Pens and Cavs

[BradlyPitt]

It's just not a basketball town. It is not part of our DNA. .

before 1985 hockey wasn't a part of the "DNA"

give us a team that competes for titles and it will be like the hockey team doesn't even exist

patrick kane could hold up a sign saying "i'm patrick kane" and yinzers still wouldn't know who he is but yeah hockey is a part of our "DNA"

team was possibly leaving town and couldn't sell seats when dick tarmstrom was the best player but yeah it's in our "DNA" LMAO

 

[BradlyPitt]

It would take a lot to dwarf the Pens, it would have to be LeBron level. I mean, if Pittsburgh had a 5th seed NBA playoff team right now, going up against the Pens, no way in hell, would I watch NBA over the Pens. A mediocre NBA team would not overtake the Pens in Pittsburgh as long as they are a top 3-4 NHL star studded team.

that's irrelevant to what i said but if both teams sucked, the nba team would do better in ticket sales

the arena would sell out to see lebron or curry, few would buy tickets to see erik karrllson or connor mvdavid

 

[BradlyPitt]

It will be interesting to see what happens when the Pens don't have the BEST players anymore, they got lucky to suck exactly the years 66 and 87 became available, I wonder how the fan enthusiasm will be if 87 retires and five years later they suck and didn't get lucky and get a third transformational player?

arena will be dead, we already saw that when the team sucked when jagr left

 

[recruitsreadtheseboards]

before 1985 hockey wasn't a part of the "DNA"

give us a team that competes for titles and it will be like the hockey team doesn't even exist

patrick kane could hold up a sign saying "i'm patrick kane" and yinzers still wouldn't know who he is but yeah hockey is a part of our "DNA"

team was possibly leaving town and couldn't sell seats when dick tarmstrom was the best player but yeah it's in our "DNA" LMAO

And that is over 30 years. Before 1985, Pitt football was a big deal.

 

[Pitt79]

that's irrelevant to what i said but if both teams sucked, the nba team would do better in ticket sales

the arena would sell out to see lebron or curry, few would buy tickets to see erik karrllson or connor mvdavid

Maybe after a number of years, but not right now, not in Pittsburgh, no way. Hockey is ingrained in this town at the moment. Maybe after 10 years of sh!t teams. But if Crosby retired, and the team was medicore and an NBA team moved in, it would still take years for NBA>NHL in Pittsburgh. Right now, I'd be willing to et there are a large % of Yinzers who'd rather see McDavid>LeBron.

 

[Pitt79]

I do also doubt that "hockey is part of Pittsburgh's DNA", because I grew up there in the '60s-'early '90s, hockey was Sh!t, zero, zilch, nada before Mario showed up and, even then it took a few years for people to care. When I was a kid, we watched the Steelers and Pirates, we'd watch Studio Wrestling and Chilly Billy over the Pens! I know there was some hockey people, but must've been not many? We didn't have NBA, but a lot of us played basketball, our college basketball was OK and high school basketball was popular. I knew zero people who played hockey or really watched the Penguins until 1987 or later, but that's just me. So I think it's really WINNING that is in Pittsburgh's DNA, we love a winner and the Pens have mostly consistently been in the hunt for the Cup for 30+ years and we like that, so we became hockey fans because we like winning, probably more than we ever liked hockey! I like hockey, sure, I kind of understand it, I enjoy watching, but I never played, I can't relate to it in a lot of ways, but I'm a Pens fan and it's fun to WIN, so yeah, we became a hockey town somehow.

 

[Revenge Of The Noise]

I do also doubt that "hockey is part of Pittsburgh's DNA", because I grew up there in the '60s-'early '90s, hockey was Sh!t, zero, zilch, nada before Mario showed up and, even then it took a few years for people to care. When I was a kid, we watched the Steelers and Pirates, we'd watch Studio Wrestling and Chilly Billy over the Pens! I know there was some hockey people, but must've been not many? We didn't have NBA, but a lot of us played basketball, our college basketball was OK and high school basketball was popular. I knew zero people who played hockey or really watched the Penguins until 1987 or later, but that's just me. So I think it's really WINNING that is in Pittsburgh's DNA, we love a winner and the Pens have mostly consistently been in the hunt for the Cup for 30+ years and we like that, so we became hockey fans because we like winning, probably more than we ever liked hockey! I like hockey, sure, I kind of understand it, I enjoy watching, but I never played, I can't relate to it in a lot of ways, but I'm a Pens fan and it's fun to WIN, so yeah, we became a hockey town somehow.

It's absolutely about perception of being "major league" and about winning.

If an NBA team dropped in here, was named Pittsburgh (very important), and competed right away for the NBA championship, the region immediately would become fanatics for the NBA.

 

[Pitt79]

It's absolutely about perception of being "major league" and about winning.

If an NBA team dropped in here, was named Pittsburgh (very important), and competed right away for the NBA championship, the region immediately would become fanatics for the NBA.

This is true! I remember around 1987, I was still not bought into hockey, telling friends I'd trade the Pens for an NBA team, and I was a Chicago Bulls fan and that was a great time with Jordan! But by the time the Pens where making the run to their 1st Cup, I was on board, didn't matter that I barely understood hockey, since they where headed for the CHAMPIONSHIP, WTF, who cares? This is FUN! And those two spring seasons, '91 and '92 was great for me, I was rooting for the Pens and Bulls and they both won both those seasons. Honestly, if the Pens hadn't become a big time, championship, NHL perennial contender. I probably would be where I was in 1984, having never watched a hockey game other than the "Miracle on Ice" and not really caring. I don't even live in the 'Burgh anymore, but hypothetically if they did get a Pittsburgh NBA team in black and gold unis, I'd jump on the bandwagon, even if they sucked.

