BewareThePenguin

One prob, bud -- his current contract with the Pens was schedule to end on that date. That doesn't necessarily mean his term with the Pens is up. If he'd agree beforehand to resign, he's still a Pen regardless. See the diff? The point of the 2-week notice is just a courtesy -- the spirit of giving your employer a chance to hire somebody new during your transition period while you stay on. Hossa denied that to the Pens by stalling and waiting til the last moment up til 7/1. That's like walking into your boss's office on Thursday at 4:59 p.m. and saying "see ya later bud, I won't be tomorrow 'cuz I quit." Like I said, Hossa smells bad no matter how you slice this.

No, Pens fans are saying he didn't show up THIS post-season. Your total off-target take is what I find funny. See, this is a prime example of what I'm talking about. You don't even have a grasp of what we're saying, but still you'll speak for us. Hilarious.

Wow, where do I begin with this arrogance? Well first, about that message board thing.... see here we go again, Detroit fans who know more about the Pens than we do. No, contrary to what you think, I didn't need some stinkin' message board -- I, unlike you and your fellow Wings fans, saw all the Hossa interviews on local TV, and read the papers. I put up one quote before from Hossa talking about how swell he thought playing for the Pens was, and how he'd just be tickled if he could get re-signed. (So yeah, I read the "hockey journalists" and all that.) That was pretty much the way he talked all June, spreading roses and perfume about the team. Oh he was just so tickled to be here! Why then would you assume Pens' management knew he was going to leave? Any way you look at it, Hossa smells bad here. If he knew he was leaving for Detroit all along, then he just used the Pens for leverage while talking out the other side of his mouth. If he was sincere about how gushy he felt, then he changed his mind at the last second, leaving the team to scramble with its free-agent plans. That's just common decency which would apply to any employee-company relationship. There's a reason companies ask for a two-week notice. And as for your "he only was speaking about the Oilers" -- nice try. Did he or did he not ALSO have an offer from the Pens? C'mon man. Again, why can't you just admit the possibility he acted like a ******? And be done with it.

Let me re-state my stance from another post: I see apologist type #1 has weighed in now. Frankly I prefer the jokester approach, at least I get a chance at a little chuckle. On second thought, I did get a little laugh out of this one: Again, Wings fans who know the team better than Pens fans. Way to speculate, bud. I promise you (without any proof, grains of salt etc.) that Hossa sprouted wings, and monkeys flew out of his butt on the flight to Detroit, which he made without use of a plane. Wow, now you know what Hoser said behind the scenes to Pens' management. Move over Syliva Browne, there's a new psychic in town now! What's the NHL by-law on taking little verbal cheap shots at your ex-team on the way out the door btw? Does it say the player must do that, too? Seriously, the lengths you people will go to defend this guy now that he's one of yours is amazing. Can't you just admit the possibility he acted like a jerk, and be done with it?

Did Niedermayer announce to his ex-team and their fans "so long suckers, I'm going to where I really have a chance to win the Cup? Nyahhh!" or take negotiations to the last possible minute, just to screw up his old team's FA signings? Get back to me on that one.

I never called Hossa a mercenary. He could go to Ottawa for all I care, for all the money in the world. That would be fine. Again -- it wasn't THAT Hossa left, it was HOW he left. Instead of just going, he hung around til the last minute, leaving the Pens hanging themselves -- which affected their subsequent free-agent signings. PLUS the fact that Hossa couldn't just leave, no he had to announce to the city why he was doing so, just for an extra little rub-in on the way out. Capisce? You admit yourself Hossa wasn't leaving some sub-.500 team either.

Nothing like someone with the arrogance to tell Pens fans they have no business feeling a certain way. That applies whether you're trying to take the "logical" approach with quotes and numbers all that, or this guy who's trying the ha-ha route. Hosser = Jerk. That applies whether he gets to lift the Cup or not. "Jealous exes"? Nah. Plenty of players have left the Pens. None have ever left with as little class, like Hoser did.

