Hello Frank and Hooks and all!

I haven't been on since shortly after the finals ended - but I have good internet connection now so I'll be around some this season.

I didn't get to watch many October games because I was on tour with my band, but It was always good to check the papers and see that the boys were still kicking tail.  It's been a little rough this November, but I'm sure it will get better once we empty the ambulance that's full of defensemen.

The Penguins just won the Stanley Cup.  Four months earlier, the Steelers won the Super Bowl.  There has been a lot of fan dissent over the trade of Nate McLouth to the Atlanta Braves by the Pirates, which is to some degree warranted.  It's difficult for a fanbase to watch over an eight month period when an organization slings away productive players such as Jason Bay, Xavier Nady, Damaso Marte, and McLouth.  Doubtless, more trades of the unpopular variety are to come.  Jack Wilson trade rumors have been prevalent for the past three seasons at least, and Adam LaRoche(he of wavering popularity) will probably go by the deadline as well...

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   At the 2009 trade deadline, not long after Ray Shero sent D-man Ryan Whitney packing for Anaheim in return for Winger Chris Kunits and his dirty grin, the Penguins acquired the seasoned veteran Bill Guerin for a conditional draft pick in '10.  We now know that that pick will be in the third round.  That's not a bad deal if he ends up being a fairly frequent contributor.  What has happened, though, is that something inside Mr. Guerin was re-awakened and he has started to take on the look of a 25 year old skater.  He's devastated the Flyers, Capitals, and Hurricanes on his way to 13 points and a +10 rating.  With 48 points and a -12 rating, his regular season numbers tell an entirely different story.  Of course, he spent all but the last month and a half of the season with the bottom-feeding New York Islanders.  But, how much of his rebirth can be accredited to his addition to a line-up in which all of the key players are one year removed from a Stanley Cup Final?  Were the Islanders that bad, or are the Penguins that good. 

   Should Guerin decide to continue playing next season, he will celebrate his 39th birthday about a month into the season.  It's an age that is well above the league average, but several players have been able to continue playing well into their 40's with relative success.  Gary Roberts, Chris Chelios, Claude Lemieux are a few examples.  Is this Cup push it for Bill Guerin?  Or do you, like I do, see him sticking with this team for another season or two?  His playoff performance might garnish him some attention around the league, so if he feels he still has his legs under him, he may test free agency.  I have my doubts that the latter will be the case.  I have thoroughly enjoyed watching the renaissance of Bill Guerin this spring.  I hope he can get his name etched on Lord Stanley's Cup at least one more time, here in 2009.

I live in Pittsburgh.  Those of you that also live in Pittsburgh and frequent bars here know how things can go.  I went to the same bar for game 7 as I had for game 5 and game 6.  On this particular occasion I had the distinct pleasure of discussing hockey with a 64 year old man who "knows every hockey number" and is, by his own words[sic]"a rangers fan".  He told me tonight that Sidney Crosby is not a "team player".  My response, naturally, was that a kid doesn't get a "C" on his jersey by not being a team player.  His response to that, drunkenly, was "oh F*$% the letter on his jersey. Crosby and Ovechkin, they aren't team players."

Crosby is a team player.  In his defense, Alex Ovechkin is too.  We are lucky to have such meteoric talent in Pittsburgh as Crosby and Malkin, but we are also lucky to have such a worthy opponent in Alexander Ovechkin. 

Meteoric doesn't even begin to describe him.  He is not only meteoric, he's also determined and opportunistic.  When Marc-Andre Fleury made a miscue tonight, Alexander Ovechkin jumped on it and it cost Fleury his first shutout of this playoffs.  I watch him, and I do think that some of his hits are dirty, but I also see what he brings to his team.  He is a fierce competitor, and as much as I don't like to admit it about someone like Alex Ovechkin, he is an asset to the game and to the league.  After reviewing his hit on Gonchar time and time again, I find it difficult to say that it was an illegal hit.  He did try to get his shoulder down first.  Nasty?  Yep.  Intent to injure?  Well yeah...isn't this the playoffs?  I was pissed at first...but put in his position, I'd probably have done the exact same.

And if it was dirty, he got the worst possible punishment he could have been given.  His team was absolutely dismantled in Game 7, on his home ice, after he guaranteed a win.  He got to skate off his own ice the loser.  Not only the loser of the series, but the loser of a 6-2 drubbing, during which his only goal was a gift from the opposing goalie.

I could not be happier with the Pens' victory tonight.  Next round, here we come.

p.s. I knew the series was going to come down to Ovechkin vs. Fleury eventually, and it did, with game 7 tied at 0.  Fleury came through with flying colors, and before he was challenged again it was 5-0.  My hat is off to Marc-Andre Fleury(even in spite of the fact he had no business out of the net on OV's goal).

GO PENS!!

Hey Flyers' fans-

I have one quick point to make with this post, and after I congratulate you on a well-played series, I'll get to it.

Good Series.  As I was watching the end of the third the other day there were some strange thoughts running through my head.  I actually, for a second, wished the series was going to go to 7 games so I could watch another.  I think its safe to say we're going to continue having some really good playoff series' in the next 5-10 years.

Now, to my point.

Claude Giroux is awesome.  Nothing against Richards, or Carter, but Giroux IMO has the best and most upsides of any player on that team, and he still has improvements to make.  If Stevens gets him good minutes on good lines, he's going to hurt teams.  Stick with him, and I'll be secretly rooting for him(as long as he's not playing against the Pens).

Anyone's thoughts on this?  I was listening to Crowe, Logan, and Paulsen on 1250 the other day and they seemed to have a mixed review of it.  Logan said he originally only went if there was a bonus written into his contract to be there.  Then evidently Tom Coughlin put his foot down and told him he had better be there or he's off the team.

I find it interesting.  It doesn't anger me any, but I'm not Tomlin.  It would seem to be in FWP's best interests to put his work in when he can.  His running has not been up to the bar he previously set for himself and he's got Rashard Mendenhall right at his heels.