Scoop Cooper: A puzzlement in Pittsburgh

The "dignity" you speak so freely about is the equilavent of toilet paper doing its job. I have never been so insulted with your comments.

An apology is in order.

The "dignity" you speak so freely about is the equilavent of toilet paper doing its job. I have never been so insulted with your comments.

An apology is in order.
- Daman

^^

Is this Mario Lemieux talking to Gary Bettman?

The "dignity" you speak so freely about is the equilavent of toilet paper doing its job. I have never been so insulted with your comments.

An apology is in order.
- Daman

You mad, bro?

Scoop Cooper: A puzzlement in Pittsburgh
- iScoop

Great stuff Coop!

The times, they are a changin'

I've never really had a personal opinion about Crosby outside of appreciation for his skills, but after yesterday - both during and after the game - I have zero respect for the guy. He came across like a completely immature punk, and certainly undeserving of a leadership position on any team.

I've never really had a personal opinion about Crosby outside of appreciation for his skills, but after yesterday - both during and after the game - I have zero respect for the guy. He came across like a completely immature punk, and certainly undeserving of a leadership position on any team.
- MMMikey

Calling Crosby a punk is like calling Chara large or like calling me intelligent.

These are obvious things.

I realize what I"m about to say may not be the majority opinion, and that's fine.

I think the NHL should be embarrassed about how the games have gone so far. The Playoffs are supposed to be about great, intense hockey. Many games have devolved into MMA on Ice. In my opinion, the events we've seen in some of these games is what holds hockey back as a sport.

That said, the NHL and NHLPA need to decide what they want their game to be. The very suspendable and bloodsport-like actions are the very things you'll see promoted on NHL.com. I'm guessing that decision won't be made until after the ceremony where someone's number is retired posthumously after it finally goes too far.

I don't watch the game to see people beat each other up. If I wanted that, I'd watch boxing, the WWF, or the UFC. I watch to see a game that is both graceful and intense and cleanly physical.

I like hockey -- and what we've been seeing barely qualifies.

Scoop: What did Crosby say after the game? I missed that.

I realize what I"m about to say may not be the majority opinion, and that's fine.

I think the NHL should be embarrassed about how the games have gone so far. The Playoffs are supposed to be about great, intense hockey. Many games have devolved into MMA on Ice. In my opinion, the events we've seen in some of these games is what holds hockey back as a sport.

That said, the NHL and NHLPA need to decide what they want their game to be. The very suspendable and bloodsport-like actions are the very things you'll see promoted on NHL.com. I'm guessing that decision won't be made until after the ceremony where someone's number is retired posthumously after it finally goes too far.

I don't watch the game to see people beat each other up. If I wanted that, I'd watch boxing, the WWF, or the UFC. I watch to see a game that is both graceful and intense and cleanly physical.

I like hockey -- and what we've been seeing barely qualifies.
- BluesFan44

Well said. The Weber incident was grotesque. Hartnell saying, "There will be blood" was unnecessary and should have been a fine IMHO and how PIT finished the game was shameful. to your comment

Y'know everyone loves to talk about Crosby & Malkin being these angelic figures of pure hockey skill... but the Pens S#!? stinks just like every hockey team's.

Remember this is the team that employs guys like Matt Cooke. Orpik, Asham and Kunitz are known as gritty players but they have histories of being guilty of some really dirty, nasty plays.

Understand I do not think that the Pens are an especially dirty team, but they are just as dirty as everyone else and because of their star power they tend to get away with a lot more. Let's stop being so surprised.

As far as their play, this reminds me of what happened with Mario & Jagr's Pens. They became this great offensive minded team that could not play D to save their life. Who's missing from their cup run? Hall Gill? Rob Scudari? Max Talbot? The team doesn't have faith in Fleury? Fleury doesn't have faith in that team's D.

Well said. The Weber incident was grotesque. Hartnell saying, "There will be blood" was unnecessary and should have been a fine IMHO and how PIT finished the game was shameful. to your comment
- coffee junkie

What Hartnell said was nothing short of the truth and it was in jest. Next time he should use the word...WAR...
Overall the NHLPA should be embarrassed along with the NHL because they is no respect for each other.

Y'know everyone loves to talk about Crosby & Malkin being these angelic figures of pure hockey skill... but the Pens S#!? stinks just like every hockey team's.

