I Guess It's Cool To Hate On The Penguins When They Struggle

Welcome to the All-Star break, Penguins fans. Or should I say, Penguins haters?

Your team sits at 23-21-4, 4th place in the 5-team Atlantic Division and 1 point out of the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. The team that played for the Stanley Cup last season has 34 games to change their fate.

What I don't get is the horde of supposed Penguins fans who are constantly shitting on the team to this point. Don't get me wrong, this team has underperformed on a massive scale, but the recent good fortunes on Pittsburgh ice has seemingly created a ton of pretentious douchebag "fans." Since the team assembled their young core and created a positive outlook with a new arena on the way, the sentiment around the fan base seems to be, "win now or get booed." To which I say, "eat me."

It was only 3 years ago that the team put up the second of back-to-back 58 point seasons. 23 wins (which we currently have) was the better of the two years (23 wins, followed the next year by just 22). Sure, the current 9th place standing in the East doesn't accurately reflect the team that won the conference last year, but that doesn't mean the season is over.

I was talking to some blogging friends yesterday about the Steelers, the Super Bowl and how excited we are that our team is in the championship. I made a point that this year, we don't have the same pressures that the team faced just 3 seasons ago in Super Bowl XL. There's no Bettis' last year drama, the quest for the 5th ring noise or Bill Cowher-trying-to-justify-his-career nonsense. There's a decent percentage of the team that played in that Super Bowl, so this current group can actually enjoy being on football's biggest stage. And the fans can, too.

Now look back at last year's Cup run for the Pens and the drama that preceded the season. Crosby had a contract negotiation coming up, the team leaving-town rumors were still fresh in our minds, Geno, Staal and MAF were all looking at near-expiring contracts and the team hadn't won anything of significance in 15 years or so. Now, the team has all four guys I just mentioned locked up, a new arena on the way, and the motivation of losing in the Cup finals.

So why the hate when the team struggles?

I've been a Penguins fan for as long as I can remember, and I've never seen a perfect season. Hell, in the beginning of this decade, the seasons were as far from perfect as you could get. But now, there's hope...there's a legit future. The "fans" that have come on board in the last 2-3 years are starting to outnumber those of us that realize that a deep Cup run won't come every year. Despite our stacked lineup, the possibility of making it back to the finals in successive years was still very slim. Other teams got better, too...not just the Pens.

This year, I've heard fans boo at home losses. I've heard bullshit questions about Sid being past his prime. All because the team hasn't lived up to expectations this year. So what? If you automatically penciled the Pens into the Cup finals this year based on last year's performance, go die in a fire. Most of the largest questions concerning this team have been answered. The core has new contracts, the relocation is a thing of the past and the team has proven that it can do damage in the playoffs. So enjoy the ups AND DOWNS of a normal freaking NHL season. We're 1 point out of a playoff slot with half a season to go and still without annual Norris Trophy finalist Sergei Gonchar.

So to the current haters out there...learn to relax. Success isn't guaranteed in any sport, much less in one as physical and draining as hockey. If you think a team with the top two scorers in the league can't do damage as an 8 seed, you should go jump on someone else's bandwagon. There's 34 games left, and only a slight improvement in performance will see this team in the playoffs. Take pride in the positives, and quit overreacting to the negatives, fellow Penguins "fans."

Sidney Crosby is Good at Soccer, Too

Last season, there were a ton of articles that chronicled how the Pens and other teams got loose before big hockey games. I'd search for those articles, but I'm a lazy piece of shit.

However, I found a picture that I remember seeing last year. It shows Petr Sykora, Jordan Staal, Ryan Malone, Evgeni Malkin and Max Talbot('s little face behind Sykora's mouth) partaking in a little soccer action before a game. And you thought I was shitting you about the hockey/soccer articles.



Now, we see that Sid has soccer skillz as well. Watch him dribble the hell out of a soccer ball.



And why wouldn't Sid be good at soccer? For all you Sid haters out there, he already has the diving part down pat (amirite, amirite?).

I Freakin' Love Max Talbot

I decided to stop back in to Max's blog (horribly translated from French), to see if he had anything to say about the epic 7-6 OT win over the defending champs. I told you about his blog a few weeks ago. Max updates about once a week, so I don't have to furiously refresh the page every day.

