Before Shero entertains idea of trading Jordan Staal, he should first call Ottawa. Gonchar has 1 yr left @ $5.5m & Filip Kuba coming off their books now @ $3.7 + having brother Milan there, see what it would take for Sens to take Z.Michalek #4 off Pens books last 3 yrs $12m

Then call Minny Wild & see what it would take for them to take Paul Martin last 3 yrs & $14 m. Martin is a native of Minnesota & after the WILD purged their roster @ the trade deadline they actually have cash to spend & will have to spend so much to get to salary cap "Floor". If that means Shero ships Tangradi or TK or draft pick so be it. They currently only have 4 defensemen signed for next season & only tom gilbert making more then $1m other 3 making less then $900k. So they have the cap space & need a "Veteran" guy

With the ongoing situation with PHX coyotes & recent headlines that both St. Louis Blues & ATL Thrashers are forsale & the mess called the NY Islanders owner wanting help & new arena. Atlanta owners say they've lost $130 million last 5 seasons. With the current economy in general across north america, is it surprising that no pro team in any of the 4 major sports hasn't folded up shop & faded into memory? All 4 pro sports NFL, NHL, MLB, NBA & Nascar ,over expanded when things were BOOMING & now the product on the field/court/rink etc could be better, much better if some teams folded & stopped losing money hand over fist?

NHL has 30 teams, Atlanta doesn't draw well, owners trying to sell to locals, time running out to keep team there, if they move that will be 2nd NHL team to leave Atlanta ( Flames ). Florida Panthers don't draw very well either way too much competition in south beach, Dolphins, Heat, weather, & residents of Miami are 2 classes RICH or poverty line poor...heck even tampa bay hasn't drawn very well & they have star attractions....in the west you have the whole PHX situation, & i'd throw in Nashville & Columbus as teams that probably should have never been brought to life...Of course Bettman would never allow it, he's too short sighted to see that yes it would hurt in the short time but in the long haul would be better for the sport by the overall quality of teams & play.

NFL How many teams had blackouts this past season? Jacksonville is a college town, the only time they fill the stadium is when the STEELERS play there, they don't even fill it when big bad PEYTON Manning comes to town.

NBA I finished HS in myrtle beach, sc & would drive to charlotte, nc to watch the Hornets play the big teams i.e. MJ & da BULLS., they relocate to Nawlins, & now the NBA is bascially running that team now. Seattle is now Okl. city, & Sac kings are rumored to be on the move  soon. Too many teams, not enough QUALITY talent to fill the rosters. And then Stern decides to give Charlotte a 2nd NBA team to BET owner Robert Johnson who quickly figured out how to weasel the city of charlotte to build a new arena put a less then productive team on display & then sell to MJ who is doing slightly more, but still not remotely competitive teams. AGAIN like jacksonville, fl, Charlotte NC is a college town when it comes to basketball. You have DUKE< UNC< CLEMSON< USC, WAKE FORREST, NC STATE, all within 3 or 4 hrs of charlotte.

MLB is such a MESS, I think I've made my point without having to wrap my brain around this LEAGUE....

what do you all think?

With the crazy weather right now in Dallas for super bowl 45, SB 46 in INDY (inside), 47 Nawlins (inside) 48 NY/NJ nuts...why not  CHARLOTTE...with a few upgrades to BoA stadium,,,,I don't see why Mr. Richardson doesn't try to get the BIG GAME here in the Carolina's...as I'm writing this, watching the ESPN media talk & see there own breath.... & personally knowing a few people who are in Dallas to cover this event & reporting back to me how unhappy they are about said weather.... COME ON JERRY... pull some strings....

Additional Editorial by Jaxon:

Hat tip to cmypath78 for posting a most excellent topic for Panther fans. I think we've been resigned to never hosting a Super Bowl since, as James points out in the comment thread, our expansion sister Jacksonville hosted the 2005 main event:

Because OF Jacksonville.

It hailed as a complete disaster because JAX didn’t have the infrastructure needed to support it, just like Charlotte doesn’t at the present time.

Hotel space was sighted as the prime reason Jax should not have gotten the SB, but they did have a good plan B that alleviated much of that concern. They brought in seven cruise ships and docked them around town. I'm sure those on the ships had a good time!

But James is correct, there was a huge fear of downtown gridlock that I don't recall being as bad as predicted but still plenty bad for some. Those with long commutes might have over looked the distance if not for the traffic jams. For the money the elites pay to attend this event  they don't want to sit in a car an hour and half getting to the game or getting to their post game parties.

At the same time I don't think Charlotte should give up on hosting a SB. But whether they become competitive in the bid process depends on city leaders. That and the local tax payers that are likely to foot a significant portion of the capital needed to make the required upgrades.

So what do you think?

