More Pens ...

I love the Post-Gazette's sport blogs. I'm not the only youtube junkie.



I think these should have been Pens only highlights ...



The Pens are behind in the second period this evening, but it's never too late in hockey. Maybe Sid will get that elusive 50th goal tonight.

Pens last game @ the igloo

From the Pittsburgh Penguins web site: More Than 50 Former Pittsburgh Penguins Help Celebrate Final Regular-Season Game at Mellon Arena.

"The game marked the 1,667th and final regular season game played at the Arena before the Penguins move across the street to the sparkling new Consol Energy Center next season."

They won this evening with a good old-fashioned barn-burner against the Islanders; Crosby hits 50 as Penguins rout Islanders. Years ago that 7-3 score in favor of the home team would have been a "chili goal."

Let's see if they can get through round one of the playoffs and send the igloo out in style.

Super Bowl Ads

The Steeler's are not in the Super Bowl (don't get me started), but there is no denying one of the best commercials ever features "Mean Joe Green."

This evening I found this one on Yahoo's Super Bowl Ads page! The Yahoo videos were ruining the sidebar (for some odd reason) so both videos were replaced with YouTube videos.



Punxsatawney Polamalu? Oh, my ...

Tim McGraw & Terrible Towels

The new Tim McGaw song/video features live footage from the nfl kickoff game; check out the Steeler fan's with their terrible towels and a "got six" t-shirt. It almost makes me forget Tim's a Titan's fan. Well, no one's perfect.

But I work Thursday night ...

"Tim McGraw will perform an hour long set beginning at 5:30 p.m., followed by an hour long set by The Black Eyed Peas at 6:40 p.m."

"At 8 p.m., Mr. McGraw and The Peas will perform again as part of a live show being televised on NBC and the NFL Network." - NFL Announces Kickoff Concert Schedule

Sure the actual free concert is in the 'burgh on Thursday evening, but they are going to televise some of it before I get home from work. I might have to see if my VCR still works! It's Tim McGraw, for heavens sake.

Stanley Cup Champions: Pittsburgh Penguins!

Goal calls and post-game celebration featuring Hall of Fame announcer Mike Lange.

These are goal calls!

Enjoying YouTube

Now that I have my new toy and it's accompanying Internet connection, I am not as dependent upon YouTube for Penguins hockey highlights. I can listen LIVE to Mike Lange (thank you very much) on Pens radio and actually enjoy the game. However, I find I still can not help myself and do spend some time looking through available videos; this is especially true after the last three playoff games. Tomorrow evening I will be multi-tasking as I listen to the hockey game, watch Dancing with the Stars, and probably work on a presentation for Friday.

Yeah, technology.

Let's Go Pens!

Stanley Cup Playoffs

It hasn't really been a blog holiday, it just seems like one. Computer issues (my 10-year old dinosaur with win 98 and dial-up), life, and work (teaching 2 classes, preparing 2 presentations, and general craziness) have interfered with time to read let alone post reviews. The end of the term looms, a new computer is being built ... and ... it's time for the Stanley Cup playoffs.

Beware the Penguins

I won't get to see the Pens vs. Flyers tonight, but predict I will become a Columbus Blue Jacket fan as they plan the Redwings in the first round.

Steelers! Super Bowl XLIII Champs

My terrible towel is tired! It is now resting comfortably in my living room, happy to have been of service during Super Bowl XLIII last night.

I have been gleefully watching Super Bowl coverage on ESPN and ESPN2 most of the morning; what great planning to have a day off! I would more content Post-Gazette web site was not so over-run and I could read a bit of home-town sports coverage, but at this point I have made due with my bloglines feeds and the internet (slow as my dinosaur may be).

Pittsburgh Steelers Web Site

Pittsburgh Steelers
Steelers Super Bowl Appearances
Super Bowl XLIII Coverage


Pittsburgh Post Gazette

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Winning Drive was Nothing New for Big Ben
Fans Heart’s Swell after Steelers Win
Steelers Win Super Bowl no. 6 with Late Drive
They’re the Lord of the Rings
Steelers Win on Holmes Late TD Grab
Views from Arizona: Time Ran Out for Warner


Pittsburgh News Stations

KDKA: Super Steelers! Pittsburgh Tops Arizona 27-23
WTAE: Steelers Come Back, Win Super Bowl XLIII


Other Sporting News

ESPN: Super Bowl XLIII 2008
ESPN: Pittsburgh vs. Arizona - Recap
ESPN: Sixth Sense, Steelers Do It The Right Way
SI: Steelers’ Familial Atmosphere Drives Super Bowl Win
SN: Playing Cards Right, Steelers Lay Claim to Sixcess
SN: Super Strategy Went Out the Window in Frantic Finish
NYT: The Terrible Towel's Legacy

Steeler Coca-Cola Ads

The "new" Coke Zero commercial with Troy Polamalu ...

