"DC" David Morehouse Discussion

[Shady Machine]

Yes you are being overly cynical.

 

[Jjbuck]

Not sure where this belongs, so I'll put it here

Entrepreneur revives South Hills golf center, plans more projects




Maybe I'm just cynical now, but this made me laugh.

So they are providing "technical support"...to an outside group who regularly installs deks?

But they'll put their logo on once complete! MARKETABILITY!!

Penguins talk, others, like Ed Snider, do.

 

[Shady Machine]

Penguins talk, others, like Ed Snider, do.

What?

 

[Jjbuck]

What?

I was referring to the post about the Pens Foundation focus on marketing. An opinion I share. The Pens talk about helping grow local youth hockey, ie, put up some deck hockey rinks.

While other Org's around the league do a lot more. Like the afore mentioned Ed Snider foundation in Philly.

 

[Big McLargehuge]

Also tell me who can look at this and not want to spontaneously punch him in the face?

He looks like an Eric Wareheim character.

 

[Shady Machine]

I was referring to the post about the Pens Foundation focus on marketing. An opinion I share. The Pens talk about helping grow local youth hockey, ie, put up some deck hockey rinks.

While other Org's around the league do a lot more. Like the afore mentioned Ed Snider foundation in Philly.

Fair enough. I haven't lived in the area for a several years so I don't know how much the Pens are actively doing to grow local hockey vs other teams. What I can say is that local hockey is booming in Pittsburgh (because of the Penguins, Crosby, etc) so I'm not really sure what more they can or should do.

 

[stardog]

A lot of this conversation became sidetracked. I am still wanting to know what people think about my 2nd biggest objection to DM.
It got lost amongst the rabbit trails (although I suppose that my objection is a rabbit trail in itself).
The objection being, if he was brought in and put in charge of branding and public image, how come the public perception of the team is much more negative than it has been in a LONG LONG time...perhaps ever?

He is supposed to be this great expert in that area and I feel that he has taken a team who was extremely well regarded by its fans, and extremely well respected around the league...a model for an NHL organization in the public eye and turned it into...well it depends on who you ask. But it is now far from either of those things. We certainly aren't respected. We are seen as an orginization which is the equivalent of a spoiled crying child. And all of this changed directly when he took over in that area.

So I guess what I am saying is, why are we giving him even more, in an area of great importance that he isn't even technically qualified for when he butchered something which was once already amongst the best (if not THE best) in an area which he is not only supposedly qualified for, but also a supposed expert in?
Damn run on sentences.

 

[Darth Vitale]

Because he's a political operator and sooner or later the voting public always sees through the political operator's BS. It always starts out sprinkles and rainbows but eventually people get wise to the patterns and the nonsense, which is what happened here starting last June. Unfortunately most of the voting public also does nothing about it. Being it at the polls or at the box office.

 

[clefty]

The objection being, if he was brought in and put in charge of branding and public image, how come the public perception of the team is much more negative than it has been in a LONG LONG time...perhaps ever?

Morehouse was brought in ten years ago, and was named President in 2007. People seem to think he just showed up overnight. I'd actually argue that we've actually been total media darlings since right about the time he was given his current post, and that it was only when Ray was fired that people got into a tizz.

I still don't know what the big deal is with this guy all of a sudden. I do know that we might not have gotten a new arena without him, or at least it would have been a hell of a lot tougher.

 

[Darth Vitale]

You mean aside from the fact he's pure evil and wants to have a say in hockey operations?

 

[Shady Machine]

Morehouse was brought in ten years ago, and was named President in 2007. People seem to think he just showed up overnight. I'd actually argue that we've actually been total media darlings since right about the time he was given his current post, and that it was only when Ray was fired that people got into a tizz.

I still don't know what the big deal is with this guy all of a sudden. I do know that we might not have gotten a new arena without him, or at least it would have been a hell of a lot tougher.

I agree. Very well said. When did we become a "model organization"? We sucked in the early 2000's, drafted Crosby in 2005, were talks of moving the team to Kansas City in 2007, the same year Morehouse came in. So if we became a model organization in the Cup finals years, that was when Morehouse was president. I understand people see a dude with a career in politics and are skeptical, but there is a lot of assumptions being made without basis in fact.

 

[stardog]

Morehouse was brought in ten years ago, and was named President in 2007. People seem to think he just showed up overnight. I'd actually argue that we've actually been total media darlings since right about the time he was given his current post, and that it was only when Ray was fired that people got into a tizz.

