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  • http://wayo72.blogspot.com Tony D

    Milbury represents the old school mentality of hockey that has held the sport back for years and will continue to hold it back. It’s why no-talent goons are still employed and allowed to share the ice with players as talented as Crosby and Malkin. What if a third string linebacker took a real cheap shot on Tom Brady? He’d be out of the league for a year, at the very least.

    As long as the neanderthals want goonism over skill, the NHL will be looked at as a second-rate league.

    • Meathead

      Without no talent goons the NHL would be down to six teams again

      • http://justwatchthegame.com John Steigerwald

        Absurd.

  • Niblick

    What Milbury says is really not important. Making fun of Crosby’s 35 concussions was a little below the belt for a national broadcaster. I would have thought NBC and the NHL would have suspended or terminated him.

    Crosby created his own mess with regards to his reputation. I go to several games a year and he is always looking back at the refs about non-calls. He just needs to stop doing that. You don’t ever see Malkin or Stall whining like that. For being the face of the NHL, he isn’t admired by a lot of hockey people. But, in this town, all of the MFOM (Media Friends of Mario) just don’t seem to see the whole picture. Another Pittsburgh thing, media that is fearful of some ownerships here.

    • http://justwatchthegame.com John Steigerwald

      It’s the NHL. The officiating stinks. He’s the captain and working the refs is part of his job. Until I hear of an organization called MFOR –Media Friends of the Rooneys–I don’t want to hear about the MFOM. Bob Smizik came up with that term during the arena controversy. He never felt that way about the media cheerleading for the Pirates and Steelers when they needed stadiums.

      • Niblick

        The Rooneys are definitely an untouchable group with the media. They may be more off limits when it comes to media scrutiny. The only ownership that gets constant criticism is the Pirates. Bob is a cheerleader, no doubt there, but he is also extremely critical, to the point of being nauseating, of the Pirates while admitting to going to 20 or 30 games a year . . . with probably free tickets.

        Let’s face it, the Pens and Steelers ownership with most of the media here do not get scrutinized nearly as much as the Pirates. Yes, the success rates definitely play a part in that.

        • http://justwatchthegame.com John Steigerwald

          Bob buys his tickets.

          • Meathead

            You should read his blog more!

      • DormontDirtBag

        Hey, don’t cross-check Bob Smizik when he’s not looking.

        I like ol’ Bob.

      • Erik

        Speaking of Smizik why has he always seemed to have a disdain for hockey?

        • http://justwatchthegame.com a

          He feels about hockey the way I feel about basketball. He can take it or leave it. That’s OK. A matter of taste.

          • Joe

            Somebody tell Bob that Groucho Marx called and he wants his eyebrows back…

        • Barrasso35

          Because he doesn’t know hockey. Smizik lost all credibility discussing the sport when he claimed Burkle didn’t spend money towards the cap for “years”, not knowing that the cap only started after the lockout and when it did the Pens spent boatloads of money on free agents after they won the Sid lottery.

          He also had the nerve in February 2006 to say the Pens were WORSE than the Pirates in regards to “building” a team. Which is anyone who knows how hockey teams are built would realize how silly that quote was.

          He used his feud with Mark Madden to badmouth the Pens. The MFOM term was his fancy way of calling out Madden without doing it by name.

          I bet ol’ Smize cried himself to sleep when the Pens won the Stanley Cup.

  • Barrasso35

    Clowns like Milbury get work because the Canadian fogies who govern the sport still believe in the good ol’ tough guy Canadian way to play hockey.

    The fact that Terry Gregson is the Director of officiating should tell you everything you need to know on how “serious” the NHL is about making the game about skill instead of some no talent from Moodejaw’s will.

  • George Washington

    Crosby even admitted after the game he did a lot more stick-work than usual, that the two teams hate each other, and it’s always tough on the ice when the teams meet because both teams do that stuff.

    He’s the only one telling the truth.

    • http://justwatchthegame.com John Steigerwald

      The best point he wade was that his hit on Shenn that resulted in the cross check to his back occured DURING PLAY as opposed to from behind after the whistle.

    • Blasto

      If the Pens focus on hockey and not the after whiste shit- they will beat the Flyers in the playoffs. They need to just skate away and skate away consistently. If there is a time for a brawl let Engellynd/Asham types take care of it. The Pens have the 3 best players on the ice…they should not lose to that team in a 7 game series.

      • DormontDirtBag

        My thoughts exactly.

      • franji1

        Geno’s a loose cannon and will take MULTIPLE dumb penalites in a game if you get “under his skin”. Crosby admitted as such when he plays the Flyers.

        I’m guessing the Flyers know what they need to do to win their first round series against the Penguins, but they probably already knew that.

        Blasto is right, I just hope Bylesma can get that through.

  • Darren

    Milbury is such a joke. I will put this out there for anyone to dispute.

