Pittsburgh Sports Media Gibberish - Part VII (MOD WARNING post #275)

[MtlPenFan]

Rossi blocked me on Twitter because I asked him his thoughts on Shelly trolling him. HE MAD.

What did Shelly do?

 

[steveg]

What did Shelly do?

I don't know where the quote is, but in the last few days, regarding the coaching search and possible candidates, she said something to the effect that she would offer updates whenever there is something "substantial" and "factual" to go on, and not just rumor, unlike what some others in the media are apt to do...

Some took it as a slap at the Trib/Rossi...

EDIT -- here it is:

Understand, also, that while Rutherford has been gracious enough to speak to the Post-Gazette nearly every day during this search, tracking down some details has proven particularly tricky. We won't bombard you with half-substantiated rumors (and those aren't hard to find) but will report the news as it unfolds.

http://sportsblogs.post-gazette.com...014/06/20/A-new-twist-in-coaching-search.html

 

[MtlPenFan]

Good. If there's one positive out of the circus this has become, it's Rossi losing his marbles.

 

[MeticulouslyDishevel]

I don't know where the quote is, but in the last few days, regarding the coaching search and possible candidates, she said something to the effect that she would offer updates whenever there is something "substantial" and "factual" to go on, and not just rumor, unlike what some others in the media are apt to do...

Some took it as a slap at the Trib/Rossi...

EDIT -- here it is:



http://sportsblogs.post-gazette.com...014/06/20/A-new-twist-in-coaching-search.html

Ouch. I never would have expected that from her.

 

[steveg]

Ouch. I never would have expected that from her.

I know, right? The lady that NEVER offers an opinion, tossed out a ZINGER! Good for her...

 

[SHOOTANDSCORE]

...

Handwaves some legitimate concerns about Shero, but it's still pretty fascinating. Still don't understand why this guy doesn't have a bigger pulpit. Probably the most-insightful guy covering hockey in this city.

https://soundcloud.com/talent-network/miller-vs-marshall-hockey-podcast-ep7-w-guest-mike-colligan-june-16-2014

He said he was going to start writing for the trib last season and we never heard another thing about it.


Also, Madden just called WD a pornstache curtain jerker. He definitely reads these boards.

 

[SHOOTANDSCORE]

Now Madden is ridiculing people for saying Morehouse is interfering in hockey decisions. Madden is the one that originally reported that he was interfering!


Looks like Morehouse has gotten his claws into Madden now too.

 

[gordie]

Now Madden is ridiculing people for saying Morehouse is interfering in hockey decisions. Madden is the one that originally reported that he was interfering!


Looks like Morehouse has gotten his claws into Madden now too.

You know there's interference from upper management & ownership because why has Rick Tocchet all of sudden become a required assistant to anybody they hire as Head Coach?

 

[KIRK]

Good. If there's one positive out of the circus this has become, it's Rossi losing his marbles.

After seeing what five years of being a model franchise gave us, I am going to reserve judgment on how successful the circus will be because the initial stages of the set up look chaotic.

If looking good isn't prima facie evidence for franchise success, then I don't see why the appearance of chaos is prima facie evidence for failure.

As for Shelly trolling Rossi, the group of people Shelly justifiably can troll about hockey is one. She finally picked the right one.

 

[madinsomniac]

Said it before and will again... Moorehouse isn't anything more than spin, smoke and mirrors... his involvement was just a way for Mario and Burkle to be more involved with the hockey and Business decisions without looking like they are... playing key roles while still out of the spotlight... Moorehouse is just going to be the go between to make it look like they aren't meddling...

 

[KIRK]

Said it before and will again... Moorehouse isn't anything more than spin, smoke and mirrors... his involvement was just a way for Mario and Burkle to be more involved with the hockey and Business decisions without looking like they are... playing key roles while still out of the spotlight... Moorehouse is just going to be the go between to make it look like they aren't meddling...

Now, THAT I can believe. BUT, as I just posted in the Morehouse thread, what level of involvement do they want?

Ray Shero was a nice guy. Prima facie, he was open and really did a great job of listening to and digesting opinions other than his own and massaging strong opinions and other egos. Seems reasonable.

BUT, isn't THAT why he turned down the Boston job? Because he didn't want any unsolicited opinions telling him anything he didn't want to hear.

Why is it so believable that the guy who turned down the Boston job because he didn't want to have to clear anything didn't trade Letang because he was told not to do it for marketing reasons?

Is it somehow less believable that Morehouse, speaking for ownership, told Shero to be sure because the owners liked him and he had marketing value and that Shero petulantly acted like 'well, then I'm not trading Letang if you're going to question it'?

