BALSILLIE DROPS OUT....UN-F'ING BELIEVABLE....

[gruntov]

BOZO shows his true colors. The NHL will not let the Pens leave, which is the right thing to do.

Screw the blackberries AND the Canadian carpetbagger!

[netwolf]

Do you think there is a chance that Ballsillie will reenter the bidding if the IOC gets the license next week?

If the IoC wins, there's no reason to sell the team if you're the Lemieux Group. I mean, it's a guaranteed bankroll.

somebody said this all along. balsille trying to buy was just a smokescreen to put pressure. someone said this in a previous thread a long while ago. if it ever comes out that lemieux used jb to put pressure, and he winds up keeping the team, well, thats just smart on his part. not saying it happened, but...

it was me I think. Makes sense if you think about. Unethical, but sensible. Being lied to is unethical too, so I guess fair is fair.

And what would JB get out of this?

Maybe he simply did it as a favor to a friend. Who knows?

[Tico Rick]

Maybe he simply did it as a favor to a friend. Who knows?

That's a lot of work to put in just to do a favor for a friend.

[netwolf]

Maybe he simply did it as a favor to a friend. Who knows?

That's a lot of work to put in just to do a favor for a friend.

Maybe. Maybe not. Balsillie strikes me as a guy that walks a little different path than most. Who's to say what he considers a lot?

[HomerPenguin]

Do you think there is a chance that Ballsillie will reenter the bidding if the IOC gets the license next week?

If the IoC wins, there's no reason to sell the team if you're the Lemieux Group. I mean, it's a guaranteed bankroll.

Well, there is if you're not interested in running a hockey team anymore. Granted, if IoC wins the team will be profitable, but there are still more profitable investments that could be made with the money the LG stands to get for selling the team. And although I'm starting to doubt everything that comes out of the man's mouth, I do still basically believe Lemieux when he says he doesn't want to be an owner anymore.

[King Sid the Great 87]

Do you think there is a chance that Ballsillie will reenter the bidding if the IOC gets the license next week?

If the IoC wins, there's no reason to sell the team if you're the Lemieux Group. I mean, it's a guaranteed bankroll.

somebody said this all along. balsille trying to buy was just a smokescreen to put pressure. someone said this in a previous thread a long while ago. if it ever comes out that lemieux used jb to put pressure, and he winds up keeping the team, well, thats just smart on his part. not saying it happened, but...

Here, here ... that bwas me. I put forth the conspiracy theory that Lemiuex brought in Balsillie to pressure everyone into giving IoC the license.

If that was the plan all along, didnt they stop a few days short? I mean, couldn't the NHL and Basille just gotten together to get the ownership approved AFTER the license was awarded.

Balsille bailing just makes the Penguins look even more unorganized and unworthy.

[Scott]

I would have to say that there was some other **** going on here. Say like Mario decided he was not going to sell the club to this guy. This guy didnt wake up this morning hung over and decide, no, I dont want to own the Pens. Some goofy things went down here.

Urgency or not, the politicians have to realize that no matter the owner there needs to be a new arena. Via IOC or Plan **** b , the writing is on the wall.

[gruntov]

Looks like TSN hit the nail on the head on this one,eh!

http://www.letsgopens.com/scripts/phpBB ... light=bozo

[netwolf]

Balsille bailing just makes the Penguins look even more unorganized and unworthy.

By all accounts, JB pulled his bid because of disagreements with Bettman and the league. How does that reflect badly on anyone in the Penguins' organization? They had nothing to do with it.

[HomerPenguin]

I would have to say that there was some other **** going on here. Say like Mario decided he was not going to sell the club to this guy. This guy didnt wake up this morning hung over and decide, no, I dont want to own the Pens. Some goofy things went down here.

Huh? How is it any more sensible to believe that Lemieux just woke up this morning and decided he didn't want to sell the team to Balsillie than it is to believe that Balsillie "just woke up this morning," if by that you mean "has been having problems reaching an agreement with the league for about a week," "suddenly" decided to pull out of the sale?

[Sam's Drunk Dog]

This whole thing is playing out like a bad soap opera. I just want to change the channel.

[HomerPenguin]

Balsille bailing just makes the Penguins look even more unorganized and unworthy.

WTF does "unworthy" mean in this context? "Unworthy" of what?

[King Sid the Great 87]

Balsille bailing just makes the Penguins look even more unorganized and unworthy.

By all accounts, JB pulled his bid because of disagreements with Bettman and the league. How does that reflect badly on anyone in the Penguins' organization? They had nothing to do with it.

I'm talking about in regards to the slots application.