    Mike Milbury was the worst GM in the history of the NHL.

    Here is a list of players he traded away that are still playing:

    – Zdeno Chara
    – Roberto Luongo
    – Bryan McCabe
    – Jason Spezza
    – Wade Redden
    – Eric Brewer
    – JP Dumont
    – Todd Bertuzzi
    – Olli Jokinen
    – Tim Connolly
    – Taylor Pyatt
    – Raffi Torres
    – Chris Osgood
    – Brent Sopel

    You would have a pretty damn good team with just those players. But that is just the tip of the iceberg on what a pathetic waste of space Milbury is. Just google his name and add words like “bad trade”.

    Overall he is just a terrible human being. The shoe incident, the “alleged” assault on a child. The list is long.

    Now he basically is calling for Crosby to get hurt again. I wonder if the NHL will have a talk with NBC about this.

  • a-dawg

    Sid use to cry and whine…I’ll admit that. He was pathetic his first 2 years in the league. But once he understood the refs would use that against him…he wised up and has toned it down ever since.

    Now saying that ALL OF CANADA hates him…I highly doubt that. He scored the gold medal goal at the Vancouver Olympics….Canadians love him!!!! It’s the rest of the hockey fans in America that hates him. But like JS said, if Sid was on their team – they’d change their tune. Sid is one of those players that you love to hate…but would also love if he was on your team.

    As far as Milbury is concerned – WHO EFFING CARES?!?!?!?! Besides for his antics in the 91 Wales Conference Finals (can’t forget him labeling Badger Bob the “professor of goonism”), let’s not forget that this is the same guy who went in the stands and beat a fan with his dress shoe. This is also a guy who jumped the glass at his kid’s hockey game and went after another kid that was roughing up his boy. I’m all for protecting your child…but if you are a self-proclaimed old school hockey guy…maybe you should have let that one ride.

    What I didn’t get was that McGuire and the other analyst doing Sunday’s game celebrated the cheap shot on Sid. Said it showed the player’s character and that is what will make him a great hockey player. THEY FREAKING CELEBRATED A CHEAP SHOT THAT OCCURED AFTER THE WHISTLE. This is why the NHL will be forever entrenched as the #4 pro sport in this country.

    • GeeWhiz

      #4??? Poker tournaments get better ratings than NHL.

      • http://justwatchthegame.com John Steigerwald

        No they’re not and it doesn’t matter anyway. Dancing With the Stars is a ratings smash. What’s your point.

    • Karen

      PIerre McGuire is horrible, he is so anti-Penguin, when M. Richards played for Philly, every other minute he would find something to praise him for (look how he tapes his stick, that’s how a true leader does it), now that Richards is gone, his new boyfriend is Giroux. It’s hard to listen to he and Edzo, bc/ they’re both bitter towards the Pens. This guy had “character’ for taking a cheap shot, if Assham did that to Giroux they would’ve called for his suspension.

  • DormontDirtBag

    Crosby is a whiner? The most memorable image of Milbury is when he was crying like a woman after Ulf tattooed Cam Neely in Wales Conference finals.

    • Dr. Phibes

      Milbury is a no-talent punk and a failed coach, but that doesn’t excuse Ulf deliberately going knee-on-knee to Neely in the 91 playoffs, basically ending Neely’s career as a top-flight player. Would serve him right is someone from the Bruins took a run at his kid if he ever makes it to the NHL.

      • Arnie

        “Would serve him right is someone from the Bruins took a run at his kid if he ever makes it to the NHL.”

        You can’t be serious?! If so, I know exactly which parent you would be at youth sporting events. Pathetic to say the least.

      • DormontDirtBag

        That hit didn’t cause the injury you’re talking about. It was a different hit that occurred when Neely hit Ulf, and their legs collided.

    • kilrain

      Pittsburgh sports media turn into shameless jock sniffers when it comes to the Pens,especially when it comes to Crosby. I can’t stand Milbury but I agree with him on Sid. Crosby IS a whining punk. I hope somebody goes “Matt Cooke” on him just to watch Madden,Pompeani,Steigy,Albie,
      etc, weep into their black and gold hankies.

      • http://justwatchthegame.com John Steigerwald

        What has he done or said that makes him a punk?

        • Tattoo Rick

          You can’t be that one sided when it comes to Crosby.. I don’t know Sid and I don’t know if he is or isnt a punk. The guys that play/coach against him (and some that play with him) think he is a punk. Case closed..

          • http://justwatchthegame.com John Steigerwald

            Milbury didn’t call him a punk, by the way. He said he has punk in him. He probably does and should. Sometimes it’s referred to as playing with an “edge.” Crosby admitted yesterday that the Flyers bring out the worst in him.

