussion?
Posted by czechmate on 09/19/07 at 12:25 PM ET
We hate the Steelers more than anything.
People can’t take jokes.
We know nothing about the Red Wings because we don’t play them.
If you come to our site for any insight on the Western Conference, you’re a joke.
we’ve said that numerous times.
We’ll start making light of straight people from now on. They deserve it.
Go Lions.
Posted by Pensblog on 09/19/07 at 12:38 PM ET
So what was the health food comment about?
That was almost funny.
Czechmate, way to jump ship on your team.
WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
Posted by Czechmate eats feces from Homoville on 09/19/07 at 12:53 PM ET
Well, Steve beat me to it. I was going to say that the Yankees of the NHL = the Rangers in my book.
Trolls seem to have invaded this thread, joy.
I still wish the NHL would revert back to the old, old schedule of playing every team twice. I miss getting a chance to see every team.
Posted by hockeychic from Denver, CO on 09/19/07 at 01:18 PM ET
EvilPens,
Its funny to see you on another website. We only thought you visted lgp, and the PA sex offender list.
Perv…
Posted by Pensblog on 09/19/07 at 01:20 PM ET
The new schedule will be mud.
We’re up for whatever calls for the Red Wings and their legions of squidmos not coming into Pittsburgh.
Posted by Pensblog on 09/19/07 at 01:23 PM ET
hockeychic, do you watch hockey because your boyfriend let’s you? or because your dad let’s you?
Posted by hockeydude from saskatchewan on 09/19/07 at 01:24 PM ET
Chic, when you handle this please point out to hockeydude that one mis-used apostrophe is a typo.
Two in a row is a sure sign of a dumbass.
Pensblog, I’m pretty sure I understand why a trip to Pittsburgh by the Wings wouldn’t be in your best interest. And believe me I expected zero insight from your blog and was pleasantly surprised to find some.
Of course it was provided by a Wing blogger.
Posted by IwoCPO from Washington, DC on 09/19/07 at 01:31 PM ET
To whoever bothered to make up that stupid nickname - I hate the Senators, because I hate the Leafs. The Sens have done everything in their power to become a new version of the Leafs, likely because of all those years of losing to our big brother from the smokey south.
If you don’t like it, that’s fine. I’m European, and they traded all my players away. I’m Czech, so a natural fit is the Rangers.
Gee, I wish I could change my nickname here too, just to post drivel…
Posted by czechmate on 09/19/07 at 01:34 PM ET
IwoCPO if you honestly expect any insight from our blog, you don’t know whats going on. Dick
Posted by pensblog on 09/19/07 at 01:40 PM ET
iwo, you have some comma misses yourself, mate.
plus, everybody knows that the true sign of a lack of creativity in an argument is the grammar defense. lame. but i don’t expect any better from a person who, by their own volition, cheers for the red wings.
Posted by IWOCPO esta lame from watching in your window. on 09/19/07 at 01:44 PM ET
Man, sucks that the internet is easy enough for EVERYONE to use…
Posted by czechmate on 09/19/07 at 01:46 PM ET
I agree. even the czech know how. i was surprised to find out you guys had electricity.
Posted by YUP from BOOYA on 09/19/07 at 01:53 PM ET
Apparently in BOOYA, wherever that is, you guys can’t read, since I posted up above I live in Ottawa, Canada…
I’m not going to get caught on this trolling bs tho.
cheers,
Dan
Posted by czechmate on 09/19/07 at 02:39 PM ET
Little Kenny melvin have you got your drivers license yet, Have you any clue what girls are ? or are you already married to rosie palm & her five sisters
Posted by Evilpens on 09/19/07 at 03:16 PM ET
The most amusing thing about this thread is that as recently as three years ago I highly doubt many of these Pens ‘fans’ even cared if the team stayed or went.
Let’s all sing together: “The wheels on the bandwagon go round and round, round and round, round and round...”
For some of the other posters I’ll include a transaltion in my continuing effort to Leave No Tool Behind:
your team is not gud. no, you’re grammer is sucks to. lololoollol. spelin is not you’re freind.
Posted by HockeyinHD on 09/19/07 at 04:18 PM ET
we have to dumb down our grammar for you to understand it
Wooooooo dont visit the site tonight
were telling you right now
Go lions
Posted by Pensblog on 09/19/07 at 04:53 PM ET
The most amusing thing about this thread is that as recently as three years ago I highly doubt many of these Pens ‘fans’ even cared if the team stayed or went.
Let’s all sing together: “The wheels on the bandwagon go round and round, round and round, round and round...”
For some of the other posters I’ll include a transaltion in my continuing effort to Leave No Tool Behind:
your team is not gud. no, you’re grammer is sucks to. lololoollol. spelin is not you’re freind.
Posted by HockeyinHD on 09/19 at
WOW....what a retarded statement.
Posted by pensblog on 09/19/07 at 05:20 PM ET
I’m on HockeyinHD’s corner. Many people here aren’t here to talk hockey, they’re just here to talk more… I imagine that all other avenues of common discourse have been shut down for these poor Star-Trekking MFs and they’ve had to turn to online discussion to even have anyone hear their no-balls-dropped-voices…
Get this through your friggin heads people.... We’re here to read and comment on the content this site generates, not your idiosyncratic bullshtick.
