We again got to attend the annual Pens and Pins event to benefit Make A Wish last night. It is put together by a group of girlfriends and wives of the Penguins players, led by Brooks Orpiks girlfriend, Erin Lilly. Last year, we had the great pleasure of bowling with Matt Cooke, and if you go back to that post from last year, Cookie revealed himself to be a very thoughtful, friendly, family guy who was easy to talk to. This year, we got the opportunity to play the game with Pascal Dupuis and assistant coach Tony Granato. Duper could not have been any nicer, or any more fun to be around if he tried. Nor could coach Granato, who actually remembered who we were from a conversation last year about an incident I had with him in 1988, on the day I got engaged. It was very nice to have him actually know exactly who we were a year later, despite the fact that we mean nothing in the scheme of things in his world. Back to Dupuis......gladly gave much insight into different players, and their thoughts during the season....he, assistant coach Meloche, and Granato did confirm that they dislike the Capitals as much as I do.........but disagreed when I said that they have replaced the Flyers in my book at the top of the charts......Meloche says, "No, I have hated the Flyers for 40 years." Granato and Duper called it close, but still give the nod to the Flyers. Dupuis revealed that the cameras did not show Geno in the corner flipping him off as he entered the CEC and gave his now famous "Fuck you Geno" quote for 24/7. Dupuis also expressed a strong desire to remain a Penguin after this season's contract expired, and specifically mentioned the tremendous support that he and the rest of the team get in Pittsburgh. He has seen similar in Minnesota, but lived the opposite during his stint as an Atlanta Thrasher. He further noted that by and large the approach to the players is polite, positive and for the most part avoided when appropriate with local fans. Dupuis further noted that a big part of the team's success is the fact that all of them are nice guys, who play as a team, and truly like each other. Frankly, that is so evident when you attend one of these events, it almost goes without saying now. He also alluded to the fact that this has not always been the case for every team he has played for. He went out of his way to praise Jordan Staal as a down to earth guy, noting a conversation shortly after Staal signed his 4 year 16M contract during which Staal did not reference anything about houses or cars he could now buy, but how good it felt that he had the means to have a positive impact on his family and his community. Duper, then at my oldert daughter's request called her best friend at home(a huge Duper fan), and moved the girl to tears! Krista got Pascal to acknowledge attendance at the Lady Gaga show(due to his daughter), and his appreciation of her favorite artist Eminem. Alison found out that Pascal's daughter just started taking horse riding lessons, and missed an opportunity to take a shot at being her trainer! Truly a gentleman, and every bit as friendly and funny as 24/7 made him out to be. Thank you Pascal Dupuis for being so nice to the kids! Some other notables from last evening for me:
Despite being a possible Norris Trophy candidate, and having all the woman drool over him like I drool over pizza, Kris Letang is about as friendly, down to earth and polite a kid as one could meet. He bowled next to us, and got a ton of attention, but through it all acted just like a regular Joe. He did roll a ball behind Dupuis' feet as Dupuis backed up from rolling his ball that could have been an issue, but hey;
Kuntiz made all of our nights by knowing who we were and talking to many players, wives and friends about our "awesome Penguins room filled with jerseys, helmets, and sticks," and about our "crazy dog Gabbie";
Eric Godard is just one helluva nice guy, bowling next to us on the other side and taking some ribbing and giving it back all night long;
Arron Asham when asked if he remembered the guy who yelled filth at him every game in the tunnel as a Flyer, responded with "there was a lot of filth yelled at me, can you be more specific?" When told that I favored calling ASSHAMMER he busted out laughing and claimed to remember........I quickly noted my happiness with him being a Penguin, just in case he wanted to kick my ass!
Mike Comrie will no longer be the butt of my jokes.....had a very nice conversation with him about his injury, when it occurred, the disappointment based on how he clicked in the preseason with Malkin, his desire to get another shot next year as a Penguin, and yes my kids asked him what it was like to be married to Hilary Duff..........and he bantered back and forth with them on the subject for a bit......nice kid, done messing with him.......
Again, both Tyler Kennedy and Matt Cooke surprised us all by knowing who we were from the event last year, and asked questions to confirm that they were not just playing it up........very nice kids, and Kennedy remembering my youngest daughter actually brought a tear to her eye.....(she likes him just a little). They could not have been nicer and engaged us all in more than a little conversation about the twelve months since we last saw them. Malkin, Goligoski, Staal, Talbot, Fluery and Brent Johnson all spent time as just down to earth guys speaking to our group and anyone who approached them. Disco Dan, I want to make you, Asham, Godard, Cooke, Engelland, Adams, and Duper a fat ass steak, and shoot the shit with you over some Newcastles if I am ever that fortunate. To finish, I know that pro sport teams all do charity work, but I cannot imagine a group of guys who seem to be so SINCERE in their ENJOYMENT while doing such good for the kids and giving something back to the fans.....Professional athletes today sure have their detractors, and is some cases deservedly so, but in general the NHL and in particular the Pittsburgh Penguins have a lot to be proud of when they look at the players in their league.....Truly amazing guys, and so easy to support..............Thanks for another memorable time for my family and I. Oh, and before I forget, F the Red, come May........it is always DEAD.
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