Breaking Radio Silence: Documentary Fundraiser

HEY FANS!

I know I don't ever post on here anymore, it was a decision I made last year because I had no time to commit to the blog and also because there are much better Penguins bloggers out there than me. I figured I should let them do what they do best and take a back seat. I almost came back during the #saveemptynetters days when we all thought Seth might have to close up shop. Good thing it was all just a misunderstanding. If you want to check out Seth's blog, you can find the link on the right sidebar, Empty Netters.

Having said that, there is a reason for me breaking radio silence after nearly a year. FSNPittsburgh has aired a couple segments this season about Eric Naughton and his survival of cancer after being diagnosed with Hodgkin's Lymphoma several years ago.

Eric is currently working on a documentary that will show him learning how to play hockey and include lots of interviews with NHL players who have fought and overcome cancer and then returned to the game. I'm really looking forward to it!

Here is a promo trailer for the film, called "Life, Cancer, and the Pursuit of Hockey." It's going to be awesome!

If the video is cut off you can also view it here.

I met Eric back in 2009 at a Penguins/Ducks game and he is just the nicest person ever. He is a great guy.

Eric is raising funds to help cover costs involved with the film production and travel to Pittsburgh where he's developing his hockey skills in the fantasy camp the Penguins organization invited him to as their guest. Also, any money raised will hopefully also go to The Mario Lemieux Foundation and Hockey Fights Cancer.

I encourage everyone to donate, even a dollar or two, if you can. I, myself, have donated and you can even get special "perks" for certain dollar amounts like a special "Donors Edition" DVD copy of the film, signed pucks, and even a chance to play in the ASFA 2011 Fedorin Cup, a charity hockey game! If you would like to donate or want more detailed information on how to donate, visit IndieGogo. Check it out here. There are only 29 days left to donate!

Thanks for taking the time to read this. Let's go pens!

We don't need no stinkin' bunnies...

Yes. I'm back. I know it's been an entire month of me not posting.. I am sorry. There has been a lot of news, too. It's pretty sad that March only ended up with one post. You can't get much worse than that! Anyways, it's now April and that means the regular season is winding down. We have only a few games left at Mellon Arena. *tear* Ok, I'm back... Pens have clinched a spot in the playoffs which is good news. I'm ready for playoff beards! April also brings Easter. You know, that holiday with bunnies and chocolate. Well, here's something better than a giant chocolate bunny or egg: a giant chocolate Stanley Cup! It's totally awesome. Here's a video on how the good people at Hershey's made it!

Other news to celebrate, Kris Letang's big 3.5 million-dollar contract that will keep him in Pittsburgh through 2013! Since Gonchar has been out of the lineup, Kris has been seeing some serious ice time, around 26 minutes per game.

However, I hope this doesn't mean we still cannot sign Gonchar this year though. I don't want to see him go. He is such an integral part of this team and I am not ready to see him go yet. I want Sarge to retire a Penguin. He completes Brooks. He has a wicked slapslot from the blueline, is a seasoned veteran, and important presence in the locker room. He's helped Malkin connect with the team and fans. They are like bffs. Gonch, in his first game back today against Atlanta had a goal and an assist. Gonch is still playing awesome for his age and most definitely deserves a spot on our bench.

Speaking of defensemen... one of our newest additions to the team, Jordan Leopold, just scored his first goal as a penguin today with the game winner in overtime! Wooo! Good job Ray Shero!

My Little Poni

I just wanted to be the first blog to use that title. haha. I'm probably not, though.

The trade deadline came and went without anything too crazy happening. We still have Billy Guerin (all you haters must be pissed), Fedotenko, the glorious Jordan Staal, and that guy who sucks so much, Rosby? Yeah, Crosby sucks. Hmmm, I don't think so. He's too busy being awesome and admiring his gold medal. Everyone who freaked out that we would have to get rid of Malkin, Crosby, Staal or one of our defensemen because of a lack of salary cap room has little faith in Ray Shero.

