Ryan Malone = Good Guy

The date was February 24, 2008. The Penguins just finished a tough loss at home in the shootout against a good San Jose team. My son and daughter suggested that we try to get some autographs after the game since it was an afternoon game and still a reasonable time of day. (Normally games start at 7:35 pm and a "normal" game would be over between 10:00 and 10:30 pm - much too late, especially on a school night , to hang around seeking autographs.) So being the great dad that I am I said "Sure, why not?".

We made our way to the curb near the exit to the parking lot that is adjoining to the exit that many of the Penguins use after the game where we were met with a throng of 40-50 other fans seeking autographs. Slowly but surely employees and players started to filter out of Gate 2. You had to squint to see if it was a player or just "Joe" the cotton candy guy. Most players just jumped in their cars with their entourage. Some would swing by and roll the window down and give their autographs. The first to do this was Gary Roberts (he wasn't as scary as I thought he'd be up close!). Then came Georges Laraque. Then Max Talbot. Most of the other Pens drove past or snuck out another way. Standing there through this all I made friends with a gentleman and his son, Ryan, who drove all they way in from Altoona to see the game. In talking to his son, Ryan, he mentioned that he played mite hockey for the Altoona Trackers and that -yes- Ryan Malone was his FAVORITE hockey player. Standing there in his youth small Ryan Malone replica game jersey he shared with me that all he really wanted was Ryan's autograph. Minutes turned into more minutes until it was now an hour and 45 mins later. The crowd had dwindled to somewhere between 8 - 12 folks which included me and my two kids; Ryan and his dad. At this point the only people coming out of Gate 2 were the ushers and the security folks. Suddenly a figure appeared that slowly made his way to the crowd. Almost everyone - including myself - though it was just another Mellon Arena worker. It wasn't. It was Ryan Malone. Immediately the crowd that remained rushed him. Somewhat startled he instructed everyone to remain calm and he would "sign everything". My two kids had him sign multiple autographs. My son had him sign his Sidney Crosby jersey for heaven's sake!!! But the highlight was when little Ryan from Altoona saw his dream come true - having Ryan Malone, himself, sign his jersey!

In this day and age of the selfish, me-first athlete this was a testament as to why I believe hockey was, is, and always will be the best sport in the world.

Here's to you, Ryan Malone! You get it. You were that kid once. And now you're paying it back.

The true Pens fan will never forget you. The true Pens fan will still be your fan when you pull on that Lightning sweater...

Ryan Malone = Good Guy

Malone's a Goner

Thanks to some crack reporting at EN, it was there that I first learned that the rights to Ryan Malone had been traded to Tampa Bay for a 3rd/4th round draft pick. The hockey moles at TSN were the first to report tonight that the deal is done - Malone signed for 7 years at $31 million.

It's a sad day in Pittsburgh...

Why?

Because Ryan Malone was a hard-working, lunch-pail-carrying, go-to-the-net, blue collar hockey player. The kind that true Pens fans love (see: Gary Roberts). He was the first Pittsburgh-born player to play for the Pittsburgh Penguins. And we was an all around nice guy. (more on that later...)

Now EN stated that Malone "...had one good season... riding shotgun with a Hart Trophy finalist in Evgeni Malkin". Umm ...what about 2004-05 where he put up 44 pts (22+22); or, 2003-04 where he put up 43 pts (22+21)? And, all this without Malkin feeding him. No, Malone has established himself as one of the better in-front-of-the-net players in the NHL. Up there with Vanek (Buffalo); Smith (Colorado); and Holmstrom (Detroit), in my opinion. And, of course, that is not all that he brings to the table. In short it was time for him to be paid. This was his one "big" contract.

Now on an interesting note, as reported by TSN, Tampa Bay hired Ryan Malone's father, Greg, to be their head scout last week. Couple this with the fact that Ryan and his wife recently welcomed their first child and you wonder if Greg's signing didn't weigh heavily on Ryan's decision to sign with TB.

After all, people seem to forget that hockey players are humans like us. Albeit humans that possess better athletic skills and larger bank accounts than you or I - but humans never the less. And what new dad wouldn't want his son to know his grandfather? What better way to do that then to work together in the same city???

In upcoming posts I will share my Ryan Malone "good guy" story and explore the Ray Shero-Ryan Malone conspiracy...

...until then...GGG

My First Post

Well here it is my first official post! I've thought about blogging for a very long time before actually "jumping into the pool". Nothing like being ahead of the curve, huh?!

With this blog I hope to have a repository of my hockey thoughts and droppings. Even if no one reads this dreck at least I will have a place to collect my thoughts; rant; or just plain amuse myself. I don't think there is anything wrong with that do you?

My hope for this blog is that it is at least minimally interesting to the average reader - whomever the hell that is. In any case I promise - but not guarantee - that I will keep posts short and concise (we'll see about this one); witty; and hockey related.

No pictures of my son's Pee Wee team - promise.
No hot babes picts. Okay maybe a few - but not enough to overwhelm the hockey substance.
No pseudo-intellectual B.S. - if you want that read here
No Britney Spears coverage - if you want that read here

Until next post! - G.G.G.