Penguins’ Lemieux admits the team just used Kansas City

[Ari Chi3fs]

Penguins’ Lemieux admits the team just used Kansas City

By JEFFREY FLANAGAN

The Kansas City Star



Lemieux

• Over the Top | More news and notes from Top of the Mornin’ columnist Jeffrey Flanagan

Back when the Pittsburgh Penguins were sort of flirting with Kansas City and the Sprint Center officials about moving here, most Kansas Citians pretty much knew we should not get our hopes up.Yes, we had to take the flirtation somewhat seriously, just because it was always possible that Pittsburgh would muck up the financing of a new arena and then — before you knew it — presto, we’d have an NHL team.
But we pretty much knew the score.
The Penguins used that Kansas City leverage effectively and got their arena in Pittsburgh.
And now co-owner Mario Lemieux, at the Penguins’ arena groundbreaking ceremony last week, told the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review that the team was never serious about leaving Pittsburgh.
“It wasn’t a possibility,” Lemieux said. “We had to do a few things to put pressure on the city and the state, but our goal was to remain here in Pittsburgh all the way.
“Those trips to Kansas City and Vegas and other cities was just to go and have a nice dinner and come back.”
Hey, at least we gave them some good eats.
Should Kansas City be hurt about getting used like that?
“No, I don’t think so,” Kevin Gray, president of the Kansas City Sports Commission, told me Friday. “It’s part of business.
“We helped the Penguins get their arena; we helped the league. I’m not bothered by what (Lemieux) said.”
For well more than a year, the Penguins threatened to leave Pittsburgh if politicians didn’t come up with financing for a new arena.
The how-to-get-a-new-arena playbook usually then calls for team officials to visit another city praying for a team.
“(Pressure) was felt, and that was the important thing,” Lemieux said. “A lot of things happened throughout the negotiations. Ups and downs. That was just a way for us to put more pressure, and we knew it would work at the end of the day.”
But Pittsburgh Councilwoman Tonya Payne wasn’t thrilled with Lemieux’s admission.
“Every indication pointed to that they were serious about moving,” Payne told the newspaper. “I know that scared the hell out of the governor, the mayor and … it got them in gear.”
Small world
The Schottenheimer family certainly has its ties to the Brett Favre saga. Favre’s new offensive coordinator with the Jets is Brian Schottenheimer.
Kurt Schottenheimer is the secondary coach of Favre’s old team, the Packers.
Brian and Kurt’s father, Marty, was the head coach when the Packers’ current head coach, Mike McCarthy, was an assistant here in Kansas City.
The question now is: How will Brian be able to work with a legend?
“I think they’ll get along fine,” Marty said on his weekly Sirius radio show. “Brian has a considerable history with Mike McCarthy. … The teaching by Brian would be very much like the teaching with Mike McCarthy.”
So, Brian is going to “teach” Brett Favre?

[Thig Lyfe]

I feel violated.

But hey, look at the way we were dressed. We really were asking for it.

[Bearcat]

“Those trips to Kansas City and Vegas and other cities was just to go and have a nice dinner and come back.”

Now, why did he have to go say something like that? I knew it was for leverage, and that in a way he was using Kansas City, but I also thought it was possible, in an absolute-last-resort kind of way, they could move. There was that .01% chance the city of Pittsburgh wouldn't get their ass in gear and build a new arena, and would force the Penguins to move.

Now, months later, all the poor Kansas Citians with their empty arena feel a little more violated, and all the poor Pittsburghians have to take back all the horrible things they said about Kansas City, because even though we still would have taken their team, we were the ones being used.



Okay, I'm over it.

[Ari Chi3fs]

Good thing the Penguins FAILED vs Detroit. Eat a dick Pepe Lepieux

[eazyb81]

What a douchebag.

[morphius]

just another notch to make me hate the team more.

[Spicy McHaggis]

[Waking up after one of "those" nights]

(KC walks into the bedroom wearing a Penguins t-shirt and holding coffee)

Pitt: "Oh, you're still here. Um,"

KC: "Yeah, I just went to get some coffee and breakfast. Hope you like onion bagels. I was thinking maybe later we could go to the park and catch a show."

Pitt: "Yeah that's fine it's just... listen I had a really nice time last night. But I'm really not in a great place to start something right now. I've got this big thing with the government and taxes going on and...

KC: "Oh. Well, we can always start slow and see how things go."

Pitt: "Yeah, I just don't know if it would work out. See, I just checked my voicemail. My ex saw us out together last night and she wants me and her to give it another try. But hey, I'll give you a call sometime the next time I need some leverage, I mean, a friend. Okay?

[Skip Towne]

And then Oklahoma City kicked our ass. What's next?

[Demonpenz]

Kansas City would have ****ed the team up somehow anyway. Stay where they are..with Crosby they will be good for a long time. GO PENZ GO

[Braincase]

Congratulations, KC. We are to the NHL what LA is to the NFL.

[irishjayhawk]

Originally Posted by Skip Towne

And then Oklahoma City kicked our ass. What's next?

It's funny because the only reason OKC ever got on the map is because they had an available arena and everyone loves anybody who helped Katrina. Their games were full because people wanted to see America's Team play.

[Sully]

This is still a good thing for KC. It showed we are prepared to bring in an NHL (or, heaven forbid, an NBA) team to the city with a first-class arena, and businessmen whoa re serious about it. Every NHL team that comes for sale, or any talk about expansion will begin with Kansas City.

[Coach]

The Penguins and Lemieux can go f**k themselves with their Zamboni's.

[Skip Towne]

Originally Posted by irishjayhawk

It's funny because the only reason OKC ever got on the map is because they had an available arena and everyone loves anybody who helped Katrina. Their games were full because people wanted to see America's Team play.

They are already making noise about Tulsa helping them support. They are going to play some of their games in Tulsa. We may just steal the Chiefs if they can't sell out in KC.

[dj56dt58]

im sorry..thought this thread was about a real sport...

ill be leaving now