haven't we learned a thing...

[interstorm]

...haven't we learned a thing from the malkin saga? yeah, there are reports saying that the deal is done. like the "summer of evgeni", though, this has been drawn out and so on-again/off-again that i expect a made for TV movie to be aired in a couple months about this. i think we should all take the same approach we took with malkin - guarded optimism but no cause to celebrate until he hits the ice. likewise - this isn't over until mario has a signed deal in hand.

hopefully, like malkin, this ordeal will end great for us pens fans.

has there been a season with more off-ice drama than this one???

[Defence21]

Good post, interstorm. I agree. There's absolutely no reason to get excited until a press conference is announced. Why would anyone leak this informaiton ahead of time? Better yet, why would the two parties wait for a specific time to release the information once a deal is reached?

The parties involved realize how important this is to Pens fans and the city of Pittsburgh in general. Once a deal is reached, we WILL be told, because a press conference won't be long off.

There is no reason not to be optimistic at this point. The quote from Tad Decker in the Trib today saying that the reason Barden won the license was beause he Rendell gauranteed that the new arena would be built regardless, is a telling piece.

Be optimistic, but be cautious about it ... no need to get all pumped without even hearing a press conference is scheduled.

[Henry Hank]

I'm taking the same approach to this that I took to the Malkin situation. I predicted far in advance what would happen with Malkin, I knew logically that was what was going to happen, and I didn't really sweat it. Same with the arena. I've been convinced that they were staying for a while now. An announcement is inevitable. It doesn't matter to me if it comes today, tomorrow, Saturday, or next week. It's coming.

[interstorm]

bumping this myself because (again) it is relevant with today's threads...

[DelPen]

I'm taking the same approach to this that I took to the Malkin situation. I predicted far in advance what would happen with Malkin, I knew logically that was what was going to happen, and I didn't really sweat it. Same with the arena. I've been convinced that they were staying for a while now. An announcement is inevitable. It doesn't matter to me if it comes today, tomorrow, Saturday, or next week. It's coming.

The end results though are very different if the arena doesn't happen. If Malkin was blocked then we would just have an issue at center but all that meant was EC would have got a shot sooner.

In this case, the Pens are gone instead of just missing the playoffs and being a basement dweller again this year if there was no Malkin.

[interstorm]

I'm taking the same approach to this that I took to the Malkin situation. I predicted far in advance what would happen with Malkin, I knew logically that was what was going to happen, and I didn't really sweat it. Same with the arena. I've been convinced that they were staying for a while now. An announcement is inevitable. It doesn't matter to me if it comes today, tomorrow, Saturday, or next week. It's coming.

The end results though are very different if the arena doesn't happen. If Malkin was blocked then we would just have an issue at center but all that meant was EC would have got a shot sooner.

In this case, the Pens are gone instead of just missing the playoffs and being a basement dweller again this year if there was no Malkin.

i think you miss the point. basically i am saying "i'll believe it when i see it". yeah - totally different situations but we should be taking the same approach (or, if you don't agree, there may be a circus you can work for and be the human rubber-band).