12/21/24
July 23, 2006
Penguins reject Cuban-Marino Group's Bid: "The group offered more than $170 million, as high as it intends to go, Murstein said...The highest remaining bidder apparently is Sam Fingold, a Hartford, Conn., businessman who has talked about moving the team to Kansas City if Pittsburgh does not build an arena." Might we be seeing the return of the Kansas City Scouts in a year or two?
I hope this doesn't come back to bite the Penquins in the butt. To the best of my knowlege, the Cuban-Marino group would have kept them in Pittsburgh. If they are sold to this Sam Fingold, will he use the threat of moving them to get a new arena. I know Pittsburgh needs to build a new one, but I hate it when ANY sports team (read owners) uses threats to get what they want. And I don't think Cuban's hair is as bad as Canseco's. Also, I don't recall the Rooney Family making threats to get Heinz Field.
posted by steelergirl at 01:05 PM on July 23, 2006
Oh, man. This is sad news. Mark Cuban would have been great for hockey (and he & Marino are from Pittsburgh, so yeah, they'd have stayed there, which is the best solution for everyone not in KC or Hartford), not because he'd charge the ice or do that cartoony shit, but because he thinks differently than your average owner, and maybe some new ideas wouldn't hurt the NHL. Also, he'd commit to the franchise completely, and the checks wouldn't bounce. I hear that's important. The cartoony shit that pisses off fenriq (and makes headlines, which is the one thing the NHL needs most right now) would just be a bonus.
posted by chicobangs at 02:48 PM on July 23, 2006
chicobangs, all I ever see of Cuban are Sportscenter highlights because I can't stand basketball. He doesn't piss me off, he's just kind of a pesty guy but I do admire his passion. Maybe I was too quick to dismiss him as a viable new owner. I would be bummed if the Penguins left Pittsburgh. As for hockey needing headlines, I agree. This last season with the new rules was pretty good. I could even watch with my wife, who dislikes the sport because they allow fighting. One of the most difficult hurdles for hockey is its tv watchability, its a hard sport to follow and its even harder on tv. Whatever happened to the thing they did for the All-Star game a few years ago where a slapshot showed red and passes were blue? That was cool and made the game easier to follow.
posted by fenriq at 08:29 PM on July 23, 2006
Yes, fenriq, the blue and red markers were good. At least I liked them, made following the puck easier for us not so knowlegeable hockey fans. As for Cuban being colorful, hockey could use that kind of owner right now.
posted by steelergirl at 09:27 PM on July 23, 2006
Obviously this Fingold guy is not from Hartford originally because if he was he would return hockey to the "Rising star of New England/Insurance capitla of the world" and all remaining Whaler fans, myself included, could die happy. GO WHALE!!!
posted by kire at 06:25 AM on July 24, 2006
Terrible news for Pens fans. The franchise is all but gone now. And you know they;re going to pull an Avalanche and be very good immediately after the move. They're stacked! Quick prediction: Crpsby leads NHL in points next year. 135.
posted by WeedyMcSmokey at 03:34 PM on July 24, 2006
Is it bad that part of me wants to see Mark Cuban owning a hockey team so he can try and charge the ice and fall on his head? Probably but I can't help myself. He's such an annoying personality. I think its the Jose Canseco hairstyle that puts him over the top.