I always say I'm going to keep all of you, my mysterious readers, up-to-date on my most recent posts on Behind the Steel Curtain, but because I'm often so busy churning out new material, I often forget.
I'd like to take this time right now to at least link my most recent, recent posts from over on BTSC.
But before I do that, I was pleasantly surprised to log on to BTSC this morning to discover that today, July 8th, is the 79th birthday of the Steelers.
Yes, I know, this is the 80th anniversary season for the Steelers, and that confused me a little. But in sports, they do seasons differently than they do birthdays. In people years, the Steelers are 79 today, but in seasons, they will be 80 starting in September.
Whether it's 79 or 80, it's a tremendous milestone. Congratulations to the Pittsburgh Steelers and their thousands of fans across the country.
Now onto my recent BTSC posts:
-To mark the 79th birthday of the team, I thought it would be fitting to write something acknowledging, not only the first "Golden Age" of the 70's that saw the franchise establish itself as maybe the greatest football dynasty of all-time, but to celebrate the current (hopefully it stays current) second "Golden Age" of Super Bowl excellence. I grew up fascinated by the Steelers teams of the 70's, and I always wanted to know what it would be like to have another era of championship teams. Well, starting in Super Bowl XL, I have been able to witness such an era.
-Former Steelers receiver Santonio Holmes was certainly a controversial figure during his time in Pittsburgh. But as his contributions down the stretch of the team's march to a record 6th Lombardi trophy in 2008 point out, he was also a clutch performer.
-A couple of weeks ago, Penguins star center Sidney Crosby inked a new deal with the team that will pay him $104.4 million over 12 years and keep him in Pittsburgh until at least the year 2025. Crosby elected to take a hometown discount and keep his salary at "only" $8.7 million annually. This was looked at as a sacrifice by many fans and media members, and it reminded me of how out-of-touch so many athletes are when they express such things as pain and anguish when talking about their contract status. I'm not saying Crosby was doing that, but a lot of athletes sure have over the years. It's always been a huge turn-off for me.
-The Steelers sure made a splash in this year's NFL Draft by landing guard David DeCastro out of Stanford and tackle Mike Adams from The Ohio State. When you add those two draft choices to third year center Maurkice Pouncey, 2nd year tackle Marcus Gilbert and Willie Colon, who will be making a transition from tackle to guard, suddenly, the opinion of the once maligned offensive line seemed to change over night. I'm cautiously optimistic about the unit, but I don't think we should assume too much too soon about a group of guys who haven't played together yet.
Well, that's it for my most recent links. I have some older recent links that I will post at a later date.
As always, I encourage you to visit Behind the Steel Curtain if you're a Steelers fan or just a football fan in general. It's a pretty knowledgeable crew, and they do a great job with the site.
Ciao!
Sunday, July 8, 2012
Andrew McCutchen Named as Replacement for Home Run Derby
It was announced last night that Pirates All Star center fielder Andrew McCutchen will join the 2012 Home Run Derby.
McCutchen will replace Giancarlo Stanton, who will have to miss due to injury.
It's certainly a nice gesture for McCutchen, who has 16 home runs so far in the first half and leads Major League Baseball with a .359 batting average.
If I know Pirates fans like I think I do, I'll bet half of them are excited (little kids and teenagers who are more or less the prime audience for any home run derby). And I'll bet the other half are pessimistic (more the adult crowd/sabermetrics-types who are probably worried that the derby will ruin Cutch's swing).
I fall somewhere in the middle. It's kind of nice that Cutch gets to be a participant, but I'm not as excited about it as I used to be because I think the All Star Home Run Derby has a novelty shelf-life similar to the NBA All-Star Slam Dunk Contest. And I'm not really worried about McCutchen ruining his swing. People have been using that theory for years, but if that was really the case, wouldn't your typical pre-game batting practice session hurt any player's swing?
