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All-Star flashback
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Because we really don't really know what the heck to write about the All-Star Game, we're just going to take the easy way out and post this gem of a video we found a few weeks and had stowed away in our bookmarks for just such an occasion. The highlights from the 1990 All-Star game in Pittsburgh:
-We know it was the early 1990's and this is a hockey game, but just about everyone had a mullet. Even Mark Messier. (Yes, we're shocked to see he had hair too.)
-Those old All-Star jerseys rocked. Bring back the old orange and black attack with the Campbell and Wales Conferences. Today's NBA-esque Reebok Edge-Super-Duper-Mega-Ultra-Awesome-Humungo-Women-Will-Want-You Uniform System that simply say "East" and "West" are insulting.
-This was the first time a skills competition was held.
-Some of those regular jerseys, like Toronto's, really clashed with those All-Star pants.
-There's nothing quite as right as seeing Patrick Roy in a Canadiens jersey.
-Mike Gartner's porn 'stache was sweet.
-Is anyone else disturbed by the sight of Joe Mullen in an athletic protector?
-Marv Albert should do hockey more often. He was pretty good.
-Why did Mike Vernon ever go to All-Star games? He always looked horrible playing in them.
-Mario Lemieux was pretty good.
MORE ON THE FLYERS GAME
To say the least, many of you didn't enjoy the end result of the Flyers-Penguins game Thursday for many reasons. A sampling of the feedback we got on it:
"The real complaint that I had about last night's game was the guest announcer during the second period. Was there really ANYONE watching the Penguins game on Fox Sports PITTSBURGH who wanted to hear a word spoken from Keith Primeau? More that ever before, I wanted to smack Bob Errey across the mouth. I found this to be truly offensive. I turned off the sound and listened to Mike Lange on the radio. I really questioned this decision. Do Errey and Paul Steigerwald know their audience at all? NO Penguin fan wants to hear an ex-Flyer as a guest speaker. I felt violently ill. The next time they have the opportunity to accept an invitation for a guest Flyer speaker, I hope they have the sense to decline. On the other hand, maybe when the Pens go into New York, we can hear from Adam Graves."
-Steve Jackson
EN-We seem to recall the Penguins had Primeau on during a game in Philadelphia last season and that stuck us as kind of odd as well.
Primeau seems like a nice intelligent guy. But he's scored one of the most heart-breaking goals in Penguins history during the 2000 playoffs. You might as well have David Volek or John Tonelli in the booth. Would Francisco Cabrera be asked to do a Pirates broadcast? Would Bill Mazeroski ever be invited into the broadcast booth of a Yankees game? Do you think the Oakland Raiders will ever have Franco Harris in the radio booth?
"Every game that I watch that features the Flyers at home reminds me of how classless not only their organization is, but their fans as well. Booing Maxime Talbot after he recovered from being high sticked by one of the most talentless goons in the league such as Derian Hatcher was one of the most despicable things I have ever seen. What is it about Flyers fans? They somehow take pride in a violent, nonsensical brand of hockey. They don't care for skill, but would rather see a player injured instead.
I just don't get it. I am all for hard nosed hockey. I've wished for years that the Penguins organization would get a little tougher (which seems to be happening as of late). But the Flyers are not tough: They are goons that take advantage of players with intent to injure. Which begs the questions, why haven't they won the cup since 1975?"
-Andrew Belsick
EN-Dude. It's Philadelphia. They cheered when Michael Irvin was temporily paralyzed after getting tackled head-first into the turf at Veterans Stadium. Booing Maxime Talbot for getting clipped in the face was nothing for that toxic hole of hate.
EMPTY NETTER ASSISTS
Penguins
-Most of the Penguins are looking forward to some time off.
-Only in the NHL would Scott Mellanby be considered a celebrity. Was Roman Ndur unavailable?
-The Flyers and Penguins don't like each other.
-The Penguins demoted forwards Tim Brent, Chris Minard and Ryan Stone to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton of the AHL.
-Nathan Smith scored the only goal for Wilkes-Barre/Scranton in a 2-1 loss at Portland.
-Sean Collins had two goals for the Wheeling Nailers in a 4-3 loss at Cincinnati.
Atlantic Division
-Devils coach Brent Sutter pulled a Herb Brooks on his team.
-Former Penguins forward Richard Park has been the Islanders' unsung hero this season.
Northeast Division
-Toronto forward Alexei Ponikarovsky will be out six weeks with a shoulder injury. Darryl Boyce was recalled from Toronto's AHL affiliate to take his place. Ponikarovsky was injured on a check from behind Thursday by Capitals defenseman Steve Eminger:
(Eminger deserves a suspension for that.)
-Sabres defenseman Jaroslav Spacek was given his team's captaincy this season and he's beginning to act like a captain.
Southeast Division
-Hurricanes general manager Jim Rutherford says his team's biggest problem is its defense.
-The Hurricanes are looking at Avalanche defenseman John-Michael Liles.
-The Thrashers assigned former Penguins defenseman Joel Kwiatkowski and forwards Brett Sterling and Colin Stuart to Chicago of the AHL.
-Has would-be Penguins and Predators owner Jim Balsillie turned his sights to the Atlanta Thrashers. (Say what you will about Balsillie but the guy is persistent.)
Central Division
-Blackhawks coach Denis Savard ripped into his team.
-Blackhawks forward Ben Eager has missed 14 games with a concussion.
-The Blackhawks assigned forwards Jacob Dowell, Jack Skille, the team's first round draft pick in 2005, and defenseman Jordan Hendry to Rockford of the AHL.
-The Blues assigned forwards Mike Glumac and Yan Stastny to Peoria of the AHL.
Northwest Division
-The Calgary Sun had a pretty good piece on what Flames forward Jarome Iginla means to the NHL.
Pacific Division
-Ducks general manager Brian Burke wants nothing to do with the train wreck that is the Maple Leafs.
-The Kings assigned forwards Matt Moulson and Ted Purcell to Manchester of the AHL.
-Today's "Teemu Selanne is coming back to the Ducks" story is brought to you by the Los Angeles Times.
-Just incase Selanne doesn't come back, the Ducks have an alternative. Let's just say the guy is a real "burner."
-It doesn't look like Stars goaltender Marty Turco is going anywhere.
-Ducks goon George Parros, a native of Washington, Pa., got into a pretty good scrap Thursday with Kings enforcer Raitis Ivanans:
Patrick Division
-The All-Star Game actually used to be legit.
-James Mirtle wonders if the game can be saved.
-Versus will be toying around with some new camera and such during the game. All 39 people who get Versus will be pleased.
-The All-Star game is the second biggest attraction in Atlanta this weekend. The International Poultry Expo is top dog. Peter Griffin unavailable for comment:
-Is the NHL going to move to an 84-game schedule?
-The NHL is trying to market itself to more black people.
-Former Canucks coach Marc Crawford claims he told Todd Bertuzzi to get off the ice prior to his attack on Avalanche forward Steve Moore.
First Published January 26, 2008 11:48 am
