No kidding chief.  He needs to work on his mental toughness a little if bad word get his off his game this much.  Short of standing behind two zebras while using only nice words towards Erskine, he’s been pretty invisible.

Posted by Aimee in Austin on 02/22/09 at 02:42 PM ET

Wow.  English isn’t working for me this morning. “He needs to work on his mental toughness if bad words get him off his game this much.”

Obviously I am still drunk from last night.

Posted by Aimee in Austin on 02/22/09 at 02:44 PM ET

I heard that, too. What an a$$wipe Maguire is.

Crosby constantly flaps his pen is massagers, yet some trash talk to him is “over the top”?

Posted by Red Winger from Sault Ste Marie on 02/22/09 at 02:47 PM ET

It’s ok to talk about going down in a certain situation or talk about blowing things on nationalized broadcasts, however.

Posted by MOWingsfan19 on 02/22/09 at 02:50 PM ET

Pierre McGuire, from “between the benches” in DC.

“The lip service going toward Crosby has been over the top here this afternoon.”

I haven’t been watching the game (until the last minute or so), but he actually said that?  He’s upset because players have been saying bad things to him in an attempt to get him off his game?

What a totally monumental penis head.  Seriously - the man is a pea-brained prick.

I’ve been called a lot of things before, everyone has as a kid, and very early in my life my mom told me that people call names to get a reaction - if you don’t react, they will stop doing it and move on to an easier target, because it’s no fun annoying someone if they ignore you and don’t get annoyed.  Didn’t Sid’s mom ever tell him the same thing?  I thought that was one of the tools in the Official Book of Motherhood (along with “If everyone else jumped off a cliff, would you go with them?”).

Posted by Baroque from Michigan on 02/22/09 at 02:53 PM ET

And did you see the pic of Crosby from his Pee Wee days during the “Whose That Squirt” segment (hey, Chief, there is some potential with that segment name, doncha’ think?)?

He played for the Cole Harbor Red Wings. It just made me sick to my stomach to see him wear the winged wheel. I know,I know, it wasn’t the winged wheel…but it was a close proximity, and it nauseated me.

Posted by Red Winger from Sault Ste Marie on 02/22/09 at 02:54 PM ET

Should say “Who’s”

Posted by Red Winger from Sault Ste Marie on 02/22/09 at 02:55 PM ET

And I think I’ve been exposed to the corrupting influence here too long because the first thing I thought when I read that comment was that it sounded awfully close to pornographic.

Then again, every time I hear an old man waxing poetic about a young man’s incredibly soft and talented hands I giggle, too.

Posted by Baroque from Michigan on 02/22/09 at 02:56 PM ET

Clarification:

I haven’t been watching the game (until the last minute or so), but he actually said that?  He’s [Pierre] upset because [opposing] players have been saying bad things to him [Crosby] in an attempt to get him [Crosby] off his game?

What a totally monumental penis head.  Seriously - the man [Pierre] is a pea-brained prick.

I think Crosby is over-hyped by the league because they are so inept at marketing they couldn’t sell hot dogs to Kobayashi, but I think he’s capable of dealing with a little trash talk.  Pierre doesn’t have to worry about defending him - he’s able to stick up for himself just fine, I suspect.

Posted by Baroque from Michigan on 02/22/09 at 03:04 PM ET

Not even the refs can get Pittsburgh into the playoffs if they continue to do things like 1 for 8 on the PP.  The Caps’ PK isn’t exactly tearing up the league, but I swear I saw more Caps short-handed scoring chances than Penguins PP scoring chances.

Caps are this year’s Penguins.  They’re setting up the team to be competetive for a long time, but I don’t think they’re ready to win the cup yet.

Posted by J.J. from Kansas on 02/22/09 at 03:13 PM ET

It’s good to see other people saying the same thing I do about Sidney Crosby. Let’s stop talking about how bad the Pens are and talk about the teams that are great stories like the Caps or the Blue Jackets.

Posted by Mike from West Lafayette, IN on 02/22/09 at 03:17 PM ET

Caps are this year’s Penguins.  They’re setting up the team to be competetive for a long time, but I don’t think they’re ready to win the cup yet.

No goaltending.

They are talented as hell, and fun to watch, but goaltending will be their downfall.

Posted by Red Winger from Sault Ste Marie on 02/22/09 at 03:19 PM ET

Let’s stop talking about how bad the Pens are and talk about the teams that are great stories like the Caps or the Blue Jackets.

It’s schadenfreude.

I see what you’re saying, but if Gary is so damn desirous to see his Little Boy succeed and be the new face of the NHL that he will quasi-manipulate rules to do so, then when the team his Little Boy is on struggles a lot of people are going to take great joy in that, be it right or wrong.

