Jags is back in town, Jags is back in town, Jags is back in town…(sung to the tune of the old Thin Lizzy classic, The Boys Are Back In Town).
Okay, an admittedly weak lead-in for a super-noteworthy event. But I, for one, am so very happy ownership has decided to honor Jaromír Jágr and raise his iconic No. 68 to the PPG Paints Arena rafters in a special jersey retirement ceremony slated for 4:00 tomorrow afternoon.
Long overdue, IMHO.
Even better, Jags will be joined by a host of former teammates from those old Stanley Cup teams, including Phil Bourque, Jay Caufield and Kevin Stevens. Perhaps even Le Magnifique himself, Mario Lemieux.
Other sites have already posted some terrific articles about Jágr, including a piece by Dave Molinari on Pittsburgh Hockey Now titled, Jagr’s Proving That You Can Go Home Again and another by Seth Rorabaugh on the Trib, titled Jaromír Jágr’s return to Penguins sparks a flood of memories from teammates. If you haven’t already done so, I encourage you to read them both.
As for me? I decided to reach back in time and repost an oldie (but hopefully goodie) that was originally published on PenguinPoop back on December 14, 2013, titled The Jagr Saga: Time for Penguins Fans to Bury the Hatchet.
Enjoy!
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When New Jersey winger Jaromír Jágr stepped onto the ice last night at CONSOL Energy Center, I was hoping against hope that the partisan crowd would let bygones be bygones and treat the future Hall-of-Famer with some dignity and class.
Alas, an all-too predictable chorus of boos rained down from the rafters whenever Jágr touched the puck. Rough treatment for arguably the second-greatest player in franchise history, one who scored so many big goals—and created so many luminous memories—they could literally fill the Mon Valley.
I’m as guilty as the next person for holding a grudge. I’ve written some uncomplimentary things about the Czech Republic native. As recently as December 29, 2011, when Jagr scored his first goal here as a member of the hated Flyers—and then had the temerity to salute the crowd—I seethed with anger.
Yet time has a way of healing all wounds. I wish to bury the hatchet and appreciate Jágr for what he was (and in some ways, still is)—one of the most singular talents in the history of the game.
For me, the first sign of Jágr’s greatness—and uncanny flair for the dramatic—occurred during the 1991 Patrick Division Semifinals. The Penguins lost to New Jersey in the series opener and barely managed to push Game 2 to overtime. A second defeat would have all but dashed the Pens’ Stanley Cup hopes.
With his team in dire straits, the “Kladno Kid” stepped forward with an absolute gem of a goal. Nine minutes into the extra frame the 19-year-old rookie steamed into the Devils’ zone, only to be met head-on by John MacLean just off the right sideboards.
Displaying the remarkable puck control that would become his hallmark, Jágr fended off the Devils’ winger with his left arm while stickhandling with his right. After breaking loose from MacLean, No. 68 cut across the slot while playing a high-stakes game of chicken with goalie Chris Terreri. When Terreri flinched, Jágr coolly flipped the puck into the net. The retractable dome nearly blew off the old arena.
“It was a great goal by Jaromir,” gushed teammate Kevin Stevens.
My second most memorable Jágr goal took place during the Patrick Division Finals the following spring. The Penguins—minus big guns Mario Lemieux and Joey Mullen—were locked in a titanic struggle with the Rangers, the odds-on favorites to win the Cup. With the series tied 2-2 and the Pens trailing 2-1 in the pivotal Game 5, “Jags” took charge.
After beating John Vanbiesbrouck on a penalty shot to knot the score, Jágr flew into the New York zone with five minutes to play. When rugged Jeff Beukeboom stepped up to challenge, the mullet-topped winger made a ballistic move to the net, turning the Rangers’ defenseman into a pillar of salt. Jágr ripped the puck past a stunned Vanbiesbrouck for the game-winner, irretrievably shifting the series in favor of the black and gold.
Memorable goal number three—and perhaps his most brilliant—occurred during Game 1 of the ’92 Stanley Cup Finals. With the Pens trailing 4-3, Jágr stickhandled through virtually the entire Chicago team before slipping the puck between goalie Ed Belfour’s pads. The Penguins rallied to beat the Blackhawks and never looked back.
“That was probably the greatest goal I’ve ever seen,” Lemieux said afterward. “Jaromír’s probably going to be the best player in the world in a couple of years.”
Mario proved to be prophetic. Five Art Ross Trophies and a Hart Memorial Trophy firmly established Jágr as one of the game’s all-time greats.
Let’s hope we, as Penguins fans, learn to embrace that legacy.
The interesting thing about the story of the prodigal son, in that story the son comes before the father and says “And the son said unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight, and am no more worthy to be called thy son.” Unless Jagr equals that statement, then I am appalled that his number is being retired and this whole sham circus.
Jagr’s disrespect was not just to the team, but to the entire city. His apology must be made not only to the team but the fans.
The worst part of this disgrace for me is that not only is it an attempt to honor the honor less, but is an attempt by FSG to distract the fans from the continued self inflicted death spiral in whuch Sullivan, Dubas, and FSG has locked my favorite hockey team. Dubas and FSG should be focused on fixing this sinking ship rather than engaging in spectacle.