You were doing so well... Ugh.

No, you've summed it up about perfectly.

I love how you Detroit fans think you know the Pens' situation better than Pens fans do. Oh we should be blaming our own team now? Why -- for believing Hossa's bullcrap he spouted about how he wanted to stay a Penguin, until the last possible minute? From the Trib article you linked above. That was Hoser's line the whole way through, until the end, when suddenly he was all about going to Detroit, 'cause you know, time was running out and he felt he wanted to be where he could win the Cup. Til he pulled the rug from out under the Pens. Face it Wings fans -- Hossa acted like a jerk, no matter how much you want to defend the guy 'cause he plays on your side now. Pens fans have a legit beef with him -- not team management who acted in good faith with his stated desire to stay with the team. If this Judas had done this to your team, you'd be acting the same way. Gimmee a break with the apologist behavior for this bs'ing traitor.

If Malkin was smart, he would've acted like he'd been shot, like Franzen did Saturday Night. Seriously, I haven't seen a dive like that since Greg Louganis. Great job of selling it, Johan!

Those who've read my posts know I've been a fan of your goalie's play, particularly in big-game situations. But even ardent Detroit fans will admit he's had a history of, shall we say, crack-ups in the past. Is Osgood about to crack a bit -- or at least become a bit more mortal? Will the Pens find scoring on him easier? Will he blow up at some point? I can only hope so. (Of course, that said he'll probably be a wall Thursday Night -- but if he isn't, remember, you read it here first.)

-- I have a feeling Staal's shorthanded goal last night may have grabbed not just the game, but the series for the Pens. That's just a feeling. At that point, Detroit went from being up a goal and on the power play, to seeing the lead go up in smoke. The mental letdown can't be overestimated. --I feel the pressure is more on the Wings to win Saturday Night, Datsyuk or no Datsyuk. Detroit must hold here or face returning on the verge to the Igloo which has not been kind to them -- especially Osgood of all people. Should the Pens lose they're on the verge, but at least they know they get the next one at home. --This series is just what a lot of us hoped -- including a lot of arguing back and forth about who's gotten the breaks, who's got the calls (or not) etc. etc. etc. Also accusations of cheap shots by both sides. Last year lacked the heat, as it was really about the aw-shucks-glad-to-be-here Pens looking up at the veteran champs. --Datsyuk's back -- but maybe Sid is too, after finally breaking the scoring drought. --For some reason the name "Fedotenko" keeps popping into my head for Saturday. Anyway, I'm sure a lot of you here will disagree with my point of view. Please feel free to fire away...

Ragging on Crosby for this series I can understand, but if you're calling out Malkin, you haven't been watching too closely. He's been the Pens' MVP the last few games, by far.

Gee, thanks chum. Just as about 100 percent of you wouldn't have had the "cajones" to be posting on this thread if the Pens had won last night -- which is even more entertaining. This thread would've been like crickets chirping had the score been otherwise.

Wrong. You guys bang on Crosby for what he hasn't done in one series -- but Hossa's awesome because of what he's done this regular season. Pardon me if I chuckle a bit here.

And nothing shows that like adding yet another post to the thread. Good job.

Again, I posted the thread in the form of a question, as in IS HE? having a meltdown. I never said he WAS -- and that possibility was based on the facts that a) he had let in some pretty soft goals, pretty uncharacteristically, and b) had a weird altercation with a member of the ice crew. That seemed like some strange behavior to me. I posted an opinion, and again, I ASKED if he was having a bit of a mental lapse -- I never claimed he was, 100 percent positive. Is that really so hard to understand? And again, that was an actual hockey-related comment. And Fleury is besides the point, the topic was Osgood. Besides, Fleury's meltdown came three games AFTER I started the thread. Also for the Staal thing -- what part of "that's just a feeling" don't you understand? I didn't say "oh now the series is over, I just know it." I said Staal's turnaround goal gave me a certain feeling the Pens might be turning the tide. That and $4.50 will get me a coffee at Starbuck's. What's your big gloat here, people?

