Darn, I Missed It!!

THANKS to Melissa C. for sending a link to a preview of the latest issue of Maniac Magazine - DEC / JAN (the magazine of Pittsburgh's young professionals) featuring Max Talbot who is also the cover boy AND Brooks Orpik.

This is not only Max's first cover but it's also the first time that an athlete has been on the cover of this magazine in the seven years of it's existence.

To celebrate the release of the magazine and to raise money for charity (some things I read said it was benefitting Talbot's "Gervais-Talbot Charities;" however, it actually benefitted the Red Cross), Max hosted a "Wild" party at Bossa Nova in Pittsburgh on December 14th ... totally missed this one!!! Team mates Jordan Staal and Tyler Kennedy were in attendance to show their support.

CLICK HERE FOR KDKA-TV VIDEO
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CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFORMATION ON MANIAC'S BLOG POST

Crosby Picture of the Week

Even if you're new to the blog, you know right off the bat that I'm CRAZY for Sidney Crosby!!! But what many of you may not know is that, for WHATEVER REASON, it drives me wild when he has his helmet off out on the ice (I think he looks like a stud!)!! ; P

Which brings me to this week's picture!!! Look at him (his hair all sweaty looking all intense!)!!!

[THUD] ...

It's OK, that was just me hitting the floor - I'm OK now ... really, I AM!! ; P

I'm Not a Brodeur Fan, But ...

I think he's trying REALLY HARD to win me over because this is what I had staring back at me in my inbox today (The All-Decade Team edition of The Hockey News)!! I must admit, it's working just a little!!

Just look at him there all manly with that big, bulky man-watch and clunky man-chain in regular man-clothes --- EESH!! Or is it just me?!!

No, no, NO ... I'm not falling for it, Brodeur - I don't care how sexy you look in this photo and how many of your firm, curvy muscles I see under that tight, red shirt of yours!!! [NOT looking!]!!

I AM a hockey fan, so I do realize he's a kick-ass goalie and can appreciate him on that level; however, I personally can't get past his cheating on his wife, Melanie Dubois, with their sister-in-law, Genevieve (if you aren't up on this part of his life, read all about it, HERE, HERE, and HERE). And what's odd is the fact that from everything I hear and read about him (other than about his cheating on his wife), he's described as a 'stand-up' guy and 'class-act' (not the words I'd use to describe a CHEATER!)!!

I suppose there are three sides to every story (his, hers, and the truth), so it's possible there's more to it then what we read and he obviously loved her (it wasn't just a fruitless affair) because he ended up marrying her in 2008 and they just recently had their first child together -son, Maxime Philippe - back in November, but ....

NO, Brodeur -- I won't do it, I refuse to fall for your whore-ass!! I have to stop looking at that picture now ...

But since I already started this post (and actually started it back on the day after he reached his 104th shut-out against the Penguins) -- I suppose there's a part of me that wants to finish it or else it wouldn't keep nagging me to finish. Perhaps this post will be cathartic for me like getting treated for an addiction, but this is FAR from an addiction ... I just have a really soft spot for handsome hockey players.

OK, maybe he's not such a bad guy. I mean, he has five kids each of whom's initials appear on his helmet (AW!)!!

Did he just win me over? DAMN IT, Brodeur!!!

; )

MORE AMAZING Pens Fans (and Their Stories)

To carry on with the theme of Friday's "Where My Ladies At?" with some 'intense fandom,' one little lady who always comes to mind is faithful HftL follower, Lexie, who is always so sweet to send along her stories and AWESOME pictures of her Penguins escapades!!!

Here's her latest:

So my mom and I met some of our friends Mel and Erin at the Penguin Practice this Saturday [12/26/2009], and i must say even though it was VERRRY crowded it was a blast!

Mel always tells the funniest stories and im PRETTY sure that when it got quiet in the arena that the boys heard us, haha! and then there is the fact that we have very dirty minds...for example when Disco was practicing with Skoula my mom just HAD to say "Look at Disco Bangin' Skoula!" haha. but towards the end the boys were picking out some little kids that were down by the glass and would give them their sticks! and we were lucky enough to be sitting by the little kid who got Sid's sticks family! so my mom just had to touch it as did I, haha! and then my friend Mel got her picture taken with Sid's stick after telling my mom to stop trying to grab Sid's stick! haha and then there was only two of our boys left on the ice after that, Letang and Godard! Letang was giving out pucks to the little kids while godard escaped the madness! and just when we thought Letang was about to leave he through a puck up to US, and i caught it! :D

and i have some pictures to go with it the second picture the one of Johnson [the one at the very top of the page]; he looks scared because he cant get out lol the third one is a picture of me with the puck letang threw to me :) [below]

Along those same fandom lines is faithful HftL (and TSCSF) follower, Michelle U., who has a pretty AMAZING Penguins story (project) of her own (the pictures and artwork are just UNBELIEVEABLE -- there are some extremely talented Pens fans out there!) ...

