Kick 'Em When They're Down

Want to know why getting Tavares won't singlehandedly save the franchise? You need to have depth. If Tavares is as good as Malkin or Crosby that would be insane, and yet with both of those superstar players the Penguins sit one spot ahead of Toronto in the east.
The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette found a way to concisely state the Penguins' sense of entitlement:
If they want to make the playoffs, they can't allow a 2-0 lead against a weak team to mutate into a 6-2 loss, as happened in Toronto Saturday night.
The Penguins are in tenth place in the East. The "weak" Maple Leafs are in eleventh. Are the Maple Leafs a good team? Of course not, but looking at Pittsburgh I'm not sure they're a team that should call anyone weak at this point.
"We got caught in a situation against Toronto a couple of times where we've taken it for granted," Cooke said.
"Work beats skill on any night, and we have to realize that. Skill will prevail if the work ethic is there, but the work ethic has to be there."
Something that's sort of overlooked is that Ron Wilson's Leafs squads do very well in games where the other team comes out flat. If a more talented team (which probably includes 25 teams if we're comparing them to Toronto) comes out and works even half as hard as the Leafs, the results are predictable, but every time a team comes out to beat the bottom dwelling Leafs they get pasted.
From PensBurgh:
Where are our Penguins fans? That's the only thing I can leave this post off with. I'm ashamed, I'm stricken...I just don't understand...We lose, we win as a team...Period. That's it. Hmm, but for some odd reason, everybody just LOVED the Pens last year?? And one loss makes us the worst team ever....I'm sad.

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30 comments
Comments
BAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHHAHA
congratulations are in order to our beloved Leafs for one reason alone, helping expose the band wagon nature of the majority of Pens fans
Because Taking The Leafs Seriously Is Not An Option
by JaredFromLondon on Feb 16, 2009 2:25 PM EST reply actions 0 recs
indeed, if you can’t be a fan of a team with Crosby and Malkin, you really aren’t much of a fan…
by Karina on Feb 16, 2009 2:30 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
thing is, they weren’t even good long enough to build retention with younger fans, even the sens managed to do that
Because Taking The Leafs Seriously Is Not An Option
by JaredFromLondon on Feb 16, 2009 2:32 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
mmm
bandwagon-y goodness.
Bitches on my stick but my name ain’t Harry Potter.
by tugboats and arson on Feb 16, 2009 2:41 PM EST reply actions 0 recs
It’s lovely when people who thinks they’re better than others keep losing
Как же так может быть?
by sleza on Feb 16, 2009 2:53 PM EST reply actions 0 recs
especially when it happens to three fan bases that i pretty much loath
sens
habs
pens
good times
Because Taking The Leafs Seriously Is Not An Option
by JaredFromLondon on Feb 16, 2009 2:55 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
2009 is your lucky year… :)
Как же так может быть?
by sleza on Feb 16, 2009 2:57 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
the only way it would be better is if the Leafs were viable contenders
Because Taking The Leafs Seriously Is Not An Option
by JaredFromLondon on Feb 16, 2009 2:58 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
there’s always next year…
Как же так может быть?
by sleza on Feb 16, 2009 3:06 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
I wish, 2 more years minimum
Because Taking The Leafs Seriously Is Not An Option
by JaredFromLondon on Feb 16, 2009 3:08 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
everyone wins eventually. except finland of course…
Как же так может быть?
by sleza on Feb 16, 2009 3:11 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
too bad the ‘nucks just don’t die
Bitches on my stick but my name ain’t Harry Potter.
by tugboats and arson on Feb 16, 2009 3:10 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Islanders 3 Pens 1 right now
Pension Plan Puppets*
* Blog contains less than 2% puppet content by weight.
by Chemmy on Feb 16, 2009 3:28 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
I declare a massive Chemmy based factual error and therefore a day of national celebration.
by Mattblack on Feb 16, 2009 6:11 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
every day would be a day of national celebration then
Because Taking The Leafs Seriously Is Not An Option
by JaredFromLondon on Feb 16, 2009 6:11 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Careful. The Jammy hammer looms over us all.
by Mattblack on Feb 16, 2009 6:13 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
The little bot I use to keep track of scores in real time sometimes farts out if they re-attribute a goal to someone. It told me the Isles scored twice in like 30s. :(
Pension Plan Puppets*
* Blog contains less than 2% puppet content by weight.
by Chemmy on Feb 16, 2009 7:16 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Schneider
Traded to Montreal for a 2nd in ’09 and a 3rd in ’10
Now what will Kaberle and Kubina fetch?
http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=267394&lid=headline&lpos=topStory_main
by Evening News Team on Feb 16, 2009 3:23 PM EST reply actions 0 recs
wow
that’s a steep price for him…he’s what, 39?
"We’re looking forward to building the type of team the Rangers are able to buy."
The Left Coast Lock
by blurr1974 on Feb 16, 2009 3:32 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
yup, and a pending UFA…
and only 15 points while -10.
by Karina on Feb 16, 2009 3:41 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Groundhog day
Hmmm.
In an effort to make a push for the playoffs, a beleaguered GM, facing multiple free agency signings this summer, trades draft picks for a fan favorite at the end of his career. What a brilliant, innovative strategy. I sure hope the stupid fans fall for it.
by blue with age on Feb 16, 2009 3:47 PM EST reply actions 0 recs
Islanders defeat Penguins
Pension Plan Puppets*
* Blog contains less than 2% puppet content by weight.
by Chemmy on Feb 16, 2009 4:45 PM EST reply actions 0 recs
I don't want to get too into this...
But, that quote from Pensburgh is a quote from a fan post. That kid also thinks Therrien is a GREAT coach and that Staal had a fantastic game against the Isles yesterday. So his/her opinion should be take with a grain of salt. But yes, the Pens have bandwagon fans. Just like every other team that experiences some success. But the Bandwagon Pens fans jumped off the wagon after the cup ended and aren’t even around to jump off now. So, there really isn’t much to gloat about there. Now, if your happy that the Pens are having a sad, sad year, then feel free, that’s part of what being a fan is all about.
by PensFan024 on Feb 17, 2009 2:45 PM EST reply actions 0 recs
I wrote the NNN precisely so that Pens fans (ie. you) would hate it.
Pension Plan Puppets*
* Blog contains less than 2% puppet content by weight.
by Chemmy on Feb 17, 2009 6:03 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
So on a side note, mission accomplished! High fives all around!
Pension Plan Puppets*
* Blog contains less than 2% puppet content by weight.
by Chemmy on Feb 17, 2009 6:04 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Some top quality agent provocateur skills there, sir.
You've had enough word nourishment for one day.
by Mattblack on Feb 18, 2009 5:17 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Now, if your happy that the Pens are having a sad, sad year, then feel free, that’s part of what being a fan is all about.
Now that’s a conclusion I can get behind…mostly because there is so much space on the bandwagon.
Pension Plan Puppets: A Toronto Maple Leafs blog and a group therapy session.
by PPP on Feb 18, 2009 9:33 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

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