I still don't know what the big deal is with this guy all of a sudden. I do know that we might not have gotten a new arena without him, or at least it would have been a hell of a lot tougher.

Fair enough. I would argue differently but both would be fruitless as they are left then to each of our personal interpretation as to when our public image began to change.
Either way, this does little to dispell my concerns about him, nor does it address the point I was asking for and that is cool as well. I'm not making a huge deal out of him and don't think it amounts to much of anything, but chose to throw out my thoughts on the subject because somebody chose to make a thread and I was kinda sick of rehashing the same ol same ol.
You're fine with him there and I'm a bit leery. And I seeboth sides as staking a valid claim.

I agree. Very well said. When did we become a "model organization"? We sucked in the early 2000's, drafted Crosby in 2005, were talks of moving the team to Kansas City in 2007, the same year Morehouse came in. So if we became a model organization in the Cup finals years, that was when Morehouse was president. I understand people see a dude with a career in politics and are skeptical, but there is a lot of assumptions being made without basis in fact.

It seems as if you are choosing to argue the semantics of the statement rather than the topic of the statement. Again, that would be a fruitless endeavor for the both of us as I'm sure that you know that I'm familiar with the teams history as well.
Take away the term which seems to disagree with you and the point still remains in its simplest of terms. We were greatly respected at one point. Now we are the opposite.
Correct me if I am wrong but I understand that as to fall under the branding category which he was in charge of.

And like Clefty, it seems that you're fine with DM which I don't find to be an indefensible position either. Yet it also seems that your basis for such is based on attacking those who don't agrees position as based on assumption or listening to rumors. That is just as faulty a position as one based on rumors because it is founded on the assumption that the concerns surrounding DM aren't genuine and you can't possibly know that they aren't for a fact. Nor can you possibly know if everyone is actually basing their opinions on assumption.
My reasons aren't founded on rumor. Or assumption. I have laid them out clearly in this thread.

Sure, I don't trust politicians right off the bat, but I don't blindly trust ANYONE right off the bat. I also worked in politics (like actual paid work for a California state senator...not the typical volunteer work) and was around quite a few during that time. And the ones that I met have been fun, smart and interesting guys who like to say what people like to hear rather than what they really mean a lot of the time.
That said, my views on DM are completely independent of that knowledge, or history.

Am I skeptical of him? Yeah, I am. Is it because he is a politician? Nope. It is because I am leery of the job he has done in shaping the public image of this team. Terms (buzz words) we've been spoon fed like "Penguins Hockey" are completely hollow and void of any substance or meaning. Fastest to 250 is great and all but the guy was still a train wreck as a coach. I dont trust stuff like that. I don't buy stuff like that. And yeah, stuff like that actually reeks of politico speak. Saying a lot without saying much of anything at all.
And again, I simply don't want a guy who has little to no background in hockey having any say in the on ice product.
Perhaps that is where you get that whole assumptions aspect. As in, I'm making assumptions about DM and his involvement with the hockey operations. I understand that. I have no idea how big or how small his say is...if any.
But again, independent of that is the branding. A job that I personally feel he has butchered. And nobody has said anything to convince me otherwise. I am more than willing to listen with a completely open mind and change said mind if a reasonable and logical counter is provided, but semantics or claims of assumption simply don't have enough influence to sway me.

 

[Zen Arcade]

I think the perception of the team has more to do with performance than branding.

All of those fluff pieces sound great when the team's a legitimate contender and winning cups, when the team starts falling short it begins to look more like propaganda than marketing,

 

[Speaking Moistly]

Ironically the hockey part of the organization hurt their image more than anything. The biggest problem for them is the decline of the product they were icing and the lack of change. They weren't as entertaining as they used to be, from the performance to the roster and the continued playoff failures. They looked like crap and watching Gladams, Kobasew, Pyatt, Orpik, Scuderi, etc. struggle along isn't good, no matter how much people like to like Glass'/Orpik's grit or whatever. They got steadily worse and didn't even change anything for the better after the stacked team failed embarrassingly. You can't make that look good, not long term. All they managed was some short term fix that blew up in their faces.

They've already tried to distance themselves from the old era, now it's youth and actual coaching. The family has been let go and thrown under the bus to the media.

 

[KIRK]

You mean aside from the fact he's pure evil and wants to have a say in hockey operations?

Did I miss the part in the Poile from the draft video where he said 'they just have to get the ok from Morehouse'?

Mario's and Burkle's mouthpiece. After five years where it was all Shero's show, they wanted to know what the **** is going on as it is going on.

