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

[Nailer Cim]

the fix is in... the nhl is trying to press for everything they can to keep plan B a negotiable, viable option for the pens to stay in town.

[Guins]

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.

Maybe there was a radiator nearby also

[newarenanow]

Holy crap. I went on a date with my wife, and I come home to this. Either 1) the NHL does not want this team to move no matter what, which will hurt the team in Plan 'B' negotiations if it comes to that and 2) this may go on longer than I can take anymore. I think this is the craziest sale in the world.

I don't know whether to take this as good news, or bad news.

[Guins]

Holy crap. I went on a date with my wife, and I come home to this. Either 1) the NHL does not want this team to move no matter what, which will hurt the team in Plan 'B' negotiations if it comes to that and 2) this may go on longer than I can take anymore. I think this is the craziest sale in the world.

I don't know whether to take this as good news, or bad news.

You're not allowed to do that

[shawnlesky]

If he's not allowed to date his wife, who is?

[bill from turtle creek]

Ryan Malone?

[newarenanow]

If he's not allowed to date his wife, who is?

Ryan Whitney.

[Stoosh]

Newarenanow,

Same boat, pretty much. I spent the entire day Christmas shopping with Mrs. Stoosh. Hadn't heard any sports news whatsoever all day. I was about two minutes from home when Spoon calls me on the Stooshphone to ask if I had any Pens news. I said, "No." Spoon says, "Oh, you haven't heard?" "OK, you have my attention," is what I'm thinking, and he proceeds to tell me that the rumor just broke about the Balsillie bid falling through.

Needless to say, the only thing I'm certain of with this whole process is that none of us have the foggiest clue as to what is going on behind the scenes. Talk about news from out of the blue...When I first heard of this from Spoon, as Clark Griswold once said, "if I woke up tomorrow with my head sewn to the carpet, I wouldn't be this surprised."

[bill from turtle creek]

I sure as hell don't know what is going on. This stuff makes the Fix seem awfully basic.

[Stoosh]

Amazing. If I'm Balsillie, I certainly want the option to move "my" team if that is what it comes down to.

Balsillie was ready to shell out some $175M for the team and yet he may be expected to shell out $millions more to build a new arena while you have IOC saying "Hey, give us the license and we'll front $290M for a new arena."

Don't get me wrong, I'd like to see the Pens stay; however, I don't want this Plan B money coming out of my pocket while the IOC IS WAVING MONEY IN OUR FACES!

This is just plain dirty politics. The IoC plan makes sense on many, many different levels. The popular plan comes complete with very solid, tangible community giveback at no real taxpayer expense, it keeps the hockey team here, plus it provides the facelift to an area of the city that desperately could use it. It makes lots of sense for the general public.

Unfortunately, the interests of the general public are tossed aside when the people at the top have the chance to take care of their friends. This is especially the case when they've crafted an alternate plan that accomplishes pretty much the same end to one of the hot-button issues, regardless of the fact that the alternate plan requires actual taxpayer expense.

In other words, the people at the top don't give a damn about taxpayer expense when it stands in the way of their political interests.

[RedLightDistrict]

YOu can't blame him. If I "buy a business" and somebody mandates how I run it, I would want out too.

Precisely! Imagine you're buying a McDonald's franchise and the owner of the Wendy's, Burger King, and Taco Bell you compete with want to dictate if you can move your restaurant and declare they can take you over.

Balsillie is filthy rich because he's a good businessman. And him withdrawing was a good decision.

The NHL seems to be acting like PA politicians here -- too many regulations resulting in a poor environment to do business.

If *I* buy something, *I* want to own it. It sounds like Czar Bettman just wanted Balsillie to "rent" the team.

[newarenanow]

I just thought of one bad scenario, and that is all it is, a thought.

What if the IOC doesn't win, Plan 'B' isn't good, and then Lemieux sells it to Boots in KC now that he has those rights in the Sprint Center?

Anyone think of that.

And before anyone jumps on me, that is just a thought. It means nothing.

[RedLightDistrict]

I just thought of one bad scenario, and that is all it is, a thought.

What if the IOC doesn't win, Plan 'B' isn't good, and then Lemieux sells it to Boots in KC now that he has those rights in the Sprint Center?

Anyone think of that.

And before anyone jumps on me, that is just a thought. It means nothing.

I wouldn't be surprised here. And this would prove Bettman isn't PRO PITTSBURGH, he's PRO U.S.

They just don't want to lose a franchise to Canada.