          • Richard

            Case closed? Not really. If his teammates say he’s a punk that’s big news. Just what teammates think he’s a punk? I’d love to hear the names since he is the captain and has already lead his team to the Cup finals twice. Share some names with us Mr. Rick. How about some sources? Who told you his teammates say he’s a punk? A trainer, the stick boys, Iceburg? What opponents called him a punk? When? To be credible you need at least two sources. You spout off your opinions but when you start attributing opinions to others, you need to back it up. We’re waiting.

        • Rob

          Don’t hold your breath, John. He’s not going to respond to you since he doesn’t have an actual example.

  • Tattoo Rick

    Milbury is 100% right. Sports fans in this city (and media) walk around with blinders on. People outside of pittsburgh hate Crosby. Canadian media and fans hate Crosby (one of their own). Milbury is not alone in his opinions of Crosby. Pierre McGuire in so many words said the same thing as Milbury during the broadcast. Players know Crosby is a little bitch on the ice and a choir boy in front of a mic. This is why Crosby will never last because someone will be always waiting to deliver that KO shot to him and his career.

    • http://justwatchthegame.com John Steigerwald

      Yeah. Lemieux was a whiner, too. Then the league finally wised up and started doing what he wanted it to do –enforce existing rules. Flyers fans would change their tune in 1 second if Crosby were traded for Hartnell.

      • Dr. Phibes

        Even the best have blemishes:

        Everyone knew Mario didn’t go hard 60 minutes in most games.
        Nobody dove better or more often than Ron Francis
        Jagr was moody and could take nights off for seemingly no reason
        And Crosby whines too much.

        I love em all and wouldn’t trade any of them, but I like seeing the whole picture, warts and all.

        • http://justwatchthegame.com John Steigerwald

          What everybody didn’t know about Lemieux is that, even when he was very young, he had trouble lacing his skates because of his back. There were times when he couldn’t tie them. That may have had a little to do with his apparent lack of effort every now and then.

          • Dr. Phibes

            Can’t truly feel sorry for Mario given all that he has and has accomplished, but your always wonder what higher heights he would have reached if he wasn’t saddled with franchise incompetence his first few years and later the bad back and cancer.

      • Richard

        Seriously, Milbury is an idiot. He should call Crosby a punk to his face. Oh wait, Crosby isn’t a 12 year old kid.

        There was no bigger whiner in hockey history than Wayne Gretzky. But they all love Wayne.

        • http://justwatchthegame.com John Steigerwald

          Milbury actually compared Crosby’s whining to Gretzky’s.

      • Meathead

        So would Penguin fans

    • Dr. Phibes

      Sid is my favorite player, but Pens fans insist on nothing but praise for the team, especially Crosby. Local media make is worse by penning nothing but valentines about the players too. Truth is, Crosby may not whine as much as he did when he first broke into the league, but he has that reputation and in hockey towns outside of Pittsburgh its well-known. When he gets knocked down, even if it was a penalty, sometimes he should just get up and carry on and not stay on his knees with arms stretched out, looking for the penalty. Crosby is the best player in the league and yet I think he doesn’t garner a lot of respect around league because of this. There is some truth to what Tattoo Rick says about some players wanting to KO him and this is the reason.

      • Rob

        You’re wrong. He consistently gets voted by his peers as the best player in the league. There must be some type of respect there.

        He also doesn’t do nearly as much whining as he used to whenever he first broke into the league. He plays through a lot of muggings, and rarely sits there asking for a penalty. Of course he does it sometimes, but so does every player in the league.

        Remember, he’s the best player in the league and he SHOULD be trying to sell penalties. I think a lot of the talking to officials is overblown as well, seeing as how he’s the captain and it’s part of his job.

    • Rob

      You’re a moron. You’re using Pierre McGuire as a source? LOL.

      How unfortunate for you.

    • keith

      i don’t care what people outsde of Pittsburgh think of Crosby I’m glad he’s a Penguin.

  • Jeff S

    Milbury still bitter after all these years. I remember him crying, whining, and breaking up sticks (didn’t we just witness this?) after Samuelson “roughed up” his boy Neely.

    • Dr. Phibes

      Kind of like Pen fans still crying about the love tap Adam Graves gave Mario with his stick in ’92.

      • http://justwatchthegame.com John Steigerwald

        it was a two handed slash. Not a love tap.

      • Erik

        Love taps don’t break wrists

        • http://justwatchthegame.com John Steigerwald

          Two handed slashes are not love taps. Teams don’t sit their most important player so that he can fake an injury.

          • Dr. Phibes

            Intentional knee-on-knee collisions are not just being “roughed up” either.

          • http://justwatchthegame.com John Steigerwald

            Who said they were?

          • franji1

            Agreed – to me it looked like Neely was going after Samuelson, not the other way around. Remember, whoever dishes it out also needs to be able to take it – that tells you something about Neely, Milbury and Bruin fans in general.