Oh, I was embarrassed Sunday. I was extremely embarrassed when the NBC announcers were sticking up for Scotty Hartnell and claiming along with Hartnell that he was getting his hair pulled. I have never been more embarrassed for the NHL as a sport in my 37 years of watching hockey.
I’m not one to kick my team when they are down so no matter how unpopular it has 
become, I stand by my teams actions on Sunday and will be standing by my hockey team the rest of the way. I am a Pittsburgh Penguins fan. I should have probably called this an open letter to Penguins fans.
I feel bad for all of the Penguins fans that have not been a fan long enough to see this kind of hockey played by the Penguins. What happened on Sunday is a common thing that has been going on in hockey since as long as I can remember. It most commonly has been referred to as sending a message for the next game. This is hockey folks, not dancing with the stars.
If the Penguins would have just rolled over and did nothing I would have been extremely embarrassed for the team. Instead there are two other things that happened on Sunday that were an embarrassment. One was the Penguins defense. That could be partially but not completely attributed to the Pens losing Letang early, but that would not explain why the defense was horrible the first two games. Another would be the NHL referee’s. If you could tell me with a straight face that they did not lose control of the game, you would be wrong.
Early in the game Sidney Crosby did what any good captain of a hockey team would do. When he knew his team was down, not only in the game but in the series. He “started something” to get the team going. This is not something Crosby invented folks. This has been done for ages by every good hockey captain. The people that are upset about this should change the channel and watch some Seinfeld re-runs. The NHL condones fighting, they always have. If they wanted to get rid of fighting they would eject the fighters and have suspensions for it like the intelligently ran professional leagues do.
Arron Asham should be commended by Penguins fans for what he did sticking up for his team mate not vilified. The biased NBC announcers said over and over again Schenn’s hit on Martin was clean, yet if you notice in the box score Schenn got called for charging. If you look at the NHL rule book, charging is NOT a clean hit.
Schenn skated hard about 6 strides and all he had on his mind was trying to eliminate another Penguins defenseman which would have left the Penguins with four. Martin was engaged with another player and what Schenn did was extremely dirty and highly dangerous. For the record the NHL referees did not have there hand up to call a penalty on Schenn until Asham rightfully retaliated.
Which brings up the biggest NHL problem. Players having to police themselves. Policing themselves is a polite way of saying the referees are missing calls. The Penguins were getting in trouble all game for retaliatory penalties. Which when you get right down to it the whole idea of a “retaliatory penalty” is idiotic.
Chris Kunitz was called for a slashing at a very critical part of the game. Kunitz slashed was not a harsh slash it was a slash across the shin pads. A simple hey don’t crosscheck me again slash if you will. It was something both teams were doing all game. In my review of the game without even trying I counted four shin pad slashes by the Flyers. None of which were called, I would venture to bet the Penguins probably had just as many. Kunitz was just crosschecked in the back and there was no penalty called. If the crosscheck was called in the first place he would not get a “retaliatory penalty”
Did the Penguins get upset with the inability of the refs to make calls? Yes they did. Did they get upset with the calls the Refs did make? Yes they did. Will the Pens say the refs were horrible? No, they get fined by the NHL. Does Anyone remember the imaginary hooking call on Jordan Staal early in the game? The Flyers scored four powerplay goals. The Penguins defense on the penalty kill was yes, embarrassing and yes that is what lost the game for them.
It took the Penguins three games to notice that you were allowed to do whatever you wanted to the other team, you just are not allowed to retaliate. For the case in point lets use James Neal.
Neal left his feet and hit Flyers Sean Couturier. Push come to shove, Neal will say it happened while to avoid him. I personally highly doubt it. Either way there was no retaliation and no call. Not to long after Neal goes after a big hit on Giroux. Neal using Schenn’s blueprint for charging figured the worst you would get is a charging penalty and chances are Philly gets a “retaliatory Penalty” anyway. Giroux ducked at the last second and Neal possibly hit him in the head.
Yes, Neal’s play on Giroux was a 100% percent dirty play. Like Schenn did earlier, Neal skated all the way across the ice with only one intent in mind and that was to injure. If the referees at any point had control of the game this never happens.
The Penguins played a hardcore spirited game. As a fan of the NHL you need to decide whether you like the scrums or you do not. There is no fine line. Just a hint, if you stand up to watch fights and then cheer afterwards, you are a fan of the scrums. Do you want the players to mix it up or do you want it to become a whiney Scotty Hartnell “he pulled my hair” league.
On a side note:
I once accidentally supported the NBC announcers after they went after Matt Cooke with pitchforks last year after an elbow to the head of an Islander player. The NHL was going to start cracking down on perpetrators and start dishing out harsh penalties for head shots. Like Mario Lemieux, I was sold. Like Mario I was fooled by the NHL. The NHL decides what they feel is best for the league, not what is best for the players. If you need proof go on Youtube and watch what Nashville’s Weber did a few days ago. He was fined what would amount to 2 dollars in average Joe money.