Morehouse isn't a political operator. He's a political mouthpiece. He isn't in that room now to tell people what to do. He's in that room to make sure Mario and Burkle know what's going on and are heard where appropriate.

After all, that's what a mouthpiece does.

 

[412 Others]

first things I think of in regards to branding/imaging during the morehouse regime:

the awful:
1. "defy ordinary"
2. "destiny has a new home" with pukeworthy Disney/ice capades-like video-> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BHrwV1BuISA
3. a 5 year obsession with ugly blue uniforms that should've ended after 1 snowy game in buffalo.

the good:
3. players delivering season tickets to fans
4. players delivering pizza to student rushers

for me - and this sounds very madden-esque, it's the overall "family atmosphere" vibe the pens have been pushing since the CEC opened. it's nauseating. when I went to my first pens game at the age of 10, aside from the elements of hockey that got me hooked, I was hooked on the atmosphere. not everyone will agree with this, but I rather enjoyed being around a bunch of half drunken idiots swearing and high fiving. kids have all week to feel like a "kid". the last thing I wanted, for those 3 glorious hours, was for the organization to make me feel like I was at Disney on ice. these days it seems like every game has a matinee feel to it.

 

[Darth Vitale]

Morehouse isn't a political operator. He's a political mouthpiece. He isn't in that room now to tell people what to do. He's in that room to make sure Mario and Burkle know what's going on and are heard where appropriate.

After all, that's what a mouthpiece does.

He deserves to be given a flagpole wedgie and left there for a full weekend.

 

[Fordy]

first things I think of in regards to branding/imaging during the morehouse regime:

the awful:
1. "defy ordinary"
2. "destiny has a new home" with pukeworthy Disney/ice capades-like video-> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BHrwV1BuISA
3. a 5 year obsession with ugly blue uniforms that should've ended after 1 snowy game in buffalo.

the good:
3. players delivering season tickets to fans
4. players delivering pizza to student rushers

for me - and this sounds very madden-esque, it's the overall "family atmosphere" vibe the pens have been pushing since the CEC opened. it's nauseating. when I went to my first pens game at the age of 10, aside from the elements of hockey that got me hooked, I was hooked on the atmosphere. not everyone will agree with this, but I rather enjoyed being around a bunch of half drunken idiots swearing and high fiving. kids have all week to feel like a "kid". the last thing I wanted, for those 3 glorious hours, was for the organization to make me feel like I was at Disney on ice. these days it seems like every game has a matinee feel to it.

i must have blocked that commercial out because i don't remember it and it is AWFUL

and yep. it's so ****ing sterile at the cec. suffocating

 

[Zen Arcade]

for me - and this sounds very madden-esque, it's the overall "family atmosphere" vibe the pens have been pushing since the CEC opened. it's nauseating. when I went to my first pens game at the age of 10, aside from the elements of hockey that got me hooked, I was hooked on the atmosphere. not everyone will agree with this, but I rather enjoyed being around a bunch of half drunken idiots swearing and high fiving. kids have all week to feel like a "kid". the last thing I wanted, for those 3 glorious hours, was for the organization to make me feel like I was at Disney on ice. these days it seems like every game has a matinee feel to it.

Seriously, some of the fondest memories I have of going to games as a kid involve drunken idiots.

Like this guy getting kicked out for trying to scale the glass, all while screaming "we want chili, Willy!" because the Pens had 6 goals and were going on the powerplay.

Or the dude who yelled "Smolinski, I'm gonna kiiiillllll you!" for no reason at random points of a Pens/Islanders game.

 

[billybudd]

Seriously, some of the fondest memories I have of going to games as a kid involve drunken idiots.

Like this guy getting kicked out for trying to scale the glass, all while screaming "we want chili, Willy!" because the Pens had 6 goals and were going on the powerplay.

Or the dude who yelled "Smolinski, I'm gonna kiiiillllll you!" for no reason at random points of a Pens/Islanders game.

Man, you guys are taking me back.

I was against the glass one time where the backup goalies for the other team used to sit. There was this drunk dude next to me just ripping Mark Faucette to pieces all game (Faucette hadn't done anything wrong when this started). Calling him a sweaty effing pig, etc. Really working him over.

There was a photographer's cubby there, the spacing between panes of glass was a little more than usual...there was no not hearing him on the ice. I seem to remember several players trying to not to laugh a couple times. The backup goaltender (Eric Fichaud?) was hiding his face in his blocker.

