Saturday, October 07, 2006

Canucks, my friends, you are out of control

Ya know, I understand it in a patriotic point of view, I guess.

You saw franchises move fairly recently in Quebec City and Winnipeg, and you believe that just about any major city in Canada would be considered a hockey hotbed that could support a NHL team.

Sure, that's understandable, and some would way, is not an incorrect statement.

But the slant towards the chances of the Penguins moving, in a ultra-optimistic view from the Canadian hockey media, is getting absolutely ridiculous. In some media circles, you'd think the team moving is a probability, rather than a possibility.

The Montreal Gazette reports in it's article Sale of Pens could send club North that "For the time being, it's good news for hockey fans in the Steel City, but it might prove to be even better news for fans in Canada."

TSN's Darren Dreger even throws Las Vegas as a possibility in his commentary, "If we're willing to accept the notion that Canadian cell phone magnate Jim Balsillie stands a chance of relocating the Pittsburgh Penguins to Southern Ontario".

And Nick Kypreos obviously has been hit too many times in the head over his NHL career. On Sportsnet last night, the manner in which he quickly dismissed the opportunity for the Pens to get a new arena in Pittsburgh was as if the primary option was to indeed move the team !!! To be fair, I'm paraphrasing here, but he immediately states that "you know that Balsillie wants to move that team". Then, amazingly, he actually has the gall to claim that Mario Lemieux has no intention of having any future connection with the Penguins. Did he actually watch the press conference, or does he simply have those Canadian hockey media blinders on so tight that he only sees what he WANTS to see.

The Canadian hockey media reminds me of Jimmy Fallon in "Fever Pitch" when he's in the restaurant eating lobster, and when the other couple starts talking about the Red Sox game, he covers his ears and yells out with his "la, la, la, la, la".

Isle of Capri slots license chances ?? "la, la, la, la, la"

Plan B ?? "la, la, la, la, la"

Move the team to Hamilton ?? "NOW WE'RE TALKING !!!!"

Perhaps you should gain some knowledge about Plan B, and read Bob Smizik's column in the Post-Gazette this morning. That'll give you plenty of material to study up on, for the next time you want to claim so proudly that the Pens are on the move.

Your passion for hockey in Canada is certainly admirable. Hell, I wish that the U.S. had one-tenth the passion for hockey that Canada. THAT conversation is for another time, as I give ESPN a piece of my mind.

But you guys need tighten up the journalistic integrity belt, my friends.

Oh yeah, the Pens play tonight.

Let's hope the Pens come out firing on all cylinders like they did Thursday night. Certainly, Detroit will pounce on chances they're given if the intensity is lacking.

The penalties will definitely have to be on the decline tonight. I don't see the same result if the Pens give the Red Wings 10 power plays.

And on our end, a power play goal or two would be nice.

Let's Go Pens !!!

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Canadian media exists to sell Canadian Newspapers. Nobody expects Bettman to allow a team to move north.

Tony said...

But if that were the case, then why were the "experts" so sure at the time that the Pens would go to Hamilton ??