Shannahan, the guy who decides fines and suspensions in the NHL wrongly accused Dan Bylsma of sending Adams on the ice to instigate a fight when clearly it was the Flyers who skated up to the Penguins. On top of that the referee’s clearly lost control of the game and didn’t have a clue (watch the video below). Because Shannahan is being touted as the village idiot for not suspending Shea Weber I’m sure he is going to take it out on the Pens Asham & Neal today and every so called Penguins fan who has found it fashionable to kick the team while they are down will commend him.
The NBC announcers all game continued to tell a false story and unfortunately Penguins fans, including some veteran fans, ate it up. Here are the NBC announcers are saying “Laviolette is composed in this situation” When Laviolette is telling Berube he wants someone to go after Neal. Then you can see Berube telling Simmonds. You can see him say “He’s a loose cannon. Go after him, engage him don’t fight him. Do you understand” This is the Flyers team that NBC keeps telling me has a lot of “Class”. Sorry I’ve never bought it and I’m not buying it now.
There is still hockey left to be played. The team is not dead yet. Is there anyone other than me standing with our team?
.
best article i have read on this. i would have been mad if schenn had ran a hole through martin and the pens let it go. asham is a stand up guy for showing them “penguin pride”. pens in 7!
Pens in 8 maybe? How ’bout 9? 10 anybody?
That first period was the most pathetic display of diving by a hockey team I have ever seen. The Flyers are a poor excuse for an NHL franchise, and I can’t believe veteran referees fall for their bush league tactics. They are an embarrassment to themselves, hockey and their fans.
Sour grapes buddy ole boy…….sour grapes. LOLOLOLOLOL
Hey Sid…Dont tell me…show me.
Try some optimism, it will help you in everyday life also.
Lets Go Pens.
“they (the fans) should have nothing to be embarrassed about. They should be pretty proud of the guys they have here. It`s a terrible situation to be in, being down, 3-0. But that`s when you need your fans most.” – Sidney Crosby – yestersday.
I’m totally with this! Pens are the best team in the world! What happened Sunday can happen to any team. I don’t understand pens fans losing faith in our team. We will win tonight. And as bylsma has said we have at least 4 games left this season!
Quote from Sidney Crosby yesterday: “Fans should have nothing to be embarrassed about. They should be pretty proud of the guys they have here. It`s a terrible situation to be in, being down, 3-0. But that`s when you need your fans” — Flyers fans boo & kick their team when they are down. As a Penguins fan I like to think I’m above that.
After I post this I’m going to watch the video of Kasparaitis’ hit on Lindros and recall a conversation I had with the then Flyers trainer who told me that Lindros actually shit his pants after the hit! Then I’m going to write a check out to some Flyer fans so that they can buy my new book “how to be a hockey fan without looking and sounding like a complete idiot”! I’ll make sure to include extra money so they can hire someone to read it for them. Flyer’s fans put the “ass” in “classless”!
I know Funk Daddy….its when I hear people say they are embarrassed….it makes no sense….and u r dead on…they did some stupid stuff…especially neal and letang….i dont have a problem with adams….he steeped in between crosby and hartnell…as we’ve discussed before, penguins fans jump on and off the bandwagon…but hate honest evaluation…
Asham was suspended four games and Neal suspended one game. I must be honest the Asham four game suspension seems odd to me especially after hearing Shannahan describe it and Ashams spotless 13 year record. At the same time I thought Neal would get more. If anyone can figure out how this suspension thing works please let me know.
It’s really not that complicated. The NHL takes a players history of fines and suspensions and figures that heavily into the mix. Asham in 13 years has never had a fine or suspension so he gets 4 games. Neal who has three priors in the last 3 years got one game. The prior history works the opposite way your thinking.
Hey Phil,
I didnt have time to read the entire rambling.One thing I will say is your getting pretty good at this alternative viewpoint stuff. Instigated lots of comments. Reality and common sense be damned.
Thanks PJ. I only have you to thank and right back at ya with the reality and common sense part. 🙂
Go Pens.
By the way, this is 100% my view point. Not the one that was spoon fed to everyone by the Flyers owners over there at NBC.
I’m sorry,did you say something? I wasn’t listening.
Nice.
I think I saw a Seinfeld episode once where George finally figured out a snappy comback a few hours later.
1 game for Neal & Adams, 4 games for Asham….yep, real intelligent!
I never said I was embarrassed. The actions of Sunday have hurt the team going forward. Saying someone’s actions were stupid is not the same as saying they are stupid. Johnny can’t understand the difference. Smart people sometimes make stupid decisions. Also, he’s the one who’s delusional – he said waaahhhh, “you said my team is stupid.” I didn’t know he owned the Penguins, I thought Mario did.
lolololololol…its silly for any fan to be embarrassed by a teams performance…a fan who is embarassed is dilusional about their connection to the team….
