Do you know that they're done playing hockey?
Pittsburgh won the Stanley Cup. It was their fourth.
At the same time Cleveland, Pittsburgh's near neighbor 133 miles to the northwest, won its last championship, Pittsburgh was the sports pits. The "Penguins" were hatched in 1967, the "Pirates" had an uneventful decade after their miracle 1960 World Series, the "Steelers" began the decade with a 5-6-1 record and finished it 1-13, and for the University of Pittsburgh "Panthers," the 1960's were a time to forget-which painfully I cannot forget.
My father inflicted Pitt tackle football on me and my younger brother, inflicted the "Pirates" on us; thank God dad didn't like pro football, but I found "Penguins" hockey all on my own.
The "Pens" were awful. Stupid powder blue uniforms, stupid flightless bird wearing steelworker gloves and ice skates logo; nobody cared, Pittsburgh was not a hockey town, nobody went to the games, they had constant financial problems, it was miserable; they were miserable, going to games was miserable. The "Penguins" continued being awful and unsupported, they declared bankruptcy in 1975, during the decade when Pittsburgh entered its sports golden era and became the "City of Champions;" they continued being awful through the 1980's. The "Penguins" seemingly were forever awful and destined to move to Hamilton, Ontario or someplace.
Few can conceive, therefore, my wonder that the Pittsburgh "Penguins" won the Stanley Cup in 1991; when, going back to Western Pennsylvania on visits, I drove those country roads and saw coal miners' houses bedecked with "Penguins" regalia. Transformed into igloos.
Are you frigging kidding me?
Mario Lemieux was the "Penguins" first superstar. A Quebecois from Montreal, Lemieux joined the "Penguins" in 1984. This was no LeBron James instant transformation. For five years Lemieux paid tuition into Pittsburgh hockey's school-of-hard-knocks before winning the first Stanley Cup.
Another Stanley Cup followed in 1992, Oh yeah, back-to-back Stanley Cups for the "Pens," yeah, I expected that.
On January 12, 1993 Mario Lemieux announced that he had been diagnosed with Hodgkin's lymphoma.
Is this hockey or Shakespeare?
It was inconceivable. Once before, a Quebecois from Montreal had been poised to transform Pittsburgh into a hockey town and that benighted franchise into a Stanley Cup champion. To this day, Pittsburgh mourns the death of Michel Briere.
Pittsburgh won the Stanley Cup. It was their fourth.
At the same time Cleveland, Pittsburgh's near neighbor 133 miles to the northwest, won its last championship, Pittsburgh was the sports pits. The "Penguins" were hatched in 1967, the "Pirates" had an uneventful decade after their miracle 1960 World Series, the "Steelers" began the decade with a 5-6-1 record and finished it 1-13, and for the University of Pittsburgh "Panthers," the 1960's were a time to forget-which painfully I cannot forget.
My father inflicted Pitt tackle football on me and my younger brother, inflicted the "Pirates" on us; thank God dad didn't like pro football, but I found "Penguins" hockey all on my own.
The "Pens" were awful. Stupid powder blue uniforms, stupid flightless bird wearing steelworker gloves and ice skates logo; nobody cared, Pittsburgh was not a hockey town, nobody went to the games, they had constant financial problems, it was miserable; they were miserable, going to games was miserable. The "Penguins" continued being awful and unsupported, they declared bankruptcy in 1975, during the decade when Pittsburgh entered its sports golden era and became the "City of Champions;" they continued being awful through the 1980's. The "Penguins" seemingly were forever awful and destined to move to Hamilton, Ontario or someplace.
Few can conceive, therefore, my wonder that the Pittsburgh "Penguins" won the Stanley Cup in 1991; when, going back to Western Pennsylvania on visits, I drove those country roads and saw coal miners' houses bedecked with "Penguins" regalia. Transformed into igloos.
Are you frigging kidding me?
Mario Lemieux was the "Penguins" first superstar. A Quebecois from Montreal, Lemieux joined the "Penguins" in 1984. This was no LeBron James instant transformation. For five years Lemieux paid tuition into Pittsburgh hockey's school-of-hard-knocks before winning the first Stanley Cup.
Another Stanley Cup followed in 1992, Oh yeah, back-to-back Stanley Cups for the "Pens," yeah, I expected that.
