We're Back!
Well, we have resurfaced from the pseudo-Olympic hiatus. During that time some strange things have gone down. The Gold and the Silver medal winners from 2002 have been knocked out of the tournament. I personally didn't think that the US team had a chance for anything better than a Bronze, and a minute chance it was. Canada on the other hand, that was sort of a shock. Looking at their team on paper, especially the goaltending. I never thought they would be unable to out score the opposition. Who would have thought that they would be shut out in back to back games!
I do have to say that watching the games has been an absolute blast. The speed of the games has been amazing. When Canada got it's power play set up and were cycling the way they could, they were probably the most dangerous unit in the games. Unfortunately, they were unable to do that with frequency. The European teams are really showing that they have many talented players in their ranks. The Russians look very tough to beat. Slovakia has been a surprise, as well as the Swiss. Can you say all tournament goaltender: Martin Gerber! My picks for the medals pre-tournament:
Gold: Czech Republic
Silver: Canada
Bronze: Russia
My picks today:
Gold: Russia
Silver: Czech Republic
Bronze: Finland
The Russian team has been a real treat to follow. Ovechkin has been scoring at or above the level he was at in the NHL. Kovalev looks like his old Penguins self, which could bode very well for Montreal upon his return. Most importantly, Evgeni Malkin does not look out of place. Which is exciting. He even had his best game of the tournament Tuesday when he picked up 1G and 2A in the win versus the United States.
Getting back to some NHL talk. The Pittsburgh Penguins got back to practice yesterday. They held a 55 minute session. The workout was a spirited one and was a good first step to getting them back into the action. Much of the team hadn't skated in over a week. Many of them were on vacation in such places as Jamaica, where goalie Marc Andre Fleury headed. The team does have ample time to get back into game shape though, their next game is not until March 1st against the Ottawa Senators. Coach Michel Therrien has said that the team will use the practice time as a mini training camp. Let's see if he can whip these guys into shape now that he has the practice to work with.
More on the Pens arena issue. Of course all of the local government in Pittsburgh and Pennsylvania are still trying to sell the story that the Penguins are wrong to ignore their requests for discussion on a plan b. This whole situation is so unbelievable. I still have a major problem with the fact that the officials have done nothing for the past 4 years but tell the Penguins that their were no public funds available for an arena. The Slots license is probably your only chance to get the funding necessary, Rendell told the team. Well, the team took that to heart and have come up with an amazing plan. That is the thing that the local and state Government didn't bank on. What does a sports team know about gaming? Anyway, that brings the newest twist that was mentioned here in the past: A plan B, with a PUBLICLY FUNDED arena!!!! That is amazing. Why didn't we think of that before?? Damn the idea of a privately funded arena that will cost the City or it's taxpayers nothing. We think that the Penguins should consider something else....Public funding! I live in the City of Pittsburgh and will seriously think of leaving a city that I love if I am forced to pay for an arena that could have been built for free. Especially because it WILL be built. There is no doubt in my mind that the city will build a new arena. They will just do it a little too late, will have to find a new anchor tenant, and will have done it with our money! How insane.
Now the Governor wants to go right to the NHL to discuss an alternate plan to keep the Pens. Mayor Bob O'Connor and County Executive Dan Onorato want to meet with the Penguins. They claim that they are all frustrated by the team's stubborn stance. They cannot fathom why the team could be in breach of contract with a BUSINESS PARTNER if they discuss an alternate plan. O'Connor went as far as saying in a radio interview this week that he told the team prior to entering into that Slots partnership with the Isle of Capri that it was the wrong move. He is also saying that the team may not have had as much cooperation in the Mayor's office prior to his being elected. "I am the new guy on the block and want the team here." Bob, you were the City council president, you had a say or at least some influence in whatever the Mayor's office did in the past. You have run for Mayor in the past 2 or 3 or was it 4 elections. You and Mr. Onorato care about Pittsburgh, but you care more about your Political careers. The healthiest thing for either of your careers is to run with whatever story your party's governor tells you. It is sad. I really hope I am wrong about your intentions to discuss plan B. I think that it is a foregone conclusion that some other group has been promised the license, but if you are all sincere about plan B......maybe we just might keep our team.