You always hear baseball announcers mention the massive home runs that certain players hit in bp, players that you wouldn't really consider home run hitters. People often talk about the bombs that Ichiro Suzuki hits in batting practice. The dude had 200-plus hits in 10 straight seasons, and he's one of the greatest hitters of our generation. With only 99 career home runs, he's obviously not a power guy, so swinging for the fences in bp sure hasn't hurt his game one bit.
I find it hard to believe that a couple dozen batting practice swings can really throw a hitter's timing off once he sees live pitching again.
Anyway, I think it's cool that Cutch will be in the Derby. I just think it would be an even nicer gesture if he got the start in center field.
McCutchen will replace Giancarlo Stanton, who will have to miss due to injury.
It's certainly a nice gesture for McCutchen, who has 16 home runs so far in the first half and leads Major League Baseball with a .359 batting average.
If I know Pirates fans like I think I do, I'll bet half of them are excited (little kids and teenagers who are more or less the prime audience for any home run derby). And I'll bet the other half are pessimistic (more the adult crowd/sabermetrics-types who are probably worried that the derby will ruin Cutch's swing).
I fall somewhere in the middle. It's kind of nice that Cutch gets to be a participant, but I'm not as excited about it as I used to be because I think the All Star Home Run Derby has a novelty shelf-life similar to the NBA All-Star Slam Dunk Contest. And I'm not really worried about McCutchen ruining his swing. People have been using that theory for years, but if that was really the case, wouldn't your typical pre-game batting practice session hurt any player's swing?
You always hear baseball announcers mention the massive home runs that certain players hit in bp, players that you wouldn't really consider home run hitters. People often talk about the bombs that Ichiro Suzuki hits in batting practice. The dude had 200-plus hits in 10 straight seasons, and he's one of the greatest hitters of our generation. With only 99 career home runs, he's obviously not a power guy, so swinging for the fences in bp sure hasn't hurt his game one bit.
I find it hard to believe that a couple dozen batting practice swings can really throw a hitter's timing off once he sees live pitching again.
Anyway, I think it's cool that Cutch will be in the Derby. I just think it would be an even nicer gesture if he got the start in center field.
Saturday, July 7, 2012
The Pirates and Zoltan
Back on May 25th, when the Pirates hitters were really, really bad, I wrote a blog post on the Zoltan phenomenon that had just started to slowly take off. My post was somewhat mocking because, at that time, the Pirates' offense was the worst in the National League in runs scored and batting average. Zoltan was a rallying cry used more by the hitters than the pitchers. And because the team still had a sub-.500 record (20-24) despite the pitching staff having the third best ERA in the NL, I joked that the pitchers had developed their own hand-gesture: The FU. I was implying that the Pirates pitchers were so frustrated with the hitters that they were going to start giving them the middle finger.
Well, my haven't things changed A LOT over the past five or six weeks. Since I wrote my little piece, the Pirates are on a 27-13 tear. And since about mid-June, the offense has been red hot. Led by Andrew McCutchen, an MVP candidate if there ever was one, the Bucco hitters have resembled the Pirates Lumber Company of the 1970's.
Things really seemed to take off for the offense in mid-June when the much-maligned Pedro Alvarez started to heat up in the Indians series, and he has yet to cool down. Along with Alvarez, guys like Garrett Jones, Casey McGehee, Neil Walker and Michael McKenry have also been white-hot.
The Pirates hitters led the Majors in home runs in June, and even though the pitchers have slowed down just a bit, the team now sits in first place in the NL Central division.
Because of that, the Zoltan sign has become the biggest rallying cry since the days of "We Are Family."
Now you see people walking around with the "Z" t-shirt, and little kids flashing the "Zoltan" sign any chance they get.
It's just a matter of time before Sally Wiggin does a piece on the phenomenon, and you see grandmas wearing the Z-shirts and flashing the sign--maybe she already has, and maybe they already have.
Who would have thought that a little sub-plot from the movie, "Dude, Where's My Car?" would be the basis for a Pirates rally symbol?