I missed last week's offering, what with getting ready for my sister's wedding. Let's take a peek into the past two posts, and see what's on Max's mind.

11-4-08, I Think Semin is Jealous of Sidney:

On a rough opening month to the season - "Before the last game of our journey, against the Blues in St. Louis Michel Therrien made us understand that it was time to turn the page in our head at the same time as the calendar page. The month of October was over and even though our results were not disastrous, we could be lucky to have a winning card and it was time to start from new, find our positivism."

On Alexander Semin's now-famous diss of Crosby - "According to [Semin], Crosby is a good player among many others and [receives] more attention than most stars of the League. I think Semin is lack of attention, [and] is a little jealous of Sidney."

On having no respect for Sean Avery - " If only this guy could concentrate on playing hockey. I really have nothing against the role of agitator it is supposed to perform and I know he is not a bad hockey player. He can count, he skates well, it is able to fight and disrupt the opponent. But that's all that surrounds it, the character he himself created around him, which I have no respect for him."

11-12-08 A crazy match and my chronic TV:

On the ridiculous 7-6 OT win - "It was truly a part of hockey, comparable to the intensity found in series. I would venture to say that this is one of the best regular season games in which I had the chance to participate. We learn from behind 4-2 after the second period before starting a rebound en route to the win of 7-6 in overtime. Such a game could seduce anyone does not passion for hockey, it was a very catchy (ed. - awesome description!)."

On Hossa - "Of course, this match became the first rendezvous against Marian Hossa in his uniform Wings. Unsurprisingly the media have created a great excitement around this story. It should be noted that the Penguins fans have not yet forgiven the decision. On the side of players, we have no choice but to accept his decision.It remains satisfied that he was not a big factor in the party even if one of the best players in the NHL (ed. - translations rule!)."

On having dinner with Hossa - "The day before our party face the Red Wings, some of my teammates went to dinner with Marian Hossa and this story was circulated in the media.For me, this is an acceptable phenomenon regular season."

On being featured on Fox Sports Net Pittsburgh - "It makes me happy to slip a few words about an experience that I am lucky to live once week with the television network FSN (Fox Sports Net) which broadcasts our parties."

On being on the first line (trio) with Sid and Satan - " For four games, I have the chance to complete the first trio with Sidney Crosby and Miroslav Satan and I am very pleased that the experience works. I was able to collect three goals and one assist during these four parties. I can not hide that it is good to participate in scoring and that is always nice to produce offensively. That said, I love fill my role when I am employed on a third trio, but I appreciate every moment with Sid and Satan."

--

I love when athletes blog, or at least allow the fans to see a candid side of them. Max is a great character on and off the ice, and his blog mirrors his unique personality.

You should bookmark the shit outta it.

Mike Zigomanis Makes the Penguins a Complete Team

15 or so games into the season, and the Penguins' savior has been the unlikely Mike Zigomanis. Last night, he cemented his position as unsung hero.

If you missed the game, the Pens rallied from a 5-2, final period deficit to win 7-6 in OT. Tons of fans and writers are going to slobber over Jordan Staal...and rightfully so. He snapped out of a season-opening slump to record his second career hat trick. All three goals were scored in the third period, and he exerted his will over Pavel Datsyuk in the extra frame, sneaking up from behind, stealing the puck, and setting up Ruslan Fedotenko for the game winner.

But there's more to hockey than just passing, shooting and scoring. Faceoffs won and lost are a massive deal in today's NHL. After a goalie stoppage, the puck stays in the attacking zone, so winning faceoffs allows you to keep the attacking pressure on if its in the opposition's zone, or allows you to gain possession to force the puck out of your own zone. This came into play last night.



Observe the above picture. The quality is shitty, since I stole it from the Youtube video at the top, but it shows the Pens in the attacking zone, down a goal, with an empty net and 30 seconds left on the clock. Sidney Crosby had just put a shot on net, and the clock stopped when Detroit goalie Chris Osgood covered the puck. With no room for error, the Pens needed to win this exact faceoff, to keep the puck in the zone and save as much time as possible for a last shot to tie the game. Mike Zigomanis calmly took to the circle, and won the faceoff back to the point. After a shot and scrum, Jordan Staal tapped in a rebound for the hat trick and the equalizer.