The one-and-only Mean Joe Greene, should they mess with a classic?

"Mean Troy" behind the scenes in the Coke Zero Ad.

Pittsburgh's goin' to the Super Bowl

"It's a great day for hockey"

The end is bitter sweet

Once the game was over, Penguin's fans proved what a great sports town Pittsburgh really is by cheering for their players and politely applauding the cup. At that point, I turned off the television; the one thing I could not watch was members of the Red Wings lifting the Stanley Cup at Mellon Arena. It was such an abrupt ending to a great season, I could understand the Penguin players sitting on the ice with disbelief, disappointment, and exhaustion warring on their faces.

Robert Dvorchak summed it up nicely in his article, Penguins dream season ends in 3-2 loss to Detroit.

"Just like that, it's over. No more comebacks, no more sacrifices, no more hockey parties for this season, no seventh game in Detroit."- R. Dvorchak, Post-Gazette, 6/5/08

Thanks for the great ride, Pens! See you next year.

• Pittsburgh Penguins official team website
• Empty Netters
• Pain of being bridesmain tough for Penguins to handle
• Penguins' dream season ends in 3-2 loss
• Post-Gazette Sports, NHL
• Despite Cup run, Penguins must change
• Penguins go down fighting

Penguins @ Redwings
Game 5 Stanley Cup Finals Game Winner

Penguins @ Redwings 6/2/08
Game 5, Petr Sykora OT Winner
Call by Mike Lange!

One more game ...

Prior to Monday night's exciting Stanley Cup marathon game, one of the annoying announcers for NBC/VS "interviewed" Pittsburgh Penguin Sergei Gonchar. In what could be the understatement of the year, Sergei responded to the inquiry regarding what the defenseman could do to help score more goals in the game by calmly replying, "We have to shoot the puck more."

Thank you, Sergei, for not only stating the obvious, but also not smacking Pierre up side his bald head for asking such an idiotic question. (Yes, my irony light is shining brightly.)

From Dave Molinari's article Penguins again start at elimination in today's Post-Gazette:

"Sykora put the exclamation point on a performance that, regardless of how the series plays out, will rank among the most inspired -- and inspiring -- in franchise history."

"But the Penguins didn't win only because Sykora found a way to score his first goal in nine games."

"They won because:

• Max Talbot pushed the game past regulation by scoring 34.3 seconds before the Red Wings were supposed to begin celebrating their 11th Cup.
• Marc-Andre Fleury found a way to reject 55 shots, including a left-skate stop on Mikael Samuelsson that rivals any big-game save made by a Penguins goalie.
• An underrated defense corps found a way to overcome the absence of its cornerstone, Sergei Gonchar, who missed about half the game with an apparent back injury before coming back to assist on Sykora's winning goal.
• Ryan Malone didn't think that having a Hal Gill slap shot slam off his already-broken nose was reason to skip more than a shift or two.
• Brooks Orpik put his body in front of 10 shots and threw it into at least five Red Wings.
• Evgeni Malkin showed a few flashes that suggested he might be morphing into, well, Evgeni Malkin.
• Ryan Whitney, after a mostly forgettable season, turned in 50 minutes and 46 seconds of excellence in what might prove to be his coming-of-age performance as an elite defenseman."

"And the Penguins won because so many gave so much for so long." - Dave Molanari, Post-Gazette, 6/4/08

On to game six. I work the evening shift tomorrow, they can play as long as their little hearts desire and can stand.

I'll be watching - and cheering - and making my neighbors nuts.

Shoot (the puck)

My vacation is officially at an end; I have previewed, read, and deleted work email. Tomorrow I will be attending one day of a two day retreat near Columbus and will have limited time to catch up on electronic communications. With luck I will get home in time to see game five of the Stanley Cup finals - Pens verses Wings. Things look bleak, it does indeed appear the Wings are simply a better team, but I can not abandon the boys of winter now!

If they would shoot the puck ...

After a weekend of the local FSN station showing Stanley Cup finals from 90-91 and 91-92, the similarities between those two teams and the current Pens are striking, right down to the limited number of shots on goal and outstanding play by the goalies (though never a big fan of Barasso, he was definitely key).