But then again, when you really think about it, how strange was it that the 1979 World Series Champion Pirates adopted the Sister Sledge disco hit "We Are Family!" as their song? Look at the main lyric: "We are Family. I got all my SISTERS with me."
And, if you really want to go there, who would have thought that a yellow dish towel would someday become the universal symbol of excellence for the six-time Super Bowl Champion Pittsburgh Steelers?
You just never know what a team and a fan base will latch onto, but when they do, it's best to just get the heck out of the way.
It might not make sense now, but it will someday in the future if "Zoltan" is forever attached to the World Series Champion Pittsburgh Pirates.
Ashton Kutcher could throw out the first pitch for the twenty year anniversary celebration.
ZOLTAN!
Well, my haven't things changed A LOT over the past five or six weeks. Since I wrote my little piece, the Pirates are on a 27-13 tear. And since about mid-June, the offense has been red hot. Led by Andrew McCutchen, an MVP candidate if there ever was one, the Bucco hitters have resembled the Pirates Lumber Company of the 1970's.
Things really seemed to take off for the offense in mid-June when the much-maligned Pedro Alvarez started to heat up in the Indians series, and he has yet to cool down. Along with Alvarez, guys like Garrett Jones, Casey McGehee, Neil Walker and Michael McKenry have also been white-hot.
The Pirates hitters led the Majors in home runs in June, and even though the pitchers have slowed down just a bit, the team now sits in first place in the NL Central division.
Because of that, the Zoltan sign has become the biggest rallying cry since the days of "We Are Family."
Now you see people walking around with the "Z" t-shirt, and little kids flashing the "Zoltan" sign any chance they get.
It's just a matter of time before Sally Wiggin does a piece on the phenomenon, and you see grandmas wearing the Z-shirts and flashing the sign--maybe she already has, and maybe they already have.
Who would have thought that a little sub-plot from the movie, "Dude, Where's My Car?" would be the basis for a Pirates rally symbol?
But then again, when you really think about it, how strange was it that the 1979 World Series Champion Pirates adopted the Sister Sledge disco hit "We Are Family!" as their song? Look at the main lyric: "We are Family. I got all my SISTERS with me."
And, if you really want to go there, who would have thought that a yellow dish towel would someday become the universal symbol of excellence for the six-time Super Bowl Champion Pittsburgh Steelers?
You just never know what a team and a fan base will latch onto, but when they do, it's best to just get the heck out of the way.
It might not make sense now, but it will someday in the future if "Zoltan" is forever attached to the World Series Champion Pittsburgh Pirates.
Ashton Kutcher could throw out the first pitch for the twenty year anniversary celebration.
ZOLTAN!
Friday, July 6, 2012
Steelers Training Camp Just 19 Days Away!
It's that time of year again. Well, almost that time of year: The Pittsburgh Steelers are less than three weeks away from arriving at St. Vincent College in Latrobe, Pa. to start the journey towards another awesome (hopefully) Steelers season.
As always, there are many questions surrounding the Pittsburgh Steelers with 2012 season just around the corner.
For starters, how quickly will Ben Roethlisberger and the rest of the Steelers offense adapt to new offensive coordinator Todd Haley's playbook?
Will Roethlisberger get along with Haley as well as he did with old buddy Bruce Arians? Well, maybe that's a stupid question. Better yet, how well will the two be able to co-exist?
Is Haley as crazy as fans of his former employers say he is?
Will Mike Wallace actually report to Latrobe on time, or will the restricted free agent receiver continue his hold-out?
Will the Steelers' young and talented offensive line, led by first round draft choice David DeCastro, live up to the hype, or will there be major growing-pains?
On the defensive front, will defensive end Ziggy Hood make the leap from promising 2009 first round draft choice to bona fide Aaron Smith replacement, or will 2011 first round pick Cam Heyward leap-frog Hood and start in Smith's place?