Wow, what game were you watching? I am no Scott Hartnell fan but he was hardly whining. Crosby is the king of finishing nothing that he starts. How about Crosby using the linesmen as shields so Flyers don’t get a hold of him. Gutless. Some captain you have there. Schenn went after a player with the puck. That was no charge and only called well after the play was over. Neal charged a player who was nowhere near the puck. Big difference. You might want to stop blaming your defense or atleast mention that the goaltender is awful.
Im not a penguin fan but Scottie Hartnell said “he pulled my hair” ROFL that is the biggest whiniest comment in the history of the NHL by far. Nothing even comes close.
The penguins penalties were not retaliory actions. They were initiated attempts to knock the flyers off of their game. They should have been 2 minute/5 minute penalties. As a flyers fans I saw the flyers actions as retaliation to penguin actions. In my opinion the suspensions were unnecessary. It just so happens that this is a inner-state rivalry series. The referees are getting ridiculous with their calls. It’s a hockey playoff series that just so happens to have two very physical teams facing each other. So there are gonna be huge hits there’s gonna be a lot of fights. The refs need to understand that this is part of what makes hockey so exciting. And for the board of safety, decisions like this is what made NFL less exciting. 3 words ” let them play ” you do your job let them play, fight hit, whatever they have to do to excite their team and fans all over PA whether they be Pengs fans or flyers. Here’s to another exciting Flyers/ Pengs game.
Eddie O is still pissed at the Pen’s for firing him, Pierre ” not my monster” is pisssed because he was passed over for Ray Shero to be GM of the Pen’s, and well Milbury hits little boys
I hope we end this series better and the ref’s call this game Wed. right down the middle, no more crap calls
LET’s GO PEN’S!!!!!
Thank you sir! I strongly agree with you. I have been a Pens fan for quite some time and while I was embarrassed by the team play I am glad they stood up for themselves. I am tired of guys like Berube, one of the dirtiest players ever, and others talking smack about the Penguins leaders. If these guys were whiners they would never have won a Stanley Cup. I never give up on my Pens and I look forward to them making a strong push to sweep this series. They just have to focus on their jobs and let the emotion go…
Thanks for your time Johnny! If you’d actually look there, there is an American definition before the British one. I’m sorry I resorted to name calling – I just lost my composure, but I didn’t type a$$hole at any point. Good luck to you too, and get some help with your reading comprehension.
TO the author of this article you are quite possibly one of the dumbest anylitical writers I have ever read. First off aaron asham is a piece. You sir are a POS as well for standing up for a team that deserves to play soccer for the amount of dives and dirty play. All I say is the flyers are beating you up and down the ice and all your boys can do is go for the dirty hit and cheap shots. Theres a reason why no one likes the pens. Its not just because of Crosby its because of ignorant fans and terrible attitude.
A Scrum is a disorderly struggle. Hence all fights are scrums but not all scrums are a fight. Thank you for posting the British definition. I’m glad you mastered cut and paste. Tom, you’ve called the guy who owns this page an idiot, you said my team is stupid and lost their minds and you called me an a$$hole. I can’t spare anymore of my time on you. I wish you the best of luck in life.
Hey, I wish I had time to comment to everyone. I’m trying to get my taxes done. I’m glad to hear I’m not alone standing by the team.
I would like to clear up a few things for new people here. For one I have always claimed to not be grammatically correct. I try my best.
I said I stand by what Asham did and I still do. He was sticking up for a team mate. I will stand by any player who does that. I did not say he shouldn’t be suspended at any point. That happens sometimes when standing up for your team.
I also called Neal’s Giroux hit illegal and I said I would not be in agreement with Neal when he claims he was trying to avoid Couturier. When the two suspensions are handed out tonight they will most likely be justified, depending on the length of course sometimes Shannahan gets a little stupid. My guess would be 1 and 3 games.
The Penguins played spirited hockey on Sunday. I believe in the Penguins and will always stand with the Penguins.
Lets Go Pens!
The officiating has been horrible. In one of the early games Letang gets crosschecked awhile after the whistle was blown and they gave Letang a 2 minute minor for roughing. I’m not sure what the Flyers paid the refs but it’s ridiculous, I think the NHL may be sending a message that they want the ratings so screw the player safety, let the players do what would amount to assault off the ice in the name of ratings. It is not in doubt the officiating becomes non-existant during the playoffs and the player justice and hearings is a joke…Shea Weber anyone?
Dude….I hope in game 4 you guys get more power play opportunites than us….Just like you did in games 1 and 2 before they had a brain cramp in game three. I love watching Claude come in shorthanded and make your defense and goalies look silly.
Also, here is the definition of a scrum, from dictionary.com……….