Wow, Nick...one faceoff win. Big deal.

No. You'd be hard-pressed to find a reliable faceoff man in Black and Gold over the past 6-7 years. When Ray Shero brought in Ziggy after the first week of this season, we knew we were getting a reliable forward who would score a handful of goals. We weren't sure if we were getting this:



That's the leaderboard for faceoff percentage in the entire NHL. Ziggy has a full one percent lead over noted faceoff man Rob Brind'Amour.

To put this into perspective, its like the Steelers finally having an O Line to compliment their offensive weapons. Its like the Pirates finally having their pitching and bats working at the same time. If you follow either of those teams, you'll understand the importance of faceoffs to the Pens.

Shero has done an amazing job putting together a nucleus of young forwards and defensemen in front of a franchise goalie, but faceoffs have always been our Achilles heel. One faceoff win last night showed the hockey world that Ziggy's faceoff stats were no fluke. The game was on the line, and he calmly did his job. And with that one faceoff win, Ray Shero looks like even more of a genius.

Shero and the Pens put the NHL on notice that they're becoming that complete team that can hang with anyone. Especially the defending champs.

But who woulda thunk that Mike Zigomanis would be the difference?

Kris Letang Will Be An All Star This Season. Write That Down

I find it fun to make random predictions about the teams I love so much, so let's go after the Penguins, especially with what's been going on with our defense in the offseason.

First off, how good does Ray Shero look for holding on to Darryl Sydor? When free agency began, there was much talk of packaging Sydor in a deal to get a scoring winger. Now, with Ryan Whitney shelved until December or January and Sergei out indefinitely, the retaining of Sydor alleviates some major problems. Our blue line depth would've been much more questionable had Sydor left.

But let's talk predictions. I've always been a massive Kris Letang fan, and with current injuries, Letang has a chance to shine instead of just being a role player. With our top two offensive-minded defensemen out, Letang is thrust into the spotlight, and we're in need of healthy point production from Kris. So my prediction is...All Star.

In the past, we were lucky to watch Paul Coffey come flying up from his defensive position to bury a ton of Mario passes and rebounds. Letang has that same gift, and he'll have a lot of time to work with Sid. Plus, he'll most likely be paired with defensive-minded defenseman (and pride of Wilmington, DE) Mark Eaton. This should allow him to put more shots on net while not worrying about giving up defensive position. Eaton's got his back (or Orpik, another bruising, defensive-minded guy).

I'm too lazy to look right now, but Sergei had something like 99 points in the past two seasons. Is it absurd to think Letang could top 50 this year? Of course, he'll need a strong start to the season, before Whit and Gonch come back and take their spots on the top line. Coming out strong early would give Ray Shero the same happy problem as he has with the forwards, so many scoring threats that there aren't #1 and #2 lines, just two #1s. Point production could be through the roof if Letang could hold his own until his injured teammates return.

Couple this thought with the fact that we own 2 of the top 10 hitters in the conference (Cooke on offense, Orpik on defense), and those hits could create some loose puck opportunities and scoring chances for Letang.

So yeah, ridicule me all you want, but I'm expecting big things from this team going into the season. What originally seemed like a crushing blow to our blue line now seems to be a prime opportunity for Letang to have an All Star season.

You read that here first.

Dude, What?

I have a question for you. Have you ever tried to look up sidneycrosby.com? Crosby87, supposedly the official website, has been "In Progress" for several years now. So I tried His name dot com to see what would appear (see how I did that? I capitalized "His" so I could compare Him to Christ).

If you've never tried this, I suggest you do so now. Not only is the website devoted to something other than Sid, but the freaking site has a mini pony on it! I'm losing my shit, man!


Hello Fellow Chelonians. I am Sidney, a Red-eared slider. My owner gave me a 2nd name so I consider myself to be quite unique. Mother nature called me Trachemys scripta elegans; I ca-rum-ba! I have trouble pronouncing it myself and I am the turtle

I weigh about 2 pounds and spend most of my day in my aquarium swimming happily. I am still camera shy as you can see. When I was with my previous owner I was not treated very well. I was kept in the dark most of time, was malnourished, and did not even have claws. But after being taken care of by my new owner I have since grown claws, the spots on my shell have disappeared and I am now much healthier. I also had to learn how to swim as most of the time I had to waddle around the bottom of the tank; the water level was not high enough for me to swim like a turtle should.