We acquired Alexei Ponikarovsky from the Leafs for the great Martin Skoula and one of our top prospects, Luca Caputi. I am a bit disappointed about Caputi. He was doing awesome in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, playing with the Baby Pens. Plus, now the Morning Freakshow Luca Caputi Rap has been rendered useless now. I feel bad for poor Marty because as soon as we traded him to the Leafs, the Leafs traded him to the Devils. Does this mean Skoula has now become my enemy? Frenemy? S and B? BFF?

Today's game against the Stars will be Poni's debut and everyone's been talking about it. He's a left winger so it'll be interesting to see which line he ends up on. Everyone's been saying "he's for Sid" but I am hoping Disco Dan will do something else.

We also were able to snag denfenseman Jordan Leopold from Florida in return for a 2010 2nd round draft pick. We've already seen what he can do in our last two games. Not bad... never hurts to add a d-man who shoots left.

Lastly, we dealt D-man Chris Peluso for a 6th round draft pick. Not really in tears over that one. Chris was still playing hockey at the college level. Didn't know him; he won't be missed.

Alright, puck drop in in five to ten minutes. Let's see if we can come up with some other nicknames for Poni during the game.

Let's Go Pens!

Sid > everyone

I was never planning on blogging the Olympics because I knew it would be a huge undertaking that I wouln't be able to handle especially since I would miss most of the games due to tape delay and the fact that they were being played while I was at work. I didn't want to blog about the games way late so I just decided not to. I'm not going to write up a huge recap right now either. I just want to say that I thought the US team looked really strong this entire tourney and think they did a good job. They should be proud to say they made it to the Gold Medal game and played well. It was a tight and low-scoring game, just like I thought it would be. Be proud you medalled at all, because Russia is really kicking themselves right now. They had the talent, they just screwed up and ended up playing Canada earlier than they thought they would. As much as I hate hate hate Patrick Kane, he scored a good amount of goals over the course of the Olympics.. more than Sid, but hey, Sid is always there. He's not a flashy player, he stays in the trenches and plays the puck to teammates. Sid is there when it matters, like in overtime during the Gold Medal game to score the game winning goal. Yeah.

I am so happy the Olympics are over and we get to return to NHL games, where players fight and Mike Rupp scores hat tricks. I've missed Billy G's wisdom, Max Talbot's bad hands, Staalsy's shorties, Feds' rosy red cheeks, TK's energy, Kris Letang's sex hair, and MAF's shirtless post-game interviews in the locker room after a win. I can't wait to have Sid and Geno be reunited as the two-headed monster. I look forward to having Brooks dish out free candy to dirty Flyer players and Gonchar's wicked slapshot speed past Henrik Lundqvist on Thursday. I'm ready to have all five of our Olympians home in Pittsburgh and inside the Igloo.

Of course, I know the trade deadline Olympic freeze ends tonight and could bring hell on earth tomorrow. I hope Shero doesn't do anything completely crazy and give me a heart attack at work. Please, I don't want to die on the floor of my cubicle all alone in a building that has really shitty lighting and psychos.

A final note: I am very proud of how all our boys played in these games, but especially Sidney. He is our captain. I am so proud he wears the black and gold. We love you, Sid.

Go get 'em Tuesday!

WTF NBC

Not that we don't always have something to grip about when it comes to hockey aired on NBC, but this is just absolutely ridiculous when it comes to the Olympics. We're used to having to suffer through Pierre's long monologues before games and his "Inside the Glass" crap segments during game breaks, but this is when everyone in America is watching. This is USA Hockey's chance to show everyone how awesome of a sport hockey is and NBC is really screwing them over.

I don't know how many times NBC has cut in to a live game with only two minutes remaining in the first period. That's such bullshit. No one cares about women's curling... at least I don't.

NBC is sticking the much-hyped Canada-USA game on Sunday on CNBC. Really, NBC? That could be great for USA hockey, but no. Let's screw it up.