Remember this is the team that employs guys like Matt Cooke. Orpik, Asham and Kunitz are known as gritty players but they have histories of being guilty of some really dirty, nasty plays.

Understand I do not think that the Pens are an especially dirty team, but they are just as dirty as everyone else and because of their star power they tend to get away with a lot more. Let's stop being so surprised.

As far as their play, this reminds me of what happened with Mario & Jagr's Pens. They became this great offensive minded team that could not play D to save their life. Who's missing from their cup run? Hall Gill? Rob Scudari? Max Talbot? The team doesn't have faith in Fleury? Fleury doesn't have faith in that team's D.
- flyler

After rewatching yesterday's game and knowing how it would play out I paid more attention to the way James Neal plays and I would add him to that list. He took more illegal shots at guys after the play had passed by and after the whistle, he even has the Pitt-dive down pretty well also. He seems to fit in with the likes of Cooke, Asham and Kunitz. He just hadn't developed the name until yesterday ( aside from his suspension as a Star ).

The times, they are a changin'
- wolfos412

nice onrait avatar

Scoop: What did Crosby say after the game? I missed that.
- Brad Ratgen

paraphrasing here but: "I don't like their team. I don't like anybody on their team, i don't like them."

reporter: " why don't you like them"
crosby: Cause i just don't, you saw all the stuff out their today."

crosby: " Yeah, I shot his glove away. What was i supposed do.......... Skate away?! Yeah, well i didn't

You know what? I actually liked the fact that Crosby said what he did. It has nothing to do with what he said at all though. It's more of the fact that it is the first "real" thing he's said to the media in a LONG long time. I hate listening to him talk before because I felt that I could never actually believe a word he was saying. Like with a GM before the trade deadline, everyone has to read between the lines to get at what he is really thinking and that just is boring. It's the Wayne Gretzky syndrome because kids who know are going to be in the NHL are trained around the time of puberty in how to talk to the media and it's BORING! The more JR like comments the better.

As far as the game goes, I love the fighting and rough stuff going on. The NHL is the only sport that markets away from its prime selling point and that is the hatred towards other teams. Fans love it, players love it, media love it. The goody two shoes of the world can't stand it because in their world they don't see it as politically correct and in often cases try to compare it to real life. Hockey is not real life... you can't compare dropping the gloves on the ice to getting into a fight while walking down the street.

With the cheapshots,this is why Mr. Mark Howe wanted the instigator taken out of the game. When the NHL fails to draw a proper course of action, the players take it upon themselves to do it. The scariest thing from the game in Philly was what Neal was doing, going after the rookie and then the flyers best player. It was an incredibly STUPID thing to do when you have Crosby and Malkin on your team. When you take obvious runs at the other team's best players, you're inviting that team to take runs at yours. That's where the line needs to be drawn

You know what? I actually liked the fact that Crosby said what he did. It has nothing to do with what he said at all though. It's more of the fact that it is the first "real" thing he's said to the media in a LONG long time. I hate listening to him talk before because I felt that I could never actually believe a word he was saying. Like with a GM before the trade deadline, everyone has to read between the lines to get at what he is really thinking and that just is boring. It's the Wayne Gretzky syndrome because kids who know are going to be in the NHL are trained around the time of puberty in how to talk to the media and it's BORING! The more JR like comments the better.

As far as the game goes, I love the fighting and rough stuff going on. The NHL is the only sport that markets away from its prime selling point and that is the hatred towards other teams. Fans love it, players love it, media love it. The goody two shoes of the world can't stand it because in their world they don't see it as politically correct and in often cases try to compare it to real life. Hockey is not real life... you can't compare dropping the gloves on the ice to getting into a fight while walking down the street.

With the cheapshots,this is why Mr. Mark Howe wanted the instigator taken out of the game. When the NHL fails to draw a proper course of action, the players take it upon themselves to do it. The scariest thing from the game in Philly was what Neal was doing, going after the rookie and then the flyers best player. It was an incredibly STUPID thing to do when you have Crosby and Malkin on your team. When you take obvious runs at the other team's best players, you're inviting that team to take runs at yours. That's where the line needs to be drawn
- MasWE

Totally agree. Playoffs have been fantastic so far. And the rivalries are a great thing -- perhaps some of the teams aren't used to it (who *don't* we have a rivalry with in Toronto?), but I for one think it's a great for the sport when the teams actually have a hate on for each other.