The Unknown Poster

I generally dislike beer. I somewhat aquired a taste for it while promoting a "sponsor" at our shows. So I would drink Bud to push people towards buying it. It got to the point where I liked it but couldnt really drink any others. I'm all about the Michelob Ultra right now. Though I did enjoy the Hopitmus Prime at Barley Brothers.

I wrote this as a reply in the Playoffs thread but since its off-topic, decided it warranted it's own thread because its a facinating discussion. I love the Wayne vs Mario debate. Growing up, ofcourse I wasn't a Wayne fan, mostly because he was an Oiler and partially trying to be "cool" and not like the obvious best pick. I remember debating this kid at school that Brett Hull was better than Wayne and it was clearly futile. But Mario...wow, what a talent. Although one wonders if Wayne had Mario's size, what kind of player he would have been. But I maintain that Mario was the best naturally gifted player of all time. I think Wayne had that magical "vision" and saw everything in slow motion and worked harder. The fact Mario probably didnt put in 100% effort all the time and grew frustrated with the game and still had the career he did is indicative of his natural talent. A Mario with Wayne's vision starting his career ten years earlier with no injuries would have been like building a player in a lab. I still say Mario would have broken Wayne's records: In 1985/1986 Wayne set the single season record for points: 215 points in 80 games (with 52 goals). The same year Mario had 141 points in 79 games (48 goals). In 81/82 Wayne sets the record gor goals at 92 (212 points) in 80 games. But consider: 88/89, Mario finishes with 85 goals, 199 points in 76 games which pro-rates out to 90 goals and 210 points over 80 games. 92/93 Mario finishes with 69 goals, 161 points in just 60 games after battling back injury AND cancer. Pro-rates to 95 goals and 216 points. One could argue that he may have scored nothing in those other 20 games. But his scoring was so torrid, so prolific, its easy to accept he would have scored at least the same average and would have shattered Wayne's records. Wayne certainly was more consistant. Even factoring in Mario's injuries and health issues, shortly after he put up his biggest numbers was when he became increasingly frustrated by the transition to hook & hold hockey. Here's a question: If Wayne and Mario are drafted on the same day (same age etc), playing in either the 1979 (and on) era or today's NHL, with both players being healthy for the bulk of their careers, who do you take first over-all? And when comparing the players, do we delve into their off-ice contributions to hockey? One on hand, you can point to Wayne going to L.A. as the catalyst for NHL expansion into non-traditional markets (which whether you like it or not, was more of a positive for the NHL as a business) and his role as an ambassador of the game. Mario was more of a brooding player who spoke out against the NHL and retired in frustration. But essentially saved the Pens twice (or three times). While he seemingly stays out of the public eye as far as the NHL goes, he (along with Wayne) tried to avert the work stoppage a few years ago by appealing to the players as a former player/owner. There are examples of great players being struck down in their prime, but is there any greater example of an athlete being robbed of a once-in-a-lifetime career than Mario Lemieux?

Would Selanne rank as an excellent 40+ year old player? 31 goals and 80 points as a 40 year old.

Not sure id rank Sid ahead of Wayne in natural talent. Hard to compare with sid being a more complete player. But 99 didn't set every record because he has some enforcers riding shotgun. Besides which the most naturally gifted player of all time was Mario. A healthy Mario playing every game breaks the big records.

If he's slower and weaker and still the best player in the game it tells you a lot about his talent.

Yeah but unions don't usually go to a strike vote unless they are sure they have the support. And I think a lot of people vote in favour of a strike as a bargaining chip with little intention to actually strike. My union is in the midst of negotiations right now. Can't see a stroke happening but I guess summer is the right time for it.

I would agree that active lefties are more intolerant of other ideas than rights. I wonder if it's because rights are more pragmatic due to their positions being so swiftly attacked. Whereas the left are a bit more arrogant. Of you're the NDP you can be as crazy as you want because federally you never had a chance. The liberals took left-centre and right-centre votes but they have turned mlre left probably to try and siphon back some NDP support. The cons finally got tired of representing a perspective that would never get them in power and turned towards the centre. It seems most of the liberals efforts to attack Harper is always how crazy he is and all the crazy things he's going to do. After many years in power that argument doesn't hold much water. I just can't imagine Trudeau as PM. I guess it would be entertaining. But in a car crash sort of way.