1. a Rugby play in which, typically, three members of each team line up opposite one another with a group of two and a group of three players behind them, making an eight-person, three-two-three formation on each side; the ball is then rolled between the opposing front lines, the players of which stand with arms around a teammate’s waist, meeting the opponent shoulder to shoulder, and attempt to kick the ball backward to a teammate.
2. British . a place or situation of confusion and racket; hubbub (not once did it say “fight” in the definition) As far as knowledge goes, you lost already.
A fight is not a scrum, there are plenty of fights in the NHL without any scrums, it happens all the time sherlock. Also I, didn’t say they were all stupid, 3 players will have suspensions as a result of their actions, and that hurts the team – not really intelligent. They way the played, or lack thereof on Sunday did not benefit the team in any way.
Tom at no point did I say the team didn’t play poorly. I won’t get into hockey knowledge or who has followed the team longer. You will lose. You are the one that called the Penguins stupid and said they lost their minds. Please tell me how Jordan Staal, Pascal Dupuis, Tyler Kennedy, Brooks Orpik, Steve Sullivan, and all but one maybe two Penguins lost their minds and are stupid. BTW: A fight is a scrum. Look it up.
Hey Johnny – you’re the one that’s a bandwagon fan. I’ve supported them since the mid 70s, and haven’t stopped since. Sunday’s antics were an example of poor sportsmanship. If you’ve watched the entire series, you know they’ve played poorly the whole time. That’s not throwing them under the bus – it’s telling the truth. You’re the kind of Pittsburgh fan that makes fans of other teams think we’re idiots – nice job!!!
totally. now lets win 2 games in a row and try to turn it into somethiing special !
Me thinks we have digressed from the original article. LOL
I have to apologize for lowering myself to the level of a Flyers fan. However, briefly.
Okay. I am better. LETS GO PENS!
Open letter to bandwagon Tom. If you want to throw the whole team, who have been trying their hardest, under the bus just because James Neal made some poor decisions you go right ahead. You say you will always support them and in the next sentence don’t support them. You need to figure that one out for yourself. As a true Penguin fan, I’m going to stand by the team.
Not alone.
I love it! Penguins in 7! Bring it!!!!!!
Stu….Thanks for the unbiased reply. Glad to see there is a “hockey” fan out there…
Wasn’t actually calling Schenn’s penalty a bad call….The player was engaged and whether people call it legal or not, I hate to see it. He had a big head of steam….I wanted to comment on how many analysts were on the fence on calling it a clean hit or bad hit. I think the call could have gone either way and I have no problem with it being a penalty. I also wanted to compare that to Neal’s actions where I haven’t heard one analyst, reporter or hockey expert describe them as just or legal. I agree with your assessment of 215’s comment. 19 y/o, 39 y/o or 25. Your in the NHL. If you cannot absorb a clean hit…Get out now. Age has nothing to do with it (other than maturity as a player) with maybe one exception. While Pronger’s injury and other’s who suffer from them is sad, he has played a number of years and has had a good career. To see a 19 year old player (or Crosby for that matter at what…24?) succomb to the same injuries at such a young age adds a more depressing edge to the outcome of such a brutal hit.
As for the hair pulling, I don’t feel there is significant evidence to say it was intentional and thus you shouldn’t convict. Unless Shanny had other reasons. Better angle or maybe even an admission by Adams. Who knows.
ESPN has a poll out. Out of 48,000+ respondents, 50% feel he received the right penalty and almost 30% said it wasn’t enough.. Roughly 20% said it was too harsh. That was US wide and roughly the same percentages state to state.
8 out of 10 hockey fans believed he deserved what he got. Interesting.
Adams’ suspension had nothing to do with hair pulling. There is a rule in the NHL that stipulates that any player receiving an Instigator penalty with less than 5 minutes remaining in a game will receive a one game suspension and his coach will be fined $10,000. Upon further review, the league has the right to overturn either or both but chose not to in this instance. BTW, Adams needs to be a little faster to jump in next time. He missed the 5 minute deadline by 18 seconds
The pens are a joke and crosby is a clown, pens fans actually think the hit on courtier was legit, get a clue hes 19 and neal could have seriously injured him. Pens fans should be ashamed, there is a way to send a message legal hard hits and man to man fights, not start a fight then run and let someone else fight it
Look 215 Sucks Ass, based on what you’re saying, Neal should have asked for ID from Couturier before he hit him? At what age would it be okay? I’m pretty sure faking that someone pulled your hair doesn’t qualify you for a man card either. Listening to someone from Philly define what is the proper way to send a message is like asking Ozzie Guillen for his opinion on Fidel Castro – Idiotic
Let’s go Pens! I was never more embarrassed for the NHL either. Seriously? He pulled my hair? What a fucking pussy.