Does Casey Hampton have another year left in him after having offseason knee surgery?
Will Keenan Lewis, Cortez Allen and Curtis Brown build on their promising 2011 campaigns and make the number one passing defense from a year ago even better?
Will we actually miss William Gay? If so, that would be really ironic.
After making three Super Bowls since 2005, has the window closed on this awesome era of Steelers football, or is there still an opportunity for another Lombardi, or at least a serious run at one?
I don't know the answers to any of these questions, but the answers will start to take shape in just 19 days.
I can't wait!
As always, there are many questions surrounding the Pittsburgh Steelers with 2012 season just around the corner.
For starters, how quickly will Ben Roethlisberger and the rest of the Steelers offense adapt to new offensive coordinator Todd Haley's playbook?
Will Roethlisberger get along with Haley as well as he did with old buddy Bruce Arians? Well, maybe that's a stupid question. Better yet, how well will the two be able to co-exist?
Is Haley as crazy as fans of his former employers say he is?
Will Mike Wallace actually report to Latrobe on time, or will the restricted free agent receiver continue his hold-out?
Will the Steelers' young and talented offensive line, led by first round draft choice David DeCastro, live up to the hype, or will there be major growing-pains?
On the defensive front, will defensive end Ziggy Hood make the leap from promising 2009 first round draft choice to bona fide Aaron Smith replacement, or will 2011 first round pick Cam Heyward leap-frog Hood and start in Smith's place?
Does Casey Hampton have another year left in him after having offseason knee surgery?
Will Keenan Lewis, Cortez Allen and Curtis Brown build on their promising 2011 campaigns and make the number one passing defense from a year ago even better?
Will we actually miss William Gay? If so, that would be really ironic.
After making three Super Bowls since 2005, has the window closed on this awesome era of Steelers football, or is there still an opportunity for another Lombardi, or at least a serious run at one?
I don't know the answers to any of these questions, but the answers will start to take shape in just 19 days.
I can't wait!
The Pirates Made a Statement with Their Four-game Sweep of the Astros
Last Sunday, I really wanted the Pirates to finish off a three-game sweep of the Cardinals in St. Louis because I thought it would be a great statement to make to the rest of the National League.
Unfortunately, the Pirates couldn't finish off the three game sweep as they fell, 5-4. All-in-all, not bad to go into St. Louis and take two of three from a perennial contender, but, man, that sweep sure would have been nice.
However, I think the Pirates did make a statement this week when they swept a four-game series from the lowly Houston Astros at PNC Park. You might be thinking, "How is that a statement? The Astros are pathetic."
Yes, they are, but the message that the Pirates sent with the sweep is that this team is head and shoulders above the Cubs and Astros of the world.
Last season, during the Pirates epic collapse in early August, they were swept out of PNC Park by the bottom-dwelling Cubs and Padres in a seven-game home-stand. And not only did the Buccos lose every game, they looked pretty out-classed the entire week.
It was a clear indicator that the young team wasn't quite there just yet.
I don't know when or if the 2012 version of the Pittsburgh Pirates will come back down to reality, but if they do, I don't think they'll land on the same turf as the likes of the Cubs and Astros.
These Pirates are better than that.
Unfortunately, the Pirates couldn't finish off the three game sweep as they fell, 5-4. All-in-all, not bad to go into St. Louis and take two of three from a perennial contender, but, man, that sweep sure would have been nice.
However, I think the Pirates did make a statement this week when they swept a four-game series from the lowly Houston Astros at PNC Park. You might be thinking, "How is that a statement? The Astros are pathetic."
Yes, they are, but the message that the Pirates sent with the sweep is that this team is head and shoulders above the Cubs and Astros of the world.
Last season, during the Pirates epic collapse in early August, they were swept out of PNC Park by the bottom-dwelling Cubs and Padres in a seven-game home-stand. And not only did the Buccos lose every game, they looked pretty out-classed the entire week.
It was a clear indicator that the young team wasn't quite there just yet.