But other than Ottawa, I suspect the other 5 Canadian franchises have the best fans in the game. We had 14k fans at the Igloo against the Flyers. That's ridiculuos. We all know Sid goes crazy against the Flyers -- and he did again. Yet only 14k people come out on a beautiful night.
You can't tell me that nearly any Canadian area couldn't populate an arena better that we do.


And what happens when the NHL can't find ANYONE to keep them in Pittsburgh? Then Bettman will look silly.

[netwolf]

Precisely! Imagine you're buying a McDonald's franchise and the owner of the Wendy's, Burger King, and Taco Bell you compete with want to dictate if you can move your restaurant and declare they can take you over.

That's not an accurate comparison. If you want to relate it to restaurants, it would be more accurate to say you are buying a McDonald's franchise, and the people at McDonald's corporate HQ tell you what you can and can't do with it. Which they could and would, BTW.

[bill from turtle creek]

Mario won't sell to Boots, because then he is strictly on the hook for the move of the franchise. He can't hide behind anything, and I doubt he's willing to do that.

[Bowser]

The pressure for Mark Cuban to now buy the Penguins has increased with today's development and his recent comments about wishing he had bought the team.

If Cuban wants to ever make another talk radio show, newspaper column/story, or tv appearance - he *MUST* buy this team or he loses 100% credibility in this city.

[Ron`]

Precisely! Imagine you're buying a McDonald's franchise and the owner of the Wendy's, Burger King, and Taco Bell you compete with want to dictate if you can move your restaurant and declare they can take you over.

That's not an accurate comparison. If you want to relate it to restaurants, it would be more accurate to say you are buying a McDonald's franchise, and the people at McDonald's corporate HQ tell you what you can and can't do with it. Which they could and would, BTW.

ANd to add that franchise is for a specific area.... that's the way it works.

[Guins]

The pressure for Mark Cuban to now buy the Penguins has increased with today's development and his recent comments about wishing he had bought the team.

If Cuban wants to ever make another talk radio show, newspaper column/story, or tv appearance - he *MUST* buy this team or he loses 100% credibility in this city.

Someone refresh my memory didn't they announce JB agreeing to BUY the team on opening night ???? HMMMMMMMMMMM

[Bowser]

Guins - I don't remember the exact date or game but it was around the beginning of the season.

[RedLightDistrict]

That's not an accurate comparison. If you want to relate it to restaurants, it would be more accurate to say you are buying a McDonald's franchise, and the people at McDonald's corporate HQ tell you what you can and can't do with it. Which they could and would, BTW.

I think you're swinging too far the other way.

Basically when IoC looses, the Pens franchise value will drop from $175million Mario was getting from JB to $125 . Cause we know NO ONE will come close to playing $175 for plan B. The owners of the other 29 franchises have essentially lowered the franchise value of one of their own.

That's why I believe there is something more going on here. I can't imagine why it's that important to keep the Pens in the Pittsburgh to the other 29 guys.

[gruntov]

1st period intermission of opening night it was!

[Guins]

Guins - I don't remember the exact date or game but it was around the beginning of the season.

I don't either damnit that's why I thought I'd ask

[Guins]

Thanks

[Draftnik]

Pittsburgh is a good hockey market. The NHL does not want to lose it. The parallels between Pittsburgh and St. Louis are very close with 3 pro sports teams, aging rust belt cities, similar DMA population, etc.

Pittsburgh never bottomed out like St. Louis is doing at the gate. They lost 4K last year and ~ 4K more this year.

This city is very viable with a capitalized ownership group and a decent arena deal. It is nice to see Bettman drawing a line in the sand for us. On the other hand the threat of relocation has to be real if Plan B is necessary, otherwise the Pens won't get the best possible deal. This is a difficult situation, but Onorato really has nothing to lose by giving the Pens what they want since they aren't using tax $$$.

[Guins]

Pittsburgh is a good hockey market. The NHL does not want to lose it. The parallels between Pittsburgh and St. Louis are very close with 3 pro sports teams, aging rust belt cities, similar DMA population, etc.

Pittsburgh never bottomed out like St. Louis is doing at the gate. They lost 4K last year and ~ 4K more this year.

This city is very viable with a capitalized ownership group and a decent arena deal. It is nice to see Bettman drawing a line in the sand for us. On the other hand the threat of relocation has to be real if Plan B is necessary, otherwise the Pens won't get the best possible deal. This is a difficult situation, but Onorato really has nothing to lose by giving the Pens what they want since they aren't using tax $$$.

Couldn't said it better myself