Mount Puckmore: The 5 Faces Of the Pittsburgh Penguins

[Note: As the off-season time pushes along further away, hockey bloggers and writers have to keep themselves writing so that they won't be bored or lose interest. So, the senior writers over at Yahoo! Sports Hockey blogs have decided to let other bloggers feature and pick the top 4 players to represent the franchise in a monument like the famous Mount Rushmore in Keystone, South Dakota.]

Even though Confessions of a Hockey Fanatic is and always will be a hockey neutral weblog, I suppose for the interim, I will chose to stay with my hometown team, the Pittsburgh Penguins and pick my 4 players that should be considered for the virtual "Puckmore". I had a considerable difficulty in deciding the last spot in the 43 year history. Even though the Penguins have employed some talented and future hall of famers, some players have been disqualified for a short tenure. I should also make mention that there are many players on the all-time Penguins roster that could easily be heads on other team's monuments.

Let's get to my selections....


For the 4 featured players in a Pittsburgh Penguins franchise "Mount Puckmore"

1. Mario Lemieux - No Brainer. Not only does he continue to amaze fans with a business prowess in his post-career, fans often had their jaws lowered while watching Mario work his magic. Mario deserves to be up there for not only his talents, but choosing to adopt the city as his own and raise a family. He is the first and foremost ideal franchise player who continues to shine on.

His records on the team still stand with most goals, assists, and points in one Penguins season, but the most unique record that Mario lays claim is the NHL record of 5 goals in different ways in one game in 1988(shorthanded, full strength, powerplay, penalty shot, and empty net) to which no one has ever been able to duplicate.

2.) Jaromir Jagr - He remains second on the team with 1,079 career points, but it was his graceful talent, just like Mario and others, that caught the eyes of fans and not on the box score. He came on to the Penguins as a rookie 3rd liner and won the Stanley Cup. Next year, he won another ring while he sliced through opposing defenses like how he learned English.

But while Jagr's reputation in the city as a player and as a man is tarnished with the locker room antics and subsequent lopsided trade to Washington, it was all on display that the man could actually be a perpetual scoring threat each moment he was on the ice.

3.) Sidney Crosby - What can't this kid do? The young man who was singled out to be a record breaker in the NHL proved himself that he could endure the heaviest scrutiny in the new electronic media's 21st century, could also rally an entire city around the hope that future glory was in reach. If it weren't for Sidney's desire to win and help his teammates around him to be better, the Penguins would be in Kansas City or worse - Hamilton, Ontario.

Besides Mario Lemieux, Sid is the only other Penguins captain with the honor of being presented with the Stanley Cup. He became a young captain, but a precocious player who is already 7th in the franchise's scoring list.

and the last spot on the "Mount Puckmore" goes to.....

4.) Larry Murphy - His defensive skills frustrated opposing teams and he racked up a ton of points while being one of the top consistent blue line players. Already an established player on other teams before reaching the Penguins, he was an integral part of the 1990s teams that are considered to be one of the best dynasties in history.

Murphy also made his mark on the Penguins franchise after having the franchise play-by-play announcer coin the term "Murphy dump" when the puck was cleared out of the zone while airborne resulting in no icing infractions.

Consideration can also be given to these players who get the "runner up" in the franchise players of the Pittsburgh Penguins. Evgeni Malkin, Jean Pronovost, Paul Coffey, Ron Francis, Tom Barrasso, Pierre Larouche, and Mike Lange.

I had a lot of fun with this. I think I will offer up some other teams as August rolls along.

"The Hanging Tree" Ropes Readers In Suspensful Mystery

My claim in a movie review formerly featured on another website of how recent genres of fiction has treated the game of hockey, I held out the hope that someday someone would find the perfected formula to meld hockey and fiction. What it took was a new author Mr. Bryan Gruley to spotlight our sport in the way it was meant. As I re stacked my fantasy demon hunter paperbacks on the nightstand aside my bed, I became eager to delve into a more familiar world of journalism, hockey, and profound mystery.

Despite not having read the introductory novel, Starvation Lake, I wasn't to overly concerned that I was missing the crucial development of the series. Mr. Gruley's second book, The Hanging Tree takes off and hits the ground running re-introducing the main character in a passionate love affair, literally, from the opening pages. An ex-teammate's estranged wife gets the main character, Gus Carpenter, dangerously close to a real life game misconduct penalty, but still manages to toe the blue line with him helping the investigation of a woman whom they both grew up with.

Even through the eyes of the main character, Gus Carpenter, the real sympathy lies within the victim Grace McBride. Mr. Gruley was able to create a character through back story so deep that I actually felt like I was mourning her loss. As the plot develops, so does Gracie's mythology comparable to the now famous "Laura Palmer" of the Twin Peaks TV series. Most detective mysteries that I have read, the victim is usually someone expendable. But not Grace. Mr. Gruley successfully stirs the readers emotions believing that Grace McBride, the once-long lost sheep, didn't deserve the way she died. Justice for her was going to come from Gus and the family she left who loved her.

The next thing that I loved about this book is the steady pacing. Mr. Gruley most under-noticed talent is his descriptive pacing that makes readers feel that the town itself, "Starvation Lake", is an important character. The reader is locked in to the small Great Lakes town world where the air is cold and heavy in winter, but the gossip news travels like mercury. It's a town in the middle of a transition from being the accustomed neighborhood to the remote getaway destination of the well-to-do. But just as the native residents grumble at the influx of new money, they debate among themselves on the need for a fancy new hockey arena or stay loyal to the familiar old barn that housed many junior state hockey championships.