I don't know when or if the 2012 version of the Pittsburgh Pirates will come back down to reality, but if they do, I don't think they'll land on the same turf as the likes of the Cubs and Astros.
These Pirates are better than that.
Wednesday, July 4, 2012
Zach Parise Has Signed with the Wild, and Now you can Rest Assured that Penguins Fans will Feel Betrayed!
Another offseason, another free-agent winger has snubbed the Pittsburgh Penguins. Or at least that's how the Penguins fans will probably spin it.
It has been reported that Zach Parise, the much sought after free agent forward, has agreed to a 13 year, $98 million deal with the Minnesota Wild.
Just like in past years, the Penguins and their fans had high hopes of landing a top winger for Sidney Crosby. In this case, the high hopes were based on the friendship between Crosby and Parise.
Well, as I blogged about the other day, the NHL is a business, and about 99% of the time, professional athletes are going to sign for the top dollar. And that's exactly what Parise did.
If my math is correct, the deal will average a little over $7.5 million a season. With the Penguins just inking Crosby to a 12 year, $104.4 million deal, and with Evgeni Malkin up for free agency in a couple of years, there was just no way the Penguins were going to be able to land a top free agent unless he was willing to take a discount.
Speaking of almost impossibilities. There is just no way Penguins fans WILL NOT feel totally offended and betrayed by this deal.
Pens fans are naturally a defensive group, and with a recent history of free agent wingers choosing to sign with other teams, this will put them even more on the defensive.
In 2008, the Penguins acquired talented winger, and soon to be free agent, Marian Hossa at the trade deadline, and he was one of the key contributors to the team's Stanley Cup run. In fact, it was Hossa who came within a heartbeat of scoring the tying goal in Game six of the finals against Detroit at the old Mellon Arena.
In the ensuing free agency period, many Pens fans just naturally assumed that the few months that Hossa spent in Pittsburgh would be enough to make him totally loyal to the franchise. This famously wasn't true, of course. Hossa, instead, signed a one year deal with the same Detroit team that eliminated the Pens in the finals.
This REALLY didn't sit well with Penguins fans. You would have thought that Crosby left for another team, and not a guy who was only a hired gun.
And fans still haven't forgiven Hossa for this, even though they couldn't have gotten any sweeter revenge than they did a year later when the Penguins defeated Hossa and the Wings in a rematch of the Stanley Cup finals. In fact, just last year, I was at a local Pittsburgh mall, and I saw a piece of memorabilia that referred to Hossa as "Mary Ann Hossa."
Talk about holding a grudge.
Last summer, Jaromir Jagr, a talented winger famous for his spurning ways, spurned the Pens by, sort of, leading his former team into thinking that he would return to finish out his career here. Instead, he signed with the hated Philadelphia Flyers and, more than likely, permanently cemented his legacy as a Pittsburgh sports villain.
The perceived Parise snubbing might be especially hard for Pens fans to take after Crosby gave the team a hometown discount by not going for a raise during his recent contract extension. The belief was that Sid did this in-order to give the Penguins flexibility in the free agent market. Also, just two weeks ago, Pittsburgh traded third-line center Jordan Staal to the Carolina Hurricanes.
But wait, there's more!
In addition to Parise, the Wild also signed the other top free agent and Pens target, defenseman Ryan Suter, to the same 13 year, $98 million deal.
So not only didn't the Penguins get either of the top free agents, they lost another talented player in a trade.
It hasn't been the best offseason for the Penguins.
Much like a bride left at the altar one too many times, this latest perceived snubbing by a free agent forward could really send Pens fans over the edge. It doesn't matter that Parise had ties to Minnesota beings that he lived there as a kid, or that he had ties with the Devils because, you know, he was their captain and helped lead them to the Stanley Cup finals, the only thing the Pens fans will focus on is his friendship with Crosby. That tie should have been enough to sway him to come to Pittsburgh.
