12/03/24
June 06, 2003
Mario Lemieux : feels betrayed because no one is willing to fork over the $270 million needed to build the Penguins a new stadium. Betrayed.
Well, I think he has a reason to feel betrayed. He saved the franchise from bankruptcy and kept it in Pittsburgh. Part of the reason he did this was that he was promised that a new arena would be built for the franchise. Now the same people (or people that replaced him) are backing out of the deal. I'm not a fan of public-sponsored sports arenas, but if the city did agree to help finance one if Lemieux saved the team and then backed out of the deal, then I think he has a legitimate complaint. And it's not like Lemieux is a billionaire. Half of the leverage he used to purchase the Penguins was waiving the money owed to him by the franchise.
posted by grum@work at 07:54 AM on June 06, 2003
A life-long Pens fan (I still have a tuque featuring the blue colors), I would be crushed if they left. And grum is right about the agreement to build a new arena. But for Pittsburgh, or Allegheny County, or the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania to pony up a few hundred million dollars for a private and supposedly for-profit enterprise--especially in the current fiscal atmosphere--would be absurd. I love the Penguins, but they're hardly as important a part of the social fabric as the Steelers or even the Pirates. Mario has saved the franchise twice and Pittsburgh loves him for it, but hockey has to come after funding schools, etc. (Nor am I convinced that a new arena would save the team either; I don't know that corporations are shelling out for luxury boxes like they once were...)
posted by Mookieproof at 09:04 AM on June 06, 2003
I agree. And with the crap that the team is putting out on the ice, Mario aside, they could play in the world's best arena and still be a lousy draw. Arenas don't save franchises, success does. (Never been a big fan of franchises who insist a new stadium is the answer, especially when the public pays for them) Though it is odd that the Steelers and Pirates got new places... and it's not like the Pirates have been good in 12 years.
posted by Bernreuther at 09:16 AM on June 06, 2003
I find it hard to be objective here because I started blocking out all of Mario's whining and complaining about two years ago. Sound like he might have a point this time, though (but I'm still not listening).
posted by Samsonov14 at 01:31 PM on June 06, 2003
Still bitter about that playoff goal where he put the puck between Bourque's legs, went around him for the breakaway, and embarrassed Andy Moog?
posted by Mookieproof at 02:30 PM on June 06, 2003
Mookieproof: Lemieux doing it to Bourque isn't embarrassing. It's when Brad May did it to Bourque in the playoffs years ago (to win in OT and knock the Bruins out)...that's embarrassing. But Lemieux's trick was probably one of the 5 greatest plays I've seen in hockey.
posted by grum@work at 03:29 PM on June 06, 2003
An old boss of mine used to say, “I’m not paying my money so a millionaire making millions can make millions for a billionaire in a building that I built”. While that gets straight to the point it completely ignores the fact that the richest person in this situation feels "betrayed". What an idiot.