Pittsburgh Penguin Fathead Tradeables Available

I have just posted more Pittsburgh Penguin Fathead Tradeables in my Ebay store, including Evgeni Malkin, Marc-Andre Fleury, Jordan Staal, and Iceburgh, which you can find here:

http://stores.ebay.com/Beaded-Banners-by-Bonnie-and-More?refid=store

Beaded Banner Supplies on Sale……Plus Many More Items

Here are some great sales that will are currently being offered in my Ebay store.  To get to the items click on this link http://stores.ebay.com/Beaded-Banners-by-Bonnie-and-More?refid=store and then use the links in the left hand column in the store to find the items you are interested in.  Thank you for looking.

 

All Sales Run Through May 31st:

 

All Beaded Banner Supplies 10% Off

Includes beads, thread, rods, caps, blank grid, patterns from kits!

 

All Plastic Canvas Kits 50% Off

Great deal on brand new kits never opened!

 

All Pittsburgh Steelers Books 50% Off

Brand new books ~ Never used!

 

Christmas Items are 25% and 10% Off

Shop now for Christmas

 

All DVDs are 25% Off

Brand new DVDS still sealed!

 

Most Beaded Banners are 20% Off

These banners are handmade and make great gifts for others or yourself!

 

Heinz Food and Firefighting Collectibles are 50% Off

Get them before someone else does!

Beaded Banners, Plastic Canvas Kits, Pittsburgh Steelers, and Much More ON SALE NOW

Just wanted to write a note to let everyone know about all the sales I have going on right now.

 

I have recently added brand new PLASTIC CANVAS KITS to my store and as an introductory offer have discounted them 20% until March 31^st.  You can find them here:

 

http://stores.shop.ebay.com/Beaded-Banners-by-Bonnie-and-More_PLASTIC-CANVAS-KITS_W0QQ_fsubZ597720011QQ_sidZ11443151QQ_trksidZp4634Q2ec0Q2em322

 

All the PONY BEADS that I have in the store currently are on sale at 10% off as a “Bead Away Winter” sale until the end of winter on 3/20.  They can be found here:

 

http://stores.shop.ebay.com/Beaded-Banners-by-Bonnie-and-More_BEADED-BANNER-PONY-BEADS_W0QQ_fsubZ341201011QQ_sidZ11443151QQ_trksidZp4634Q2ec0Q2em322

 

I hope to also be adding some new beads to the store this week or next.  As always, if there are colors you need that aren’t posted, just email me at fyremonksgal@msn.com and I can see if I have them in stock or add them my next bead order.

 

All BOOKS are on sale also until 3/20 for my “Read Away Winter” sale which includes Early Americana books and Steeler books.  The books on sale can be found here at 20% off my regular price:

 

http://stores.shop.ebay.com/Beaded-Banners-by-Bonnie-and-More_BOOKS-NEW_W0QQ_fsubZ18276783QQ_sidZ11443151QQ_trksidZp4634Q2ec0Q2em322

 

To celebrate the Pittsburgh Steelers 6th Super Bowl victory I have many STEELER ITEMS on sale at 10% off until 3/31.  Find these items in the Steeler section of my store here:

 

http://stores.shop.ebay.com/Beaded-Banners-by-Bonnie-and-More_PITTSBURGH-STEELERS_W0QQ_fsubZ258354011QQ_sidZ11443151QQ_trksidZp4634Q2ec0Q2em322

 

I have a bunch more Steeler items including Super Bowl items to post when I find the time so stay tuned for more items to be posted!

 

Many completed  BEADED BANNERS that are currently in my store have been reduced 10% until 3/31 and will be found by clicking here:

 

http://stores.shop.ebay.com/Beaded-Banners-by-Bonnie-and-More_HANDMADE-BEADED-BANNERS_W0QQ_fsubZ409438011QQ_sidZ11443151QQ_trksidZp4634Q2ec0Q2em322

 

And last but not least, I have a 10% off SPRING CLEANING SALE on a bunch of stuff that I just want to move on out to make room for all the other stuff that I have ready to be posted.  Get great deals on Christmas merchandise, beaded banner patterns, and much more by checking out the 10% items and all the other items mentioned above by viewing all sale items in my store here:

 

http://stores.shop.ebay.com/Beaded-Banners-by-Bonnie-and-More__W0QQLHQ5fSaleItemsZ1QQ_sidZ11443151QQ_trksidZp4634Q2ec0Q2em309

 

Thank you for checking out Beaded Banners by Bonnie and please feel free to email me with any questions about any items!

