"Pittsburgh Penguins" sale/arena/slots/etc. thread

[Artyukhin*]

Buccigross blasts Balsillie as a phoney.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/columns/story?columnist=buccigross_john&id=2701616

Bucci should get the facts before he makes himself loook like a fool.

Balsillie a phoney? No
Buccigross Igornat? Yes

 

[discostu]

Alright let’s say your right, the NHL demands are extreme. Now put yourself in the NHL shoes. The NHL wants the pens to stay, the penguins have no lease to keep them, and once you approve ownership your hands are now tied and a team can move wherever the new ownership decided to put them. You have only one opportunity to put stipulation on a sale to keep them in their current market. What demands would you recommend to insure that a good faith attempt was made a keeping the pens in pitt.

True, the NHL had little options to guarantee that Balsille would negotiate in good faith, but, that does not make going to the other extreme any more reasonable.

The fact is, the only way to really guarantee the fate of a franchise for the NHL, is to own it. If they didn't like what Balsille's intentions were, they should have been doing their due diligence in advance, rather than try to blindside him at the end. They entered into negotations. The general ideaThat's bad management, IMO. I can understand why Pens fans were happy with the outcome, and support the NHL in doing it, as the alternative may not have been pretty, but, it doesn't make it right.

If moving the Pens is the biggest issue in the sale, the NHL better do their due diligence on their next prospective owner in advance. If you think the person is likely to move the team, then, don't accept an offer in principle. Unless the person has extremely strong local ties, everyone has a price they are willing to move the team.

 

[JoeP]

Hmm, Balsillie backs out after he finds out that he was buying a team in Pittsburgh, not a team to move to _____, yet claimed to be interested in keeping the team in Pittsburgh... nah nothing phoney about that....

Balsillie got called out and now he wants to cry and play victim. He shouldn't have wasted everyone's time.

 

[Artyukhin*]

Hmm, Balsillie backs out after he finds out that he was buying a team in Pittsburgh, not a team to move to _____, yet claimed to be interested in keeping the team in Pittsburgh... nah nothing phoney about that....

Balsillie got called out and now he wants to cry and play victim. He shouldn't have wasted everyone's time.

what? he got called out ? More like rail roaded . Did you even read this ?Come on time to take your head out of the sand

In fact, a source at the August meeting said that Mr. Balsillie sought assurances from the league that he would be able to move the hockey club if the arena funding did not materialize and after all other viable options were exhausted.

Mr. Bettman is said to have agreed, saying, "I'll be the first to help you pack your bags."

 

[The Legend]

Hmm, Balsillie backs out after he finds out that he was buying a team in Pittsburgh, not a team to move to _____, yet claimed to be interested in keeping the team in Pittsburgh... nah nothing phoney about that....

Balsillie got called out and now he wants to cry and play victim. He shouldn't have wasted everyone's time.

Here's a situation for you...you claim to love Apples. You go to the grocery store to buy apples and as you go to checkout, the grocer says "and oh by the way if those are rotten, I'm sorry, there's nothing you can do about it." So you say to hell with it, I don't want your apples.

And then JoeP comes on an apple message board and calls you an apple-liking phoney.

 

[discostu]

Here's a situation for you...you claim to love Apples. You go to the grocery store to buy apples and as you go to checkout, the grocer says "and oh by the way if those are rotten, I'm sorry, there's nothing you can do about it." So you say to hell with it, I don't want your apples.

And then JoeP comes on an apple message board and calls you an apple-liking phoney.

I'm hungry.

 

[Artyukhin*]

http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/sports/penguins/s_484977.html

NHL can't take control of Penguins

By Rob Rossi
TRIBUNE-REVIEW
Wednesday, December 20, 2006


Asked via e-mail Tuesday whether the league has the right to take over a club -- specifically, the Penguins -- at any time, NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly responded "No."

Asked if there had been any discussion of the league taking over the Penguins if IOC is not awarded the slots license or if a decision on the slots license is delayed, Daly also said, "No."

 

[Pens1566]

Bucci should get the facts before he makes himself loook like a fool.

Balsillie a phoney? No
Buccigross Igornat? Yes

You should probably spell ignorant correctly before calling someone else a fool.

 

[Artyukhin*]

You should probably spell ignorant correctly before calling someone else a fool.

forgive me as english is not my mother tounge i do my best .
You obviously could understand it well enuff to correct me .
My typo still doesnt make Bucci any less ignorant

 

[EbencoyE]

forgive me as english is not my mother tounge i do my best .
You obviously could understand it well enuff to correct me .
My typo still doesnt make Bucci any less ignorant

enuff isn't a word either, btw.

So why can't the NHL take over the Pens? Didn't they take over the Sabres a few years ago?

 

[Artyukhin*]

''The decision by the gaming commission was terrible news for the Penguins, their fans and the NHL,'' Bettman said in a statement. ''The future of this franchise in Pittsburgh is uncertain and the Penguins now will have to explore all other options, including possible relocation. The NHL will support the Penguins in their endeavours.''

answer me this question please.

How can Gary Bettmen talk about relocation today after he just told Basillie no relocation?

One last question ,after todays news and assuming what Gary says of possible relocation

if Jim Basillie re enters his 175 million offer and the next highest bidder is at 75 million to keep the team in Pittsburgh . What do you think the Pens will end up doing?

If Basillie again is the top bidder in a relocation auction you think the Pens will kiss up and say sorry??

