Post-Game Talk: Well I'm Freeeeeeee, Freeeee Fallin'... Pens -1, CBJ-2

[xxxxxxxxxxxxxx]

All of this stuff about Sid calling the shots and being a guy who makes it known he wants to play with certain players is concerning. I still don't know if I believe it. Even so, the best player in the world or not, Sid's gotta be put in his place if that is going on. That's why I was hoping we'd have gotten a shot at Laviolette, or maybe have a shot at Babcock. We need a coach with experience, and a presence that demands respect from his players.

 

[Terrapin]

Yeah it's pretty entertaining

Well, if his story about the lineup decision with kunitz a few weeks ago is true, this this entire team needs blown up because this group is done. And that includes the coaches and upper management.

 

[CHLLL Penguin]

If that's true, then **** Sid. Deal him. Yesterday.

Depending on how much you trust Madden's sources, he said he was told from someone inside the locker room when they were at Calgary the pregame lineup was put up and Kunitz wasn't on Sid's line. Sid went to talk to Johnston and after that, Kunitz was put back on Sid's line.

 

[ColePens]

Before he was drafted, Saad was touted as a potential 1st overall and he takes his conditioning very seriously, unlike BB.. so I doubt he would have had a similar development path. The constant injuries signal a lack of dedication in the weight room.

Comparing the two players is just nuts.. Saad was better at 18 than BB will probably ever be. Saad's work ethic is as good as they come too.

Beau is too busy tweeting, amirite?

Come on.. you know you had it coming.

 

[systemsgo]

Madden talking to John Steigerwald. Madden doing everything in his power to defend Sid and Mario, even after acknowledging Sid calls the shots on the team more than the coaches and GMs

Is there a stream?

 

[ColePens]

Well, if his story about the lineup decision with kunitz a few weeks ago is true, this this entire team needs blown up because this group is done. And that includes the coaches and upper management.

At this point there is so much smoke out there that we have to believe a fire is real. We don't know how big the fire is, but this isn't the same story over and over again. Everyone has a story and they all sound similar.

 

[CHLLL Penguin]

Well, if his story about the lineup decision with kunitz a few weeks ago is true, this this entire team needs blown up because this group is done. And that includes the coaches and upper management.

Agreed. Madden said Lemieux did the same thing but the difference was that they won. This group isn't.

 

[blueliner18]

Madden talking to John Steigerwald. Madden doing everything in his power to defend Sid and Mario, even after acknowledging Sid calls the shots on the team more than the coaches and GMs

Madden constantly talks his tongue into knots regarding Sid. Says Sid can't get out of his own way, he's over thinking, the staff always coaches to his comfort zone, blah blah blah. Then he says he's all about the logo. Then says the coaching staff needs to coach, and put together lines that will benefit the team most. Finally going back to defending Sid. Which is it dude? Who comes first in this organization coaches or players? Sounds like the players. In that case why don't they just put Cardboard Orpik on the bench and Sid can be player/coach... Reg Dunlap style!!!

 

[SHOOTANDSCORE]

I can't really recall the last time the Pitt hockey media was in so much of an uproar. This is definitely troubling.

 

[Dennis Reynolds]

Is there a stream?

http://www.1059thex.com/onair/mark-madden-25939/

 

[Terrapin]

If that's true, then **** Sid. Deal him. Yesterday.

According to Madden, on the Canada trip MJ posted the lineup at some point prior to a game. Kunitz was not on Sid's line. Sid went to MJs office to talk to him. Kunitz was then moved back to the top line.

Madden claims he got that from a player.

Again, if true, **** everyone in this organization, starting with Lemieux. He pulled the same **** as a player, and for as great as he was, only winning 2 Cups with those teams was an underachievement.

I really believe now that the only person to really change things is Rutherford. It will likely cost him his job in the process, but nobody else will or can do anything meaningful.

 

[AquaticBirdman]

If this is a serious post, then we need to be done.

4/6: Crosby, Malkin, Perron, Hornqvist are 100% no doubt about it top 6 players. Not even close. That beats the Ruslan Fedotenkos, Petr Sykora, Miro Satan, Tyler KEnnedy, Matt Cooke, Dupuis, Tangradi, good lord you name the rest.

Kunitz is the x factor. Before this epic bad season for Kunitz... you can't deny he was a top 6 forward. In fact on most teams he still is. He's a top 6 player, but yes.. he having the worst year imaginable. His play is pathetic. So is Sidney Crosby's.