... i live in Pittsburgh which also means that i eat and breathe the sports here, mainly the Pens. I missed the second cup winning by less then a month and my first game was when i was about 9 months old, i was also an extra in the movie sudden death. Look for the little girl by the penalty box ;-). Anyways, my graduation project had to be on something i want to do in the future. And i have some big dreams. I want to be the head physician or orthopeadist for the Pittsburgh Penguins. I recently had the chance to work with their doctor and it was incredible. The pictures attached are part of my project. As an artist i love to draw portraits and i used my skill and my love to make one great project. I drew every player from the Cup winning team last year and put them into two frames. The players just loved them, but a few havent signed yet... My favorite would be brooks and Max and their reactions. I had to chase down Brooks to get my picture back because he wanted it, and max asked if i could do one of him. And cant forget Sid, he high fived me and said, damn, this is some talent. I laughed. Dan also B lined over to me and signed. He also pinky promised that he would tell the guys to sign. I just thought i would share a tid bit of info on my project with you.

Thought it would add something different to the blog.

BIG THANKS to both Lexie H. and Michelle U. for thinking of us here at HftL and sending along their stories and incredible pictures to share!!!

PHOTO: Parker Lucas Staal

Since there's been all this talk about "hockey babies" recently, I decided to do some searching to see if I could come up with any information for updates on the little guys!!

The only thing I could come up with was this shot I screen-capped from a video off the Canes webpage (from CanesVision Online) of Eric Staal with a picture of Tonya and cute little Parker in the background (the video was of the players being asked who they'd like to kiss under the misteltoe and Eric's answer was "my wife and probably my newborn son" -- TOO CUTE; what a beautiful family and such a proud poppa!!!)!!!

The entire video is actually pretty funny, so I included a link to that too in case any of you want to watch it.

Who Would You Kiss Under the Mistletoe?

Daddy Lecavalier

I came across this bit of news while searching for news on the game today.

A Lightning newspaper blog (Bolts Report) reported that Vinny Lecavalier and his long-time girlfriend Caroline Portelance (model / actress; pictured here with Lecavalier) are expecting their first child due in May.

From what I've read, Lecavalier is quite a private person and according to the same blog, "It’s something Lecavalier will discuss when the time is right, but that time is not right now."

CONGRATULATIONS to Vinny and Caroline!

Where My Ladies At?

THESE ARE OUR STORIES
(How I Became a [Female] Hockey Fan)!

How did I become a hockey fan?

All my life I have be around hockey in some way. When I was younger my parents would take me to see a local minor league (the Hershey Bears) play. I fell in love with the sport the first time I went to a game. My dad is also a NY Rangers fan, so I was exposed to NHL hockey as well.

Although I liked watching the Hershey Bears and the NY Rangers...I never became a huge fan of either team. It wasn't until the Penguins game outside that I fell in love with a team. I am probably going to sound like a puck bunny when I say this, but Sidney Crosby's gorgeous eyes attracted me to the Penguins team instantly. But to my defense, I already liked hockey in general and could follow the game and tell you technical things that most puck bunnies could not.

After that game I was hooked. I do not think I have missed watching a game since. As I watched the Penguins the rest of that season, I learned so much about each player and realized that I no longer watched the games for Sidney....I watched the games for my team.

Since last year's playoffs I have become a huge Vancouver Canucks fan as well. I remember being bored and flipping through channels on the tv and finding a Canucks game. I wasn't really familiar with any of the western teams and automatically became entranced by the Canucks and how they play hockey. Tonight will be the first Canucks game since then that I will miss .....I am going to see my minor league team play tonight [11/06/2009]....and no its not the Hershey Bears. Although the Bears were my team when I was little, they are now my enemies, as I am a Wilkes Barre Penguins fan!

Today, my life revolves around hockey. I literally plan my life around hockey. I am in college now and refuse to take Wednesday night classes since the WBS Penguins play on some Wednesdays. I cannot hold a conversation with anyone without mentioning something about hockey. My roommate now knows the names of most of the Penguins, WBS Penguins, and some of the Canucks. She also realized that most nights I am useless company since I am sitting in front of the computer watching hockey. What can I say......its now my life!

Kim S.

I really just LOVE how everyone's story is so unique (no one has said anywhere near the same thing since we started this!)! But the one common thread running through them all is a love / passion / intense fandom of hockey -- GREAT story, Kim - THANKS (what were the outcomes of those games back in November?)!!

Don't forget, if you wish to submit your story, I kindly ask that you email them directly to me so they don't end up being repetitive for some of the readers. Also, if you don't want me to include your name, please let me know that as well (what I'll normally do is put your first name and last initial if I have it OR just your screen name).

I also want to let you know I LOVE these stories (and so do alot of our readers) - I've always found it interesting no matter who the fan, so I'm enjoying ALL OF THIS IMMENSELY!! KEEP THEM COMING, but I ask that you email them please - THANKS!!!

Also, I ask that you please BE PATIENT as I've been receiving TONS of stories in addition to the ones that are already posted in some of the "comments" sections here that I'm hoping to re-post. If you sent in a story, it will eventually be on the blog - I promise!! ; ) JUST BE SURE TO KEEP THEM COMING (the more the better!)!!

thesteelcitysportsfan@gmail.com