Lockout

[shafnutz05]

We offer our apology. There is nothing we can say to explain or excuse what has happened over the past four months.

this is a little more aggressive than your standard PR talk. Is it PR? sure. is it a lot or humanistic than the norm? yessir.

Yeah, that's kind of my impression. Very blunt, no-excuses language, even more so than what you are used to seeing from PR outlets

[BurghersAndDogsSports]

tbh, I don't see the "blunt honesty". Standard PR talk. Yeah, they apologized, but what the hell else are they supposed to do?

Damned if you do, damned if you don't. We'll see the same kind of statements probably all around.

Sure, that's sort of my point. I'm not rolling my eyes at all, but at the same time I'm also not so moved that they well up with tears or anything,

Agreed, teams are in a tough spot no matter what they say, but I'm not about to romanticize any of them for anything. More to my feelings is that Dejan is terrible and I can't tell if he likes stroking the pens for no reason or arguing with mindless twitter trolls more. That of course is between picking fights with random reporters from a city far away for no reason or asking awful questions at press conferences with the league, embarrassing himself and then writing a self serving article about it.

Either way, see you on the 19th.

[mikey287]

Agree with canaan's statement. That's not out of the Standard Book of Public Relations...

This doesn't deserve its own thread, but it belongs somewhere...reportedly, Tomas Holmstrom is retiring. I'm not sure how the LGP community feels, but I think I speak for a lot of people when I say, "I've always hated that [ahem] guy..." keeping it PG because I see RJ is perusing the forums now

[Idoit40fans]

Dejan is terrible

see you on the 19th.

yes.

[Gaucho]

Well, I didn't read the statements from the other 29 teams, so...

[newarenanow]

Dejan is terrible

see you on the 19th.

yes.

He was one of my favorite when he was with the PG, but lately, I can't stand him. Seems to be more of a troll than an actual columnist.

[Idoit40fans]

I didn't always hate him, but I never liked him or understood why people liked him so much. But yes, he got worse. I have foe'd his material.

[canaan]

Tomas Holmstrom is retiring.

good *@#$ing riddance

[Idoit40fans]

2013, the beginning of the end for uncalled interference in the NHL.

[Digitalgypsy66]

This doesn't deserve its own thread, but it belongs somewhere...reportedly, Tomas Holmstrom is retiring. I'm not sure how the LGP community feels, but I think I speak for a lot of people when I say, "I've always hated that [ahem] guy..." keeping it PG because I see RJ is perusing the forums now

Yeah, I won't miss him either. Hack.

[MRandall25]

I thought Holmstrom retired at the end of the season

[BurghersAndDogsSports]

That actually is straight out of the modern PR handbook. Short and blunt, pull no punches, give social less to attack. I don't mind the statement at all, i kinda like their ploy, I just don't really care about it either. I only care that Dejan annoys me to know end.

[thepittman]

Need more separate discussion threads, this mega thread is killing the PENS related section of the board.

[ExPatriatePen]

That actually is straight out of the modern PR handbook. Short and blunt, pull no punches, give social less to attack. I don't mind the statement at all, i kinda like their ploy, I just don't really care about it either. I only care that Dejan annoys me to know end.

Not living in Pittsburgh for the past x years, I haven't had a front row seat to watch this transformation but wow...

Only a few years ago Dejan was put up on a pedestal for his work covering the Pens. I remember much gnashing of teeth when he was switched to the Pirates beat.

What changed?

[SolidSnake]

I see Sutter is not at practice already starting off bad, trade em.

[BurghersAndDogsSports]

That actually is straight out of the modern PR handbook. Short and blunt, pull no punches, give social less to attack. I don't mind the statement at all, i kinda like their ploy, I just don't really care about it either. I only care that Dejan annoys me to know end.

Not living in Pittsburgh for the past x years, I haven't had a front row seat to watch this transformation but wow...

Only a few years ago Dejan was put up on a pedestal for his work covering the Pens. I remember much gnashing of teeth when he was switched to the Pirates beat.

What changed?

I don't know. Twitter I guess. He is always fighting with random trolls, picks fights with other reporters over quotes, he goes crazy they respond professionally, and has some sick deep need to throw tantrums and make a deal out of small stories only to use lots of !!! And all caps and keep at it for weeks. He also makes up headlines to get you to read a pointless article - very sensationalized.