 

Bonnie Matthews

Beaded Banners by Bonnie

 

MY CURRENT WEBSITE:
www.bannersbybonnie.com

 

MY UNDER CONSTRUCTION NEW WEBSITE:
www.beadedbannersbybonnie.com

 

MY EBAY STORE:
http://stores.ebay.com/Beaded-Banners-by-Bonnie-and-More?refid=store

 

MY BLOGS:
WordPress:  http://beadedbannersbybonnie.wordpress.com
Vox: http://beadedbannersbybonnie.vox.com
Ebay: http://blogs.ebay.com/dougbonnie

 

ABOUT ME:
Facebook – Add Me: www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=559709463
Ebay: http://myworld.ebay.com/dougbonnie

 

 

 

New Pics Posted…..Moving Day, Surgery, Pittsburgh Food Expo, Penguins Game

Posted pics finally if you want to look at them:

Moving day for my daughter Stacey and her friend Denise
http://www.new.facebook.com/album.php?aid=…mp;id=559709463

My Surgery (don’t worry, no gross ones!)
http://www.new.facebook.com/album.php?aid=…mp;id=559709463

Pittsburgh Good Eats Food Expo
http://www.new.facebook.com/album.php?aid=…mp;id=559709463

Penguins vs Maple Leafs game we went to
http://www.new.facebook.com/album.php?aid=…mp;id=559709463
http://www.new.facebook.com/album.php?aid=…mp;id=559709463

Just some stuff….

Well the bad news is the back pain I was having was NOT from my gallbladder after all.  I had been having back pain in my shoulder area for quite some time which I attributed to working on beaded banners, sitting on the couch all evening, watching TV, and concentrating on the banners and not stretching, etc.  But then when I was reading up about gallbladder problems I read in every article that most of the time there is back pain in that area from gallbladder problems.  I had never mentioned the pain to any of my doctors because I just assumed it was from my poor posture while beading.  I mentioned it to the surgeon at the appointment before my surgery and he said he was confident it WAS from my gallbladder and it would disappear.  Well it DID disappear for about 3 weeks after my surgery, but apparently only because I wasn’t working on banners!  LOL  I started working on banners last week and it appeared again.  Oh well.  That’s okay because the nausea is totally all gone and that was the extremely bothersome thing I experienced from gallbladder disease for over 2 years.  Now I just have to concentrate on my posture!

 

Okay so the leaves are falling everywhere and they are beautiful and the ground is covered with all these leaves, right?  And down the street from us in a yard that is not only filled with huge trees but that also borders the park we live in (we are the caretakers in a 160-acre municipal park for those of you who don’t know that), there was someone raking leaves.  Are they nuts?  Isn’t that useless this time of the year?  I mean won’t they all just blow away over the winter and the ones that don’t can be ground up using a mulching lawnmower in the spring?  Waste of time to me, but what do I know?

 

Anyone out there watch Dirty Jobs with Mike Rowe?  We do……….and the shows seem to be getting grosser and grosser!  Last week there was one episode where he was helping out in a poop plant……….and they just kept showing poop and more poop and other “things” that people put down their toilets.  I was about gagging watching it and I couldn’t even smell what he was having to smell, although a few times I almost thought I could!  So then in another episode he was on a sheep farm learning how to shear sheep and then also how to do other things to them, such as cutting their tails off (I think that was a sign that they did the next thing to them!) and then castrating them and they ummmm………..used their teeth to do it!  Mike Rowe actually did it!  I really hope the guy gets paid REALLY good to do that show!  YIKES!

 

So while watching these shows lately, I am having trouble with gross things, even things like body parts and all the stuff that I used to love to watch and not bother me at all like autopsies (I have actually assisted at a few of those) and surgeries and bad accidents, etc.  Is it possible that the part that made it so those things didn’t bother me was in my gallbladder and now it’s gone and things gross me out?  I hope not!  LOL

 

So speaking of my gallbladder removal, I am eating just about everything again and am no longer following a low fat diet.  Not bad for only 4 weeks after my surgery, huh?  The doctor and a dietician friend said 5-6 weeks or even 3-4 months for my body to adjust.  I read horror stories online from people who had their gallbladders removed 10-15 years ago and still couldn’t eat a lot of stuff.  But nope, I am eating just about everything and occasionally things go through me within maybe an hour or two, but usually just once, not 3-4 times like the week after surgery.  Needless to say I am thrilled!

