Mario Lemieux

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rodfromcranston
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Mario Lemieux

Unread post by rodfromcranston »

Watched a great program on NHL Network, about the history of the Pittsburgh Penguins.
I've always loved hockey, going back to the days of the great Bobby Hull and the
Chicago Black Hawks.
Mario Lemieux has had a bigger impact on his franchise than any player in any sport, ever.
They chronicled his great career, which was beset buy tragedy.
He missed over 500 games with cancer and back surgeries.
He came back from cancer treatments, to lead the league in scoring in the same year.
One of the most remarkable feats in sports history.
Stanley Cup winner three times, Olympic Gold Medalist, six time NHL scoring champion,
three time MVP, super talent.
Bobby Orr called him the most talented player he'd ever seen.
Stat people, wonder how many goals and points he may have ended up with.
Sort of the, how did Ted Williams missing four prime years to military service,
diminish his career totals.
Always conducted himself with dignity and class.
The Pens went bankrupt. Owed Lemieux 30 million dollars.
Remember, hockey players salaries are a joke, compared to other pro sports.
So, he found a West Coast money guy to partner with and bought the team.
He fought to keep it in Pittsburgh, despite lucrative offers to move elsewhere.
While he was playing, as owner, Lemieux took the league average salary.
He eventually sold off greats like Jaromir Jagr, to stay afloat.
After much hard work by Lemieux and the organization, convinced the city to build a new arena.
His number one draft pick, Sydney Crosby actually lived with
him and his family,when he came to Pittsburgh, as a teenager.
Lemieux took him under his wing and mentored Crosby, as a player,
and a person.
He rebuilt the team, into a perennial contender and Stanley Cup winner in 2015-16.
It's a great story about someone who is a bigger than life persona,
who overcame cancer,and stepped up and saved a franchise.
Super star player, to owner of a Stanley Cup championship franchise.
The statue of him outside the new arena is well deserved.
Last edited by rodfromcranston 7 years ago, edited 4 times in total.
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RhowdyRam02
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Re: Mario Lemieux

Unread post by RhowdyRam02 »

Granted a big part of it is probably my love of the Bruins, but I have a real hard time saying he handled himself with dignity and class. As a player and owner he loves to complain about the clutching and grabbing in the league, going as far as calling it a garbage league, but had no problem with teammate Ulf Samuelsson derailing Cam Neely's career and had no problem signing checks for Matt Cooke who ended Marc Savard's career.

Great player, probably top 3, great story, but a total fraud.
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rodfromcranston
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Re: Mario Lemieux

Unread post by rodfromcranston »

As a player, because of his size, opponents got away with more than
say, Gretsky's opponents did.
He did get frustrated with everybody and his mother hanging on him,
and grabbing.
So what?
NHL players always complain about the rough stuff name players put up with.
This has gone on for as long as anyone can remember.
So why single out Lemiux?
Every NHL team has, or had, tough guys, whose job it was
to protect finess players or intimidate.
Lemiuex was just a player when the Neely-Samuelson incident happened.
How is he to blame in any way for that???????
So, he was a fraud for having these players on his team?
What an asinine assertion.
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rodfromcranston
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Re: Mario Lemieux

Unread post by rodfromcranston »

BTW, I always like Cam Neely. I'd hoped Milan Lucic would have turned into
a player like Neely.
Never happened.
I like the Bruins, too. Followed them since Leo Boivin, Johnny Bucyk,
and that pre-Orr crew.
When the NHL had six teams, every team was loaded.
Ulf Samuleson was a punk, and a bad guy.
Cam Neely will always be one of those guys you wonder what kind
of number he'd have put up if healthy.
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