I'm sure the fans will express their displeasure with Parise by displaying signs at the Consol Energy Center in the upcoming season(s). I don't know exactly what these signs will have written on them, but here are a couple of ideas to get the ball rolling:
"Zach Pariah!"
"Hey, Sid, with friends like that, who needs enemies?"
Maybe the Penguins should just stay the heck away from free agent wingers.
It has been reported that Zach Parise, the much sought after free agent forward, has agreed to a 13 year, $98 million deal with the Minnesota Wild.
Just like in past years, the Penguins and their fans had high hopes of landing a top winger for Sidney Crosby. In this case, the high hopes were based on the friendship between Crosby and Parise.
Well, as I blogged about the other day, the NHL is a business, and about 99% of the time, professional athletes are going to sign for the top dollar. And that's exactly what Parise did.
If my math is correct, the deal will average a little over $7.5 million a season. With the Penguins just inking Crosby to a 12 year, $104.4 million deal, and with Evgeni Malkin up for free agency in a couple of years, there was just no way the Penguins were going to be able to land a top free agent unless he was willing to take a discount.
Speaking of almost impossibilities. There is just no way Penguins fans WILL NOT feel totally offended and betrayed by this deal.
Pens fans are naturally a defensive group, and with a recent history of free agent wingers choosing to sign with other teams, this will put them even more on the defensive.
In 2008, the Penguins acquired talented winger, and soon to be free agent, Marian Hossa at the trade deadline, and he was one of the key contributors to the team's Stanley Cup run. In fact, it was Hossa who came within a heartbeat of scoring the tying goal in Game six of the finals against Detroit at the old Mellon Arena.
In the ensuing free agency period, many Pens fans just naturally assumed that the few months that Hossa spent in Pittsburgh would be enough to make him totally loyal to the franchise. This famously wasn't true, of course. Hossa, instead, signed a one year deal with the same Detroit team that eliminated the Pens in the finals.
This REALLY didn't sit well with Penguins fans. You would have thought that Crosby left for another team, and not a guy who was only a hired gun.
And fans still haven't forgiven Hossa for this, even though they couldn't have gotten any sweeter revenge than they did a year later when the Penguins defeated Hossa and the Wings in a rematch of the Stanley Cup finals. In fact, just last year, I was at a local Pittsburgh mall, and I saw a piece of memorabilia that referred to Hossa as "Mary Ann Hossa."
Talk about holding a grudge.
Last summer, Jaromir Jagr, a talented winger famous for his spurning ways, spurned the Pens by, sort of, leading his former team into thinking that he would return to finish out his career here. Instead, he signed with the hated Philadelphia Flyers and, more than likely, permanently cemented his legacy as a Pittsburgh sports villain.
The perceived Parise snubbing might be especially hard for Pens fans to take after Crosby gave the team a hometown discount by not going for a raise during his recent contract extension. The belief was that Sid did this in-order to give the Penguins flexibility in the free agent market. Also, just two weeks ago, Pittsburgh traded third-line center Jordan Staal to the Carolina Hurricanes.
But wait, there's more!
In addition to Parise, the Wild also signed the other top free agent and Pens target, defenseman Ryan Suter, to the same 13 year, $98 million deal.
So not only didn't the Penguins get either of the top free agents, they lost another talented player in a trade.
It hasn't been the best offseason for the Penguins.
Much like a bride left at the altar one too many times, this latest perceived snubbing by a free agent forward could really send Pens fans over the edge. It doesn't matter that Parise had ties to Minnesota beings that he lived there as a kid, or that he had ties with the Devils because, you know, he was their captain and helped lead them to the Stanley Cup finals, the only thing the Pens fans will focus on is his friendship with Crosby. That tie should have been enough to sway him to come to Pittsburgh.
I'm sure the fans will express their displeasure with Parise by displaying signs at the Consol Energy Center in the upcoming season(s). I don't know exactly what these signs will have written on them, but here are a couple of ideas to get the ball rolling:
"Zach Pariah!"