He asked an out of line poorly timed question to Gary when talks fell apart last time, about him overseeing multiple questions, it was embarrassing, then blasted him in an article the next day about how the NHL COO. Needs to take over.

Basically he has turned into a jack ass.

[newarenanow]

That actually is straight out of the modern PR handbook. Short and blunt, pull no punches, give social less to attack. I don't mind the statement at all, i kinda like their ploy, I just don't really care about it either. I only care that Dejan annoys me to know end.

Not living in Pittsburgh for the past x years, I haven't had a front row seat to watch this transformation but wow...

Only a few years ago Dejan was put up on a pedestal for his work covering the Pens. I remember much gnashing of teeth when he was switched to the Pirates beat.

What changed?

I don't think it's all of it, but the 2 things I can think of:

1) He is no longer a "reporter", he is a "columnist", so most of his work is now opinion based.

2) Social media.

[Defence21]

That actually is straight out of the modern PR handbook. Short and blunt, pull no punches, give social less to attack. I don't mind the statement at all, i kinda like their ploy, I just don't really care about it either. I only care that Dejan annoys me to know end.

Not living in Pittsburgh for the past x years, I haven't had a front row seat to watch this transformation but wow...

Only a few years ago Dejan was put up on a pedestal for his work covering the Pens. I remember much gnashing of teeth when he was switched to the Pirates beat.

What changed?

I don't think it's all of it, but the 2 things I can think of:

1) He is no longer a "reporter", he is a "columnist", so most of his work is now opinion based.

2) Social media.

His employer changed. That's when reliable, sensible, even-keeled Dejan disappeared and dramatic, exaggerated, and biased Dejan arrived. It's funny, too, that he's recently written at least one defensive column about his writing/reporting style. He NEVER would have had to do that in the past. When he arrived at the Trib, he was given an agenda and is following it well. It's B.S. if you ask me, but I'm sure it (along with Rossi's sensationalism) helps sell papers.

[newarenanow]

I don't think it's all of it, but the 2 things I can think of:

1) He is no longer a "reporter", he is a "columnist", so most of his work is now opinion based.

2) Social media.

His employer changed. That's when reliable, sensible, even-keeled Dejan disappeared and dramatic, exaggerated, and biased Dejan arrived. It's funny, too, that he's recently written at least one defensive column about his writing/reporting style. He NEVER would have had to do that in the past. When he arrived at the Trib, he was given an agenda and is following it well. It's B.S. if you ask me, but I'm sure it (along with Rossi's sensationalism) helps sell papers.

Agree too that being employed at the Trib is another factor for the reasons you state.

[Malkamaniac]

Dejan is butt mud.

[shmenguin]

I like the phrasing of that statement from the pens. it's not patronizing. I mean...it's still sort of meaningless, but its better than the usual trite stuff.

I don't really need an apology from anyone. This process couldn't have played out much differently. There were big problems that needed fixed. No hard feelings on my end.

[llipgh2]

His employer changed. That's when reliable, sensible, even-keeled Dejan disappeared and dramatic, exaggerated, and biased Dejan arrived. It's funny, too, that he's recently written at least one defensive column about his writing/reporting style. He NEVER would have had to do that in the past. When he arrived at the Trib, he was given an agenda and is following it well. It's B.S. if you ask me, but I'm sure it (along with Rossi's sensationalism) helps sell papers.

This is dead on.

[JeffDFD]

I enjoyed Dejan initially...then he got tired fast...a lot of complaining and negative articles non stop. Like others were saying...more of a troll type writer to get attention. Like when it's a slow newsday so Madden does nothing but bash the Steelers to get ratings and all of Pittsburgh calls in, haha. Dejan turned constantly negative, constantly complaining, I want to stop following him on twitter becaus all I do is roll my eyes every time I see him post anything or argue with people on twitter. I may soon...perhaps I am holding out hope he just got grumpy after the Pens lost early (after he said they could go all the way) - then it was on to the Pirates (which is always terrible) and then Steelers (which was depressing).

[ExPatriatePen]

At this point he's still better than Dunlap, no?

[llipgh2]

Dave Molinari is still good.