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Some delusional people feel that Mellon arena "the Igloo" should not be demolished & that its a Historical Landmark. Age alone does not justify "HISTORICAL" status.  Not only is this a slap in the face to Mario, Mr. Burkle & the Pens organization its absolutely ridiculous. Numerous "ABSURD IDEAS" have been bantered about to REUSE the ol barn. What these people fail to realize is how much it costs for the upkeep for the igloo, not counting the money it would take to make it usable for said absurd ideas which include female rollerderby, inside blizzard themed waterpark, farmers market, offices, etc...Yes countless memories of our sports hero's, circus's, tractor pulls, concerts, Jean Claude Van Damme & SUDDEN DEATH...to my knowledge, the pope never visited, no other dignitaries...The Pens & SEA have 10 years to RE-develope the land for mix use, townhomes, offices, stores, etc...which = jobs. Also 1 of the voters on the board to DEMOLISH the site, made a perfect point, none of these DELUSIONAL people have come forward to BUY the IGLOO.... So please come to your senses & let the place be demolished, make way for new architecture & improvement to the area around our new barn, hotel, etc.....

Born a Mountaineer, always a Mountaineer, but this is the last BLEEPING straw... no adjustments @ halftime, no adjustments from the 3rd Q to the 4th Q, & no adjustments on the final pathetic drive....Jeff Mullen & Ole Stu need to go...... to lose @ home to a 14 point underdog, i'm done,..... I'm sure some of you will call me fairweather, Mr. Olver Luck, please fix the football program, there is no need to update the facilities if you continue to employ Bill Stewart & Jeff Mullen....The BIG EAST was there to be taken, no wonder this is the laughing stock of college football....

I know its early, way early but Chris Kunitz, Dupuis, & Godard have to be considered as prime trade bait. Dupuis is streaky to say the least, is not a top six forward, & is in the last yr of his contract. Godard is a 3 to 5 min a game about 40 to 50 games a season also in the last yr of his contract. Plus with the likes of RUPP, ENGELLAND, & ASHAM makes Godard more then expenable. Kunitz has this season & next left on his current contract, with another pay increase next season up to $4m. He's done next to nothing sense coming over for ryan whitney from the DUCKS... which leads me to think Tangradi was the centerpiece of that deal, Ray Shero's mad genius skills...He's had every opportunity to gel with Sidney & has failed....

Quietly the BIG EAST has extended to Villanova the opportunity to jump to 1A football (can't stand the bowl subdivision crap) & play in the BIG EAST football conference. If/when Nova says YES, which they then will have to do some major upgrading of there stadium seating capacity, & other football facilities, the BIG EAST should go about adding East Carolina & Memphis, making football @ 11 teams. Needing 1 more to make a stable dozen (12). Who do you think the BIG EAST should go after if when villanova comes aboard in football?

The pittsburgh post gazette WVU reporter Colin Dunlap is reporting that WVU has yet another NCAA violation of misuse of equipment during practices. That on a day when only helmets are allowed, some players wore vests. On one hand this seems like NCAA is targeting us & being very NIT PICKY but a rule is a rule, as small & ridiculous as it seems. The fact that the compliance people @ WVU are either sleeping on the job or Stewart is taking a page from RICH ROD & turning a blind eye to these rules infractions.... MR. STEWART if you truly love your alma mater, step down now & let newly hired OLIVER LUCK find your replacement to lead the PRIDE OF WEST VIRGINIA....

Heinz field has the statue of Mr. Rooney, & the Pitt Panther, PNC Park has Roberto, Stargell, & soon Maz, shouldn't CONSOL have a statue of Mario , sense he was probably the greatest athlete to ever call Pittsburgh HOME...

Did everything you could imagine on the ice, saved the team off the ice from moving, rebuilt the team into winning championship form, & continues to call Pittsburgh Home & continues to be active in the community & in the public eye, he has DONE ABSOLUTELY NO WRONG... unless the idea has been broached before & he's declined having one, Shouldn't the city, the pens, put 1 up , of the most graceful skater ever to wear the penguin....cause no matter what Sid or GENO do or what JJ "did" no one comes close to LE MAGNIFIQUE...................

If you haven't seen on the PENS site, they are having a special sale on sat 5/5/10 of player sticks, autographed stuff, bobbleheads, banners, etc & other  cool stuff for us diehard fans...but only for people who can make it there... which for us pens fans who don't live close by or can't make it, its alittle UNFAIR.... if anyone in the pittsburgh area wanna go down on sat to check things out & would be willing to call me & let me know what's forsale, i'm sure we can work out some sort of arrangement.... Cause I can't make it.... And with fathers day coming up, I want a gift for myself....

With the latest trade for Dana Eveland, why not go out & sign Pedro Martinez for 2 months knowing full well he'll be traded to a contender... What do the pirates have to lose, seriously, 2 months of pedro will do a number of things

#1 put some butts in the seats. former CY YOUNG winner, WS winner #2 hopefully help some of the younger players especially our pitchers wtih some tips/tricks to get better #3  will be prime trade target for contenders & SHOULD get @ least a decent prospect in return. And honestly I'd rather get ONE prospect of better quality then quanity of lesser quality...What do you all think?