Are you clowns serious? After your “sid the kid” has been wrecked by concussions you are actually condoning the cheap plays? I can’t stand you people. I cant stand Crosby. But I have said since day one that I hoped he would make it back to the ice for two reasons. Look at Keith P and Chris P. These guys are gonna suffer for a VERY long time with the symptoms. Lord only knows the whole list for the entire NHL past and present. No one deserves that. Not even Sid. Secondly I think this league would suffer with out the presence of Crosby. The league is better with him and his skill in it.
With that said….I think your seeing playoff hockey. But there is a fine line. Fighting is one thing…Hard hitting and trash talking is always there. Schenn’s hit? While many considered legal, it was close to a charge. A few differences? Never left his skates (He fell forward onto one skate after, but he never jumped) and his arms/elbows were down. He was just trying to make a hard hit. Asham’s actions were INTENT to injure. The cheap shot after wasnt really that big a deal since he mostly missed. Schenn didnt get up and laugh as was suggested. He needed TIME to get his wits about him. Ever take a shot to the wind pipe? Its tough to breath for a bit. Doesnt take much. Plus the nerves that run through there…Ever see a judo chop along the side of the neck? Could have hit that. Atleast asham was sticking up for his guy. NOT the right way…But I have no problem with Asham going over and starting something if he kept it clean. Neal? Should be GONE. Look at the tape…He speeds up….and focuses in on Couturier. The puck was well gone…and Neal strikeks, leaving his skates to deliver the hit. Any frieken IDIOT who thinks Couturier was “faking” or diving, Let me blind side you the same way…I promise you wont get up as fast as a hockey player would. Then this same clown goes after another top star in the league with his hands and elbows up. Regardless of ducking or not, why did he lead the way he did? Intent to injure. He is pissed. So much crap was started by Crosby and Neal it wasnt funny. And if ANY Flyer that I am a fan of, or hockey player that in the sport I love would pull that crap, I would be up in arms.
People need to stop being “Penguin” fans and start being hockey fans and see how this crap doesnt belong. Im glad we lost Carcillo. He doesnt belong in the game. And in the end, you know I am right. Why? One of the greatest players of all time and Penguins history was embarrassed by their actions. Read your Mario’s own words. I love hard hits….When we get and when we dish em out. But this is over the line. And any moron who thinks its “old time hockey”, “Flyers used to play like that” or ” a team deserves it” is just a damn idiot. I suggest finding someone who suffers truely from concussive symptoms and see the problems it causes. It happens enough with out intentionaly being an ass.
Mecury – Unfortunately, I am in the vast minority of Penguins fans that agrees with you. I’ve heard enough interviews with Keith Primeau and Marc Savard to know what they are going through, and I wouldn’t wish that on anyone. I do think, for the most part, what the Penguins did on Sunday was an embarrassment to the logo on the sweater and to hockey in general. Unfortunately, there are still too many cement heads (Brian Burke is not only a member but the president) that consider this to be hockey.
The only point of yours that I will differ on is Schenn’s hit. It’s funny that you say it wasn’t charging yet the officials gave him 2 minutes for it so either you’re wrong or they are, and if you want to go with the “They are” option, we can then discuss every other bad call in the game such as the hooking call on Jordan Staal or the slashing call on Chris Kunitz so you probably don’t want to go that route.
I was more embarrassed by Crosby pushing Voracek’s glove away with his stick. Shows that Sid still has a little growing up to do. He is only 24 after all, and we all still did stupid things at 24.
I can’t agree with you more on the Mario comments. For him to have said what he did after the Cooke incident and last year’s Islander debacle and then to have seen what his own team came out and did on Sunday must have been a bitter pill for him to swallow. Unfortunately, I think we are now seeing the new NHL where third and fourth liners are trying to take out other teams’ stars. Sure the lower level player gets fined or suspended, but the other team loses its star. That’s a trade most teams would make any day. Tell me the Rangers wouldn’t trade a Carl Hagelin for Daniel Alfredsson any day of the week or the idiot Blackhawk Shaw that ran Coyotes’ goalie Mike Smith. What are the Yotes without Smith? Did anyone even know Shaw was on the team?
I’m Standing with you! Go Pens! Flyers are all jagoffs!
So is your mother.
Did you have to use both brain cells to think of that response or did you waste one of them coming up with your screen name? I’m guessing you know for sure that Crosby Sux Dix because yours is one of the ones he sux, and if so, does your boyfriend get jealous when he does?
Me thinks he is speaking from experience or wishful thinking.
Why dont you go color moron. Or better yet get manperm hartnells curlers ready for him.
My gosh do you all read what you write or just ramble. Crosby stated he hated the whole flyers team. With no acknowledgement of Flyers talent.
Refs giving the game away? Really flyers have had 10 chances penguins 12. In fact game 1 flyers had 1 chance and penguins had 3. Game 2 penguins had more chances as well. As for bad calls it has happened on both sides.
