icedog97

"Penguins Hockeybuzz Blog"

Pittsburgh, PA • United States • 48 Years Old • Male

Final Thoughts

I have read a lot of comments lately...many unhappy "non Penguin" fans out there.

A lot of them are angry at Sid for the "Handshake Debacle".

Honestly...I think Sid should have been at the front of the line and he wasn't. Shame on him for that. He was clearly too caught up in the moment.

Do I think he PURPOSEFULLY skipped certain players...NO. I do think he should have been the first guy though...like the captain is supposed to be.

I like the way Lidstrom handled it with the media...he stayed true to form...and didn't bash anybody.

Draper on the other hand...sheesh. I know he thought it was disrespectful to Lidstrom...but I guess he thought he was doing the classy thing by bringing it up to the media, right? I mean...maybe he could have shown some class himself and contacted Crosby personally to yell at him if he wanted. Seriously...it seems like Draper just wanted to get in one last public jab...and Sid set him up with a onetimer in the slot.

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I know a lot of Wings fans are unhappy with the results. They still feel they have the SUPERIOR team.

I know that feeling all too well. I watched the Penguins lose a game 7 to the Islanders in 1993. It was terrible. The Islanders for crying out loud!!! And these weren't Bossy's Islanders either!!!

But the bottom line to that series and this one...is that the team that WANTED it more, won. I was angry at the Pens for a whole year because they DIDN'T WANT IT MORE.

Detroit fans should at least give SOME credit to the Penguins. They forced a game 7 after being down 2-0 and 3-2. AND that 3 games to 2 lead was after the Wings crushed us 5-0 in the game where it looked like the Pens were falling apart. BUT, the Pens didn't fall apart...and they won the next two...against all the odds. So although that might be tough to accept, I think you have to be honest with yourself and give the Penguins credit for wanting it more and finding a way to make it happen.

And if that doesn't work, then realize the Wings only had to win 2 of 5 games after game 2...and they only won ONE. The Penguins had to have done something right for that to happen.
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Conspiracy theories still abound....

A Philly blogger wrote today about it...and the secret reationship that exists between Bettman and Crosby.

The more I see that stuff, the more I laugh.

I can understand the "marketing of Crosby" and how that can be annoying. But to suggest that the league helped the Penguins get the cup...and calling them "paper champions"...that's just the babble of an angry fan...unhappy that his team did not win the cup. Or more importantly, unhappy that his cross state rivals DID!

Just look at the facts of the series that were played. Unless the opposition was IN on the conspiracy, then it makes NO SENSE WHATSOEVER!!! Officiating was NOT really an issue either way in any of the series.

The finals - Wings have a 2-0 lead. They head back to Pittsburgh and lose 2 straight. Don't even go down the "officiating" road here. If you watched the games, you'll remember that the Pens scored a key goal on a Detroit powerplay. Unless the Wings were IN on the deal...it makes no sense to say officiating played a part.

More finals - The Wings killed the Pens in game 5. The officials called EVERYTHING AGAINST the Pens. The Wings put themselves in a position to need 1 more win out of 2 games. The won neither. Both games were very hard fought and Fleury played his best hockey of the series. Again, unless the Wings were told WHERE TO SHOOT...the conspiracy theory holds no water.

Against the Canes...I guess the Canes were simply told to look overmatched for 4 games and then go home to play golf?

Against the Capitals - the Pens were down 2-0 because a rookie goalie was incredible for 2 games. Then slowly, the wheels started to come off. Game 7 could have been great...but only one team showed up. I guess the Caps were just told to sit that one out? Again, the conspiracy theory is outlandish AT BEST, in this scenario...(edit) especially when you consider the Ovechkin knee on Gonchar and the non-suspension of AO. If this were truly about making the Pens champs, it would have been a lot easier with AO gone for a game or two, wouldn't it?

That brings me to the Flyers. You tell me how, with a 3-0 lead in game 6, the Flyers lose that game? IT MUST HAVE BEEN A CONSPIRACY!!!

Seriously...everybody knows that Max Talbot was the inginition switch. And he did it again in game 7 of the finals.

I know there will always be haters out there...and I really have no interest in trying to reform anyone...but the conspiracy theory is rubbish.

And the Pens are NOT paper champions. Two trips to the finals in 2 years...with a cup win the second time...in a game 7...in the defending champs home rink... is more than enough proof that they are much more than paper champions.

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