Two Lines Drawn in the Sand...Interesting New Twist...

Mario Lemieux went public with some comments yesterday that have pushed the Penguins arena situation from hopeful to bleak. Le Magnifique went on record as saying, "I heard it wasn't very good. Our people were offended and very disappointed. Now, as always, we have to go out and explore our options. Once we find a deal we like, we'll sign it up" Lemieux said. "A few weeks ago, I said 30 days, and we're getting very close to that. Sooner or later, we're just going to make a decision and go with it. Whatever happens, happens."

Bill Daly also backed the sentiment saying, "Don't think the league won't allow this team to move. If they don't have a viable arena plan, it would be wrong for us to make the franchise stay there."

Of course this rains heavily on the parade of thinking that had been surfacing over the last two weeks...the thinking that a deal in Pittsburgh was imminent. (As a side note, I hate to use the term imminent. Ever since Mr. Hradek said something a little while back about a deal being imminent.) Does this mean a deal is not in the works? Maybe, but maybe it is something else.

Could it be the logical answer to some initial salvos that were fired by Governor Rendell last week? The Governor made some remarks that were backed up by Mayor Luke Ravenstahl that touted the greatness of the deal offered the Penguins. "I believe the offer we put before the Penguins is the best of any offer that's been made to any NHL team for a new stadium in recent times and it's also by far the best of any offer made to any Pennsylvania professional sports team for a new stadium."

At the time I told anyone who would listen that the local government was drawing a line in the sand, one that they could use when or if the Penguins decided to leave. Ravenstahl even went so far as to say, "At the end of the day, we will know that we did everything we could to keep the Penguins." Something that they have been trying to set up for quite some time. Something that would paint Mario Lemieux the bad guy in a bad situation.

I can't see Lemieux going public with these comments while the two sides were still essentially exchanging information if it hadn't been provoked. The Governor has said that this deal would not be negotiated in the media, yet he went straight to the microphone the minute the Penguins didn't immediately accept the proposal.

The two sides can’t be that far apart and I still feel that there is a deal to be made in Pittsburgh that can suit all parties. Let's just hope that they can come to a resolution before we arrive at the deadline set by Mario Lemieux. It would be a crime to have come so close to saving the franchise only to have it slip away at the 11th hour.

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Stan Savran of ESPN Radio and Fox Sports Pittsburgh floated a story last night on his Sportsbeat television show stating that some of the minority investors in the Penguins may be willing to buy Mario Lemieux out. He clarified the scenario today on a local radio show.

Six of the minority investors in the team have already committed at least $10 million dollars towards a buy out and are looking for several others to join them.

Their plan is to buy out Mario Lemieux and keep the team in Pittsburgh. This group may or may not have contacted Ron Burkle. They also seem to be satisfied with the terms of Plan B as stated in the past meetings.

This is by no means a lock to happen, but I thought it was an interesting story. I will caution that Stan has had some ties to the Democratic Party in the past and almost ran for public office. I do not think he would compromise his ideals to aid the political agenda though. He is a big Penguin guy and has been for close to 30 years.