It's a shame you don't realize the treasure you have here. An opposing fan, with a point of view, who comes to debate hockey and the series in an aggressive but serious way. Unlike the other two types of fans you see, a) the "You Guys Suck We Rule!" variety, and b) the butt-kisser, who comes to only say great game guys, you're soooo wonderful your team is!!! Smooch smooch!!! Oh your team is so great I bow before you!!!! Both are equally useless. I actually present viewpoints that stimulate debate -- I rarely say anything I don't back up with examples or stats of what I'm talking about. You can disagree of course, but isn't that the whole point of a "discussion board"? Nor do I run and hide after my team loses, like your typical hit-and-run board punk. I'm here taking my lumps, with good humor -- provided it's hockey related, not some stupid personal ad hoc attack. As for staying on some Pens' board, why would I want to hang out where there are 100 guys with the same basic point of view? Bor-ing! And the fact that your team is the current gold standard in hockey, as you're so eager to point out, is all the more reason for me to be here. Say what you want about me, I've never started anything that wasn't hockey related, and never resorted to personal attacks on anyone. Which is more than I can say for a lot of posters here. The word "troll" is way overused, by a lot of people who don't get what it really means. I'll be gone soon enough, I'm sure. Then you can all go back to your mutual admiration society, where you'll share the same ideas, agree with each other 100 percent, and life will be the Eternal Sunlight of the Spotlessly Happy Mind. Sounds pretty dull, you ask me.

There's a difference between my actual hockey-related funny, and some punk's attack on a mother -- if you can't see that, you're in serious need of help. Sorry that's just how I see things.

"Attacking" Wings fans for simply quoting what they said? Hmmm. I don't think so. Merely pointing out that they're kind of agreeing with what some of us have been saying about Hossa. The rest is you reading in what you want to. Now, calling someone "sh*t for brains" and some of the other choice "classy" words you, the classy Wings fan is using above, now I'd say that constitutes an attack. I'll say this one more time -- I read about 100 posts moaning about the lack of class shown by the Pens and their fans -- I don't think anyone has the right to talk when you all let that "momma" slur slide by (I can imagine some of you even got a chuckle from it, 'long as it came from one of your own). Bottom line: make sure your own house is clean before you rag on your neighbor's dirt.

Oh, for the love of Mike....

I appreciate your effort, and while I'm a little disappointed (in my own team's performance) I assure you I'm not angry -- sorry if that disappoints. In fact, read my first quote after the loss here, and you'll see quite the opposite. I even joined in the joking about my team. Does that sound like somebody so enraged he's out of control? Don't think so. And hey, a little rub-in I don't even mind. Otherwise would I even show up here in the first place? Your team won, by all means revel in it, take some digs at the other guys. I would. My problem is more about punk posts that have nothing to do with hockey, just cheap scumbag personal attacks. That I don't let slide -- do you see my point? Insult my team, my players, take shots at me -- but my mother? Seriously, the fact you don't see how this goes to such a whole new level is a bit incredible to me. That's the kind of thing Internet tough guys say, the kind of thing I -- and I bet you -- would pop the punk in the mouth for saying if it were in real life. Is that not clear? You want to keep it to the game, fine. You want to take it outside, uh... nah. Not tolerated. I'm sure you can see my point.

No, but the fact you all blew by it without calling him out for it doesn't exactly support your claims of classiness, now, does it? Just that you'll tolerate such garbage when it comes from one of your own. Not a peep about it til I brought it up -- sorry if I do a little "tsk tsk-ing" here. If I had pulled something even close to that little stunt, you'd be wailing about it like banshees.

Read the thread. I could put up at least a dozen more posts like that -- the place was screaming about what a wasted signing he was after the loss. Now, the blowout win deodorizes the stink -- lucky for Hossa, who again contributed nothing on a night when the whole Wings team was lighting it up. If the Pens had won that game I GUARANTEE this place would be filled with "Hossa Sucks!" type threads. Guaranteed.