This whole charade reminds me of the woman that keeps taking back the man that smacks her around and cheats on her, in absolute denial of the painfully obvious.
Hey Other Rick,
There’s another interesting (and often overlooked) facet of the prodigal son story…the attitude of the “good” son…the one who stayed behind and tended his father’s fields. When the father embraced the prodigal and restored him as a son, he held a celebration for him. But the “good” son was angry and refused to join in.
“Look!,” said the good son. “All these years I’ve been slaving for you and never disobeyed your orders. Yet you never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends. But when this son of yours who has squandered your property with prostitutes comes home, you kill the fattened calf for him!’
“‘My son,’ the father said, ‘you are always with me, and everything I have is yours. But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’”
The father would’ve forgiven the prodigal even if he hadn’t apologized. An apology that was, in part, rehearsed so he could be reinstated as a servant (not as a son).
The story isn’t so much about the son’s apology as the father’s forgiveness and mercy.
Rick
Irrelevant Rick, you are comparing apples to oranges. bringing up the good son can only be applied if Jagr apologizes. Until such time as he demonstrates contrition and attempts to make amends the story of prodigal son does not apply to this case.
This is more of a case of an abusive significant other coming by and telling their victim that they are wrong to feel betrayed as they continue to beat on them. And all attempts to justify this abuse is the same as the the victim who either feels they do not deserve better, or an ego that refuses to accept that they were wrong about the sociopath to which they cling.
If Jagr apologizes with a real apology and shows a level of remorse, we can then go to the prodigal son story. If not, I guess you and a lot of other people will just have to be mad at me for reminding you that this man abused and continues to be arrogantly uncontrite.
Again, my friend, you seem to be hung up on the matter of an apology.
Going back to the scriptures, Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother when he sins against me? Up to seven times?”
Jesus answered, “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.” What Jesus really meant was, as many times as someone sins against you, that how many times you need to forgive.
Nor do I see a reference to Jesus telling Peter, “But first demand a sincere apology before you forgive.” The point being, Jesus doesn’t want us to hold grudges. He wants us to forgive…even in cases where it’s difficult or the offender might not be contrite. Especially then, I think, because it reflects his loving nature.
There’s also some question about what great sin Jagr committed. As for his his demand to be traded back in 2001, I read a much less publicized account where he went to Craig Patrick (not petulantly but contritely) and offered to be traded knowing the team couldn’t afford to keep him.
As for his return to the NHL in 2011 when everyone felt he’d reneged on a promise to Mario and the Pens? Ray Shero offered Jagr a one-year at $1.2 million “so he could return to the NHL and retire as a Penguin.”
Given that Jagr played seven more NHL seasons including that one, it was obviously not his intent to play one more season and retire. The Flyers offered Jags $3.3 million…well above what we were willing to pay. The next season he signed with Dallas for $4.5 million.
Believe me, I wasn’t happy about it at the time and I held a grudge for a good long while. But in hindsight, can you blame him for going where the money was?
I can’t.
Rick
Rick, you can twist and turn all you like and turn scriptura readings into sound bites, taking things out of context, eliminating all that doesn’t fit your clinging to an abusive celebrity. Nowhere in that Gospel story does it say you need to forgive anyone who doesn’t ask for forgiveness. In fact in the parable of Lazarus and the rich man, the rich man feigns an apology to avoid eternal damnation, but there is no reprieve for him. Not only is an apology a pre requisite, but that apology need be sincere.
And yes, I am hung up on the need for an apology. To quote one of your favorite Who tunes, “I won’t be fooled again!”
And I did read several attempts by Craig Patrick to save face after the affront of Jagr’s “Dying alive.”
One of my favorite Pens of all time, Jean Pronovost demanded to be traded but later on, came out in the media himself and said he wished he had not left Pittsburgh.
Luck Pierre (Larouche) demanded to be traded as well but later regretted that decision in a public forum.
Moreover, neither of these players ever toyed with the fans of Pittsburgh, pretending to be seriously interested in coming back to Pgh just to get the real team he wanted to play for to up their bid.
Once again we’ll have agree to disagree…including our interpretation of the scriptures.
You can spin it any way you like to defend your position. I suppose I can do the same.
We’re all human and none of us is perfect. If I was held to the fire for every mistake I’ve made or for every shortcoming…well I’d be pretty toasted.
Bottom line…I chose to forgive him and celebrate the many great moments he provided.
Rick
I will say one thing Rick, it worked. The plan was brilliant. You are talking more about Jagr’s number being retired than the loss to a middling team on the back end of a back-to-back series. The hype and spectacle of FSG prostituting itself out to the bad boy has totally distracted the attention of many, many fans. Rather than talk about the pathetic state of this current incarnation of Penguins, you keep circling back to Jagr.
As for spinning Rick, I am not the one doing any type of gymnastics to justify positions. I am not the one looking, straining to find reasons to support my emotional investment.
We all have feet of clay, not just you. However, that doesn’t require us to allow ourselves to be abused. If you want to wear the hair shirt of Jagr then go right ahead. This is still America. You have that right. I will not follow in this self abuse.
I will continue to look past the smoke and mirrors, the hype, the spectacle and see the truth, a team in free fall.