Disco, King Ray, and the Mazefskys

Through our support of the Pittsburgh Penguins Foundation, my family and I were fortunate enough to win the opportunity to have dinner with Ray and Karen Shero, along with Dan and Mary Beth Bylsma.  As a noted Penguins freak, I am sure that I don't have to tell you how much I was looking forward to an opportunity to get a few hours of time four on four with the Sheros and Bylsmas.  And despite all of the anticipation, it was even more of a pleasure than I had anticipated.  Ray Shero arrived first, taking a cab from downtown.  Did you ever meet a person you did not really know, but you felt like you could talk to them like you knew them from "back in the day?"  Well, that is Ray Shero.  We spoke for a good while, about many things, and there was not a single awkward moment.  The Bylsmas arrived next, and it was more of the same.  Dan Byslma is as down to earth, open and friendly as you will EVER meet, as is his wife.  They also jumped right into the conversation about hockey, parenting, specific players, and you felt like you knew them forever.  Karen  Shero arrived next, and it was more of the same.  Terrific woman, easy to speak with, and also very down to earth.  The way the seating worked out Karen Shero and Ray Shero were to my left, my wife Lisa to the right, then my daughter Krista and Alison were next to the Coach and his wife.  While speaking with the Sheros, I noticed how easily the Bylsmas spoke back and forth with my daughters about school, driving, food, hockey, and the Coach's anti drinking, anti drug speech.  It was like watching my kids speak to an uncle and aunt as opposed to the Jack Adams award winning Coach of the Pittsburgh Penguins, and his wife.  Without boring you with a lot of details, all I can say is that it really was so easy to converse with these two families, it was almost startling.  Getting some "inside" scoop on some players, and war stories from the road, along with sharing some family stories made almost 3 and a half hours pass like nothing.  The more of these Penguins folks that I meet, the more proud I am to be a fan of the team.  Thanks to Dan, Marybeth, Ray, and Karen for giving a family of Pens fanatics a night to remember forever and the City of Pittsburgh a franchise to be proud of!