As far as the hockey action goes, Mr. Gruley masterfully worked in the hockey action as it was intrinsic to the plot. I like the reality shown within the story that not every player who laces up get to move on to the pro ranks. The town's arena is the perfect metaphor for the boulevard of broken dreams.

I would recommend this book to all my readers here when it goes on sale in bookstores August 3rd. It was meant to be enjoyed by hockey enthusiasts, journalist writers, and everybody else who had to return home and start over again.

[Note: I would also like to thank Ms. Dana Kaye of Kaye Publicity. Without her yeoman efforts, this review would not have been possible.]

Amazon.com - "The Hanging Tree"

5 Things To Do As A Hockey Fan

While the hockey season is in rest mode and the summer feels like it will last all year, I came up with a list of things that I believe hockey fans should do at least once in their life. Just like the movie The Bucket List (2007), a list that hockey fans should be able to complete. Of course, hockey fans are the greatest fans in the world, in my opinion, so enjoying life to the fullest is the kind of passion that has built the game for many years.

So, here is my short list of things that I believe all hockey fans should do. The list can expand to include more great ideas, but if you can think of any, please put it in the comments section.

1. Visit the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto.
2. Collect your favorite player's trading card or other memorabilia
3. Touch the Stanley Cup
4. Participate in a hockey charity or Make a generous donation
5. Teach someone else who is new to the game
6. Make a road trip and visit a rival's team Arena

I don't know if I would be able to pull it off on my own, but a documentary of a hockey fan making a trip to see many different hockey related attractions would be rather interesting.

Hang in there, hockey fans. Training camps are just around the corner!

COHF to Provide Content for Fadoo.ca Hockey Website

What a great hockey season it has become for the COHF blog! I am proud to announce the working agreement to provide original content for Bob McCown's Fadoo.ca I have been a real fan of Bob's broadcasts because they were always discussing hockey in a round table format. His tinted sunglasses view and grizzled attitude won me over along with the interaction he got from his guests and panelists. If you have Sirius satellite radio, you can pick up Prime Time Sports on Ch. 97.

The website does a better listing of credentials:

McCown is the host of FAN590's Prime Time Sports, Canada's top rated sports radio talk show. Heard nightly on the FAN in Toronto and around the country, the show is also simulcast on Rogers Sportsnet.

So, I am thrilled to be tapped to write some content for the website. I consider this an honor.

After looking around the growing website, I see that even in it's own mission statement that Fadoo will take on the same attitude which made Bob so popular in the Greater Toronto Area media.

Fadoo.ca's sole purpose is to spark debate, and maybe even incite a riot along the way. Led by the always combustible Bob McCown, the tone of this site is to inform and illicit a response.

But not only will bloggers be writing for the website, you can too! Sign up now to comment and pen your own opinions by becoming a registered fadoo.ca member.

Writing Challenge: The Perfect Game

I have been inspired by a blogger group of ladies that call themselves by the acronym "hlog". They have a fantastic list of ideas and writing prompts for hockey bloggers to break out of their creative slumps. Even with some of the girls already compiling their thoughts, I felt compelled to share with you my list.

What are your ten prerequisites for a perfect game?

1. Hall of Fame Broadcasting Voice: Mike Lange - I imagine that a generation Pittsburgh hockey fans are very spoiled to know that the game is being shaped by the outrageous personality. His claim to fame is his quirky catch phrases that seem silly at first, but grow on you. He smoked him like a bad cigar! Scratch my back with a hacksaw! Get in the fast lane Grandma, the bingo game's ready to roll! Buy Sam a drink and get his dog one too! And as Pittsburgh fans know well, a hockey game just doesn't feel the same without Mike Lange's voice.


2. Good Pregame Festivities - The hype that makes the game important should be told right before the game. A highlight reel, a great soundtrack of modern rock songs or have a hockey team with their own theme song. The Penguins, for example, take the ice to their theme song "Boys of Winter" which that alone is what gets a strong mental focus!


3. An awesome rendition of the respective national anthem - Nothing psyches up the crowd when a great singer can belt out a national anthem which unifies the patriotism of everyone in attendance. I was in awe when I heard the highlight of the Oilers faithful take over their Canadian anthem and the whole arena sang together.


4. Rivals - If the team doesn't play in my favorite team's division, then it just doesn't feel as exciting. Rivals create that storyline that can be traced back for many seasons. And there is the hate factoring in wherein vanquishing the 'bad guys' is that much better.


5. International Competition - When national pride is on the line, it can't get any more serious. USA vs Canada or Russia is a not-to-miss classic!


6. The opposing enforcer/goon gets clobbered - So he deserved it! He was probably agitating our star player for the whole game. All it takes is for one brave player to drop the gloves and send a real message that this team won't back down to anybody.


7. All Stars - It's an exhibition of the best of the best.


8. A little romance - A lot of arena venues do "the kiss cam" where a couple is prompted to kiss and displayed on the video screen. I haven't had that specific experience yet, but any opportunity to enjoy a date at the hockey game is the best. Sharing my hobby with someone I care deeply about is near bliss. But if I don't have a date there is always the entertainment value of watching the antics of the sponsored Ice Girls.


9. Highlight Goals - Anybody could just stand in the front of the net and cherry pick a rebound, but the real exciting goals are the ones that get shot from far out in the point or is created by sheer athleticism and skating ability. And if that goal is then featured on Coach's Corner, then everybody saw it!


10. A Championship trophy - It doesn't get any more exciting when there is something to win at game's end. A Cup, a trophy, a banner, a championship, a divisional title is what the real goal everybody starts out the season to earn. Heck, even beer leagues has the team parade a large keg over their victorious heads!

[Via: hlog {Hockey's Ladies of Greatness} ]