 

[Buffaloed]

So why can't the NHL take over the Pens? Didn't they take over the Sabres a few years ago?

The Sabres were financially insolvent. The league was funding their payroll and other critical obligations. The NHL can take over a team under those circumstances. The Penguins aren't in that situation.

 

[puck57]

The Sabres were financially insolvent. The league was funding their payroll and other critical obligations. The NHL can take over a team under those circumstances. The Penguins aren't in that situation.

Well, how are the current managers/owners who are trying to sell making ends meet so to speak. With the arena losing money, etc., etc. it seems like they could be getting closer to being financially insolvent especially if this uncertainty drags on past the season into the summer when the lease runs out on Mellon Arena. Seems like they are heading in that direction from an outside observer.

 

[vbet*]

****Important****

Everything you need to know about the sale agreement, league plans for movement etc etc can be heard here http://www.cfrn.com/ with the fan interview that just happend with Bill Daly.

The repeated interview starts about 20 mins in and last for about 40 mins. It is quite shocking.

Time starts: 8pm EST

 

[guinness]

One thing that has always surprised me about the Pens situation is how the Steelers and Bucs both got new stadiums in short order, but the Pens arena, a venue that could have other uses as well, gets pushed to the wayside, over and over.

Especially considering how the Pirates haven't been good since?

 

[Artyukhin*]

****Important****

Everything you need to know about the sale agreement, league plans for movement etc etc can be heard here http://www.cfrn.com/ with the fan interview that just happend with Bill Daly.

The repeated interview starts about 20 mins in and last for about 40 mins. It is quite shocking.

Time starts: 8pm EST

can you give us a quick recap on the shocking points only

please and thank you

 

[waffledave]

I just heard Bill Daley on the radio say that the league made it clear that they were willing to waive the requirement of keeping the team in Pittsburgh.

 

[DJ Spinoza]

One thing that has always surprised me about the Pens situation is how the Steelers and Bucs both got new stadiums in short order, but the Pens arena, a venue that could have other uses as well, gets pushed to the wayside, over and over.

Especially considering how the Pirates haven't been good since?

There's really no logical way to explain it, other than the city government fubars everything that it touches.

I still can't believe that they would seriously turn down 300 million dollars of private money for a public facility.

This does nothing for the generation of young Pittsburghers who were already born with one foot out the door. Last night, the student rush line wrapped all the way around the arena (in a half rectangle, along the streets, not the building). I got there at 4 o'clock and still had to wait through half of that line. There is/was a growing contigent of young Penguins fans that would turn into season ticket holders in a few years, but who knows where todays decision leaves everybody.

You can see from the reaction here how most people feel about it. I fear that today is the beginning of the end.

The worst part for me is not the decision itself, but rather that after 7 years, it's still not over. At this point I have exhausted any feeling towards this whole situation. It just needs to be over.

 

[vbet*]

can you give us a quick recap on the shocking points only

please and thank you

Well maybe they werent shocking per say.

- the NHL didn't change any details at the last second
- Blackberry boy is lieing
- if the sale went through balsilie could move the team next day if he really wanted
- The league accepts the team needs to be moved without a new arena asap
- there are several interested parties for teams in new cities since the changing of the rules. KC, Oklahoma, Houston
- and much more general talk that makes Balsilie look very bad

 

[st5801]

answer me this question please.

How can Gary Bettmen talk about relocation today after he just told Basillie no relocation?

One last question ,after todays news and assuming what Gary says of possible relocation

if Jim Basillie re enters his 175 million offer and the next highest bidder is at 75 million to keep the team in Pittsburgh . What do you think the Pens will end up doing?

If Basillie again is the top bidder in a relocation auction you think the Pens will kiss up and say sorry??

Right. The only conclusion I can draw is that we don't know for sure why Balsille withdrew. Everything has been speculation or there may have been other conditions as well. It doesn't make sense that Bettman can hold two owners to two different standards.

If the team is back up for sale and the two bidders are $175 million and $75 million, the Lemieux Group will take the $175 million and leave it up to the city to convince the team to stay.

 

[Artyukhin*]

Well maybe they werent shocking per say.

- the NHL didn't change any details at the last second
- Blackberry boy is lieing
- if the sale went through balsilie could move the team next day if he really wanted
- The league accepts the team needs to be moved without a new arena asap
- there are several interested parties for teams in new cities since the changing of the rules. KC, Oklahoma, Houston
- and much more general talk that makes Balsilie look very bad

well will be fun to see how it all plays out and who is really telling the truth here.

Im sure lawyers will get it figured out

 

[Duff88]

Very touchy subject, but if the Penguins were to move, when do you expect the relocation to take place? Would the new team be in in 2007-2008? 2008-2009? Later?

 

[Sotnos]

****Important****

Everything you need to know about the sale agreement, league plans for movement etc etc can be heard here http://www.cfrn.com/ with the fan interview that just happend with Bill Daly.

The repeated interview starts about 20 mins in and last for about 40 mins. It is quite shocking.

Time starts: 8pm EST

The only thing I can get is the live stream, is there an archive somewhere?

 

[vbet*]

The only thing I can get is the live stream, is there an archive somewhere?

No, It just happened an hour ago.

 

[Steve L*]

answer me this question please.

How can Gary Bettmen talk about relocation today after he just told Basillie no relocation?

Because Bettman is a moron. He wiped tens of millions of dollars off the value of the Pens because he backtracked on relocation within a few days of insisting on not allowing it.