Russell Dunkin» Sports

Welcome back Superstar

Russell Dunkin — Fri, 30 Dec 2011 14:35:34 +0000

Last night, the Pittsburgh Penguins “welcomed back” both Jaromir Jagr and Max Talbot. Jagr has been back several times with stints in Washington and New York. Each time he’s been welcomed back to boos every time he touched the puck.

But this time was different.

During the off season, it appeared that Jagr would return from playing overseas, and would choose the Pens. Money appeared to be irrelevant in his decision. His “heart” was in Pittsburgh. Blah, blah, blah.

Whatever.

But what was most stunning in the off season was the departure of Max Talbot to the Flyers. Not that he left necessarily. He wouldn’t get maximum dollars in Pittsburgh, and this would likely be his last “big” money deal. Philly overpays, and the rest is history.

Sadly, last night just didn’t live up to the hype. It started off well, with Staal scoring 30 seconds in, but notsomuch after that. Here were the more entertaining moments from last night:

Jumbotron Welcome Back Max video

And of course, this guy:

Official Pens video of Talbot Tribute

Should you back up your online accounts?

Pittsburgh Penguins open Consol Energy Center

Russell Dunkin — Sat, 09 Oct 2010 14:00:00 +0000

This past week, I attended the first two games held at the Pittsburgh Penguins new barn, the Consol Energy Center. I’ve been going to games at the Civic Arena since my Dad started taking me when I was in junior high. Although I had no problem with the Civic Arena, I was looking forward to seeing the debut of the new rink.

As I’ve mentioned before, the Penguins “get it”. Although the Steelers are the team in town, they don’t do many things they don’t have to do. The Pens on the other hand, routinely go above and beyond the product on the ice. This arena, and the opening game are perfect examples of that.

Once financing had been secured, they involved the fans in the process of designing the new arena. I remember completing a survey concerning details of the arena that needed updated from the Civic Arena days. Issues like types of food, width of the concourse, and technology were all details the fans had input on.

After two games, it’s clear they paid attention.

View from 211 after Tyler Kennedy scores the first Pens goal

From what I could tell, there isn’t a bad seat in the house. Our seats are in section 211, which is the old E-16. We sit above the goal the Pens shoot on twice, surrounded by others who “like to see the play develop”. It’s not nosebleed, but it’s high up in the arena.

Although the Pens lost to the Flyers, it was still a great night. Just like the first game after their most recent Stanley Cup, they encouraged fans to get to their seats 15 minutes before face-off. We were treated to a long video montage, followed by the highlight of the pre-game, Mario Lemieux.

When the video ended, and the lights were raised, Mario was at center ice with a bottle of water. Water from melted ice from the Civic Arena. He poured the water onto the ice in a ceremonial display to open the new arena.

This was followed by individual introductions of the 2010-2011 Pittsburgh Penguins, and a ceremonial puck drop.

John Barbero Tribute

Early in the game during a tv timeout, the Pens payed tribute to their long time PA announcer John Barbero. His voice was the only goal call I knew growing up, and things just aren’t the same without him. From his signature Mario…..Lemeeeeeeeiux, to Sidney, CROOOOOOOOOSBY he was the best. Certainly better than the current minor league style announcer that seems to be in every NHL arena.

Here is the tribute:

(Click here if you can’t see the video)

The video ended by cutting to his family crying in the crowd.

All of this was in addition to the CEO and head coach delivering coffee and donuts to students waiting in line early in the morning for student rush tickets, having Mario’s TV outside again, and handing out a replica ticket forged by Wendell August Forge in Grove City PA.

Like I said, the Pens “get it”.

Two nights later, thanks to eBay, I got seats nearly half off in possibly the best seats in the house. Again, the Pens lost 3-2, but we had another great time. Here are a few shots from both nights:

Club level right at center ice

1 of our 2 pictures in the Mario Mosaic

2010 NHL Beard-A-Thon

Russell Dunkin — Mon, 19 Apr 2010 02:14:29 +0000

This year I am “participating” in a great fundraiser for The Mario Lemieux Foundation. I thought this was a great idea last year, but didn’t participate for one reason or another. I decided to try growing a beard this year, and so far so good!

Three games into the playoffs, and I’ve already been able to raise $500!

Take a look at my profile page on Beard-A-Thon dot com and see what you think.

