News/views: Crosby joins Malkin on All-Star shelf

I hope they play in the Winnipeg game and take the fine that comes with it. The NHL has made the All Star game a complete farce. With how players are picked these days it's a complete insult and slap in the face to all the All Stars of past who actually attended the game because they were having great seasons and not voted in by some Mickey Mouse system they use now. Girgensons has 22 points and is a -9 in 47 games. Yeah that just screams All Star.

YAWN! Oh. Sorry, you reminded of something else I won't bother to watch this weekend.

Sorry! :)

Sorry! :)

I remember when I got out the Marines in 2003. The Penguins had a promotion at the time, knocking 50% off of tickets if you had a military ID. I bought 6 tickets for Section C, Mellon Arena. I think they were 70? And I paid 40 for them. I sat in a half empty arena, with probably less than 9k fans, watched Rico Fata and Dick Tarnstrom. Pretty sure they played Columbus.

Point is, back then fans and media weren't saying the All Star game was pointless. Probably because the franchise was near death and had no stars.

I understand what your saying. And maybe times have changed. But remember that 12 years from now, if the team is awful, playing to a half empty Consol with no stars, an All Star game, be it here in Pittsburgh or somewhere else might not be as useless as it seems now.

I'm sorry too. But it's articles like this where I understand the moniker: Penguins Fans Established 2005

To bpn8pitt

Yeahnd I always had a good time. The cheapest ticket was $20 and there were a few I remember those days too. It was the 2003-04 season when I really started going to games (must of went to 20 games that year). Yeah the team sucked but the tickets were dirt cheap a times I got a ticket via student rush for a seat on the glass the attendance was so bad, I kid you not.

I can honestly say as one of the few fans who survived the dark ages that were not the center of the hockey universe and that if the ASG came to town I wouldn't go as it's a complete waste of time and if the players no-show then good for them.

bpn8pitt - I'm sorry, I just don't understand how the all-star game has anything to do with filling the stands for struggling franchises at all. Do you really think the attendance at Florida games is going to go up because of a great All-Star game in Columbus? I sure don't. As for promoting the league through the All-Star games, that's a bunch of crap. I don't know a single non-hockey fan who is excited to see the All-Star game. Actually, I barely know any hockey fans excited about the All-Star game. Like the Pro Bowl in football, the All-Star game is more for the players than the fans. It's an experience for them.

There's no chance either will go.

I've always covered All-Star Games for the same reason: Incredible access. It's never been about the event, always about being able to ask the game's best and brightest broader questions about the direction of the sport and that sort of thing. That's again what's on tap for this weekend.

I agree, Scott. Waste of DKs time and money. Rest up during the ASG like Sid and Geno instead of covering it.

Scaldis, the "All-star" in Columbus is DK, himself. I concur with your assessment, stay home and seize the moment to rest.

Gotta agree, rest up, nice break in the Pgh Sports scene,
Bout half the " best and brightest' players always figure out an out.(Heck by this time in season they all got some sort of "upper, lower or middle body injury". lol
Ya its cool for the host city. Whether it really creates more interest in Columbus is a big ???. Winning and making the playoffs IMHO make the real big difference.
"Incredible access" Ya all the movers and shakers on the administrative side will be there, but what, unless there PR guys let loose of the reins, what are they gonna say other than the normal platitudes.
Sorry to question your news sense, but I really think it is a big waste of time.
That said ... have a good time and you will likely give us a column of two that we can bitch and argue about. :)

Insanity: Doing the same things over and over, again, and expecting a different outcome.

But they wouldn't make any money doing that.