Same thing as him making this team so soft. Maybe Morehouse questioned how over the top things were getting as voiced ownership's concern and Shero said 'well, fine, if you don't like what comes with the tough guys and the rats, then we'll get rid of them and then everyone can be happy'. Why is THAT so unbelievable?

Morehouse may be a ****. The whole politician thing feeds that perception.

BUT, like you, this smells to me like ownership (i.e., Mario and Burkle's mouthpiece) wanting to be real voices in the room clashing with a GM who turned down the job in Boston because he was unable and unwilling to deal with a work environment where he might have to deal with unsolicited and contrary opinions.

Side note: Ironic, isn't it, that a GM with that MO stood so steadfastly by a coach with the same MO?

 

[madinsomniac]

Now, THAT I can believe. BUT, as I just posted in the Morehouse thread, what level of involvement do they want?

Ray Shero was a nice guy. Prima facie, he was open and really did a great job of listening to and digesting opinions other than his own and massaging strong opinions and other egos. Seems reasonable.

BUT, isn't THAT why he turned down the Boston job? Because he didn't want any unsolicited opinions telling him anything he didn't want to hear.

Why is it so believable that the guy who turned down the Boston job because he didn't want to have to clear anything didn't trade Letang because he was told not to do it for marketing reasons?

Is it somehow less believable that Morehouse, speaking for ownership, told Shero to be sure because the owners liked him and he had marketing value and that Shero petulantly acted like 'well, then I'm not trading Letang if you're going to question it'?

Same thing as him making this team so soft. Maybe Morehouse questioned how over the top things were getting as voiced ownership's concern and Shero said 'well, fine, if you don't like what comes with the tough guys and the rats, then we'll get rid of them and then everyone can be happy'. Why is THAT so unbelievable?

Morehouse may be a ****. The whole politician thing feeds that perception.

BUT, like you, this smells to me like ownership (i.e., Mario and Burkle's mouthpiece) wanting to be real voices in the room clashing with a GM who turned down the job in Boston because he was unable and unwilling to deal with a work environment where he might have to deal with unsolicited and contrary opinions.

Side note: Ironic, isn't it, that a GM with that MO stood so steadfastly by a coach with the same MO?

That's pretty much my take... I mean we hear all year that Bylsma requested Martin... yet he banishes him in a heartbeat, then after the season its slipped out that Martin was Mario's idea... just like the Hossa trade... I think ownership was trying to be a little more involved but not trying to look as such... im not really sure how I feel about that yet though

 

[KIRK]

That's pretty much my take... I mean we hear all year that Bylsma requested Martin... yet he banishes him in a heartbeat, then after the season its slipped out that Martin was Mario's idea... just like the Hossa trade... I think ownership was trying to be a little more involved but not trying to look as such... im not really sure how I feel about that yet though

That's a fair point. One can question whether it's a good thing or a bad thing, the involvement.

BUT, this idea that a Letang trade was nixed and Shero was ordered to make the team soft. Yeah, sounds great because Morehouse worked for Gore, and you know how those slimy political people are.

Those are the optics. The only FACT here is that Ray Shero turned down the Boston job because he wanted no part of dealing with a top management and ownership group that would offer unsolicited opinions or thought that they should be a voice in the room.

I mean, after the Pens won the cup, and Cliff Fletcher moved on and Ken Sawyer was moved out, it was all Shero's little kingdom, and he was surrounded by his cronies like Sexton and Waddell.

After seeing what a few years of that brought, I'm not surprised that ownership, through its mouthpiece, would want to assert itself. And, I'm not surprised that things would start to go south from there given how the GM dealt with that.

Look, we'll never know 100%. And, I don't doubt that Morehouse could be part of the problem. It's just this whole Darth Morehouse versus Saint Rejean doesn't add up, not if one considers the type of people with whom Saint Rejean surrounded himself, the similar personality of the coach he refused to fire, and frankly the reason Shero chose Pittsburgh over Boston in the first place.

Interesting Side Bar: The reasons why Shero chose Pittsburgh over Boston sound to me a lot like why Peters and Desjardins both chose to coach elsewhere. And, the way some are moaning about losing out on those two are how some Bruins fans whined about losing out on Shero.

 

[BlindWillyMcHurt]

Very, very few people are canonizing Shero. Very, very few are outright vilifying Morehouse. Or, at least, not without their tongue firmly in cheek.

It's enough that the guy wants some say in any hockey operations. Mouthpiece or otherwise. He's not a hockey guy -- I don't want him trying his hand at it at the team's expense.

 

[Fordy]

the only person that said bylsma requested martin was rossi and i seem to recall this board calling it ******** when it happened

 

[Waffle Fries]

the only person that said bylsma requested martin was rossi and i seem to recall this board calling it ******** when it happened

I'm pretty sure it was in the Pens' press release that Bylsma brought him in. But most of the board did indeed call ********.