 

Sad Pittsburgh sports weekend.  Pittsburgh Steelers and Pittsburgh Penguins both lost and both had it within their reach.  Oh well.  Can’t win all the time. Oh………..we finally got a Direct TV HD DVR.  We have a DVR in our room with the regular TV but we record things and never watch them because all we want to do is watch our big screen HD TV anymore!  So since two of  the Penguins games this week are on late (10:00 is late when we have to get up early the next day for work) and knowing that if we record it on the other TV we won’t want to watch it because it won’t be in HD, we broke down and got the HD DVR.  There have been other shows we have wanted to record so this will be a really good thing to have. 

 

The Steelers posted an apology by Santonio Holmes for his behavior last week so maybe I was wrong and they AREN’T going to get rid of him after all.  Hmmmm…….

 

Let’s see, what else is going on?  Busy with selling on Ebay and needing to post more on Ebay and designing banners and such but I am going to put all that stuff in a separate post about Beaded Banners by Bonnie.

 

I guess that’s about it for now.  Catch ya later in my next blog!

Update on my life, my business, my kids, my missing gallbladder, etc…..

I haven’t blogged in a while so thought I should catch up!  Actually a lot has happened since I blogged yet….nothing exciting really……..but between trying to go back to work and trying to keep up with orders and still not feeling 100%, I didn’t have time to blog.  So here goes………..LOL!

 

Regarding my recovery from my 9/29 gallbladder removal, I am getting there.  In fact this afternoon I have my follow up with the surgeon.  Poor hubby has to take off work to take me because I have no clue how to get to Shadyside!  I’ve been there twice…..once to visit someone and the other time the morning my of my surgery when it was 5:30 a.m. and I wasn’t thinking about WHERE we were going but WHAT was going to be happening to me!  So yeah, poor hubby has to take off work early to take me.

 

I am anxious to hear what the doc has to say about my pain.  In the area where my gallbladder used to be still hurts some.  I really think it is because they had to cut so many adhesions away and it takes longer to heal inside than outside, but I want to hear that from the surgeon and not just assume that is the case.  Food-wise I am eating most things.  I still have to stay away from really fatty things or I have problems, but it has only been 3 weeks since my surgery and already “things” have adjusted and I am able to eat almost anything.  For that I am truly grateful!  I still want bacon and a greasy cheeseburger from McDonalds, but that might happen this week because we went to the Penguins game on Saturday night and because of that we won a free Big Mac because of one of the power play goals!  Just gotta make sure a bathroom is close by when I eat it, that’s all.  Okay, enough of that………TMI!  LOL  My energy level is still down, but the surgeon told me I would be tired for 4-5 weeks due to surgery and the general anesthesia.  I’m inpatient though and want to feel better NOW.  I worked 2 or 3 hours a day starting a week after my surgery and then 6 hours a day last week.  This week I am planning on a full 8 after today.  I would rather be part time because of all my orders and requests for pattern designs, but don’t think that will happen because I hear my boss doesn’t want me to do that, even though I don’t have much to do at work.

 

My business is going well.  I have been selling quite a bit on Ebay………not TONS, but consistent.  I am still selling quite a few beaded banner rods and end caps, but as far as I know there is only one other place beaders can purchase those.  I started posting pony beads online and they have been taking off so I am building up my stock and have many more to post.  I still need to post my own pattern designs on Ebay but I have had people that have been finding me through www.bannersbybonnie.com  and emailing me and ordering through me so that works for now.  I also posted some other non-craft things on Ebay (both new and used) and those have been selling.  I have boxes of stuff to post and more crafts and my mom’s crafts and my mother-in-law’s crafts and well I need time!  I so wish that first week after surgery when I was home 24/7 I had felt like being on the laptop 24/7 like I had planned!  Oh well, like they say, the best laid plans of mice and men………!!!!

 

So one of my favorite shows is Extreme Home Makeover.  I love it and have NEVER once watched it without getting teary eyed……….and I don’t cry very easily!  They are in town this week.  GO FIGURE!  If I had not just had surgery and had to miss so much work, trust me I would be there volunteering at least one shift!  I am hoping that we can drive by at least once, just to say I was there.  I am VERY tempted to take Friday afternoon off so I can yell “BUSDRIVER, MOVE THAT BUS” and watch the family when they come home!  But at least the news is keeping us updated regularly and that helps…………a little.

