Congratulations Pittsburgh Penguins
You Earned It!
Posted on 06/15/2009 8:35:27 AM PDT by flattorney
06.15.09: Pittsburgh Officials Prepare for 350,000 fans at Penguins' Victory Parade
The City of Champions has gone Cup crazy. As Pittsburghers basked in the glow of a second pro sports championship in four months, the Stanley Cup toured PNC Park on Sunday, Sidney Crosby talked about the excitement of a two-title town and people crammed hotels in advance of today's celebration parade Downtown. "It's been an amazing couple of days," Penguins winger Bill Guerin said after throwing out the first pitch at yesterday's Pirates game. "This city is just crazy about it right now. It's awesome. Pittsburgh's such a huge sports town. The fans ... incredible. It's been wild." The Penguins' Stanley Cup victory parade starts at noon today and will take the same route the Steelers did in February after they won their sixth Super Bowl title. It will proceed through Grant Street, loop to the Boulevard of the Allies and end at Stanwix Street. Several Downtown streets will be closed. Pittsburgh officials are planning for the parade to draw as many as 350,000 people, the number who turned out for the Super Bowl victory parade, said Joanna Doven, a spokeswoman for Mayor Luke Ravenstahl.
"For over a thousand years Roman conquerors returning from the wars enjoyed the honor of triumph, a tumultuous parade. In the procession came trumpeteers, musicians and strange animals from conquered territories, together with carts laden with treasure and captured armaments. The conquerors rode in a trimphal chariot, the dazed prisoners walking in chains before him. Sometimes his children robed in white stood with him in the chariot or rode the trace horses. A slave stood behind the conqueror holding a golden crown and whispering in his ear a warning: that all glory is fleeting.” - General George S. Patton Jr.
FWIW, one of their brules is, no one but players that have won the Cup are allowed to raise it over their heads. This guy didn't know - But I do!!
Here's 18 photos of the Stanley Cup Party at Mario Lemieux's estate. Someone call 911 to report that Stanley Jr. drown. Photos courtesy Toronto Sun. I will finish out my '09 NHL season posts tonight after work. ~ fla
TAB
Cool pictures! Thank you!
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I've watched game 7 probably 4 times now. It's an instant classic!
You are right. It will be included on NHL Networks "classic games" series and in 15 years or so, on their "vintage games" series.
I finally watched all of Game 6 and then watched Game 5 again. Six hours of NBC coverage, but I'm hell with the DVR fast-forward button so it didn't take too long. Amazing the Red Wings lost the SCup. They had so many chances to win and just could not put Pittsburgh away. They only have themselves to blame. And, all these Penguins bashers and whiners on this, and other, threads can kiss off. I'm also not happy about what happened Monday on this thread with a bogus FR account being established, and then two posts directing Pens fans to a site that contained malicious spyware/trojans. Our server has a very sophisticated firewall and this referred site set off warnings. This is why the posts were deleted and the new member is no longer. Bottom-line, the Wings got beat by a better team. PERIOD, end of story. If idiot RW fans can't handle this fact they need to go get some physiological medical help and a bottle of lithium.
To reflect, as I posted early on your playoffs thread, I was not going to watch the Pens play after the Flyers lost to them. Both the Pens and the Euro Wings don't play my style of hockey. That's why I like Boston, Chicago, Anaheim and Philadelphia (which is secretly your favorite team, fess up, *lol*). I also predicted that the Pens would not get past the Caps. I posted Pens in 6/Caps in 7. I ended up watching this series because it was obvious the Bruins were going to lose to the Hurricanes. Bruins were a better team, but Canes had better SCPlayoffs experience, and a SCup win. Pens got my attention because they kept getting better in the playoffs and winning critical games. They beat the Caps in 7 with a huge win and it was a fun series to watch. Then the Pens really got my attention when they pummeled the Hurricanes in the ECF 4 - Zip. I may not like the Red Wings, and their owner, but they are a great post-lockout hockey team. Red Wings destroyed the Pens in Game 5, with their 5-0 shut-out, to go up 3-2. It wasn't the strips' fault, or Bettman's fault that Detroit lost both Game 6 and 7. They couldn't close the deal yet had numerous opportunities to do so. End of story, End of season.
So, thanks Airborne for your great NHL Playoffs thread and getting me interested in the Pens. I never get to do things like this during an election cycle year. Last year I did not watch one hockey game. That's why I'm OCD milking the fun this year.
My/our Upcoming TV Sports Dance Card (1)
Grand Slam Tennis: Wimbledon, June 22 - July 5, 2009
96th Tour de France, July 4 - 26, 2009
Formula 1 Racing
NHRA Drag Racing - FlA & Co. is hosting the FR 2009 NHRA Championship Drag Racing Thread
-- One time only thread (2). Requires broadband internet due to large amount of images.
