News Article: Pittsburgh the self proclaimed "Mecca of Hockey"

[topched]

Article getting alot of play on the radio this morning. Written by a Pittsburgh writer this morning.

Kovacevic: Move over, Toronto: It’s our game

Imagine when the NHL finally, formally returns to Pittsburgh on this fittingly wintry Wednesday night, with the Penguins playing host to the Maple Leafs amid the game‘s two brightest stars, 18,387 of its most dedicated fans and about a half-million more near local TV sets.

If you ask me, it‘ll look like hockey‘s coming home.

Not just our home.

The sport‘s new home.

See, with all due respect to our Ontarian visitors in town, I dare say it‘s now plenty safe to posit that this golden little triangle, this most fortunate magnet to four of the greatest talents in NHL history … this is hockey‘s new Mecca.


Toronto?

Well, that‘s the consensus choice across Canada, but let‘s be real: It‘s based on black-and-white footage. The Leafs haven‘t won the Cup since 1967, the sport‘s longest such streak, or even reached a final. Just one division title in all that time, too. No playoffs since 2004.

Personal favorite: No scoring champion since Gordie Drillon in 1938.

Yes, that Gordie Drillon.

Look, don‘t misunderstand. The Toronto metro area is three times our size, and its passion for pucks is unrivaled. The Maple Leafs are the NHL‘s most lucrative franchise and, fact is, the league could put a second franchise there and it would be the second-most lucrative.

But sorry, no road to Mecca can have four decades of failure and Phil Kessel at the other end.

Read more: http://triblive.com/sports/dejankovacevic/dejancolumns/3336198-74/nhl-team-fans#ixzz2IoPgMhHd

Click to read more...

 

[CanadasTeam]

Heard on the TSN1050 this morning too. Sounds like Pennsylvania is getting a nice piece of the pie...

 

[Joey Hoser]

Pfft. Pittsburg almost went bankrupt less than 10 years ago and the team wouldn't even exist anymore if the NHL didn't rig the lottery to give them Crosby. Mecca my ass.

 

[TheGroceryStick]

A hockey Mecca doesn't almost go bankrupt.

Most writers don't remember the gray area between the Lemieux days and Crosby gift.

 

[legendinblue]

What? Hilarious.

 

[namttebih]

Pfft. Pittsburg almost went bankrupt less than 10 years ago and the team wouldn't even exist anymore if the NHL didn't rig the lottery to give them Crosby. Mecca my ass.

This is all that there is to say.

Not to sound completely paranoid but if Bettman hadn't handed them 87 we would be talking about the the Atlanta Thrashers moving to KC because the PENs would already be in Winnipeg

 

[Pinto]

The same "hockey mecca" that almost went bankrupt before Crosby came a long?

Ok.

 

[namttebih]

Article getting alot of play on the radio this morning. Written by a Pittsburgh writer this morning.



Read more: http://triblive.com/sports/dejankovacevic/dejancolumns/3336198-74/nhl-team-fans#ixzz2IoPgMhHd

Only the negatives. He doesn't mention the four trips to the conference finals in the last 20 years.

I know that the richest franchise should have bigger goals than that but you can't discredit those teams.

 

[saint2e]

Pittsburgh media is trolling Leafs fans. Don't give them hits.

 

[achtungbaby]

We need to knock off this stupid "Mecca" crap either way. The number of people who cheer for your team doesn't make you, your team, or your city, any better than anyone or anything else. If I could only see one game, at any arena, I would choose the Bell Centre over both Pittsburgh or Toronto. I want atmosphere when I attend hockey games, not a tomb.

PS. Obviously it would be the Leafs visiting the Habs but my point remains.

 

[Raging Bull]

Meh, they deserve to gloat, whatever. This is the sort of stuff Carlyle is talking about when he says this group has to earn respect back.

 

[IBLEAF]

Heard on the TSN1050 this morning too. Sounds like Pennsylvania is getting a nice piece of the pie...

haha so true!!!!!

 

[Durrrrrr]

And wouldn't Detroit be better than Pittsburgh using these same metrics?
Great players
Success, regular season and playoffs
Strong Fan base
Excellent front office

etc..

The Wings, to me exemplifies over the last 15-20 years what all other franchises strive to be.

 

[Shady Machine]

Hey Pens fan and Pittsburgh native here. The guy that wrote that is an idiot. I am a long time fan and remember getting damn near free tickets during the "dark days" before the lockout. We certainly are no hockey mecca and have been blessed with impeccable talent. Most of us, I hope, are humble enough to realize we wouldn't have a team without Lemieux and Sid. The article had to be a troll job. The mark of a hockey mecca (whatever the hell that means), IMO, is one where fans come out during the down times. Pittsburgh isn't there.

 

[achtungbaby]

Meh, they deserve to gloat, whatever. This is the sort of stuff Carlyle is talking about when he says this group has to earn respect back.

Agreed.

 

[7even]

And how many NHL superstars does the GTA produce compared to the industrial wasteland that is Pittsburgh? That's right. Gtfo.

 

[Smif]

Let's have an all-Ontario vs and all-Pennsylvania game and we'll see where the Mecca is. Or how bout a fans vs fans game. Just because us fans can't do anything about winning Lord Stanley doesn't mean we wouldn't kick their ass in hockey at every level.

 

[Christ]

Ok a team that has had recent bankrupcy issues, has had exceptional luck in that their tanking years happened to be years in which players like Lemieux, Jagr, Crosby and Malkin were available and thus have won cups is now the hockey Mecca? Does that mean that the Mecca will be moving to Edmonton once their draft picks pan out? Detroit and New Jersey have won more cups in recent years than the Pens, how come they are not the new "Mecca"? Stupid article.

 

[Ari91]

Okay buddy

Using his own criteria, his article should say that Detroit is the Mecca of hockey.

 

[The Podium]

Hahaha maybe Crosby can claim himself as such but Pittsburgh almost folded not to long ago Didnt they have to give Lemieux part of the team because they didnt have the money to pay out the rest of his contract?

 

[Winreims]

Hey Pens fan and Pittsburgh native here. The guy that wrote that is an idiot. I am a long time fan and remember getting damn near free tickets during the "dark days" before the lockout. We certainly are no hockey mecca and have been blessed with impeccable talent. Most of us, I hope, are humble enough to realize we wouldn't have a team without Lemieux and Sid. The article had to be a troll job. The mark of a hockey mecca (whatever the hell that means), IMO, is one where fans come out during the down times. Pittsburgh isn't there.

THIS man from Pittsburgh knows what he's talking about.

 

[HockeyGuruPitka]

Leafs need to shut this guys mouth

 

[SayWhatAgain]

Pfft. Pittsburg almost went bankrupt less than 10 years ago and the team wouldn't even exist anymore if the NHL didn't rig the lottery to give them Crosby. Mecca my ass.

This exactly.

 

[nsleaf]

And I always thought the mecca of hockey was Windsor, N.S. Who new it was Pittsburgh.

 

[Drew311]

Looks like someone is trying to get some site hits.

From the Eklund school of journalism, just mention Toronto in a hockey-related article. Pathetic.