"Hey, Sid, with friends like that, who needs enemies?"
Maybe the Penguins should just stay the heck away from free agent wingers.
Monday, July 2, 2012
Will Zach Parise Really Come Play with his Buddy, Sidney Crosby, or Will He go for the Top Dollar?
Free Agency began in the NHL at noon yesterday, and there is great speculation as to whether the Pittsburgh Penguins can land star winger, Zach Parise.
The Penguins appear to be one of the front-runners because of the friendship between Parise and Pens star, Sidney Crosby.
Many have said that Crosby purposely didn't go for the mega-raise he certainly would have received in his contract extension last week because he wanted to land a player the caliber of Parise.
Now, Penguins fans are getting their hopes up that Parise will come to Pittsburgh and finally be the winger that Crosby has desired his entire career.
If I was a Pens fan, however, I wouldn't be setting my hopes very high. It's a cliche, but the NHL is a business, and Parise may be buddies with Sid the Kid, but, if he really does come to Pittsburgh, I doubt the friendship will have much to do with it. Parise will come to Pittsburgh and play for the Penguins if he feels that it's the right fit for him.
And not to sound like a cynic, but with most athletes, best fit=most lucrative contract.
A year ago at this time, Pens fans everywhere were ready to bury the hatchet with old friend Jaromir Jagr when it looked like the veteran winger could return to Pittsburgh after 10 seasons. Jagr had his best years in Pittsburgh. He won two Stanley Cup titles early in his career with the Penguins, and then he became the face of the team and won several scoring titles after Mario Lemieux's first retirement following the '96/'97 season.
It seemed all too perfect. And it was.
Instead of signing with the Pens, Jagr signed with the hated Philadelphia Flyers, and the fans felt betrayed, once again, by the controversial star, because they believed that he led Mario into thinking he was all but back.
Maybe Jagr did lead people on, but maybe the fans were just expecting and assuming too much based on a past relationship. At the end of the day, what Jagr did was sign with the team that offered him the most money.
We have to remember, Parise owes the Penguins nothing. This is just a hunch, but my money is on him signing with the team that offers him the most money.
It is a business for the players, too.
The Penguins appear to be one of the front-runners because of the friendship between Parise and Pens star, Sidney Crosby.
Many have said that Crosby purposely didn't go for the mega-raise he certainly would have received in his contract extension last week because he wanted to land a player the caliber of Parise.
Now, Penguins fans are getting their hopes up that Parise will come to Pittsburgh and finally be the winger that Crosby has desired his entire career.
If I was a Pens fan, however, I wouldn't be setting my hopes very high. It's a cliche, but the NHL is a business, and Parise may be buddies with Sid the Kid, but, if he really does come to Pittsburgh, I doubt the friendship will have much to do with it. Parise will come to Pittsburgh and play for the Penguins if he feels that it's the right fit for him.
And not to sound like a cynic, but with most athletes, best fit=most lucrative contract.
A year ago at this time, Pens fans everywhere were ready to bury the hatchet with old friend Jaromir Jagr when it looked like the veteran winger could return to Pittsburgh after 10 seasons. Jagr had his best years in Pittsburgh. He won two Stanley Cup titles early in his career with the Penguins, and then he became the face of the team and won several scoring titles after Mario Lemieux's first retirement following the '96/'97 season.
It seemed all too perfect. And it was.
Instead of signing with the Pens, Jagr signed with the hated Philadelphia Flyers, and the fans felt betrayed, once again, by the controversial star, because they believed that he led Mario into thinking he was all but back.
Maybe Jagr did lead people on, but maybe the fans were just expecting and assuming too much based on a past relationship. At the end of the day, what Jagr did was sign with the team that offered him the most money.
We have to remember, Parise owes the Penguins nothing. This is just a hunch, but my money is on him signing with the team that offers him the most money.
It is a business for the players, too.
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