There was a faceoff over by us and Faucette slipped up and made eye contact with the guy. It was just a reflex--the guy said "hey Mark" and Faucette reacted like anyone would.

This only encouraged the heckler. Faucette turned around and pretended this didn't happen, but the guy decided that the back of Faucette's pants being wet was proof that he had crapped himself out of fear.

As soon as he finished saying this, boom. Phantom hooking call on the faceoff. Faucette points to the box then turns around and stares the guy down for like 3 seconds, haha.

Another time some drunkass punched his girlfriend in the face and that big fat dude with the "Sugar" Jersey who stood (not sat--he had seats, but chose to stand in an aisle all game instead of sitting in the seats he paid for) one section over from the players' wives tackled him before he could flee the scene.

Games against the Red Wings were also fun. There was always one dude in every section who was constantly yelling something about Anna Kournikova whenever Feds hit the ice.

I forget how much more heckling and chaos there used to be at games. I mean, I loved that as a kid and even more as a teenager. LOVED it. Made me feel grown up.

It's definitely more sterile now and I don't think that's for the better.

 

[mpp9]

That "family atmosphere" has helped us spend to the cap. And with the cap likely rising well over 80 mil within the next few years, I'm fine with it.

Having said that, any time I swear or yell out a player's name, I get an evil look from some lady with her kid. Luckily, I don't really care.

 

[Zen Arcade]

Heckling stuff.

Yeah, heckling definitely isn't what it used to be, especially since the opposing goalie doesn't have to sit in the runway any more. Nothing like the beer guy coming around and some drunk screaming "(back up goalie) needs one!" The goalies usually ignored it, but I remember one instance where Grant Fuhr gave a thumbs down and mouthed "not yet." I thought that was pretty hilarious as a 13 or 14 year old.

A much more recent one would be a game against Calgary where the Pens won 2-0 and then proceeded to miss a ton of looks at the empty net. This guy in my section was just tearing into McElhinney:

"That empty net is posting a better save percentage than you!"
"The nets coming for your job!"
"I hear the nets getting a one way deal, McElhinney!"

He's only a few feet away, so you know McElhinney is hearing every word of it.

 

[Frank Gallagher]

Yeah, heckling definitely isn't what it used to be, especially since the opposing goalie doesn't have to sit in the runway any more. Nothing like the beer guy coming around and some drunk screaming "(back up goalie) needs one!" The goalies usually ignored it, but I remember one instance where Grant Fuhr gave a thumbs down and mouthed "not yet." I thought that was pretty hilarious as a 13 or 14 year old.

A much more recent one would be a game against Calgary where the Pens won 2-0 and then proceeded to miss a ton of looks at the empty net. This guy in my section was just tearing into McElhinney:

"That empty net is posting a better save percentage than you!"
"The nets coming for your job!"
"I hear the nets getting a one way deal, McElhinney!"

He's only a few feet away, so you know McElhinney is hearing every word of it.

Oh my god, that's great.

I loved the atmosphere at the Igloo when I attended my first game there. I wasn't so thrilled with the CEC. I remember it seeming so different.

 

[Shockmaster]

That "family atmosphere" has helped us spend to the cap. And with the cap likely rising well over 80 mil within the next few years, I'm fine with it.

The "family atmosphere" is a big reason this team went stale over the last 5 years. With the exception of Gologoski, Shero refused to trade away any roster players after winning the Cup.

Having said that, any time I swear or yell out a player's name, I get an evil look from some lady with her kid. Luckily, I don't really care.

I don't remember where I heard this from, but I once heard a story where a woman had a young child at a game who had fallen asleep in her arms. Some fans around her were making nose, and she asked them to be quiet - as if no one should be making any noise at a hockey game because ******* it her little kid wants to take a nap! Not long after that the Penguins scored, the horn went off, and the entire building erupted into a loud cheer. She then walked up towards the concession stands with an annoyed look on her face.


If parents want to insulate their kids from loud noises and swear words, go to a ****ing Muppet show. Don't ruin anyone's enjoyment of a hockey game.

 

[Zen Arcade]

The "family atmosphere" is a big reason this team went stale over the last 5 years. With the exception of Gologoski, Shero refused to trade away any roster players after winning the Cup.

Pretty mpp meant the sterile, family atmosphere at games, not the way the team was constructed.

It is pretty nauseating that everything is so paint by numbers and everything is sponsored by someone, but at the same time, I look back and remember that the team wasn't making any money at all from the Mellon.