Posted by Red Winger from Sault Ste Marie on 02/22/09 at 03:23 PM ET

Jose Three—or-Four kinda makes me want to see them agaiinst the Wings in the final.  However, I’d still rather see Boston.  I think Boston is better than Washington and I’d rather the Wings prove they’re the best by beating the best from the East,not the team that beat the best in the East.

Posted by J.J. from Kansas on 02/22/09 at 03:25 PM ET

Let’s stop talking about how bad the Pens are and talk about the teams that are great stories like the Caps or the Blue Jackets.

Posted by Mike from West Lafayette, IN on 02/22/09 at 03:17 PM ET

Mike that is impossible when NHL, inc. continues to force feed the mighty 10th place Pens down our throats as the Stanley Cup Champions from 2008 on their NHL Center Ice ads.  We’d be glad to let that little prick go but it is difficult when Gary and all his minions keep trying to sell Cindy as the face of NHL, inc.

That colossal disservice to the rest of the league and its fans cannot go unchallenged.

Posted by RWBill from the Land of 12 in 12. on 02/22/09 at 03:31 PM ET

Pierre McGuire, from “between the benches” in DC.

“The lip service going toward Crosby has been over the top here this afternoon.”

OMG…I just barfed up chunks of fried eggs, bacon, and a coagulated hunk of gelatinous coffee/milk hock.  Gross…

Posted by SYF from a "Bron-Y-Aur Stomp" on 02/22/09 at 04:20 PM ET

I missed this gem from Babs earlier last week.

“Around July 1 every year (the start of free agency), having a good brand name helps you recruit good players and keep players,” Babcock said.

Tick Tock.

Posted by RWBill from the Land of 12 in 12. on 02/22/09 at 04:36 PM ET

at least Milbury recogized AO as the best player,tho i’d put Datsyuk right there with him

Posted by Speedy Sammich from DTown on 02/22/09 at 04:58 PM ET

Hahahaha, I knew it, you fags can’t go a day without posting about Crosby.  You d-bags are so obsessed with this dude it’s beyond creepy!!  That’s why Billdo Dildo is the laughingstock of the blogoshpere!!  And also why you’re band of flacid Eurofags will be hoisting nothing but their own teensy tiny jockstraps come June.  Suck it, losers!  Hail the Devils!!

Posted by Puckhead from Jersey > Gaytroit on 02/22/09 at 06:04 PM ET

Weisfan, now you guys are gonna start listening to anything Milbury says???  Excellent, maybe Holland is paying attention, too.  Now straight to the basement where your fairywheel belongs!!

Posted by Puckhead from Jersey > Gaytroit on 02/22/09 at 06:08 PM ET

truth is right now AO IS better,milbury knows talent,he was too impatient as a gm to hang on to it and develop it.

Posted by Speedy Sammich from DTown on 02/22/09 at 06:10 PM ET

we’ll see where the flaming devils end up….been awhile since genius lou built a cup winner….maybe he’s no better than pierre lacroix

Posted by Speedy Sammich from DTown on 02/22/09 at 06:14 PM ET

you fags can’t go a day without posting about Crosby.

um, you know that Pittsburgh was one of the two teams in the nationally televised game today, right?

we should talk about somebody who ISN’T playing, instead?

get a grip.

Posted by PaulinMiamiBeach on 02/22/09 at 06:15 PM ET

shoot even the jax have more points than Cindys girls

Posted by Speedy Sammich from DTown on 02/22/09 at 06:26 PM ET

More amazing - Colorado is dead last in the Western conference, but there are currently FIVE teams with fewer points in the Eastern conference.

No wonder the best young offensive talent is in the East - that conference has the worst teams and therefore the best chance at the flashy lottery picks.

Posted by Baroque from Michigan on 02/22/09 at 06:32 PM ET

well sid diesn’t need tavares,he needs a few breathing dmen

Posted by Speedy Sammich from DTown on 02/22/09 at 06:34 PM ET

Maybe Victor Hedman, if Pittsburgh drops low enough.  But I know what you mean - losing Gonchar for most of the season was incredibly damaging to the Penguins chances of even making the playoffs.  A pretty underrated defenseman.

Besides, the Islanders have by far the best chance at Tavares.

Posted by Baroque from Michigan on 02/22/09 at 06:38 PM ET

and after gonchar there isn’t alot of established top end talent ready.i worry about fluery and his ups and downs.conklin honestly carried the pens last yr when they needed it

Posted by Speedy Sammich from DTown on 02/22/09 at 06:43 PM ET

What a totally monumental penis head.  Seriously - the man is a pea-brained prick.