***Update***

05/13/10

I’m very pleased to report that although the Pens fell short in reaching the finals for the third straight season, I was able to raise nearly $1,100 for the Mario Lemieux Foundation. At last count, all “growers” had raised over $85,000 for this great cause!

The Steelers have an Oh Mama phone on the field?

Russell Dunkin — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 03:57:34 +0000

If you’ve attended just about any Pittsburgh Steelers games this decade, you’ve heard their “anthem”, Renegade, by Styx. Similar to Sweet Caroline at Boston Red Sox games, it’s something that nobody could remember when it started, or why it was effective.

Wonder no more.

The good people at NFL films have put together a 30 minute show with everything you would ever want to know. I found a 9 minute clip on YouTube for your enjoyment. The most amusing section of this clip was the revelation the team actually will call up to the booth when they need Renegade played. Priceless!

Who Ride? Apparently, nobody knows…

Russell Dunkin — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 01:17:34 +0000

For as long as I can remember, I have been a Steelers fan. As a child, I would spend Sunday afternoons with my Dad and brother watching the likes of Mark Malone, Bubby Brister, and eventually Greg Lloyd. In hindsight, it probably would have been easier to like another team while growing up in the ’80′s.

I was born in 1977. In both ’78, and ’79 the Steelers won the Super Bowl. I, of course, didn’t notice. From that point, until the Super Bowl appearance in 2005, they won 4 division titles in 16 years, and zero conference championships.

Year after year, I had to listen to “One for the Thumb” songs on DVE radio, when I didn’t even have one for a finger. To top that off, when I was a freshman in college, they finally made it to the Super Bowl against the Dallas Cowboys. After a lifetime of buildup, Super Bowl XXX was over with two crushing Neil O’Donnell interceptions.

At least in the ’90′s and most of the 2000′s, the Steelers under Bill Cowher and Jerome Bettis were either competitive or tops in the AFC. But year after year, no Championship.

Then came the 2005 season. I won’t bore you with the details of the season, or the playoff run. But I will ask you a question. Who Ride?

Give up? Most people did.

Let me explain.

Sometime in 2002 or 2003, Joey Porter became the face of the Steelers defense. Most people think of him as the trash talking linebacker , or the guy who was shot in the butt outside a Denver night club. This is the image most have of him:

I, however, had a different one. Before every game, and after every win, Porter would lead the team in the pre-game chant. I thought, that this was common knowledge. I figured most “true” Steelers fans would know the FOUR words of the Steelers pre-game chant. After-all, they had been doing it for several years!

Fast forward to Super Bowl XL.

In Detroit.

In Jerome Bettis’s final season.

I (you do realize it’s all about me, right?) finally got to see the Steelers championship. Everyone else had their “One for the Thumb”, but I finally had ONE. In all the excitement, I decided to celebrate in a way that only “true” Steelers fans would get.

I went online to the DMV, checked for license plate availability, and ordered the WHO RIDE license plate. I figured with a Steelers license plate frame, it would be crystal clear what it meant.

I couldn’t have been more wrong!

Soon after receiving it in the mail, one of my neighbors asked if I was a big fan of the band “The Who”. Sadly, that isn’t it.

I also had raced road bikes since 1997, so many others thought it had something to do with cycling.

The most typical response, from fans and otherwise, was, “What does that mean”?

After months of it being on my truck, only THREE people got it. T H R E E!!! Needless to say, the “true fan” experiment had backfired into a giant pain in the butt. It was at this point, I finally realzed my obsession with the Steelers was perhaps a bit over the top. I understood when the casual fan, or local bandwagon fan didn’t get it. But people I thought would know, had ZERO idea.

After a couple of years of this, I finally relented and went back to the DMV site to find something a little more obvious in 8 characters or less. As you would expect, the obvoius choices were taken: STEELERS (spelled with S’s or 8′s, both taken). STILLERS, also gone. Fortunatly, I found a replacement.

B L C K N G L D

Now, the only question I hear is, “Steelers, or Penguins”? To which, the answer is both.

For those of you who can’t answer the title question, I include the following (at second 30 or so):

While this story is fairly ridiculous, I’m certain there are others. What seemingly normal thing have you done for your team that the rest of the world just didn’t get? I know I can’t be alone here! Let’s compare your stories to mine below.

No related posts.