On January 12, 1993 Mario Lemieux announced that he had been diagnosed with Hodgkin's lymphoma.
Is this hockey or Shakespeare?
It was inconceivable. Once before, a Quebecois from Montreal had been poised to transform Pittsburgh into a hockey town and that benighted franchise into a Stanley Cup champion. To this day, Pittsburgh mourns the death of Michel Briere.
Would it happen again? Was Pittsburgh to be a two-hit wonder hockey champion returned to oblivion by Mario Lemieux' cancer? No. Lemieux returned (that same season, in fact, 1992-93!), management had invested heavily in players, surrounding Lemieux with talent that inoculated against oblivion, and the team continued its run of excellence although the Stanley Cup parades went on extended hiatus.
In April, 1997 Mario Lemieux announced his retirement due to health, effective season's end. A year and one-half later the Pittsburgh "Penguins" filed for bankruptcy. Again. Après moi le déluge? Just about.
This time bankruptcy was not caused by lack of support but financial mismanagement and the stratospheric player payroll that produced the 1991 and 1992 Stanley Cups. Player salaries were deferred and Hamilton or oblivion beckoned once more
The largest creditor in 1998 was a player, Mario Lemieux. Le Magnifique, Super Mario, had delivered the team and the city its first two Stanley Cups. Now, in 1998, he delivered the franchise from bankruptcy. Mario Lemieux proposed converting $20 million of his salary owed into equity in the franchise, such was approved by the bankruptcy court and the National Hockey League, and Mario Lemieux thereby went from largest creditor to controlling shareowner, from superstar player to owner, from sports hero to regional DEMIGOD. Mario Lemieux, from Montreal, Quebec, Canada had fallen in love with the city of Pittsburgh and she with him. Till death do them part.
Mario Lemieux un-retired in 2000 and returned to the ice, becoming the first player-owner in professional sports history, but the franchise had had to sell off so many great players that the magic was gone, the team reverted to awful, the arena was ancient, creditors were once again howling at the door and...
Whilst singing "Kansas City, Kansas City, here I come," in 2005 the "Pens" were interrupted by the appearance of Sidney Crosby. First, Briere, then Lemieux, now Sidney Crosby.
There was no sudden transformation! But it didn't take as long to make the Stanley Cup finals as it did in Lemieux' day. They were there in 2007-08 again but this time lost. In their fourth season avec Sidney the "Penguins" won their third Cup. This run of excellence has continued uninterrupted, the "Penguins" have had superb season's records ever since but have always come up short in the playoffs. Until this year. On Sunday, June 14, 2016, the Pittsburgh "Penguins" won their fourth Stanley Cup. Cleveland still sucks.
The largest creditor in 1998 was a player, Mario Lemieux. Le Magnifique, Super Mario, had delivered the team and the city its first two Stanley Cups. Now, in 1998, he delivered the franchise from bankruptcy. Mario Lemieux proposed converting $20 million of his salary owed into equity in the franchise, such was approved by the bankruptcy court and the National Hockey League, and Mario Lemieux thereby went from largest creditor to controlling shareowner, from superstar player to owner, from sports hero to regional DEMIGOD. Mario Lemieux, from Montreal, Quebec, Canada had fallen in love with the city of Pittsburgh and she with him. Till death do them part.
Mario Lemieux un-retired in 2000 and returned to the ice, becoming the first player-owner in professional sports history, but the franchise had had to sell off so many great players that the magic was gone, the team reverted to awful, the arena was ancient, creditors were once again howling at the door and...
Whilst singing "Kansas City, Kansas City, here I come," in 2005 the "Pens" were interrupted by the appearance of Sidney Crosby. First, Briere, then Lemieux, now Sidney Crosby.
There was no sudden transformation! But it didn't take as long to make the Stanley Cup finals as it did in Lemieux' day. They were there in 2007-08 again but this time lost. In their fourth season avec Sidney the "Penguins" won their third Cup. This run of excellence has continued uninterrupted, the "Penguins" have had superb season's records ever since but have always come up short in the playoffs. Until this year. On Sunday, June 14, 2016, the Pittsburgh "Penguins" won their fourth Stanley Cup. Cleveland still sucks.