Then you have: Comeau, Downie, Beau: Right now if we want to use the argument that Kunitz is not a top 6 player, then we have to admit Comeau is playing like a top 6 winger. Nobody expected it. He's there. That's a legit player right now.

Post of the thread right here.

Considering the absolute garbage we've tried to play off as "top sixers" over the past 5-6 years, I really don't see how we could even be debating the legitimacy of our current top 6. Just because most of them aren't PLAYING up to that lever that doesn't mean they don't fit the profile.

 

[WayneSid9987]

Depending on how much you trust Madden's sources, he said he was told from someone inside the locker room when they were at Calgary the pregame lineup was put up and Kunitz wasn't on Sid's line. Sid went to talk to Johnston and after that, Kunitz was put back on Sid's line.

That seems to make some sense to me. Especially when you see MJ's inability to mix up his lines OR the more damning one of Sid/Kunitz being thrown out on every 4on4 situation now. Sid was playing with Perron and Malkin for awhile there in those situations. Someone is being really dumb here and maybe that person is Sid and not MJ.

Mentioned this before but maybe MJ is letting Sid have what he wants right up until he breaks him to do it his way instead. You want to call the shots? Go right ahead and see how that goes for you.

 

[Terrapin]

Is there a stream?

Dude I've been on these boards for 4 or 5 years and still don't know how to post a picture. So asking me for a stream is like asking Adams to be a 30 goal scorer.

 

[AquaticBirdman]

This is the main issue with this team. I've seen everyone besides Hornqvist and Perron quit on plays and I think that is partially because they weren't here.



I live an hour from the Staples Center and have been watching tons of the Kings since I moved here in 2005. The reason they win championships is because of their skill players, not because of their bottom six. Their bottom six has been a revolving cast of prospects and if you think Stoll is a "nasty and dirty" player you've obviously never watched him. He is cut from exactly the same cloth as Brandon Sutter. Sure, they have had players like King and Clifford, but their bottom six has been anchored by players like Colin Fraser and Jarrett Stoll who are far more "skill" than "grit" players.

Also, if you think the Kings haven't played exactly the same as the Penguins have been playing this regular season the past three regular seasons, you should "watch" some of their games.

Fans complaints I've heard at the Staples from Kings fans this year,

"King doesn't hit enough for his size."
"Doughty doesn't look like he cares night in and night out"
"Quick is a complete facade and needs to put it together"
"Dustin Brown is the most overpaid player in the league"

I look at the Kings and I see a system's team that is complimented by some skill and good goaltending. At the end of the day though, they've won cups because they bought into an ass-tight system put into place by Sutter and they stuck with it.

 

[billybudd]

Pens have drafted and acquired tons of big guys going back to Wells, Dziedzkc, Stojanov right through to Stone, Filewich, and Tangradi. These guys are not easy to find. Of course Shero didnt help matters and always seemed to go for undersized grinder types. That's why I'm in no hurry to move Sundqvist.

JR can't fix odd drafting over 8 years in 8 months. Most people said it would take him a couple years to address these issues, but now people are tripping when he can't wave a magic wand.



Discipline, skill, grit, resiliency and size are all the necessary components to a cup winner. The discipline and resiliency are the two areas that concern me the most.



Agt the Caps, Letang ****ed up and Ovie went down the lane and scored. Then the refs called a BS penalty and they ended up with a 5-3 and scored.

Agt Col Bort made a dumb mental error and got out of his zone, and Comeau thought he was Serge Savard on the winner. In both games, the PP had a chance to tie it late and failed.

Bigger guys won't magically cure the lack of discipline and most troubling of all, lack of resiliency I see on this team.

**** has to change, and getting some bigger bodies will surely help, but it's only one part of the mix that needs to be corrected.

Shame on Letang for not using his powers of telekinesis to force Bennett to get the puck deep instead of lollygagging into a pickpocket in a horrible location during a linechange.

No idea what you're watching. Letang didn't even touch the puck and had no prayer of getting back when a forward turns the puck over in that location on what looks like an odd-man rush.

 

[Mr Jiggyfly]

Before he was drafted, Saad was touted as a potential 1st overall and he takes his conditioning very seriously, unlike BB.. so I doubt he would have had a similar development path. The constant injuries signal a lack of dedication in the weight room.

Comparing the two players is just nuts.. Saad was better at 18 than BB will probably ever be. Saad's work ethic is as good as they come too.

This is complete garbage and made up BS.