Remember how everyone said the IoC bid was strengthened when it was first announced that the Balsille agreed to buy the team because it showed some stability and direction?

[Scott]

THe other thing could have been the place where he wanted to move the team. Maybe he got beat about the battery by Sabre and Leaf muscle.

[Pitts]

Do you think there is a chance that Ballsillie will reenter the bidding if the IOC gets the license next week?

If the IoC wins, there's no reason to sell the team if you're the Lemieux Group. I mean, it's a guaranteed bankroll.

somebody said this all along. balsille trying to buy was just a smokescreen to put pressure. someone said this in a previous thread a long while ago. if it ever comes out that lemieux used jb to put pressure, and he winds up keeping the team, well, thats just smart on his part. not saying it happened, but...

it was me I think. Makes sense if you think about. Unethical, but sensible. Being lied to is unethical too, so I guess fair is fair.

And what would JB get out of this?

I said that mostly in jest. But, if IoC wins the license, Mario makes out big. Big enough that he can pay Balsillie a nice hefty sum.

[Jasmine]

Netwolf wrote:

I love how so many people are making such such definitive statements as if anyone has ANY idea what is going on right now.

I said it before, and I'll say it again: the ride ain't over folks. Sit back and try to enjoy it.

Netwolf is the voice of reason here. Just read his posts here, and be careful who you try to blame. You would like to be involved in negotiations, but we are just along for the ride on this one. We've all had our say, now the big boys will handle things.
LET'S GO, YOU AWESOME PENS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[owtahear]

17,028 tonight....Pens up 40% in the ratings....

It is as solid a hockey market as any in the US and the NHL cannot afford to lose that.

If this was the Caps, Panthers or Isles............a whole different story.

[netwolf]

Remember how everyone said the IoC bid was strengthened when it was first announced that the Balsille agreed to buy the team because it showed some stability and direction?

I don't really remember that, but I disagree with it anyhow, especially with regards to stability. The IoC bid provides a new facility and guarantees the team stays put, regardless of ownership. How can you improve on that kind of stability?

[Kovy27]

Remember how everyone said the IoC bid was strengthened when it was first announced that the Balsille agreed to buy the team because it showed some stability and direction?

I don't really remember that, but I disagree with it anyhow, especially with regards to stability. The IoC bid provides a new facility and guarantees the team stays put, regardless of ownership. How can you improve on that kind of stability?

I agree...the only stability has been the IoC proposal. Ownership meant nothing.

[Xgen]

I really think that this could be a sign that the ioc might be a lock. 66 and the current ownership group could "quote" save the team again, this time actually reaping the benefits. Balls could have just been a good threat to the politicians that he could easily move this team if ioc didn't win. Well at least that's my wet dream. That and the pens putting an a whoopin on the isles. This is a much more impressive win than philly was.

[pulp22]

Maybe some leaked that IOC was going to win and he backed out?

[shawnlesky]

Do you think there is a chance that Ballsillie will reenter the bidding if the IOC gets the license next week?

If the IoC wins, there's no reason to sell the team if you're the Lemieux Group. I mean, it's a guaranteed bankroll.

somebody said this all along. balsille trying to buy was just a smokescreen to put pressure. someone said this in a previous thread a long while ago. if it ever comes out that lemieux used jb to put pressure, and he winds up keeping the team, well, thats just smart on his part. not saying it happened, but...

Here, here ... that bwas me. I put forth the conspiracy theory that Lemiuex brought in Balsillie to pressure everyone into giving IoC the license.

If that was the plan all along, didnt they stop a few days short? I mean, couldn't the NHL and Basille just gotten together to get the ownership approved AFTER the license was awarded.

Balsille bailing just makes the Penguins look even more unorganized and unworthy.

It's clear you're uneducated on the subject matter. Read more; post less.

[shawnlesky]

Maybe some leaked that IOC was going to win and he backed out?

Even if it was his intention to move the team, that makes no sense because his investment is instantly worth a lot more with the IOC the winner.

[Bowser]

All this does is place more emphasis on the franchise's absolute need for Isle of Capri to win the slots license in Pittsburgh. If IoC loses, Lemieux Group LLP will never get $175 million as Plan B has more wide open holes than Britney Spears.

[Ron`]

Maybe some leaked that IOC was going to win and he backed out?

Even if it was his intention to move the team, that makes no sense because his investment is instantly worth a lot more with the IOC the winner.

Agree, it looks like he was unwilling to accept whatever the NHL stipulations were to say no deal to Plan B today. One article said they attempted to negotiate the problem terms for the last week. JB finally had enough. He's out until the smoke clears, facts are known and reality sets in.