WHAT?!?!? Please note that I'm guffawing and choking as I type this. It should help you if you try to read this post in a guffawing voice. The dancing turtles with banjos should help you if you have trouble laughing. The mini pony might be the best. On the page titled Sidney's Friends, the following appears:




Hi Sidney! I'm Gypsy, a Bedlington Terrier all the way from Down Under, Australia. I am very possessive of my owner and I love her to bits. She loves me too. My boyfriend is a miniature horse, James! Yep, I said it right. My boyfriend is a little horse. When I go walking with my owner I make sure we stop by my boyfriend's do I can give him a kiss. He leans right down and kissy kissy!!

My owner just got a new rug and I christened it! ** If you know what I mean. ** That's all for now, Sidney!!


I'm literally dying at this point. None of this makes sense, and I love it for that sole reason. The name, the turtle, the odd image of Muhammad Ali, the goat and mini pony lovers. It's perfect, and all I'd expect from a site bearing the name of the 21 year old hockey star from the Burgh.

Happy 21st Birthday, Sidney Crosby

(picture credited to the Penguins)

Happy 21st birthday, Sid. Your haters fail to realize just how young you are, and the ridiculous peaks you've already reached.

I'm guessing Sid the Kid is no longer a nickname option?

PSaMP wishes you the best, Sid. Next round of Jack or Crown Royal is on me.

Look At This Nerd

Even though I blog about sports, which pisses off a lot of MSMers to the point where they want accountability and, dare I say it, censorship, even I can admit when certain people shouldn't have access to the Internet. Or air.

Sidney Crosby gets a lot of heat, mostly because he's the face of the NHL, he's talented, and his status and skill pisses people off. Troll any blog post, message board or website that mentions Sid and you're sure to see negative barbs thrown his way. DIVER, WHINER, BABY, CINDY, FAG, WEAK, NO-TALENT CLOWN SHOES...its gotten to a point where we Penguins fans are numb to the criticisms.

However, I really don't get the point of this video. Is it mocking Sid? Or is imitation really the sincerest form of flattery? 'Cause I've made videos way back in high school with the 70 year old Spanish teacher from Italy that made more sense than this pile of garbage. Honestly, I played the Crocodile Hunter while he beat me up to the beginning riff of Thursday's Understanding in a Car Crash. See? More coherent.

Fake Crosby might be the most annoying thing I've ever seen/heard, but I'm equally weirded out by the muffled laughter of the videographer. I didn't even crack a damn smile while watching this. I almost cracked a knuckle trying to punch the computer screen, but that's another thing altogether.

Yes, I read the comments on the Youtube page that said this video is not hating on Crosby, but there are much better ways to make a point, whether positive or negative, about The Kid.

If you're going to mock Sid in a video, at least jump in a pool (to cement the diver claim), cry into the camera (to ridicule the whiner/baby insults), or make out with a dude (to imply that Sid's gay).

See folks, I'm just trying to make the Internet a better place. My Equal Opportunity Blogging even gives advice to the anti-Crosby-ites out there.

New Steelers Owner Trades Hines Ward

Um, so I guess the Steelers were sold overnight, and new owner Stanley Druckenmiller has made a blockbuster deal to trade Hines Ward to the NBA's Orlando Magic for Rashard Lewis. Tradition is gone in Pittsburgh, and the new owner is taking the Tampa Bay Lightning-do-anything-approach to the front office.

I've seen Hines play basketball, about 5 or 6 years ago at a Steelers vs. Faculty charity basketball game at my old high school. Even with no knees, he can hold his own. I'm more concerned with how Lewis' skills will complement the Steelers' WR corps. He is 6-10, so coupled with draft pick Limas Sweed, Lewis should create a pretty tall group of targets for bitchy-ass Big Ben.

In all seriousness, the screengrab is from a Google search for Hines Ward. FSMG, the group responsible for the flub, also has designed websites for Dwayne Bowe, Reggie Nelson, D'Brickashaw Ferguson, Ray Lewis, Lito Sheppard and a few other players. Google searches for the other athletes are normal. Is FSMG trying to tell us something?