Pittsburgh Penguins Banner Raising Celebration

Russell Dunkin — Sun, 04 Oct 2009 01:34:05 +0000

Last night was both the final home opener at Mellon arena, and the first game since the Pens won the Stanley Cup in June. I mentioned previously after the Steelers home opener that I was pretty disapointed in the minimal Super Bowl Celebration at Heinz Field. I was hoping the Pens would get it right. And they did.

The Steelers/NBC had the Black Eyed Peas and Tim McGraw outside their opener.

The Pens, they had Mario’s “TV”. Even the rain didn’t keep the faithful from coming out.

Inside, the copy of iceTIME magazine featured Sidney Crosby rasing the Cup on the cover, along with articles on their 2009-2010 title defense and past Stanley Cup champion teams. There was also a free replica Stanley Cup Champion banner giveaway.

Promptly at 7:25, the lights were lowered, and crates of trophys were wheeled onto the ice. Two videos were played briefly on the arena ceiling of the key moments from Game 7, before giant sheets dropped from the jumbotron at center ice. A 6 or 7 minute video recapping the Pens improbable run that started with a drubbing in Toronto (that led to the firing of Coach Thierrien, and the hiring of Dan Bylesma), to earning a playoff spot, to home ice advantage in the first round, and all the way through the playoffs.

Here’s the video I shot on my iPhone 3GS from section C11:

Click on the video to see the other 4 videos I took of the rest of the ceremony.

At the conclusion of the video, the sheets dropped to the ice to reveal the Stanley Cup in the middle of the ice! One by one the players were introduced in number order. Instead of the traditional runway, they skated out under a sea of neon lights and fog from the zamboni entrance. I was pleased to see “chicca chicca superstar” Max Talbot receive by far the loudest ovation (outside of Sidney Crosby, of course).

Finally the players were brought over to the runway where Mario Lemieux, Ron Burkle, and the rest of the Pens front office were standing to raise the Championship banner.

All in, the Penguins organization put together a fantastic 20 minute celebration of the ’08-’09 season and Stanley Cup Championship. The team, and the crowed loved every minute of it. I was lucky enough to have had tickets, and am hoping to see many more fireworks this season.

Braving the G20 for the Pittsburgh Pirates game

Russell Dunkin — Sun, 27 Sep 2009 00:46:50 +0000

About a month ago, about 15 of us from my office decided to head up to Pittsburgh for a Pirates game. It’s rare that we find time to get together socially outside of work, and somehow we missed the fact that the game was on day 2 of the G20 summit…as you might expect, a few people dropped out due to illness, and a few others due to security concerns. Who am I to argue with wanting to avoid “anarchists”?

As you might expect, images of helicopters, snipers on rooftops, and mobs of 400+ people, combined with the on field product of the Pirates led more than a few people to stay home. As it turned out, traffic was light, security was relatively quick, and imagine that, the Buccos won.

Multiple local “celebrity” sightings made the evening more amusing. The spouses had their fun mocking Jeremy & I acting like a couple of 10 year olds snapping pictures of Skippy & the punter:

The Special Teams waiting outside PNC Park

Not to be out down, there was a big Stan sighting around the 7th inning stretch.

After it was all said and done, this was really just a prelude to next Fridays Penguins Home Opener. That night, nobody will care if Jeff Reed shows up with the punter, or his typical gaggle of tweens.

Be sure to check back next weekend when I plan to have an up close, and in person view of the banner raising and post-Stanley Cup festivities.

Steelers begin title defense

Russell Dunkin — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 23:31:58 +0000

I had tickets last night to see the Steelers open their title defense against the Tennessee Titans. It feels like there wasn’t even an offseason, thanks to them winning their second Lombardi trophy in four years, and the Penguins winning the Stanley Cup after making it to the finals two years in a row. I will be trying multiple ways tomorrow morning to buy tickets to the Penguins Rangers home opener when they go on sale at 10 am. I’ll be heading down to the local Ticketmaster site, I have a friend doing the same in Pittsburgh, and Christy will be trying her luck online. I made it to both the AFC Championship game, and game 6 of the Cup finals, and think it would be great to make it to both title defense openers.

I will admit that I was somewhat disappointed in the overall post Super Bowl festivities last night. Sure there was the Black Eyed Peas concert at Point State Park, fireworks before the game, and Harry Connick Jr singing the national anthem. It just felt like a production meant for TV. I think the propaganda style “pump you up” videos before each Penguin playoff game, complete with laser graphics on the ice, and the anticipation of seeing the third Cup banners raised in October have my standards set a little high.