Haha my bad. I saw you say Black's and I got excited. I think it was like a 3.5lb rib I got haha
- Rinosaur

It was my first time in Austin and I didn't think I was going to be going back so I finished one rib and I was like (frank) it, I'm getting another one. Definitely let my belt out a notch that night. Little did I know I was going to be in Austin like every other week for work so I got to eat Black's and Rudy's a lot. Torchy's Tacos was also a mainstay in the rotation. Their queso is the best I've ever had.

You mean the game of chicken Mario played with Pittsburgh to get the arena they tried to back out of? Was never a serious threat.
- ChrisMS

It's a joke dude. Chill.

It was my first time in Austin and I didn't think I was going to be going back so I finished one rib and I was like (frank) it, I'm getting another one. Definitely let my belt out a notch that night. Little did I know I was going to be in Austin like every other week for work so I got to eat Black's and Rudy's a lot. Torchy's Tacos was also a mainstay in the rotation. Their queso is the best I've ever had.
- j.boyd919

I'm not a soda guy, but next time you go to Black's get the Big Red soda. You can only get it in TX and it goes well with BBQ lol

Oh, and their green beans are ridiculous.

I'm not a soda guy, but next time you go to Black's get the Big Red soda. You can only get it in TX and it goes well with BBQ lol

Oh, and their green beans are ridiculous.
- Rinosaur

Oh yeah I had the big red soda, it's like a cream soda mixed with almost like a bubblegum flavor even though they say it's lemon and orange I definitely don't get that haha. It's definitely different but it was good. I'm more of a root beer guy when it comes to pop though.

Oh yeah I had the big red soda, it's like a cream soda mixed with almost like a bubblegum flavor even though they say it's lemon and orange I definitely don't get that haha. It's definitely different but it was good. I'm more of a root beer guy when it comes to pop though.
- j.boyd919

Yeah, it's 100% bubblegum lol. It's just a unique soda. Man, I want to go to Austin just for that place. We also didn't' want to have to (frank)in tailgate to get into Franklins and we asked around for the next best place and Black's was the consensus #2.

Oh yeah I had the big red soda, it's like a cream soda mixed with almost like a bubblegum flavor even though they say it's lemon and orange I definitely don't get that haha. It's definitely different but it was good. I'm more of a root beer guy when it comes to pop though.
- j.boyd919

And for the record, "water" is correctly pronounced "wooder."

And for the record, "water" is correctly pronounced "wooder."
- jmatchett383

Have you seen the show Mare of Easttown?

And for the record, "water" is correctly pronounced "wooder."
- jmatchett383

We rip on our goalie every time the periods over because he comes to the bench "anyone got any real wooder" "I need real wooder, no flavored bullpoop"

Everyone just goes down the line ripping in before he actually get's his bottle of wooder.

Feds must of had the ban hammer dropped on him again...
- MattStrat

What's funny is he gets banned multiple times per year, but still gets reinstated. Makes me really want to do know what Aussie did to get a permanent ban lol

We rip on our goalie every time the periods over because he comes to the bench "anyone got any real wooder" "I need real wooder, no flavored bullpoop"

Everyone just goes down the line ripping in before he actually get's his bottle of wooder.
- j.boyd919

He must be from South Jersey, where we talk correctly.

What's funny is he gets banned multiple times per year, but still gets reinstated. Makes me really want to do know what Aussie did to get a permanent ban lol
- Rinosaur

There's several people on here who get banned and just create new accounts. Eklund refuses to do IP bans.

Have you seen the show Mare of Easttown?
- Rinosaur

Na, I don't get to watch much TV. On Episode 5 of Squid Game now.

He must be from South Jersey, where we talk correctly.
- jmatchett383

He's from Long Island lol

He's from Long Island lol
- j.boyd919

Well I can't make excuses for that sort of nonsense.

Admit it, it's DiPietro.