Next, Sidney Crosby's website will feature Jagr's name, Big Ben will share sites with Tiger Woods and the entire Pirates website will just be a gigantic picture of Sid Bream sticking up a huge middle finger.

I think this is all somehow the fault of bloggers.

Penguins Sign Janne Pesonen

The Penguins have signed F Janne Pesonen (h/t to Faceoff-Factor), who most recently played for Tron.

I'm serious, look at these threads:



I might have an epileptic fit.

Actually, after being drafted by Anaheim in the 9th round of the 2004 entry draft, but has only played in Europe. According to the Post-Gazette:


[Pesonen] had 34 goals and 44 assists in 56 games with Karpat in Finland's Elite League last season, placing him sixth in the league scoring race. His totals were up from 22 goals and 33 assists in the same number of games in 2006-07.


Nice numbers, and flanking a Sid or Geno-centered line could only be positive for the young Fin. According to his HockeyDB page, he's never played more than 56 games. If the Penguins are looking to make a run at the Cup, Pesonen had better train his ass off to avoid the Evgeni-Malkin-end-of-season-lull.

UPDATE**Pesonen signing update here**

Evgeny Grachev Wants To Be Like Evgeni Malkin

Wanna feel old today?

Evgeny Grachev, drafted by the Rangers in the third round last week, made sure everyone knows the player he's trying to emulate.

Evgeni Malkin.

Grachev is 18. Malkin is 21, soon to be 22. I can't think of any 18 year old wanting to be like me when I was 21. Except for the kids who couldn't get served at the bar. But even then, it was a totally different emulation.

This shows just how far our young stars have come in the past 2 seasons or so. We could easily attribute failure to having a young team, or the fact that our players weren't battle-tested. Not anymore. What with Sid destroying last year's NHL awards ceremony and Malkin finishing second in the MVP race this year, its easy for top prospects to admire the kids. Couple that with the recent Finals appearance, and you've got heroes who struggle with growing facial hair.

Sure, Grachev and Malkin are countrymen and have similar builds, but I'd attribute Grachev's respect of Malkin to Geno's on-ice accomplishments.

Who Will Be The Penguins' Alternate Captains?

I've told you before that I call my writing style at PSaMP "stream of consciousness sportsblogging." When I give you the MPotD (or CMPotD), I have no idea what I'm going to write about later that day regarding sports. Ill flip through the blogosphere, check some newspaper websites, Google News, Youtube, emailed tips from readers, whatever it takes to find something that sparks my interest. I can count on one hand (maybe two) the amount of times in the 15 or so months of PSaMP's existence that I've actually prepared a post prior to the day it gets published.

Writing like this can really stress me out at times, but I've been able to give my two cents on topics that I wouldn't have thought of had already prepared something. Case in point, this morning, I got my daily Pensblog read, which linked to Pens Nation (which is now making its way to the Wild Ass Links in my sidebar). On Pens Nation, their sidebar has a ton of information that you usually don't find on blogs: team captains, HOFers, free agents, trophy winners, etc. It was in looking at the team's current captain/alternate captains list that I came to a realization, could we potentially lose 75% of our alternates?

Sergei Gonchar is locked up. There is no way he loses the A next season. The other 3 might not even be in Pens unis next year. Ryan Malone seems to be on his way out. Pensblog asks if the $2.5 mil Sydor is owed next season could be better used elsewhere. Would Sydor be traded or let go? Gary Roberts made $2.5 mil this year, and could potentially retire or seek a one year contract for a similar amount elsewhere. As much as he's loved in Pittsburgh, these are the truths in hockey that fans have to understand.

That makes Gonchar the only sure alternate. Who gets the other 3 spots if Roberts, Sydor and Malone don't return and the team figures on keeping 4 revolving alternates?

Geno Gino. Apparently, its spelled with an I rather than an E. I'll still use Geno as a tag on posts mentioning Malkin to keep consistency, though. If the Pens don't trade the kid (I'm sick of hearing that nonsense, bullshit rumor), he'd have to be next in line to don the A. With Sid out this past season, Gino was the unspoken captain of the team, elevating his play to heights unseen. The weight of the A should ensure his continued upward progression by adding team responsibility.

