OT: Pittsburgh Media Thread - Still the Worst | Now with Drunken Rants!

[FlightlessBird]

I feel like I'm the only one who cannot stand Potash. He makes everything about himself and it's only gotten worse over the years and especially since he's started dressing up.

“I’m kind of glad the last one’s coming,” Potash said recently. “Because it’s almost like I’m afraid to fail. I’m afraid someone’s going to go, ‘Wait, that’s it?’"

That pretty much sums it up.

Edit: As for that Athletic article..the breakdown for best overall player was (out of 198 voters): 48% Crosby, 25% McDavid, 11% Bergeron, 4% Barkov, and 4% Kucherov. “Crosby, for me, just the way he can control a game and take over and lead. … he’s still No. 1,” said an Eastern Conference player.

On another note, 16% would want Fleury starting in Game 7 of the SCF.

Interesting. Subban is the most overrated player. Then Laine, Ekblad, Phaneuf, and E. Karlsson. Only 63% of the players answered that one though.

6% would want to play for Tortorella, while 30% would NOT want to play for him. Hitchcock, Babcock, Carlyle, and Boucher were the other coaches they wouldn't want to play for.

 

[heysmilinstrange]

I don't have a subscription, but from the preview of this article, Sidney Crosby is still viewed as the best player in the game among 200 players interviewed.

The 2019 NHL Poll: Best player? Most overrated? Players...

Incredibly, Marc-Andre Fleury came in second for "Game 7 of the Stanley Cup final--who do you want starting in goal?" Whatever that guy has that makes people believe he's the best in spite of years of evidence, I want it.

 

[Randy Butternubs]

Incredibly, Marc-Andre Fleury came in second for "Game 7 of the Stanley Cup final--who do you want starting in goal?" Whatever that guy has that makes people believe he's the best in spite of years of evidence, I want it.

Any other Penguins or ex-Pens on the lists?

 

[ChaosAgent]

Incredibly, Marc-Andre Fleury came in second for "Game 7 of the Stanley Cup final--who do you want starting in goal?" Whatever that guy has that makes people believe he's the best in spite of years of evidence, I want it.

For a team like this that is going to need a goaltender to STEAL games to make it far...I'd rather have Fleury. There's a chance he will steal games or a chance he'd absolutely implode. But at least if we got Great-Fleury we'd have a chance.

For the late-era DB teams (2010, 2012, 2013) having a stable Murray instead of high-variance Fleury would have been far better.

 

[heysmilinstrange]

Any other Penguins or ex-Pens on the lists?

No, just Crosby as best all-around player and MAF as second to Price in the Game 7 goalie question.

 

[heysmilinstrange]

For a team like this that is going to need a goaltender to STEAL games to make it far...I'd rather have Fleury. There's a chance he will steal games or a chance he'd absolutely implode. But at least if we got Great-Fleury we'd have a chance.

For the late-era DB teams (2010, 2012, 2013) having a stable Murray instead of high-variance Fleury would have been far better.

It's not really relevant to this thread, but I don't know where the idea that Murray can't STEAL games came from.

 

[ChaosAgent]

It's not really relevant to this thread, but I don't know where the idea that Murray can't STEAL games came from.

Murray can steal games, but Fleury is more likely to do that. He's also more likely to implode. He's a higher-variance type of guy. That's all I'm saying.

 

[Big McLargehuge]

It would be incredibly easy to hate Dan Potash for being a try-hard...but honestly after a while it stopped feeling like a try-hard act with him and just seems like a guy having a blast doing a job that he loves.

Most people in his position have a higher goal, this is a stepping stone to a bigger, better job...but with Potash I get the genuine vibe that he's doing something he loves and has fun with, and to me that makes his doofy act so much more enjoyable. In a field where seemingly everyone wants to be taken seriously, I appreciate the guy in the derpy wig reminding us that this is all just a game that we watch to be entertained.

 

[WayneSid9987]

Yea, uh i'd have MAF no where near my net in G7 of a SCF if i can pick any goalie in the league atm.

Price, Quick, King, Vasi.
Gibson and yes even Murr.
I'd pick all these over him right now.

ETA: Suppose the players view him as a guy that can steal a game he gets heavily outshot in/the D in front of him have a very bad outing but like someone said above the variance between great and terrible isn't worth the risk.

 

[DesertedPenguin]

I think Fleury's attitude gets him a lot of player support. And his athleticism allows him to make up for mistakes by the D, which you may need in a Game 7.

I think players are more apt to give guys second chances, too, while fans are still thinking about the rough years Fleury had.

 

[turd]

Fleury is definitely a curious choice, but... 2009 DID happen.

 

[madinsomniac]

It would be incredibly easy to hate Dan Potash for being a try-hard...but honestly after a while it stopped feeling like a try-hard act with him and just seems like a guy having a blast doing a job that he loves.

Most people in his position have a higher goal, this is a stepping stone to a bigger, better job...but with Potash I get the genuine vibe that he's doing something he loves and has fun with, and to me that makes his doofy act so much more enjoyable. In a field where seemingly everyone wants to be taken seriously, I appreciate the guy in the derpy wig reminding us that this is all just a game that we watch to be entertained.

