How The Pensblog Lost the War on NBC
April 21, 2009 27 Comments
Photoshop Credit: TPB
We used to run a blog over at the hockey behemoth Kukla’s Korner. As you all know, Abel to Yzerman is the popular Red Wing blog run by (The Chief) Bill Houlihan over there. They do not like Pierre McGuire in those parts. We believe the term they use for him is “Douche Canoe”. We don’t believe that, we know that, because we can read. Which makes us slightly more educated than the guys at The Pensblog. Zing!
Okay, that was lame. But it’s certainly nowhere near as lame as some of the stuff TPB goes after. Seriously, Nickelback has more original ideas. We get it guys, someone in your family is gay, so you need to overcompensate for it!
Anywho, The Pensblog have been waging a war against NBC since their decision to ruin the party outside Mellon Arena to watch the game. Now, we agree with them in principle. The 14 or 15 diehard Penguins fans and the 300 or so of their hangers-on since last year’s Cup run want somewhere to drink in public and watch the Penguins lose. But, they seriously took it to a new level. It was like the Parents TV Council after an episode of South Park.
It started with confusing outrage, and a list of people to contact. Then it went to reasoned pleading with the league, whom the guys and their homosexual friend felt abandoned by. Because as you know, the NHL is a business created to cater to the Pens fan, and no one else.
Finally (sort of), it exploded into an admittedly hilarious photoshop of a Penguin defecating on the NBC logo, and a list of NBC’s major advertisers. Really guys? Do you think Red Bull gives a crap moreso than NBC about hockey? Where is that getting you? It finally led to them recommending you watch on the web on one of CBC’s broadcasts.
It finished for now with Pensblog’s annoyingly narrow-founded recap of the game, where they made jokes about Pierre McGuire. Because that’s never been done before. Also made fun of: Harry Kalas. I’m done linking to these clowns, you can find that yourself.
That final post stated that “The war on NBC isn’t over”. C’mon guys, don’t you want people to think I came up with that headline myself? Lame.
But maybe the war needs to end after this news. A 33% share in Pittsburgh? 33%! So why did this happen? Maybe because most of the Penguin outdoor screen-watching fanbase went on with their lives after hearing this news, instead of wasting their time going all Rachel Dratch in 30 Rock about it? If the war isn’t over, then Round 1 most certainly goes to NBC.
Puck The Media 
As big a Jack Edwards fan as I am, it may come as no surprise that I’m a fan of thepensblog.
They’re not going to win this. They never were. But what they can do is make the frustrated Pens fan laugh a bit about it before watching it on tv. And they are good at that.
I tend to roll with Steve on this one. There are as many fans at local bars enjoying Iron City who can’t get into the game as those enjoying Iron City outside the arena in lawn chairs.
This isn’t a righteous battle a la Crosby-Malkin in the all-star game, it’s a movie screen.
Focus on things more important, like Pierre McGuire’s obscene man crush on Mike Richards.
But Vance….don’t you know?
Mike Richards is a MONSTER!
And as I learned last night, “Monsters love to go hard on people.” (actual quote, make of it what you will)
Steve Lepore is a straight shooter.
All we said was harry falas is dead, though.
Way too overblown on that front
Basically it was raining that day, so Pittsburgh fans forgot about the NBC big screen broadcast and decided to chill in front of the tv. http://www.chicshockey.com
@ ThePensblog staff: Fair enough on your part. It was more me seeing the Harry Kalas comment and then seeing a commenter’s photoshop in CBlog that annoyed me.
I’d still like to see somebody prove or disprove that the number of fans watching on the Gate 3 Screen would be statistically significant enough to have an effect on the ratings. Somehow, I doubt it would make a dent in a 33 share.
Yeah, like ten people read your blog. Who cares.
You read it, apparently. That makes 11.
Drinking isn’t allowed at the big screen, btw. Security goes around and makes people open their coolers and show what beverages they have.
I was there last year during the SCF, when NBC wasn’t douching people.
Aside from some people screaming obscenities at Wings fans, it was pretty family friendly and a great atmosphere, and is wonderful for all the fans to come together. If you find any YouTubes of it, the atmosphere is actually pretty electrifying.
Having it taken away sucks. I’m in college and I can’t afford to go to NHL playoff games inside the arena, and the screen was the next best thing. I was so excited to get off of school this summer and (provided the Pens make it deep in the playoffs) chill at the big screen with my friends and boyfriend. But deep in the playoffs means NBC, which means my fucking couch. It sucks. It’s such a great thing that the Pens organization does for its fans. Pensblog is right to try to raise hell about it, however unsuccessful their efforts and unrealistic their goals. We wouldn’t be the fanbase we are if they didn’t.
