Your gonna have to take my word for it that I’m happy as a peach that the new season starts this evening. Last season was one hell of a ride and I look forward to the same this season, which is part of the problem, which is why I’m going to start this season like Festivus and air out my grievances.
The number one grievance I have is that while attending a preseason game I happened to look up and notice that the two previous Stanley cup banners were gone and replaced by knock off banners that are completely different. I was at the games the first two times they raised the banners and for them to change them the last season in the igloo is ridiculous. The banners have a history not only to the fans that were at the games when they were raised but to the players that played on the great Stanley cup teams. I heard they wanted the banners all to match. If that is true then why have I been staring at the stupid pigeon Penguin conference championship banners in the rafters for years? Whoever decided to do this probably hasn’t been with the Penguins organization long and is unaware of tradition. Are the old banners in Mario’s basement?
Number two grievance, is that Chris Conner didn’t make the club. I thought he had a fantastic preseason and thought that his tenacity was that of Tyler Kennedy’s and would make a great 3rd-4th liner. Maybe they are just trying to get him to work in Bylsma’s system a little longer until they bring him up.
My last grievance is that once again like in the early nineties I find myself expecting the Penguins to win every game and go on to win the cup. Anything less would be a let down. There is no upside to the season. If I go into every game expecting a win, then I have nowhere to go but down. The Stanley Cup party is over! My grievances are over! It’s time to watch the feats of strength! Let’s go Pens!
I too was upset about the changing of the design on the championship banners from the 91 and 92 cups. In fact I was upset at the beginning of LAST SEASON which was when the changes were made. Those newly designed banners were there all of last season. Its a good article just a year late.
The banners are merely symbols of something else. Changing the banners does not changes what the Pens did in those cup years. I understand the tradition, but don’t lose sight of the accomplishments. I would have liked to see the old banners stay, but I am not going to let it taint the memories and the significance of what was accomplished.
I think everyone is being hush about this so it doesn’t quelsh the new banner raising and I’m sure the players who played back then won’t say anything mean, but I’d be pissed if I was one of them! I think I remember Mike Lang saying something about them being forever in the rafters also back then!
That is stupid changing the look of the 91 and 92 banners, have othe teams from the 60’s and 70’s championsip teams change their bannes??? I’ve only been to the Igloo once in 93( I’m from Canada) but I love the old banners and the memories Mario’s goal against Minny, sweep against the Hawks now what am I supposed to make up a new memory like the new banners???
I think it’s a travesty what they did with the banners also, I don’t mind the new look of the new banner but I was at the game when they raised the second banner in ’92. I agree, they should have at least waited until next year to change them. That was just f’in stupid!
I could’t even tell my kid yesterday at the game that I was there when they raised up the other banner because I wasn’t, I think just the maintenence guy was. Just makes the banner raising a joke.
I recorded the game and just started watching it this morning and Stan Savaran said that the banners “will fly forever wherever the Penguins play hockey” or until they decide to change the design of them. Idiots!
Chris Bourque and Chris Conner are about the same size. Bourque was FREE off the wavier-wire with no options. I think Washington tried to sneak him through waivers that simply made Conner and Ryan Bayda the losers. Bourque is not only younger but has that ‘wild-card’ about him because although he played in a few games with the Capitals it was never much ice time at all. He’s put up the numbers in Hershey and the decision to cut Conner and Bayda IMHO was an excellent one.