 

[KIRK]

Very, very few people are canonizing Shero. Very, very few are outright vilifying Morehouse. Or, at least, not without their tongue firmly in cheek.

It's enough that the guy wants some say in any hockey operations. Mouthpiece or otherwise. He's not a hockey guy -- I don't want him trying his hand at it at the team's expense.

I think it's more subtle than that.

I remember listening to a radio interview with Shero, where he was talking about working in Nashville and about a time he said 'why can't we do this', and he said Poile nicely smacked him down, kind of the 'when you're in this chair, then you can start asking those questions'.

I look at Shero, and I see a nice guy who brought that lesson with him to Pittsburgh. He didn't want to go to Boston, because he didn't want anyone offering unsolicited opinions or having any say. Fletcher was more of a partner. I've heard that Sawyer was something of an antagonist.

BUT, after we won the cup, it was Shero with 'go fetch my coffee' Bots and a bunch of yes men. Opinions were offered, but, like the Pens coaching staff and on the team itself, there was no true tension or contrary opinion.

After the Pens won the cup, Pens ownership was ok finalizing that arrangement.

And, after a couple years of the ****, it started to wear thin. You hear now of subtle hints looking for change either ignored or 'listened to' and then taken to some petulant extreme (you don't like people saying we're dirty, then we'll be soft).

Morehouse is a mouthpiece. He doesn't want to be sitting there evaluating players. BUT, after his bosses gave Shero the keys to the car and then took away any remaining small impediments after the Pens won the cup, it's only natural to want to be heard when the driver is proving far less adept than hoped.

Look, read that book Breakaway about the Pens. You'll get an idea for how Mario, Burkle, and their mouthpiece used to be involved. I think THAT is what they wanted back given how the Pens were falling off after the cup win.

 

[Dupree13]

Anybody catch Dejan's chat today? He harshly panned Johnston as a potential Pens coach, dismissing him as a mere Canadian Junior coach.

His name may not be in the thread title but to me he's the biggest jackass in Pittsburgh sports media right now.

 

[Shady Machine]

Anybody catch Dejan's chat today? He harshly panned Johnston as a potential Pens coach, dismissing him as a mere Canadian Junior coach.

His name may not be in the thread title but to me he's the biggest jackass in Pittsburgh sports media right now.

I like that Dejan is one of the only guys willing to call people in the org out or ruffle feathers, but he has a big objectivity issue here. He locked on Ulf a few weeks ago and is just whining that his guy isn't going to get the job. He would have whined if WD got it too.

 

[Dupree13]

I like that Dejan is one of the only guys willing to call people in the org out or ruffle feathers, but he has a big objectivity issue here. He locked on Ulf a few weeks ago and is just whining that his guy isn't going to get the job. He would have whined if WD got it too.

I get that, but he's often ill informed or just wrong about things and that combined with his arrogant demeanor is obnoxious.

 

[daniel kaffee]

I get that, but he's often ill informed or just wrong about things and that combined with his arrogant demeanor is obnoxious.

In my eyes, it seems like DK calls out various front offices (either the Pens or Pirates) for their shortcomings (e.g., mishandling of Polanco by the Pirates) just to get a sit down with ownership/management, afterwards he completely backs whatever the team chose to do. Seems like a pretty lame way to get access.

 

[MrBurghundy]

Anybody catch Dejan's chat today? He harshly panned Johnston as a potential Pens coach, dismissing him as a mere Canadian Junior coach.

His name may not be in the thread title but to me he's the biggest jackass in Pittsburgh sports media right now.

I've been saying that forever, but because he was on our side for a couple of months, everybody forgot who the guy really is.

 

[Get To Our Game]

Donnie: DK, love, no I mean LOVE your take on bringing in Ulfie and Tocchet. Any chance Kevin Stevens can be on that staff. We'd have an All Star staff and one that could bring a TOUGHNESS missing from this team at the moment. Also would be nice for Pens to get Ryan Malone and RJ Umberger if Philly buys him out.

Dejan Kovacevic: Artie would be a no. And I love Artie. Always have. But no.

I'm thinking Dejan missed the point/tone of this 'question'.

 

[wej20]

Ryan Malone? No Thanks.

 

[Captain Hook]

Anybody catch Dejan's chat today? He harshly panned Johnston as a potential Pens coach, dismissing him as a mere Canadian Junior coach.

His name may not be in the thread title but to me he's the biggest jackass in Pittsburgh sports media right now.

I agree. I've never understood the love for Dejan. The guy sucks, imo.