I like Potash... people are entitled to their opinions but honestly he is a breath of fresh air in the stale sideline reporter type niche

 

[BlindWillyMcHurt]

I started off not liking Potash but I'm basically of the same mind as Big, now. He's paid his dues. He obviously has a passion for it. I have to respect that.

 

[Gurglesons]

For a team like this that is going to need a goaltender to STEAL games to make it far...I'd rather have Fleury. There's a chance he will steal games or a chance he'd absolutely implode. But at least if we got Great-Fleury we'd have a chance.

For the late-era DB teams (2010, 2012, 2013) having a stable Murray instead of high-variance Fleury would have been far better.

Matt Murray has won more Game 7s than MAF correct? At least as many.

 

[TooManyHumans]

Add me to the list of people that used to find Potash annoying but now find him endearing. I feel like most of the players enjoy him as well. They give him a hard time and he takes it well.

 

[DegenX]

This is becoming a Fleury vs Murray thread. One would have thought the literal years of the debate would have been enough. The topic of this thread is the Pittsburgh media, let's get back to it, please and thank you.

 

[BlindWillyMcHurt]

Add me to the list of people that used to find Potash annoying but now find him endearing. I feel like most of the players enjoy him as well. They give him a hard time and he takes it well.

Yeah there is that, too. I can't help but think they at least get a kick out of the guy or they wouldn't goof on him so much. If literally nothing else... that's helpful.

In a weird kinda way... Dan Potash is a "locker room guy."

 

[Fordy]

I actually sort of get where Madden is coming from with all the so-called advanced metrics geeks jumping out of the woodwork and being so critical all the time about GMJR.

Objectively speaking though, yes, it's not just about the fact they didn't get up much/it's a depth player, because on paper... that much money for that level of defenseman, when you already have Jack Johnson, just doesn't seem good. And some of the criticisms of JR now are certainly warranted.

I can get on board with this take from him, though:

"Don't blame GMJR b/c Malkin& Kessel are a combined -35 &b/c Murray can't stop ground balls."

There are still other issues beyond the GM's moves.

Missing the playoffs this year just would be the perfect storm of under-performing players, a stubborn coach, iffy goaltending and some questionable GM moves.

but it was jr himself who said their usage of advanced stats in 16 and 17 gave them a leg up on the league. and he has given interviews to that effect. he's now abandoning that. when they brought jack johnson in they pointed to of all things stuff like his first pass completion rate. now that lame shit like that is out the window and we see it couldn't mean less, all of a sudden advanced stats don't or apparently shouldn't matter in the pittsburgh penguins media sphere?

 

[HandshakeLine]

It's not really relevant to this thread, but I don't know where the idea that Murray can't STEAL games came from.

He can, but when he does it, it merely looks like he's playing well. That's the shakes of being a positional goaltender. To bring this back around, though, the job of good sports media should be to explain this.

Guess what we don't have?

 

[HandshakeLine]

but it was jr himself who said their usage of advanced stats in 16 and 17 gave them a leg up on the league. and he has given interviews to that effect. he's now abandoning that. when they brought jack johnson in they pointed to of all things stuff like his first pass completion rate. now that lame **** like that is out the window and we see it couldn't mean less, all of a sudden advanced stats don't or apparently shouldn't matter in the pittsburgh penguins media sphere?

I think the question they should be asking are which advanced stats ARE the Pens actually using?

 

[turd]

Anyone been following the Madden vs Colin Dunlap twitter feud?

 

[Monkey4Sale]

Anyone been following the Madden vs Colin Dunlap twitter feud?

Yeah. Is this sort of thing common in other media markets?

OT, but most of the 93.7 talent is trash. How anyone thought Ron Cook should be on the radio is beyond me; the man has a voice made for the silent screen, and opinions to match. MM has a shtick that is tiresome at best, but at least he knows hockey, and is tolerable on football.

 

[Dinfire]

People hating on Potash are the exact kind of people I DON’T want to know.

 

[billybudd]

I feel like I'm the only one who cannot stand Potash. He makes everything about himself and it's only gotten worse over the years and especially since he's started dressing up.

Potash is just trying to have a little fun with a job that would ordinarily be stale bread. He can be a bit of a sideshow and misses more than he hits (way more), but I don't begrudge him for trying to lighten things up.

Add me to the list of people that used to find Potash annoying but now find him endearing. I feel like most of the players enjoy him as well. They give him a hard time and he takes it well.

That's another thing. Potash is a good sport with really thick skin. We've known that since 24/7. That's not nothing.

 

[FlightlessBird]

Potash is just trying to have a little fun with a job that would ordinarily be stale bread. He can be a bit of a sideshow and misses more than he hits (way more), but I don't begrudge him for trying to lighten things up.

Yeah, I don’t hate the guy or anything. He seems like a good guy overall. And I get that he’s trying to have fun, etc. But it’s the point now where I just roll my eyes and don’t pay much attention to his interviews or whatever. To each their own.