I do have to say that watching the games has been an absolute blast. The speed of the games has been amazing. When Canada got it's power play set up and were cycling the way they could, they were probably the most dangerous unit in the games. Unfortunately, they were unable to do that with frequency. The European teams are really showing that they have many talented players in their ranks. The Russians look very tough to beat. Slovakia has been a surprise, as well as the Swiss. Can you say all tournament goaltender: Martin Gerber! My picks for the medals pre-tournament:
Gold: Czech Republic
Silver: Canada
Bronze: Russia
My picks today:
Gold: Russia
Silver: Czech Republic
Bronze: Finland
The Russian team has been a real treat to follow. Ovechkin has been scoring at or above the level he was at in the NHL. Kovalev looks like his old Penguins self, which could bode very well for Montreal upon his return. Most importantly, Evgeni Malkin does not look out of place. Which is exciting. He even had his best game of the tournament Tuesday when he picked up 1G and 2A in the win versus the United States.
Getting back to some NHL talk. The Pittsburgh Penguins got back to practice yesterday. They held a 55 minute session. The workout was a spirited one and was a good first step to getting them back into the action. Much of the team hadn't skated in over a week. Many of them were on vacation in such places as Jamaica, where goalie Marc Andre Fleury headed. The team does have ample time to get back into game shape though, their next game is not until March 1st against the Ottawa Senators. Coach Michel Therrien has said that the team will use the practice time as a mini training camp. Let's see if he can whip these guys into shape now that he has the practice to work with.
More on the Pens arena issue. Of course all of the local government in Pittsburgh and Pennsylvania are still trying to sell the story that the Penguins are wrong to ignore their requests for discussion on a plan b. This whole situation is so unbelievable. I still have a major problem with the fact that the officials have done nothing for the past 4 years but tell the Penguins that their were no public funds available for an arena. The Slots license is probably your only chance to get the funding necessary, Rendell told the team. Well, the team took that to heart and have come up with an amazing plan. That is the thing that the local and state Government didn't bank on. What does a sports team know about gaming? Anyway, that brings the newest twist that was mentioned here in the past: A plan B, with a PUBLICLY FUNDED arena!!!! That is amazing. Why didn't we think of that before?? Damn the idea of a privately funded arena that will cost the City or it's taxpayers nothing. We think that the Penguins should consider something else....Public funding! I live in the City of Pittsburgh and will seriously think of leaving a city that I love if I am forced to pay for an arena that could have been built for free. Especially because it WILL be built. There is no doubt in my mind that the city will build a new arena. They will just do it a little too late, will have to find a new anchor tenant, and will have done it with our money! How insane.
Now the Governor wants to go right to the NHL to discuss an alternate plan to keep the Pens. Mayor Bob O'Connor and County Executive Dan Onorato want to meet with the Penguins. They claim that they are all frustrated by the team's stubborn stance. They cannot fathom why the team could be in breach of contract with a BUSINESS PARTNER if they discuss an alternate plan. O'Connor went as far as saying in a radio interview this week that he told the team prior to entering into that Slots partnership with the Isle of Capri that it was the wrong move. He is also saying that the team may not have had as much cooperation in the Mayor's office prior to his being elected. "I am the new guy on the block and want the team here." Bob, you were the City council president, you had a say or at least some influence in whatever the Mayor's office did in the past. You have run for Mayor in the past 2 or 3 or was it 4 elections. You and Mr. Onorato care about Pittsburgh, but you care more about your Political careers. The healthiest thing for either of your careers is to run with whatever story your party's governor tells you. It is sad. I really hope I am wrong about your intentions to discuss plan B. I think that it is a foregone conclusion that some other group has been promised the license, but if you are all sincere about plan B......maybe we just might keep our team.
posted by Bmetzer66 at 8:04 PM
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