The problem with your logic is it can't be applied to specific instances like this. You've managed to wrap up your defense of homophobia in a flag of on-paper logic. It sounds reasonable. But not when it applies to basic human right struggles. Go back a few decades. Apply the exact same thing to women, blacks etc. Is that reasonable? Ofcourse not. Equal rights struggles in those cases were deserving of special focus not a "if you don't accept that racists opinion as his right then you're as bad as he is". That doesn't wash. Anyone who defends any homophobia or anti-gay rhetoric is a homophobe. Maybe not overtly. Maybe they don't even realise they are. But they are. Free expression isn't a universal right. This isn't sixty years ago where you might be able to make the case that gays choose that lifestyle. We know that isn't true. If you're position is price has a right to expression based on his religion that gays choose to be gay, that's a position open to ridicule. We wouldn't let price publicly criticize a person born with Down's syndrome. If a white player publicly criticized price for being black we would not accept that. This is a human rights issue. One day when all things are equal people like price can express their silly opinion and everyone will ignore it. Today, because the struggle is on going, homophobia needs to be jumped on, attacked and snuffed out. Price was wrong. Period.

Another piece of speculation I heard was that Shero didn't want to fire Bylsma so they fired him instead. Who knows. I always thought Crosby and Dan were tight. You hear of the country club atmosphere and the "system" being whatever the stats want. Though supposedly Mario ran the locker room a similar way where practice was never hard. The difference might be that Mario was the most talented player of all time and made everyone better. Did isn't tnere yet. Point being, is this showing more influence from sid on ten team? On the other hand speculation is there was an impasse between sid and dan. Who knows. It seems clear Crosby is frustrated at the expectation he has to be the set up guy, the goal scorer, the defensive player etc. I don't blame him. And I like dan. But five years in a row you have no answer? That's on the coach. There's going down swinging and then there's just going down.

I don't have enough Palms or faces for my reaction to some posts on this subject.

Saw some twitter rumours that Pat Brisson might end up as Pens GM. He is Sidney Crosby's agent. Speculation on Shero was that he wanted to replace Bylsma with Trotz and Mario et al balked.

Yeah something like that. I was a big poster on jets owner and everyone was exited for that site to become the unofficial jets forum. The founder took a deal from the free press to urge all his members to concert to the Freep forum and shut his down. It backfired. Disappointing too because he had built up a huge members list.

Riders shouldn't be anyone's example to live up to. Surprised Tillman isn't back there

My work comp is running windows 93 or something. Maybe that's the problem.

Gonna say same thing. Works on my cell. Not on my computer. Still says it's down for maintenance.

That's gotta result in a cut.

How much is their reserve fund? I think given how much money taxpayers contributed to the stadium, it would have been pretty ballsy of the Bombers to pass the hat around.

Kane, Ladd, Bogo and a 1st.

Two thumbs up.

I hope the site that offered you money was the Free Press. Didnt work out too well for the last guy with a forum they paid to divert to them. ;-)

Thats hilarious. The Habs players, when asked what was said, should have said "Oh he wished us luck and told us he couldnt wait to get out on the golf course." When the Media then asked Lucic, his head would of exploded.

I guess what he said was "Ill f'n kill you next season" which isnt so much a threat within the context of "killing you next season" is not OJ Simpson style but kill them on the ice (I assume). But utterly classless. For a team that has won before and had so many losing teams line up and shake their hands, the arrogance and bitterness from these guys is ridiculous. Montreal was exceptional in frustrating the bruins, getting under their skin and then using the disrespectful response to motivate themselves. Bruins expected to win. Boston Wrong.

Whoops lucic yes. Classy guy.

Apparently Chara threatened two Habs during the handshake. If true what a piece of crap.

Actually in that case the issue is your lack of understanding of the negativity associated with that term. And really your justification that you *could* have sex with a man and say that is moot unless you do actually have sex with men. And even then it only rises to the level of black people using the N-Bomb which is ridiculous too but another discussion for another time.