Glad to see that hanging out with ‘The Gang’ (my moniker for all of us at the Poultry Rendevous) has elevated (or reduced) your vocabulary to juvenile status.  By the way, my favorite quote from the after-game dinner in Greektown was your, “Two languages were spoken in my family, english and sarcasm.”  Classic.

Posted by calquake on 02/22/09 at 07:35 PM ET

@ calquake:

I’ve often typed words very similar to that (and goodness knows I’ve said them), but usually I take a second look at the lines, backspace, and clean them up.  However, I honestly despise Pierre.  He’s loud, ignorant, bombastic, and twitchy - and all that is the more inexcusable because he offers neither insight or entertainment value.

He’s a waste of the oxygen used to power his metabolism.

Glad you got home alright.  Did you have to beg your brother for a ride home from the airport, or did you manage to leave on time?

Posted by Baroque from Michigan on 02/22/09 at 07:47 PM ET

Glad to see that hanging out with ‘The Gang’ (my moniker for all of us at the Poultry Rendevous) has elevated (or reduced) your vocabulary to juvenile status.

So where are the pictures from this little gathering, huh?

Posted by Gabriel from San Diego, CA on 02/22/09 at 07:51 PM ET

Baroque: Flight left on time but still woozy from the time change. (see my post in the previous blog)
Gabe: Ashamed to admit it but I’m a neanderthal when it comes to computers (“Have porn, me like”).  I’ll have the better half post the few pics I’ve got or e-mail them to MOWings for posting.

Posted by calquake on 02/22/09 at 08:03 PM ET

Okay Gabe, this is the best me ‘n the better half could come up with…
Here goes: http://www.flickr.com/photos/35675341@N02/3301736197/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/35675341@N02/3301736121/

Posted by calquake on 02/22/09 at 09:58 PM ET

@ calquake:

But Komodo monitors are awesome animals!  I’m glad you brought that up, though, because I have to remember to call the box office at a local arts center to get my tickets for the water monitor feeding on Saturday morning - I want to be sure to reserve them in plenty of time so I’m not scrambling at the last minute.

(There is a lizard and snake exhibit for the next couple months, and I was so excited as soon as the dates came out!  There is a lecture on Saturday afternoon I want to attend for sure, too.)

And I’m glad your brother had a good time, too.  It was a total blast to meet everybody for real.

Posted by Baroque from Michigan on 02/22/09 at 10:59 PM ET

@ Gabriel:

We felt it best not to leave visual evidence for the authorites. 

(Actually, Stacey mentioned that she would probably be downloading the pictures Sunday, so they should be available in another day or so, I would guess.)

Posted by Baroque from Michigan on 02/22/09 at 11:04 PM ET

You just know someone is gonna have a fairy on their head in one or more of these shots.

Posted by Nate A from Detroit-ish on 02/23/09 at 12:26 AM ET

“The lip service going toward Crosby has been over the top here this afternoon.”

Not to mention that’s not what the phrase even means.

“Lip service” generally means talking instead of showing through action, or giving more credit than is due, like “Sidney Crosby is a top 5 player in the NHL.”

Of course, there’s plenty of lip service going on between Gary and his Baby Boy, but it’s a little different…

Posted by number9 on 02/23/09 at 12:48 AM ET

Not to mention that’s not what the phrase even means.
“Lip service” generally means talking instead of showing through action, or giving more credit than is due
Posted by number9 on 02/23/09 at 12:48 AM ET

What the Heck are you bloggers doing pointing out the idiocies of the professional media.  You have no right to criticize or evaluate them.

Like my daughter said after seeing Pierre at the intermission, “What a Gay-Wad.”  hahaha.

Poor Cindy, did someone say something mean to him today on the playground?  Time to go in from recess and tattle-tale to Daddy Gary.

My God that was just sick Pierre, poor little Gay Cindy (not that there’s anything wrong with that except wait yes there is grow up if you’re going to get paid $8M to play hockey with men, you KVNT).

Posted by RWBill from the Land of 12 in 12. on 02/23/09 at 01:12 AM ET

“The lip service going toward Crosby has been over the top here this afternoon.”

Maybe he pointed that out because the lip service McGuire usually pays to Crosby is not over the top but in the bottom half.

Posted by RWBill from the Land of 12 in 12. on 02/23/09 at 01:14 AM ET

“Yes we can” finish top seed in the West.

Ch-Ch-Ch-Chia!!

Posted by RWBill from the Land of 12 in 12. on 02/23/09 at 01:18 AM ET

So where are the pictures from this little gathering, huh?

Coulda woulda shoulda Gabe.

Posted by MOWingsfan19 on 02/23/09 at 10:33 AM ET

BTW, I should have pics from Stace today hopefully.
I’ll share as soon as I get them.

Posted by MOWingsfan19 on 02/23/09 at 10:37 AM ET