(1) Special section for each on FlA's FR "Straight Talk" profile page
(2) FlA & Co. is hosting the 2009 Racers & Friends Reunion II at the NHRA Fall Nationals, Dallas after the huge success of the 2009 R&F Reunion I at the NHRA Spring Nationals, Houston
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I always check the Fuel Channel for upcoming big wave surfing events. They recently showed the '08 Maverick's Big Wave Surf Championship, Half Moon Bay, Calif. - home of some of the largest and baddest waves in the world. Unbelievable surfing and some horrendous wipe-outs. It's amazing more surfers have not died at Mavericks. This year's event was canceled due to lack of big waves.
I thought the Denis Leary intro piece was great. - Watch Video . Even though Leary is a diehard Boston Bruins fan, like me, I wasn't a fan of his until he started his Firefighters Foundation and hosting Celebrity Hat Trick hockey games as fundraisers. A number of great NHL legends involved and he's done a good job helping firefighters and their families in need.
Concur, I would have liked Zach Parise to win but I'm bias because of his NHL father, Jean-Paul "Jeep" Parise. JP was another great "lunch bucket" player than came out of the Boston Bruins Original Six expansion draft program. Zach is a great player. IMO, it would be great if Chicago or Boston could get him, but it will never happen. I've never been a Devils fan.
I don't care how many goals Ovechkin scores. I don't like him. He's a classless bum and animal.
LOL, from the Awards show: "I thought I was down the block at the Russian awards" - Glen Anderson. I couldn't believe he said that.
It was great seeing some of the old NHL Hall of Famers, particularly Jean Beliveau and Stan Mikita. Too much plastic surgery and botox for Tony Esposito. His face was like a piece of lumber *lol*. My favorite was Stan Mikita. On the NHL's site there is a good backstage interview with him. There is a video, I watched years ago, of a Hawks-Bruins slugfest game, '67 or '68, where Bobby Orr skates by Mikita, and with no warning, decks him to the ice with a sucker punch. It was great/funny. Orr was ejected from the game for that stunt. Real ol' time hockey.
IMO, NHL Network rebroadcast games are better. They cut out a lot of the dead time. I don’t have to wear out my DVR fast-forward button so much. For a game, the standard NBC broadcast is 3 hours, VERSUS 2.5 hours, NHL-Net 2 hours. Plus, their vintage games of the Original Six teams during the ‘70’s are outstanding. I like any of the pre-’79 games where players didn’t have to wear helmets. Their Don Cherry “Grapevine” shows from the ‘80’s are also great.
06.17.09 FlA: On the Crosby situation, I don't know what happened. The handshake line-up is what makes this sport great and unique to any other. Sidney should have fully participated. But these guys are young and Detroit is a very dirty cheapshot team. I'm sure Sid was PO. But it wasn't the first time it happened and will not be the last. Also, Malkin screwed up not passing the Cup first to Fleury. Like I said these guys are young.
Update Article ESPN, 06.17.09: Hossa Says He Backs Crosby
- - One member of the Detroit Red Wings doesn't think Sidney Crosby was out of line when he was late to get to the handshake line after the Pittsburgh Penguins won the Stanley Cup. "After the game, when I start shaking their hands, I did not think, 'Who is there and who is not there?'" Marian Hossa said, according to the Calgary Herald. "After, I think about it and I thought that I did not remember shaking hands with Sid. I'm sure he was caught in the emotion and did not know where he was. I know him. He wouldn't do it deliberately. He is a great guy. I think he was just excited and caught up in the emotion." # SNIP # read full article.
<> FlA Says: Maybe a little Pens front office rump kissing to get his old job back after a poor showing in the SC Playoffs?
Update Article II Toronto Sun, 06.19.09: Mr. Hockey Not Ticked at Sid's Alleged Snub
- - He is a Red Wing to his core and always will be identified with the Original Six NHL team, but Mr. Hockey says it's time to give the Kid a break. While Gordie Howe clearly would have preferred that his Detroit Red Wings had won the Stanley Cup final this past week, he said yesterday that folks have been too hard on Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby for his delay in shaking hands with Detroit players. "He's a good kid, he's young enough," Howe said at Woodbine, where he was the ceremonial drawmaster for Sunday's 150th running of the Queen's Plate. "He didn't mean to offend anybody, he's just young and he's a little shy. He got caught up but he will mature." Several Wings players criticized Crosby for not hustling to the traditional post-game handshake despite the fact he had just won his first Cup and had sat out most of the final two periods with a knee injury after a questionable hit. But Howe said it's easy to get swept up in the emotion of the moment, especially at the conclusion of a gruelling seven-game series. The 81-year-old legend said that shyness isn't such a bad thing in a young player, however. In fact, Crosby's demeanour when the two met earlier this year reminded him of his own days as a young NHL rookie. "During the time I talked to him I basically said: 'Don't let anything bother you, keep on the right road,' " Howe said. "You're on the right road and you're doing a hell of a good job." Howe believes that if Crosby continues to improve and mature, he has the potential to become the clear No. 1 player in the league. "I'm not going to say he knows everything, but he's getting there fast," Howe said. "In a couple more years if he stays healthy, who knows?"