Hossa. If he is indeed in line for a contract from Ray Shero, I'd imagine Hossa getting an A to go with the money. He could be a captain on several lowly clubs, a notion that might've scared potential suitors prior to this year's playoffs. He showed that he can perform with the spotlight on, and should proudly wear the A.

Sykora, Staal or Fleury. The last alternate is a tough one. I've ruled out any big name free agent (hinging on a potential Hossa contract), seeing how the tight money issue should nullify any chance of acquiring a free agent worthy of wearing the alternate's A. Long term contracts for both Staal and Fleury are still a thought for the future, as would be the addition of an A to their jerseys. Staal is still young, and could be an option down the road if Shero can find money for a contract for Staal. Fleury has played well, but his name might be a stretch. If its Sykora, that would make a Canadian captain and 4 European alternates (provided Gino and Hossa join Gonch).

Also, adding Gino would officially signal the new era of Pens stars. Prior to Malone getting the A this season, Mark Recchi joined Sydor, Gonch and Roberts. It was all about veteran leadership and experience. What with making the playoffs the past two seasons and suffering incredible heartbreak both times, I think the young stars have gained the experience to begin a new era of Pittsburgh dominance on ice. Giving Gino an A to compliment Sid's C would effectively tell the rest of the league that there's no more excuses revolving around youth inexperience, and our young stars are leading the way.

So, any thoughts on who might back up Sid in 08-09? I know I picked three forwards in Gino, Hossa and Sykora, but would a blueliner accompany Gonch?

Or will Shero find a way to keep as many of the current alternates as possible?

BREAKING NEWS: Don Cherry Continues Beef With Sidney Crosby, Rest of World Yawns

From the Globe and Mail, via my buddy BP at Awful Announcing, comes news that Don Cherry snubbed Sidney Crosby.

Wow. I didn't see that coming.

Anyone who knows Sid and knows Don Cherry were not taken by surprise at this. Cherry is unique to listen to, and must be respected for all he's done for the game. However, he's had a history of berating Sid, mostly stemming from Cherry despising the now-famous lacrosse-style goal Sid scored in juniors.

So after the Game 3 win, Cherry gave tons of love to most of the Pens, including Gary Roberts (not that there's anything wrong with that), but seemed to miss Sid's contributions. I mean, its gotta be easy to forget the guy who scored the first two Penguins goals. Especially right after the game.

Here's the money quote:


When Cherry did his postgame spot for ESPN, he continued to ignore Crosby and wax lyrical about Roberts. Finally, ESPN commentator Barry Melrose said, “What about the Crosby kid?”

“Oh,” Cherry said. “I forgot. Yeah, he played a great game.”


Typical Cherry. I'd be more pissed if it was someone other than Don Cherry. I've come to expect nothing less, although he did wear Penguins colors earlier in the playoffs (above picture taken from that link).

Whatever. Drop the puck for Game 4, already.

Go Pens.

Fear The Playoff BTM: Part 3

How do I even begin to describe my current emotions following last night's win?

Praise Sid? Thank God that the presence of Sydor might have changed our luck? Worship Brooks Orpik? Point out to Chris Osgood that goalies with the lead don't flop?

Nah. I'll chalk it up to the Playoff BTM. Home ice might have had something to do with the win, or maybe the whiteout. I think the BTM stepped it up huge, scoring early so Detroit was unable to keep up their puck-control nonsense. It seems the BTM does well when challenged, or when the team's back is against the proverbial wall.

Sid could have easily had a hat trick (or more), if not for the pipes playing about as well as Chris Osgood last night. No matter the case, a win means the BTM has a longer shelf life, and more importantly, means that the Pens are still alive.

Sure, I'd like to see a few other players step it up, like Geno (who played better last night), Hossa (he scores on Saturday. Write that down) or Jordan Staal (sure, he's been playing possessed, but he's missed on several finishes). The BTM can only do so much by itself.

Which is why its nice to have a flower in your corner.



What a win. I've been waiting for that feeling since 1992.

Go Pens!

Chris Osgood's Dives Are Acceptable Since He's Winning

Is Ross McKeon serious?

Resort to whining? So is McKeon whining about the Penguins, then? Why else would his title have such harsh criticism?

I take offense to the countless "opinions" on Game 2 that just want the Pens to shut up and focus on the game. So what if Chris Osgood is showing that he has no respect for the game, so long as he posts wins?