Saad's work ethic was highly questioned and that's why he slipped in the draft. That's well known, eventhough it was mostly BS.

BB was drafted around 175 lbs and put on over 30 lbs in 3 years. To say he didn't dedicate himself in the weight room is a crock of ****.

 

[blueliner18]

Dude I've been on these boards for 4 or 5 years and still don't know how to post a picture. So asking me for a stream is like asking Adams to be a 30 goal scorer.

LOL... sooooo agree Terrapin. You have to have a masters degree in programming to post a picture or link on this board!!!! Hahhaa

 

[Shady Machine]

Depending on how much you trust Madden's sources, he said he was told from someone inside the locker room when they were at Calgary the pregame lineup was put up and Kunitz wasn't on Sid's line. Sid went to talk to Johnston and after that, Kunitz was put back on Sid's line.

Ugh if true. I'm not throwing Sid under the bus, but that pisses me off. Even still, MJ needs to tell Sid to deal with it. I think JR needs to take the hit here and move Kunitz. MJ doesn't have to look like a dick and he can create the lines how he wants.

 

[Asuna]

LOL... sooooo agree Terrapin. You have to have a masters degree in programming to post a picture or link on this board!!!! Hahhaa

I agree with your point, but you do have to have a basic understanding (and I mean basic) of programming principles to post certain things on here. I found that interesting.

 

[djt153]

That seems to make some sense to me. Especially when you see MJ's inability to mix up his lines OR the more damning one of Sid/Kunitz being thrown out on every 4on4 situation now. Sid was playing with Perron and Malkin for awhile there in those situations. Someone is being really dumb here and maybe that person is Sid and not MJ.

Mentioned this before but maybe MJ is letting Sid have what he wants right up until he breaks him to do it his way instead. You want to call the shots? Go right ahead and see how that goes for you.

MJ seems like he understands too much about hockey to keep doing this unless there is some other source of pressure forcing his hand. hope it works out for him, but sid seems like a rather implacable foe. embarrassing either way and it makes the kunitz olympic inclusion take on a much more sinister feel.

 

[IcedCapp]

I'm going to throw something out there, and maybe someone already has and maybe I'm just a nut, whatever...

I don't think Sidney Crosby is a control freak. I don't think he's a bad teammate. I don't think he's a bad leader or a bad Captain. I believe he wants Chris Kunitz (and probably Pascal Dupuis) on his line.

It seems apparent that the coaching staff does not or did not. Perhaps the coaching staff actually does have power/control, but told Sid they'd have some amount of time to prove they should stick together.

Maybe that's why Sid is forcing so much to Kunitz, in a "please, just score so we can stick together" sort of attempt.

 

[Asuna]

Maybe that's why Sid is forcing so much to Kunitz, in a "please, just score so we can stick together" sort of attempt.

If so, frankly that's pretty pathetic.

 

[AquaticBirdman]

I'm going to throw something out there, and maybe someone already has and maybe I'm just a nut, whatever...

I don't think Sidney Crosby is a control freak. I don't think he's a bad teammate. I don't think he's a bad leader or a bad Captain. I believe he wants Chris Kunitz (and probably Pascal Dupuis) on his line.

It seems apparent that the coaching staff does not or did not. Perhaps the coaching staff actually does have power/control, but told Sid they'd have some amount of time to prove they should stick together.

Maybe that's why Sid is forcing so much to Kunitz, in a "please, just score so we can stick together" sort of attempt.

If that is indeed the case then I'm definitely on the "trade him right NOW" bandwagon because that would have to be by far the dumbest reasoning behind making so many terrible decisions with the puck. Sid's primary mandate shouldn't be to make his buddy look good.

 

[Terrapin]

I'm going to throw something out there, and maybe someone already has and maybe I'm just a nut, whatever...

I don't think Sidney Crosby is a control freak. I don't think he's a bad teammate. I don't think he's a bad leader or a bad Captain. I believe he wants Chris Kunitz (and probably Pascal Dupuis) on his line.

It seems apparent that the coaching staff does not or did not. Perhaps the coaching staff actually does have power/control, but told Sid they'd have some amount of time to prove they should stick together.

Maybe that's why Sid is forcing so much to Kunitz, in a "please, just score so we can stick together" sort of attempt.

I can't see Sid being like "don't break up my line or I'll run to daddy (Mario) and have him fire you". But I can see him saying something along the lines of "Kuni and I have had great chemistry for years. We're learning a new system. Give us time to work it out. I'm most comfortable playing with him. He's my BFF and I would die without him."