Silver Anniversary

No one seems to be making a big deal about the fact that this season marks a special 25th Anniversary. In nineteen hundred and eighty four a young French Canadian player began his first season in the NHL with the then struggling Pittsburgh Penguins. It wasn't like no one noticed him show up. His arrival was the one thing that kept the franchise going. It allowed the management to corral and draft some special players to put around this young phenom, and just by donning the uniform he began to fill their nearly empty bank accounts. Then when the team was beginning to slide yet again, he allowed them to defer part of his hefty salary so that other players could be paid. After his retirement he used that deferment to purchase the franchise and drag it out of bankruptcy. Then donning the Flightless Bird yet again when that wasn't enough. Bringing in young superstars to build the team and even threatening to move it to get a bigger new arena to pay for them. (if you're counting, by my estimation that's 6 times he saved the team) Add to the fact that he didn't have to stay here at all. As a player he could have went to any team and been accepted with open arms and bank accounts. After retiring.... pretty much the same thing. He's been the linchpin of the franchise for two and a half decades. Try to tell someone he's not a native and you'll start an argument. His name (of course) is Mario Lemieux, also known as Le Magnifique, Super Mario, or just Boss.

No one seems to be making a big deal over it, but since the 25th Anniversary is the Silver Anniversary the guys went out and got him a Big Shiny Jello Mold, even though he'd already had the same gift twice before. (some presents just never go out of style) Well, I don't have any Big Shiny Jello Molds (I only have a small one holding my Stanley Cup Champion puck) so I'll just have to say Thank You, Mr. Lemieux. I can't tell you what your efforts have meant to me.