As a Penguins fan, there's nothing that gets to me more than some dumb fan, writer, analyst calling Sidney Crosby a diver, which makes its way around the hockey community, infecting all who hears it. It seems like Penguins fans can't bring up Crosby's name without belligerent "DIVER!" calls drowning out the praise.

So Game 2 brought several instances of Chris Osgood embellishing calls and flopping to the ice as if he'd been hacked to death with a machete. Penguins fans, rightfully so, were outraged that the obvious dives resulted in two Penguins penalties. And now, since everyone and their mother thinks Crosby is a diver, Penguins fans aren't allowed to challenge Osgood's childish antics. Complain, and Ross McKeon will call you a whiner.

There is a gross double standard in the hockey world, centered primarily around the league's best player and the notion of diving. Sid is good, so its easy to label him since he isn't on your team. Osgood blatantly dives (and not just in the Penguins series. Remember Mike Ribeiro?), and the hockey world is quick to sweep it under the rug. "Focus on hockey," they'll say. "You should be more concerned that the offense hasn't scored," they'll say. Its as if calling Crosby a diver is acceptable when the Penguins are doing well. As soon as the team struggles and an opposing player flops, the Penguins and their fans aren't allowed to voice displeasure. John Dellapina calls Crosby a diver, so in turn, anyone associated with Crosby and the Pens just have to accept that Osgood was just selling calls. Focus on the fact that the Pens aren't as good as Detroit, not that Osgood killed a Pens Power Play less than 20 seconds into the kill with a bush-league flop.

With a 2-0 deficit, a Power Play could have made all the difference in the Pens getting back into Game 2. Remember the Rangers series? Down 3-0 in Game 1, the Penguins scored goals separated by less than 20 seconds on two separate occasions to win that game. That's all this offense needs. One goal gets the ball rolling, and the Pens were looking to get back into the game before Osgood's flop. Would they have scored if Osgood had more respect for the game? No one will ever know, and I can only wonder aloud since Osgood cleverly changed the feel of the game with his dramatic collapse to the ice. Fall down, and the home crowd will help buy a call.

This is not to take away from the Detroit offense or blueliners. Both parts of the team have severely outplayed the Penguins. They're up 2-0 in the series because they've been the better team. They block shots, get in passing lanes, create rushes, and most importantly, are scoring the puck.

However, I have no respect for the show Osgood put on in Game 2. Or the asinine comments of a guy like Ross McKeon.

We wouldn't be "whining" if it wasn't so obvious.

WooHoo! Flyers Win!

Megadeth rules! Woooooooooo!

Cros-by Su-ucks!

The Flyers are "alive and swell," baby!

I don't know where I heard it, but I think Game 5 is this Sunday on NBC.

That dude who brings like 30 signs to the games behind the net is the man. Its like he knows what's gonna happen!

Pink, popped-collared shirts are fantastic.

3 more wins til the finals, baby! Briere's gonna own!

(/blatant trip on a Penguin) Booooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo.

I need to buy some Dockers.

And some Edge Shave Gel.

We're only down because Timonen and Coburn are out. No, I've never heard of Mark Eaton.

Wooooooooooooo!

Championship.

"Mike Richards Is The Best Two-Way Player Of His Generation"

That title, is a rough transcript of the praise given to Mike Richards by Joe Beninati and Darren Eliot in last night's Game 2 between the Penguins and Flyers.

That's some pretty high praise, if you ask me.

To recap, Mike Richards just completed his third year in the league, and offensively, he has put up 141 points in 211 career games. I don't remember if it was Beninati of Eliot who uttered that line, but I was taken aback when I heard it. I usually tune out the whoever is calling the game, but this quote was heard loud and clear. Thanks to The Pensblog for the update on who actually was calling the game.

So Mike Richards, who has done squat in this league, is now the best two-way player of his generation, being players aged 25 and under.

Hockey minds get their panties in a bunch whenever praise is given to Sidney Crosby, despite the fact that he's actually accomplished something in the NHL. A scoring title and a plethora of trophies should be more than enough to back claims of Crosby's skill. Which is why I'm appalled that there's no attention drawn to this fantastic quote from the Versus broadcast of Game 2.