We get it guys, someone in your family is gay, so you need to overcompensate for it!
I’m the gay one. How does your drink taste?
You gotta love when small no name blogs try to make a name for themselves by going after the Pens blog, its pretty great to see. Thanks for the laugh Steve
So 8 out of the 11 (now 9 out of 12) people who read your blog only did so because they saw it on The Pens Blog.
Interesting.
Steve, I would like to correct a few things about your post since you obviously haven’t taken the time to visit the igloo and get facts.
1. There are well over 1000 people at each game outside the arena that watch on the bnig screen.
2. There is no alcohol allowed in that part of the arena. All you can bring is your chair and passion for the team.
You also seem to miss the point of why people go there. So what if they just came on after the finals last year? They are there now and the whole point is being together to celebrate, to feel the agonizing twists of the playoffs and to be a part of something exciting even if you can’t afford $100 for a ticket. It is having a sense of community and connection with the team. If you ever bother to get out from behind your keyboard and see what happens in the real world, I invite you to join the faithful on the lawn. I’ll bring you an extra seat.
Lastly, the battle with NBC was about making sure that they realize that they have taken something very good and positive that was created by a great organization and trampled all over it. Maybe something changes, maybe it doesn’t but in life you always have a choice, whine like the Flyers and their fans or try to make something change. here in Pittsburgh, we don’t sit back and just watch things happen.
You all make great points, and in the interest of equal time, I’m going to post them tomorrow. Thanks for your comments.
may have lost that…but the game on the other hand. Game 4 = jump city
now at least 9 out of 13 commentors are from the pensblog. You should be kissing their asses for linking to you.
who says “zing” after there own attempt at an insult? seriously? how lame. by they way i only read your blog because pensblog sent me here….
@love pensblog: Um, someone making fun of a lame joke?
Yeesh, who’d have thunk Pensblog would’ve come over and raped the comments and said the same joke over and over again?
Make that 10 out of 14.
We may not win the battle, or the war, but we have made our point. The NBC mailboxes have been filled to capacity and beyond with emails from The Pensblog voicing our displeasure over the change of heart by NBC. (They had no problem allowing the NBC games to be aired on the big screen last year.) If nothing else, have have inconvenienced them, as they did us.
Its just how we roll. this blog is gay…. see what i did there?
First you say, “The 14 or 15 diehard Penguins fans and the 300 or so of their hangers-on since last year’s Cup run…”
Then you say, “A 33% share in Pittsburgh? 33%!”
Do you know you aren’t too intelligent to counter your own point?
Ya, didn’t think so.
@The Pensblog: Please, you all make light of the casual Pittsburgh “fans” too. Have a goddamn sense of humor beyond gay jokes and photoshop.
It seems that the only people who have a problem with the Pensblog campaign are people who never got to experience the outdoor screen.
While I read the Pensblog and this blog and Kukla’s Korner, I really didn’t care for the attack on advertisers, but voicing displeasure to NBC sports I’m ok with. I believe it was NBC who last year put a camera outside under the screen and continually cut to reactions of the fans who were going crazy there after the Pens scored a goal.
Regardless of who you root for, and regardless of whether or not the fans there are die hards or johnny come-latelys, the point is, that level of fan interaction is what the NHL needs and should strive to embrace. I wish that other teams would take the ball and go with this, I’d love to see a competition between the Pens and Flyers to see who draws a larger outdoor crowd.
Finally, as many posters have mentioned, this had to be one of the most family friendly environments around minus some idiots who showed up drunk or hurled vulgar comments at opposing fans. I was at game 4 last season and was actually aprehended by 4 undercover police officers who were in amongst the crowds. Now I got busted because I had 2 Fleury jerseys and was trying to sell one and thought that would be a good place. After answering a few questions we called it even and I got to enjoy the game. However, I watched those guys through the night and saw them remove people who’d smuggled alcohol.
But unfortunately now I am in Denver an only get to watch the Avs and Versus.
@The Pensblog: please stop making fun of my blog, i am sensitive!
Very funny. We’ll have more on this tomorrow.
This seems like BS to me. I’ll add it to my list of reasons to despise NBC (and the next network to come replace them because it won’t be any different).