<> FlA Says: THE Man has spoken. He makes the current Red Whiners look like the cry babies that they are. I've never seen a team that whines to the stripes, the NHL front office, and the MSM, like the Wings players. It's one of the reasons they are the most hated team in the league by hockey veterans.
Congrats to Thomas on the win. No one deserved it more. Outstanding goalie and class act off-the-ice. IMO, lack of team playoffs experience is what derailed the Bruins, not his goaltending. They couldn't handle the mis-match of playing styles against the veteran Canes. But, great night at the NHL Awards for the B's. They hauled away some major hardware. ~ fla
SC is so last season ... ;)
LOL, I bet if the Bruins won the SCup, for the first time since 1972, it wouldn't be so "last season".
This was on my FR profile 2009 Stanley Cup Playoffs section after the Flyers lost to the Pens:
Of course, Airborne would be disappointed if I didn't repost what was on my SCP section before the above Bruins image. ;-)
Did you notice the end of game 7 ran over a couple of seconds after the clock hit 00:00? I didn’t think the ref was ever going to blow his whistle.
Good video. Do you know how long she has been working for the Pens front office in their media department? I watched the cooking video of Geno and her that started the rumors. She's a cutie with lots of vim and vigor. I'm impressed with her English. I could not hear any Russian accent. And, that she can flip back and forth between English and Russian without missing a word. Info shows she was born 1987 and her legendary Hockey Hall of Fame father, Igor, played hockey in Canada and the States from 1989-2004, and his family was with him. So Alyonka has been around North Americans and the English language(some French) most of her life. In addition to cooking, she can tutor Malkin on how to speak English and fit-in here in the States. I'm with Ted Nugent. If people refuse to learn and speak proper English, get the hell out of our great Country. - FlAttorney's FR "Straight Talk" - Ted "The Sledge" Nugent - On the Issues (#9)
The Pens salary table reflects Malkin will be bagging $8.7 million next season, up from $3.834 mil this season. But it's still not the $9,538,462 Ovechkin is bagging annually through 2015-16. In this day and age, it's nice to know that a good woman will still trade down, haa.
Igor Larionov: Hockey Database | Legends of Hockey: (1) (2) | Tribute webpage
Photos: Legends of Hockey Game
Air Canada Centre, Toronto, November 9, 2008
Videos:
Igor Larionov 2008 Hockey Hall of Fame Induction Red Carpet Interview
- - I've never seen interviewer Kendhal Beal before - smokin
Daughters Diana and Alyonka Larionov Red Carpet Interview
Diana Larionov's YouTube Channel
It don’t know NT, you might be eating this one ;-)
That's fantastic! It's nice to know there are a few things that "the one" cannot take away from us.
Great story, great tag line.
Still A Great Hockey Comedy Video: Legendary NHL defenseman Chris Chelios reflects on his former hockey coaches particularly one named Jules Winnfield. Originally shown at the 2000 ESPY awards when Samuel L. Jackson(Jules) was hosting the show.
WATCH (Windows Media Player direct link)
Thanks, it's a community effort. Except for the Norm Coleman section, all the political sections need to be updated and weeded out. But I'm on GOP politics vacation until late this Fall. Rats are going to give the GOP, at both the National and States level, another serious beating in next year's election cycle. It will not be a fun year, so I'm milking this year for all it's worth. I never thought I would see the National GOP totally collapse. It's nothing more than a pile of smoldering rubble, with nothing but RINO's emerging from the ashes. Much worse than the post-Nixon years before Reagan was elected. It will take at least a decade to rebuild the Party.
The 2009 NHL Entry Draft will be held at the Bell Centre in Montreal as part of the Canadiens 100th anniversary celebration. It will feature the top 210 skaters and 30 goaltenders from North America, as well as the top 160 skaters and 18 goaltenders from Europe. The players are ranked by the Central Scouting Service, which attends 3,000 games to provide the NHL with evaluations of draft eligible players and a rank order. The New York Islanders will make their selection first, followed by the Tampa Bay Lightning, Colorado Avalanche, Atlanta Thrashers and Los Angeles Kings.
The National Hockey League salary cap for the 2009-10 season will be revealed next week.
06.19.09: Tavares, Hedman and the 2009 NHL mock draft
For your ping consideration. If you are starting an NHL off-season thread and want the above HTML, shoot me a private message and TAB will sent it to you.
>>LOL, I bet if the Bruins won the SCup, for the first time since 1972, it wouldn’t be so “last season”.
Absolutely not. I’d be dancing around for a week or two. :)
Thanks for the photos.
PING, per Airborne - TAB
ROFLOL, luv it !
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