So Lemieux lied.....big deal or not?

Question

http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/opinion/archive/s_583171.html

Arrogant? Classless? I don't think so. The city and state helped find money and helped fund the new stadiums for the Pirates and Steelers, but balked on the Pens. Mario felt shafted (rightfully so in my opinion). So he bluffed. All of a sudden, here come all these ways to fund the team and keep them here. Shocking!

Was this a dirty trick, or, as he said, he just put pressure on the city and state for money he knew was there?

If your team was in the exact same situation the Pens were in, would you be ok with a little lie here and there to keep them in your city?

Answer 1

Say what you want but his tactic worked much better than the one he was using for the ten previous years - sit back and negotiate honestly only to be turned down every time.

I couldn't help but notice the story had a whole lot of the author's words and not much for direct quotes. What's Mario supposed to say, " yeah, it's a good thing you gave me all your money or I'd have been out of here" or "you gotta know I didn't really want to leave"?

To me it sounds like the writer has a hate on for Mario and the Pens for some reason.

Answer 2

If this was the first, second, or 40th time an owner has done something like this, I'd be mildly shocked.

Much ado about nothing.

Getting taxpayers to foot the bill for new arenas is as much of a tradition as playoff beards, mullets, and the like.

Answer 3

Lousy pseudo frog. No, it is not right to lie to get your way. Where is Kocur when you really need him because Mario needs his lights turned out.

Answer 4

I don't know ask DelBaggio. He lied a h**l OF A LOT more than this little fib that Lemieux did. At least Lemieux had the common sense to realize that moving the Pens would be suicide. Del Baggio's fib/felony/fraud should be considered a deal breaker in Nashville and Balsille should be given another chance.

Answer 5

I agree with you.It was a ploy to make money for the city and the fans...And guess what?It worked!Would people rather he didn't do this and sit back for many years while he made NO MONEY?Of course not.Also,EVERY big business does it.Some are alot more shady then others.How do you think Vegas got to where it is today?The only difference was nobody was shot in the eye because of it.

I could be wrong but I seem to remember Ed Snider talking aboot perhaps moving the Flyers to Camden if a new Stadium deal didn't come true.That worked too.

PS.It is a terrible sight on a Monday morning to see Borats junk.LOL

Answer 6

It makes me like him even more.  Pittsburgh needs the Pens, and I think that maybe threats got the ball rolling a lot faster then taking the timid approach.  

Go Lemieux!

Answer 7

That kind of stuff is used as a negotiating tactic all the time. In business, sports, whatever. I'm pretty sure everybody assumed that was what he was doing anyway... And people who didn't see this as a negotiating tactic from the beginning, well, need to get their brains checked.

Nothing wrong with it in my book. It's basically Mario forcing the government to decide if they want the team there, if the team is good for the local economy and so forth. And the Government was forced to admit that it was valuable to the area.

The Editors need get their panties out of a wad... This kind of thing is well accepted and happens all the time.

Answer 8

That was a pretty clever trick. Good for Mario.

If the Habs were ever in that situation I would be okay with whatever measures they took to keep them there.

Answer 9

Of course I would accept a lie that kept my team at home.  But no one should be surprised at Mario Lemieux.  He sold out his fellow former players during the lockout by siding with the owners, as did Wayne Gretzky.  I've said many times that every arena should have a Number 99 banner and a Number 66 banner, with the numbers X'ed out, to show the hockey world that these men are traitors to the game.  They have done it more harm than good.

Answer 10

With an idiot like Rendell in office what did they expect Mario to do? For those unfamiliar with the politics in PA a short lesson is that while Ridge was Gov he sent money aside for a new arena. He was then called to Washington BEFORE he released the money. So the man who took over didn't want to release the money because of how short of a time he would be in office. Then WITH THE MONEY STILL ASIDE Rendell WOULDN'T RELEASE IT. He instead put it back in the General Fund, if I'm not mistaken. Oh and the one who believes that was all an act is stupid. He is likely saying it was all an act now for the city. He DIDN'T intend to move the team, that much I'll believe, but he would have sold the team for someone else to move it. At least that is what I really believe. Anyway considering that Isle of Capri was going to build an Arena for the team, and the State gave the Casino License to a man who is bankrupt and trying to add an investor, without losing the license, I guess it shows who REALLY knows business and who doesn't.

Answer 11

Hard to say? No doubt he was in the wrong, just think how painful it was to you and your fellow Pittsburgians when you thought the club was moving. Great that he was able to Swindle the powers that be at there own game with his little bluff. All and all he accomplished what he set out to do and made a beneficial move for his franchise, which is what is most important. Whether he went about it in a "classless" way or not is irrelevant in my book. So as a salesperson who will sometimes do what ever it takes to make the sale he gets a thumbs up from me. And I honestly could care less about him or the Penn's...so...Blahh...8P~.....LOL!!!

Answer 12

What a crappy article. For one, i bet it's written by someone who normally writes for the football articles.. because he's so angry that the Pens are getting something really nice. Two, they messed up by saying it's a $290 million arena when it's $295 million. Not a big difference, but get your facts straight.

But anyways, The Penguins needed to stay in Pittsburgh. They deserve(d) a new arena since the old one is NICE (and i'm definitely going to miss it) BUT it didn't hold as many people as would be liked. Thank the Hockey Gods for giving us Mario.. Because I'm d**n sure the Pens would have been gone a long time ago if it weren't for us having him.

Mario is a good business man, he knows when to push hard, when to back away and when to just be honest and say "those trips were just for dinner"

Answer 13

No big deal it's all part of business. He just put the pressure on the state and just like he knew they would they caved. Very smart on his part. Besides he tried for 10 years to come to an agreement and nothing happened. Then when they threatened to move the money magically appeared. LOL

Answer 14

Let's not forget that he'd been telling the local and state government for years that the Penguins needed a new arena to compete monetarily with everyone else in the league, and all he got was.. 'That's good Mario, now go and play hockey with the other kids'. I personally thing not only was it OK for him to do it, threatening to leave was the ONLY way to wake up the fans to kick the governments in the a$$ and get the ball rolling for a new arena. And, in my humble yet all knowing opinion, that counts as the 6th time Les Manefique has personally saved hocky for Pittsburgh, and whining about the method is like bit ching about the roughness of the rope used to pull you out of the flood...

Answer 15

Change your picture for starters.

My grandma who died less than a month before her 101th bday look better than Borat

As far as the Lemieux dilemna goes:

Go Mario Go, for having the courage to do what is right for the fans of his adoptive city and its team.

To the Kocur fan: Get off the computer and go for a walk otherwise known as a HIKE ..

ps I can't forsee the Canadiens ever being in a similar situation but yes I would be ok with a little lie here and there to keep them in Montreal

I shared this story with my brother (a still-bitter Nordiques fan) and he says he wishes Aubut had lied a little more so they would have stayed in Quebec