Dan hopes a lot of monosyllabic idiots die tonight…
DR
PS - I wish there was an internet fight club for you people…
Posted by czechmate on 09/19/07 at 07:03 PM ET
WOW....what a retarded statement.
ZING!
Man, that’s what I get for trying to one-up you, pensblog. Color me abashed.
You should have the crayon handy.
Posted by HockeyinHD on 09/19/07 at 07:25 PM ET
Cripes, what a bunch of whiners.
The Wings’ last top ten pick was in 1991. You know, way back when the Pens were winning a couple of Cups.
The Penguins have had *five* top five picks since the Wings’ last Cup. Not that your average Pens fan could name all of them…
Posted by shep from california on 09/19/07 at 07:26 PM ET
Wow. The Pittsburgers (Pittsburgians? Pittsburgites?) are cranky today. Must have been stuck in traffic during their commutes.
(And yes, the Lions are 2-0. All that guarantees is that the worst they can be this year is 2-14. I’m not sure what that has to do with hockey, though.)
Posted by Baroque from Michigan on 09/19/07 at 08:14 PM ET
why the hate for the pensblog....you people really want to read a blog where the writer(s) condsiders himself an expert in the field? the real experts aren’t sharing their insight on a blog…
just because you can name draft picks and coaches and brands of hockey skates doesn’t mean crap…
thepensblog is original and it doesnt stuff its opinion down your throat. take a chill pill over in homo town haha
go pens
Posted by calm down people on 09/19/07 at 08:32 PM ET
i was going to make fun of y’all for taking thepensblog seriously.
then i read more of your comments,
and promptly threw up on myself.
Pens fans talk as much trash as possible
in order to maximize the drunken fun
with fans of our opponents.
beer is the Great Equalizer.
it’s the most sacred of PGH traditions.
all are welcome here.
unless your last name is Volek.
then you’re buying for the rest of the night.
Posted by bwzimmerman from PHX on 09/20/07 at 01:52 AM ET
Gary Roberts is sitting at home right now hearing all this in his head… thats right… Gary Roberts can hear things said about the Pens in his head when they are typed… he’s THAT powerful…
Posted by po from Pittsburgh on 09/20/07 at 07:27 AM ET
Imagine the fine people of Detroit taking the intellectual and moral highground, I never thought I’d see the today. I guess I should have expected this type of smug and self-satisfied behavior from a group of people who almost comically refer to their city as “hockeytown"…
Posted by El Sid on 09/20/07 at 09:36 AM ET
Conrad’s on that!
Posted by Tigers are done so I'm on to hockey! on 09/20/07 at 09:59 AM ET
See you this weekend bitches.
Posted by Gary Roberts from Zetterberg's mother's bed on 09/20/07 at 10:45 AM ET
Gary Roberts just spoke and it made the ears of every virgin girl in detroit bleed (all 9 of them)
Posted by po from Pittsburgh on 09/20/07 at 11:10 AM ET
Hey guys,
Are you actually going to dress someone for me to destroy or are you going to continue with the pansy swedish figure skating lines? I mean seriously, I could run every single one of your stars and the best you could do is throw Brad Ference at me? Have fun not going anywhere in the playoffs due to a lack of toughness again dicks.
Posted by Georges Laraque, still mounted on Datsyuk's mom on 09/20/07 at 03:17 PM ET
Wow, reading through the comments here I noticed one person has taken on multiple names.
Geez, I have only had that happen once here at KK and it only will confuse the person doing it.
Soon you will reach a record for user names in one post, but not really sure if you should be proud of that.
Posted by Paul from Motown Area on 09/20/07 at 03:48 PM ET
I always thought the Yankees of the NHL were the Canadiens. The Wings, with their 10 Stanley Cups, are more like the Cardinals. The Pens, with their pair of cups followed by the threat of contraction, would be the Twinkies. Or maybe the Marlins.
Posted by Matt from Chicago on 09/20/07 at 04:30 PM ET
Maple Leaves = Cubbies?
Posted by Baroque from Michigan on 09/20/07 at 08:55 PM ET
Hey guys,
Are you actually going to dress someone for me to destroy or are you going to continue with the pansy swedish figure skating lines? I mean seriously, I could run every single one of your stars and the best you could do is throw Brad Ference at me? Have fun not going anywhere in the playoffs due to a lack of toughness again dicks
I wasn’t aware that Laraque still recieved playing time. I had been under the impression that Laraque is pretty good at warming up the press box. Can’t destroy anyone when your ass is planted there.
How far did the Pens go last year? Oh thats right they were pwned by Ottawa in the first round, the same team that was pwned by Anaheim. I recall Fleury being a huge seive too. lawlz. Did the Pens even have defensemen playing too?
How far did the Wings go? Conference Finals. This soft euro team physically manhandled Calgary and San Jose. Then the Wings neutralized Anaheim’s physical advantage. Not bad for a team that lacks toughness. Toughness has more to do with heart than kicking the living hell out of someone.
Posted by Zetterberg40rule on 09/21/07 at 10:18 AM ET
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Blogs the Chief Likes
Awesome piece! Who knows, maybe it was the same guy from the breakfast lineup…
Wings have done a remarkable job of building from within, especially considering they don’t get top 10 picks very often because they finish high in the standings.
Can’t wait to see if Kindl will make the team. He’s an awesome pick that could become steady like Jiri Fischer, but with more offensive upside…
Posted by czechmate on 09/19/07 at 09:05 AM ET