MAF is supposed to get the start on Sunday, so I hear, via twitter.... I can't confirm it though. That will be really exciting though. Seeing Sid wearing the A in the last game was special and great to see. He deserves it. From what I've seen, he's worked hard in these games so far, but that's not a stretch from his usual gameplay. We all know even when he gets three, he just goes for four. :)

Everyone is freaking out over Jagr's comments about being a free agent soon and how he's always talked about coming back to Pittsburgh and playing for Mario because he owes his entire hockey career to him and that he would play for the minimum salary. Makes me wonder about who the Pens would trade to get Jagr. People are hinting that maybe Feds won't make it through the deadline. We will see...

You can do it! Bela Karolyi style

The 2010 Winter Olympics opening ceremonies begin tomorrow in Vancouver. We are lucky enough to have five of our Pens representing their homeland: Sergei Gonchar and Evgeni Malkin for Team Russia, Sidney Crosby and Marc-Andre Fleury for Canada, and our fav boy from Buffalo, Free Candy, Brooks Orpik, sporting the red, white, and blue for USA.

I've got to say, Sarge dominated all of the boys in the Olympic photoshoot. He looks fierce. Sid had the most out of everyone with five, but all three of Gonch's were awesome. Sid's fierst photo is precious though. Brooks looks adorable as usual and poor Geno is just trying to get a good shot in... he got one... sort of... Fleury got one good one. I expected better photos from him with his big smile.

I can't just pick one photo of Brooks because he is just so adorable in all of his shots.

I could have easily posted the third, alright?

What a BAMF.

Congratulations to all of our Olmpians.. this should be fun to watch.

Oh wait, except we aren't going to get to watch CAN v USA on regular programming because NBC fails at life.

According to this article, NBC is choosing to air "ice dancing" (wtf is that, figure skating?) instead of hockey on the 21st. Why, you may ask?

"More women than men watch the Olympics. So chicks before sticks."

That is disgusting. I find that really insulting as a woman who loves hockey. I would rather gag myself than watch figure skating. NBC will never get it that no one who watches hockey likes figure skating... they keep trying to shove it down our throats by airing it after Sunday games, but no one cares.

Hopefully everyone here in the states gets MSNBC because that is where the game is getting pushed to. There are several game being aired on CNBC as well and I am not familiar with that station. All I know is I better get it, and in HD too.

If you'd like to see the tv schedule for all the hockey games, you can visit this link. Be sure to put in your own zip code and choose your correct cable provider.

Billy G = Leadership

Billy G = fucking Leadership One of the best things we got at the trade deadline last season was Bill Guerin from the Islanders. People said he was old and questioned what he could bring to the team. I hope all those people have shut up by now. I have a friend, a Pens fan, who still thinks Guerin sucks and swears he'll be traded. You are so wrong, man. Billy G has proven that he is a huge asset to the Penguins organization by being a leader on and off the ice. We've seen it time and time again, whether it's picking out clothes for children in need at Dick's Sporting Goods or yelling at Sidney to let others have a turn during practice, Bill Guerin is a leader.


Ray Shero gets it. Here's a quote from our trusty GM explaining how acquiring Billy has enhanced this team:

"We took a chance and all the credit goes to Billy because he proved that he still had the passion to play and he's been absolutely fantastic for our group on and off the ice."

The NHL has a nice article up on their website about veteran leaders. Billy G never gets enough credit so it's nice when people start to recognize it and see what I see. A BAMF. But he's more than that.

You can read the full article here. There also a video on that page!!! It's called "Hockey's Finest Veterans" and it's got epic music. I suggest you watch it. Besides, most of the clips are of Billy G.

Billy G, you kill me.

Billy G doesn't always score the prettiest goals, maybe some of them are garbage goals, but I'll take them... every single one.

I leave you with this, a quote written on one of the walls in the ladies' room at the Igloo.

"Through Bill Guerin, all things are possible."

And this:

I'm really glad someone else feels the same way I do.