If you want ole time hockey where people go after others just to hurt them. Then put the red line back in and have at it. No problems here. But you can’t have your captain saying we need to have a cleaner hockey and stop the hits on the head when he gets a concussion. Then when it happens to someone else it’s all good. You people would be screaming if Flyers left there feet to check any of your Players in the head.
As for our coach saying go out there and instigate . You mean something like sending your 4th line out to hurt players . When you have already lost the game? What Hippocrates.
How can Talbot be a traitor? Your team traded him.
As for NBC. Most flyer fans mute the Tv and put on 610 when there covering the flyers.
As for the Hartnel hair pull. Your really going to go there when Letang and Crosby throw there head back and look like there going into convulsions every time there barely touched? Really?
First off, Hippocrates was the father of modern medicine. Not sure why you’re referencing him in your little tirade here. Secondly, Talbot was not traded by the Penguins to the Flyers. He was a free agent who accepted an offer that was made to him by the Flyers. Thirdly, why send your first or second line players out in a game that, as you put it, you have already lost? Fourthly, and I’m asking this in the nicest possible manner, please, please, please learn the difference between “There”, “Their” and “They’re” as well as “Your” and You’re”. It’ll make you look like less of a babbling moron
For my typing I do apologize. Using phone at moment and it does not like to play nice with its spell check. Also wrote my babblings 3 times since it kept disappearing. Now since you seem to be one of the same people here. If my spelling is off my bad.
Ok Talbot was a free agent still does not make him a traitor.
By the way mistakes do happen in all fairness you may want to proof read some of your own ramblings. Run on sentences as well as sentences and commas were there should be punctuation marks. Please before you try to put others down make sure your up to par. In fact you should be better then par since as you claim your a writer for this site.
It just makes you look even worse for trying to correct others.
By the way before you say it I made mistakes on last reply.
If you actually read the replies I have made on here, I was the one saying Talbot wasn’t a traitor and berating the guy who said he was.
Just had to get one dig in though, a comma is a punctuation mark.
Another thing, Phil Krundle, it’s amazing you’ve watched hockey for 37 years, and you still don’t know what you’re talking about. Scrums & fighting are 2 different things. There wasn’t much fighting going on, on Sunday. The things that happened after the whistle were ridiculous.
i love it! i am a huge Pittsburgh fan, and an even bigger Pens fan. though i didn’t think what Asham did was right, i love how our team responded. it took too long for us to in my opinion. the flyers have always been one of the dirtiest teams, but when something happens to them, hell breaks loose. granted it is still hard to see how bad the Pens have played but the series isn’t over but i still support the pens til i’m dead. Hartnell is a fairy for his whining. talbot, is a stinkin traitor to play for a team he cursed out and hated himself. people want to hate good talent which is so stupid it makes me speechless. there’s a difference in saying i hate someone but still acknowledging that that someone is still frickin talented aka crosby. the flyers are as ugly as their colors that support the living scum that they are. LET’S GO PENS!
Talbot is traitor? That’s a good one. These guys are professional athletes who happen to play hockey for a living. Their major incentive is to make as much money as they possibly can in what is a very short lived career. If the team you profess to hate offers you $9 million to play for them, you suddenly don’t hate them as much any more. Where was Ray Shero’s loyalty to Max when he came back and said, “Ummmm, Ray, the Flyers just offered me $9 million. Any chance you could match that as I really hate them and would love to stay here.” He may be considered a mercenary, but a traitor, I think not
Talbot is a traitor. Talbot went to the enemy hence he is a traitor. Taking a payoff to go to the enemy just makes it worse. Disco, quit trolling the Penguins boards and go home.
Brain,
I am actually a writer for this site as well as the host of its weekly podcast(Shameless plug for Penguin Poop radio – I hope you caught that Krundle) so I guess that disqualifies me as a troll.
The fact that I do not blindly defend my team’s actions, right or wrong, just means that I call a spade a spade when I see it. I can guarantee you with 100% certainty that there is not one player on the Penguins roster that considers Tablot a traitor and that each and every one of them was nothing but elated for him when he got his big contract. The Penguins were not going to resign Talbot for what he got on the open market so, in your opinion, exactly what should he have done, checked with you to see which teams it would be okay to sign with? What teams in the NHL would you not consider the “Enemy” should we be matched up against them in the playoffs?
Take off the black/gold colored glasses or are they baby blue/navy colored ones and try to look at this objectively. If any member of the Flyers had done to us what Asham, Neal or Adams did to the Flyers, you would be heading to the Wachovia Center for Game 4 as part of a torch carrying, pitchfork wielding mob ready to put Lavioltte’s head on a spike a la Game of Thrones. As Game 3 wore on, I watched my team become everything I have ever hated about goonism hockey. I remember watching the Flyers do the same thing to us in Game 6 of the 1989 playoffs and hating what I saw then. The only message being sent in either instance was, “You are kicking the crap out of us so we may as well try to injure as many of you as we can on the way out the door”. If this is what you or the rest of the “Cement Head” general public want to watch, then fine, there is plenty of UFC shown on TV or you can always rent Rollerball on Netflix. It’s not just in our series either. The displays that I have seen in just about every other one except possibly NJ/Florida shows that we have truly returned to being a garage league.