Offensively, Mike Richards has scored 28 goals in his best (current) season. Jordan Staal, in his rookie campaign, scored 29. Plus, Staal is regularly called on to kill penalties. I'd argue that Staal is a better two-way player than Richards. Case in point, the empty net goal scored to seal last night's win. No, Richards wasn't involved, but Staal's defense was highlighted. With one less guy on the ice and nursing a one-goal lead late in the game, Staal showed more desire to get the puck than anyone wearing orange, while the Flyers controlled the puck. Your team is losing, you've brought an extra attacker on the ice, and you get beat by a kid on a team who DOESN'T NEED to score. If I was a Flyers fan, I'd be outraged at that pitiful display.

It can even be argued that Sid plays good defense, despite everyone understanding that he's an offensive force. Therrien has used him to kill penalties, albeit to hopefully create shorthanded opportunities, but he's out there. Also, the way he uses his lower-body strength to protect pucks can be seen as a defensive maneuver. We always hear about how teams with the lead like to dump and chase in order to keep the other team from gaining momentum, and to finally wear them out. Sid's ability to protect the puck with his stance and leg-strength is just as defensive a move as a dump and chase tactic. The other team gets worn down trying to fight the kid (another one in this "generation"), and Sid can take time off the clock playing this defensive style.

Mike Richards is a good player. I want to take nothing away from what he's accomplished and the way he is dedicated to defense. But any hockey fan should be disgusted at the unwarranted praise given by the Versus broadcasters. Richards is clearly one of the top young talents at playing offense and defense, and he should be commended for his efforts. But to use the term "the best" to describe Richards is disturbing...

...at best.

Fear The Playoff BTM: Part 2

The BTM is growing.

That's Bad Teenage Moustache, for you Philly fans.

Game 2 starts soon. Can the Flyers withstand another BTM-lead assault? I'd like to think not.

Go Pens!

Fear the Playoff BTM

(click for bigger view)

Yes, you heard correctly. Beware the Playoff BTM.

I hope you know what a BTM is. Cos its been guiding the Penguins through these playoffs.

Know why chronic playoff underachiever Marian Hossa scored twice in the close-out game against the Rangers? He was successfully guided by the power of the Playoff BTM on each tally.

With all the love given to the Playoff Beard, its about time the Beard's bastard son is recognized for its own significance. Sure, it may look gayer than Erasure (awesome song, though), but if the face of your team can't submit to his own Playoff Beard, one needs to take what one can get.

Baby-faced teens everywhere were given hope the moment the Pens cashed their ticket to the Eastern Conference finals. Adam Morrison now believes an NBA title is in the foreseeable future. The tall-ass kid who went to high school with my younger brother is probably a millionaire at the mere mention of the Playoff BTM.

You can keep your epic Playoff Beards, Scott Niedermayer and Mike Commodore. Oh wait, you can't, because they mean nothing right now.

But the Playoff BTM is still in commission.

Go Pens!

Sidney Crosby Is Featured In An Exhibit

Sidney Crosby has his own exhibit.

Kudos to the Nova Scotia Sport Hall of Fame for prominently featuring Sid in his own exhibit.

This is information overload for yours truly. Being a history buff (that's what I have my degree in), having worked in several museums and being a die hard Pittsburgh sports fan, this is entirely overwhelming. It looks like I might have to make a pit stop in Canada one of these days (road trip)!

The NSSHoF now holds (for a limited time) the trifecta of trophies won by Sid last season. The trophies won and displayed include:

...the Art Ross Trophy as the NHL’s top scorer, the Hart Trophy for the league most valuable player and the Lester B. Pearson Award for MVP as selected by the players.

Also on display will be the Lou Marsh Award — Canada’s male athlete of the year, which Crosby won in 2007 — and the Canada Cup, won by Team Canada in 1976.

If trophies aren't your deal, then at least check out the clothes dryer (pictured above) that Sid used to practice his shot as a tyke.

Now if only I could get someone to make an exhibit strictly about me. Can't be hard, right? I know I have a 3rd place trophy from a backgammon tournament somewhere, as well as a medal for successfully completing Mary Lou Retton's The President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports from like 1st Grade at St. Edward Elementary School. Those have gotta count for something.

I demand an exhibit.