 

[recruitsreadtheseboards]

I do also doubt that "hockey is part of Pittsburgh's DNA", because I grew up there in the '60s-'early '90s, hockey was Sh!t, zero, zilch, nada before Mario showed up and, even then it took a few years for people to care. When I was a kid, we watched the Steelers and Pirates, we'd watch Studio Wrestling and Chilly Billy over the Pens! I know there was some hockey people, but must've been not many? We didn't have NBA, but a lot of us played basketball, our college basketball was OK and high school basketball was popular. I knew zero people who played hockey or really watched the Penguins until 1987 or later, but that's just me. So I think it's really WINNING that is in Pittsburgh's DNA, we love a winner and the Pens have mostly consistently been in the hunt for the Cup for 30+ years and we like that, so we became hockey fans because we like winning, probably more than we ever liked hockey! I like hockey, sure, I kind of understand it, I enjoy watching, but I never played, I can't relate to it in a lot of ways, but I'm a Pens fan and it's fun to WIN, so yeah, we became a hockey town somehow.

But times and demographics change right? As does the "DNA". I mean in the 60s and 70s the most popular athelete was the Heavyweight champ. Boxing was huge. Now? Tennis was huge? Now? Times change. It is why it is ridiculous for Pitt fans burst out their chests about 9 time National Champs. When 8 of them occurred before most people knew who Adolph Hitler was

 

[Pitt79]

It is why it is ridiculous for Pitt fans burst out their chests about 9 time National Champs. When 8 of them occurred before most people knew who Adolph Hitler was

They're all worth the same.

 

[Pitt79]

But times and demographics change right? As does the "DNA". I mean in the 60s and 70s the most popular athelete was the Heavyweight champ. Boxing was huge. Now? Tennis was huge? Now? Times change. It is why it is ridiculous for Pitt fans burst out their chests about 9 time National Champs. When 8 of them occurred before most people knew who Adolph Hitler was

I do think, that if Mario hadn't come and brought the championships, hockey would be nothing in Pittsburgh. If they had the Buffalo Sabres history, they might be in another city now.

 

[recruitsreadtheseboards]

I do think, that if Mario hadn't come and brought the championships, hockey would be nothing in Pittsburgh. If they had the Buffalo Sabres history, they might be in another city now.

Definitely. No argument. But he did. If the Steelers didn't win 4 Super Bowls in 6 years they also wouldn't dominate the landscape like they do. But they did.

 

[happjack]

If the NBA came into Pittsburgh in 1967 instead of the NHL, had a similar history to the Penguins(4 championships on the cusp of a 5th) and hockey was relegated to WHA, IHL and AHL teams Pittsburgh would be a basketball town.

 

[recruitsreadtheseboards]

If the NBA came into Pittsburgh in 1967 instead of the NHL, had a similar history to the Penguins(4 championships on the cusp of a 5th) and hockey was relegated to WHA, IHL and AHL teams Pittsburgh would be a basketball town.

Of course. But that didn't happen.

 

[Pitt79]

In '67 we had the ABA Champion Pittsburgh Pipers though.

And we had Connie Hawkins on our team, unfortunately I don't think it was ever on TV?

I was 8 years old and I don't remember it?

http://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/PTP/1968.html

 

[Pitt79]

 

[Pitt79]

 

[Pitt79]

Maybe basketball could of worked in the Burgh if we ever had a chance in the NBA?

 

[Pitt79]

Pittsburgh Rens , ABL, 1962, Connie Hawkins

 

[Revenge Of The Noise]

Pittsburgh Rens , ABL, 1962, Connie Hawkins

Lol. Nice. Return won't happen soon, but since Pitt basketball will be at an all time low for the next 3 years or so, Pitt should copy their like minded Pirates brethren and have the team play in these unis for some games, like the Pirates when they exploit, I mean pay tribute to the Negro League teams. Or Pipers tribute night, play with a RWB ball.

I know we're on a shoe string budget (other than Stallings salary) so maybe one of the player's mom (assuming we have players) can sew the 6 or so Ren unis they'd need. Stallings can wear a toupee to simulate the hair he had then.

 

[Pitt79]

Oh well? I would have been a bigger NBA fan if Pittsburgh had a team.

 

[SoufOaklin4Life]

A message board post isn't "news" but besides that, I dont follow. Regular season TV ratings for the NHL on NBC/NBCSN have been lower than EPL ratings on NBC/NBCSN for a few seasons now.

But the topic is interest in pittsburgh.

 

[recruitsreadtheseboards]

But the topic is interest in pittsburgh.

The bleeping ratings locally are like a 31. ON NBCSN!!!!!! Alot of TV's in the area don't even get that as a Tier 1 or 2 station.

It will be real interesting to see what these next games are in Nashville, and on NBC.

 

[SoufOaklin4Life]

The bleeping ratings locally are like a 31. ON NBCSN!!!!!! Alot of TV's in the area don't even get that as a Tier 1 or 2 station.

It will be real interesting to see what these next games are in Nashville, and on NBC.

I understand, just keeping smf on topic since he's talking about the epl and NBA nationally.