Refresh my memory, please. Which team lost that series in ’89?
Sorry to say but there is a good chance you are a Flyers fan that needs to come out of the closet.
Right. Anyone who’s not with us is against us. You’ll be relieved to know that I despise the Flyers even more than I despise you. Brian, some day when you grow up, I’d like to be there to see it. Meanwhile, your mom asked if you could turn down the stereo in the basement. She said she knows it’s “Your room” but said it’s her house
Open letter to Penguin fans….by an idiot, maybe. I’ve been a lifelong Penguins fan, and will always support them. However, I am not blind. Their performance on the ice Sunday was absurd & sickening. It had nothing to do with the Flyers. If you allow your emotions to get the best of you, you’re usually out of control – the Penguins definitely were. What kind of message did the Penguins send? One that states we’re so stupid, we’re going to have 3 players suspended for the next game! Losing the series because they lost their composure, and their minds.
Grammatically speaking, you have made multiple errors in this post. However, once I got through those, I read the content………very biased opinions. Unless you were on the PHILLY bench, you have NO IDEA that “Laviolette is telling Burube he wants someone to go after Neal”. The PENGUINS’ actions can’t be defended. Crosby’s ‘sticking away’ of Voracek’s glove: that would be classless if it happened in midget hockey — yet alone by the league’s lovefest guy. (Can’t call him the best player in the world because there is no statistical evidence to prove that). NEAL’s frustration level—whether at his own team’s mediocre performance or at the fact they were being clobbered for the 2nd straight game to a team that was further in their head than the US national debt’s ever increasing #s—-was very evident when he cheapshoted Giroux.
The fact is the PENGUINS are getting out-goaltended, out-specialty teams, out coached and outplayed. A mere rookie, Couturier, is outplaying the two ‘superstars’ Centers of Pittsburgh. PITT is done.
Grammatically speaking you’ve made several errors in your comment. You seem to be confused about the opinions here. This is a Pittsburgh Penguins blog.
TO TMO – (TOO MANY ORIFICES): You really should proofread your comments, before you correct grammatical errors on posts. LOL
As should you…lmao
AS YOU SHOULD! ………….LMFAO
The fix is in…. For some reason the NHL wants the Flyers to win the series. Not sure why
I was wondering how long it would take for this comment to be made by someone. Yes, I’m sure the league wants its biggest stars(Crosby/Malkin/Neal) out of the playoffs in the first round. The same way that it wants Vancouver and the Sedins out. Maybe even the same way that it wants Ovechkin out as well. Yes, the NHL and NBC have a new strategy that if they get not only the best players but the most recognizable ones to the general public out of the playoffs in the first round, ratings will go through the roof. I believe it is all a conspiracy to artificially deflate the ratings in order to sucker the players into a new CBA next year and lower the salary cap. NBC and the NHL = Frickin’ Geniuses!!!!!
I do not believe and would not ever believe the fix is in. I understand your reasoning with Crosby & Malkin. If I were to examine a fix, the conspiracy theororist (sp?) in me would look more towards the Pittsburgh vs. Philadelphia demographics. I would also look at the NBC/Comcast merger on January 18th. Comcast/NBC also has a majority ownership in Comcast-Spectacor, whose major holdings include the Philadelphia Flyers. Then I would look at the comments made by Mike Milbury and the rest of the crew at NBC. Who when you put it all together work for the same company that owns the Philadelphia Flyers. The same NBC/Comcast company that has the biggest contract with the NHL and is the source of the NHL’s most income . I would like to reiterate I do not believe and would not ever believe the fix is in.
Holy shitballs is any of this true?????? The NHL’s largest income generator NBC/Comcast owns part of the Flyers?????
DOESN’T SHOCK ME!
If this is true put me in the “FIX is in” catagory. I will ditch Comcast in a second.
I NEW I HAD VERIZON FOR A REASON. NBC/COMCAST/FLYERS = LOSERS!
I stand with you. I am a Pens fan do or die. We Pittsburghers always stand by our teams win or lose. LETS GO PENS
I have no problem with the fighting especially with Philly….. as a matter of fact I was at the last game of the season against Philly and I was hoping for a more lively game…… but when it started to really get out of control and our #1 defensive guy gets thrown out of a crucial game….. that’s when it went over the top for me…..we played right into the hands of the Flyers….. and Hartnells hair…… please he is such a fn hypocrite….. and the possibility of our top line 40 goal scorer possibly getting suspended….just not good
thank you for this article!!!! thank you!!! thank you!