A misconception by those outside of Pittsburgh was that the terrible attendance early this century was due to losing. The poor attendance was due to fans knowing they were being asked to pay for a product that the owners weren’t financially supporting. It only takes a small amount of hockey knowledge to know that being sold a Kraft fata etc team is going to fall flat. So long as the team spends to the cap and tries to be competitive the team will continue to play to good crowds.
- ChrisMS

I definitely agree, but I think it was more the league situation/CBA and how that impacted the team than it was the owners. The owners were less wealthy than most other NHL owners and Pittsburgh and its surrounding area has a fraction of the population of most other NHL cities, meaning a smaller fan base. In an uncapped league such a team doesn't have a chance and fans instinctively know it.

Until 2001 the team was a consistent playoff team and generally very good. The tear-down happened because they just simply could not afford their top-tier players anymore - not because they were deliberately trying to get Crosby (who was not much on the radar yet), as some Pens-haters claim.

At this point the team became a de facto minor league team, much like the Pirates. I honestly do not know how anyone can be a fan of the Pirates due to the fact that they will always be outspent by other owners and never retain their best players.

With the salary cap the team can remain competitive after the Crosby/Malkin era, or at least eventually become competitive again. Lemieux once came out and said (after the new arena was built, of course ) that the salary cap was the most critical thing for keeping the Pens in Pittsburgh - more so than the arena.

What's funny is he gets banned multiple times per year, but still gets reinstated. Makes me really want to do know what Aussie did to get a permanent ban lol
- Rinosaur

Maybe its because Ek realizes he gets people posting and arguing with him which in turn keeps people on the site longer.

It's possible Aussie wasn't permanent and just never did come back. There's quite a few guys that have completely disappeared from here.

Pittsburgh and its surrounding area has a fraction of the population of most other NHL cities, meaning a smaller fan base. In an uncapped league such a team doesn't have a chance and fans instinctively know it.
- PghPens668771

Is that why big-market teams like New York, Philadelphia, LA, Boston, and Chicago win all those Cups in the decade leading up to the 2004 strike?

I agree, smaller market teams like New Jersey, Colorado, Dallas, and Tampa Bay would have no chance of being competitive in such a league.

What's funny is he gets banned multiple times per year, but still gets reinstated. Makes me really want to do know what Aussie did to get a permanent ban lol
- Rinosaur

I got banned one time only for comparing a fancy stats conference to a furry convention, personally I find that hypocritical because I didn’t insinuate there’s anything wrong with furry conventions. The ban however insinuates there’s something wrong with it. Not too WOKE if you ask me.

I agree with everything you said here but going that route is usually a recipe for sustained mediocrity...
- MattStrat

Agree. I think Pittsburgh will understand a rebuild...to a point. But they won't get behind a mediocre team. This city is championship or bust, and if you don't have a path to that with your roster, they'd just as soon blow it up.

I got banned one time only for comparing a fancy stats conference to a furry convention, personally I find that hypocritical because I didn’t insinuate there’s anything wrong with furry conventions. The ban however insinuates there’s something wrong with it. Not too WOKE if you ask me.
- Grinder47

You seems to know a lot about furry conventions.

What's funny is he gets banned multiple times per year, but still gets reinstated. Makes me really want to do know what Aussie did to get a permanent ban lol
- Rinosaur

Aussie was the absolute (frank)ing worst.

You seems to know a lot about furry conventions.
- jmatchett383

I’m into some weird stuff. I’d do a girl in a furry outfit, might even throw on some cat ears and a tail if she’s into it.

Maybe its because Ek realizes he gets people posting and arguing with him which in turn keeps people on the site longer.

It's possible Aussie wasn't permanent and just never did come back. There's quite a few guys that have completely disappeared from here.
- MattStrat

I think someone figured out somehow that he actually got a permanent ban.

I got banned one time only for comparing a fancy stats conference to a furry convention, personally I find that hypocritical because I didn’t insinuate there’s anything wrong with furry conventions. The ban however insinuates there’s something wrong with it. Not too WOKE if you ask me.
- Grinder47

I mean, I got banned once for commenting in one of EK's threads simply saying "Nobody cares." I think it depends on moods sometimes.

Na, I don't get to watch much TV. On Episode 5 of Squid Game now.
- jmatchett383

Well go on youtube and look up the SNL Murder Durder skit. It's a spoof of that show and it makes fun of PA accents. It's hilarious.

PS Squid Games is so (frank)in good.