• Post-Gazette: Penguins
• Empty Netters (blog)
• Hudler's 3rd Period Goal ends home playoff win-streak at 10
• Power play more like power outage
• Odds catch up with Penguins at home
• Talbot's frustrations palpable after loss

On a lighter note, check out the article about the "keeper of the cup" in The life of the Stanley Cup. I knew the cup ended up at the bottom of Mario's swimming pool, but did not know they had to use duct tape to keep it together after the incident.

Let's go Pens!

Beware the Penguins!

Perusing the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette for Penguins news before gleefully fleeing the building for lunch, I took a few minutes to read the Empty Netter's blog post First One's There. Towards the bottom of the post is a link to the Detroit News cyber quiz: All about penguins. And Penguins. I got four out of seven, nothing to brag about here, but embedded within the quiz was a YouTube video from Bud Ice, Beware the Penguins.

I had forgotten how hysterical these spots were, especially the one based upon the movie When a Stranger Calls ("the calls are coming from inside the house!). Without further ado, or should I say doobi, doobi, do, here are a few of the classics - Beware the Penguins!

Bud Ice Penguin - When a Stranger Calls

Bud Ice Penguin - 1996 Commercial

Bud Ice Penguin Farmhouse

Will I have to get Versus?

For the first time in years, I believe it is 16 or 17 (will have to look that tidbit of information up for verification), the Pittsburgh Penguins are headed to the Stanley Cup Finals! Yes, I do remember seeing the first Stanley Cup win against the then Minnesota North Stars. Interestingly enough, that team franchise is now the Dallas Stars, one of the two teams left competing for the finals. What fun to have a full circle and play Dallas.

Once the Indians finished playing baseball yesterday afternoon, I was able to view the end of the second period and all of the third yesterday afternoon on NBC. Even having to listen to the bozo announcers (could Mike Milbury be more annoying? think maybe he coached at Boston and NY when the Pens were dominant with Lemeuix and company? maybe someday the word "embellished" will be removed from his vocabulary.... but, I digress) was enjoyable to watch.

First, the calls on YouTube:

Pens and Geno Crush Flyers! Reach Cup Final! May 18, 2008

PHI vs PIT (Game 5, 5-18-08) (Malkin Scores)
... It's Mike Lange

And, just because I can, a third clip ...

Top Ten Mike Lange Signature Calls

Last, but not least, here are a few links to articles about yesterday's games:

• Penguins get early jump and float to finals
• Penguins head to NHL Stanley Cup Finals after Rout of Flyers
• Penguins: Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
• Can't touch Sid the Kid for Playoff excellence
• Comforts of Home Adding Up for Malone
• Pens Rout Flyers: Punch Ticket to Stanley Cup Finals

And I promise, even with tonight being the Dancing with the Stars two-part season finale, I do have two juvenile book posts in the wings.

Pens vs Flyers, game 3

Apologies to non-hockey fans .... Woo-hooo! The Pens have a three games to none lead over the hated Flyers. Some day, maybe actually in my lifetime, ESPN will take a break from their copious coverage of NBA to actually show Stanley Cup Playoff highlights. Until then, YouTube seems to be the highlight video resource of choice for displaced Pen's fans without VS.

YouTube: Mike Lange: Malkin Playoff Goal 8 (shg)

YouTube: Highlights: Penguins vs Flyers Game 3 2008 Playoffs

Links to Penguins 2008 Stanley Cup Coverage:

• Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Penguins Page
• Road, Sweet Road: Hossa Scores Two Goals as Penguins Top Flyers
• Post-Gazette Multimedia: Penguins Post Game
• Official Pittsburgh Penguins Playoff Page
• Penguins Down Flyers to Close (in) on Stanley Cup Final
• Pens Too Mighty: Beating Flyers in all Phases of the Game
  

Penguins Hockey & MIKE LANGE

After bemoaning the local Cleveland NBC affiliate for showing the Indians and Yankees instead of the Stanley Cup Playoffs, I was thrilled to enjoy the third period of yesterday afternoon's game once baseball had finished. What were they thinking? It's playoff time! In Pittsburgh Post-Gazette online this morning I found the regular plethora of articles by the sports writers and a blog, Empty Netters. Within the blog were several things that caught my attention.

Mike Lange Belongs on TV!

Well, duh. We all knew that; check out the web site & sign the petition.

From YouTube: Mike Lange Audio: Staal Playoff Goal 2, 2nd period verses Rangers

And there's more ....

Mike Lange Audio: Hall Playoff goal1, 3rd Period vs Rangers

Back to my regularly scheduled, though somewhat erratic of late, blogging.