This is the worst read Ive read in a week in regards to the Pens. You actually have an excuse for every single thing that happened on the ice? You cant accept the fact that the players, STARTING with Crosby should own up to what they have done to the organization. You can pretend your a “loyal” fan but justifing staying “with” the team during hard times… but in this situation it just makes you look foolish. There is a time to buck up, man up and own what happened. Perhaps a round of golf will clear their minds.
Also the title in the video is BS… “Suspended for pulling hair” – You are one twisted, dillusional Birdboy.
Try watching hockey someday. Just because the Flyers traded away their grit and kept the “he pulled my hair” pansies doesn’t mean the rest of the league has.
People hate the penguins…you couldn’t find a flyer fan last year, now the there’s a big red headed band wagon rolling out of the closet. I’ll will say Hartnell is annyoing, but that is his role, off the ice, he’s a real stand up guy. The officiating is the reason this series is the way it is…try watching the games, but don’t watch the puck, watch the other players not in the play penalties are happening all over and sometimes the ref is 10′ away looking right at it. It’s BS no wonder the penguins have become the new broad street bullies, the refs are busy texting.
He didn’t defend all the actions, if you notice he highlighted for people in Philadelphia that can’t read, that Neal’s play on Giroux was 100% dirty.
Another he pulled my hair pansy comment from a Flyer fan!
LETS GO PENS!
I stand behind this team always, but it was embarrassing in the fact that all along the Pens have risen above these kinds of actions……. the reason for the chaos in the game on Sunday was frustration…… frustration and the fact that the team has melted down and has resigned to their fate…..defensive breakdowns has brought this team to this point…… Philly is just a better team at exposing the glaring problems with the team……. I am only stating the obvious……Philly’s defense isn’t much better and neither is their goalie….. that says it all
Count me in as well!!!!!
I am sorry, what game were you watching? I understand the cross check by Asham after Schenn hit his man and was called for charging but to punch the back of his helmet wih his face in the ice is going to far. And Crosby being a little girl grabbing hair and running away is just pathetic.
what game where you watching? It was adams that hartnell whined about pulling his hair. Schenn took a dive. He’s a pansy that didn’t want to fight. He was back up and playing minutes later. Your whole team is a bunch of pansy divers. Your leader Hartnell is whining like a pu**y that his hair was pulled, you don’t think that is the joke of the NHL?
THE SERIES IS FLYERS – 3 PENQUINS – 0
ENJOY YOUR LONG OFF SEASON!
The series isn’t over. As a Philadelphia fan I understand you see your team down 3-0 you would have given up by now and started to boo your own team. When is the last time you won a cup? How many cups do you have? NEWSFLASH: “he pulled my hair” pu**ies don’t win Cups.
No, it was Crosby. Hartnell has had his hair pulled in tussles before, and knows it’s a risk for having it that long (or as long as it used to be). At 5:15, Crosby starts the altercation by pulling Hartnell’s hair.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lWe_9YiXz7I
If you took the time watch the video you stupid Flyer twat you would notice that Crosby has the jersey of your pussy Hartnell and even your announcers said so.
Really classy “Flyers=Pussies” disrespecting a woman. Pit fans are classless crybabies….Your team is an embarrassment to the league. Ur team and your city is now irreverent.
Sorry I apologize 100% my fault. I forgot Hartnell was a woman.
A crybaby would be someone who says “he pulled my hair”. LOL LOL You can argue this all you like Hartnell keeps saying “he pulled my hair” ROFL. “he pulled my hair”
Simmonds stirred the pot, the officiating was horrible…how they call Kunitz for roughing and miss a dual charge by Neal makes no sense. The offsides in game one…the roughing call on Letang for getting knocked down after the whistle, Shea Weber head slamming Zetterburg. The officials must be told screw player safety lets get ratings, because they are not watching the games they are on the ice for. The review and trial by Shannahan has no consistency. I’d like to see a hockey game on WEdnesday and less WWF, TNA, WCW…whatever…it’s a joke. Go Penguins!!!!
EXACTLY!!!! Thank you for saying exactly what I have been saying!! Scotty Hartnell uses the same sissy excuse everytime he is getting a beatdown, ” he pulled my hair”….BS!! If you watch closely, Adams was not pulling his precious hair, his hand was on the collar of his jersey and his hand got caught in his nasty mop!! I am embarrassed by the lack of loyalty and support of the so called fans!! I, for one, was one my feet, cheering Adams on, as well as Asham, Crosby and all of the Pens!! LET’S GO PENS!!
amen PP
Count me in!
I will always stand by the team. However, they get away from their game when they try and send messages. Messages in game 1 or 2 yes. Messages when the next game may be your last. I simply don’t agree with. I understand sticking up for your team and having to police. However, I think they went a little overboard. ie, the Neal hit.
LETS GO PENS!
Nice to hear a different opinion….
Proud Penguin fan in The Woodlands,TX.