 

The election……….ARGH.  I hate it…………I hate all the commercials……….I hate all the signs everywhere littering the scenery.  And I have no clue who to vote for because, well no one is a very good candidate in my humble opinion.  I heard a good one on the radio the other day and if you are from Pittsburgh you will truly understand this.  They said forget the election………..just be a STEELERS FAN!  HAHAHAHA

 

Our kids……….let’s see.  My daughter Stacey and her friend Denise have settled in quite well here in the Pittsburgh area after moving here from Tennessee mid-September.  We haven’t been over since they got all settled, mainly because of my surgery.  Last time I was there things were starting to look good and from what Stacey says they are all settled in.  Stacey loves her job as a paralegal at Edgar Snyder’s office.  She says everyone is really nice and she and her boss get along good.  She takes the bus from right outside her apartment to about 4 blocks from her building.  When the weather gets bad she can drive a short distance to a park and ride and then take the T (subway/trolley thing) in and get off at the basement of her building.  We can’t email like we used to, but she generally text messages with me on the bus on the way to and from work so that is good.  Thank goodness for 21^st century technology, huh?  LOL  Denise transferred to a Sears here in the area and is happy there.  She has a little drive to work but not too bad………I think they said 6 miles.  We don’t see them often because they are probably about 45 minutes away and across the river(s) but it’s nice to know they are close by.  Stacey has made a couple trips to Erie for geneology stuff and to help my Mom with cleaning and Denise has been working some long hours and weekends, so that’s one reason……..but again, my surgery has prevented seeing them, too.  We have some places we want to show them and things we want to do together and that will happen soon.  Denise isn’t liking the cold weather too much I don’t think since she spent a good portion of her life in the south, but at least Pittsburgh doesn’t get as much snow as Erie does!  I told her to not go by all the winter horror stories she has heard from Stacey because Pittsburgh is so much more mild in the winters than Erie was and that’s all that Stacey knows is Erie winters!  LOL

 

My son Craig and his wife Mary took their vacation in California to celebrate their first wedding anniversary.  I can’t believe it was a year ago today they got married!  CONGRATULATIONS CRAIG AND MARY!  I have heard a couple things about their trip but can’t wait to see pictures.  They were going to San Francisco, Los Angeles, and San Diego and have visited the Walk of Fame and Beverly Hills as well as many other places.   I am so happy they were able to get away and see California and they are having a good time.

 

Doug’s son Travis is working at an insulation place and busy with his friends and his new (used but new to him) vehicle.  We don’t see him much, but he is happy so that’s all that matters!

After not doing much for a few weeks it was nice to get out Saturday.  We went to the Pittsburgh Good Eats Food Expo.  It was incredible!  We didn’t stay as long as we would have liked because I didn’t want to get too tired because of our plans that night, but talk about FOOD!  The admission price was $15 per person and we had $3 off coupons so we spent $12 to get in.  Not only did we have more samples of great food to eat while we were there, we took home lots of samples and tons of coupons!  If we had eaten ALL the samples offered while we were there, it would have been enough for two meals!  I was a little nervous eating some of the things because I hadn’t tried those items since my surgery, but I figured might as well and I really didn’t have too much trouble because of it.  Had to run to the bathroom once after we got home but that’s it.

 

We went home and rested for a few hours and then headed to Mellon Arena to watch the Pittsburgh Penguins BEAT the Toronto Maple Leafs!  It was awesome.  We spent a little more and parked right by the Arena so I wouldn’t have to walk as much.  We won the tickets on Ebay in the last few minutes of an auction Friday afternoon and the seats were tremendous and the best thing is we basically got both for about the price of one ticket!  I will be posting pictures in the next couple days hopefully.  (I am behind on posting pictures as well as behind on blogging!)  I was tired when it was over but I spent all day yesterday at home on the couch working on paperwork and organizing more for my business while watching the Pittsburgh Steelers BEAT the Cincinnati Bengals and other football games all day.

 

So I think all my paperwork is finally organized enough that I can keep posting away on Ebay and start updating my site. I  have a lot of banner patterns I need to design for customers and I think I may be feeling good enough that I can be creative again so need to start on that this week.  So the plans this week are designing and posting.  I have some beaded banner orders but the customers are out of town for a couple weeks so those can wait a little, except for one smaller one I need to get done.

 

Okay so this is what happens when I don’t blog for a while………..I have to write a book!  LOL  No one probably reads these anyway so what am I worried about?  HAHAHAHA

 

Have a good one.  I’m off to see the surgeon soon!

Gallbladder Surgery Update and Stuff

Just thought I would give another update from our house status post my Monday gallbladder surgery.

 

I still hurt.  No, it’s not near as much as what it was, but yeah it still hurts.  I quit taking the pain pills the other day but started taking them again yesterday and am doing lots better when I take them so I guess I will keep taking them for a while.  I am still really tired.  I took a bath Thursday night and I felt like I ran a marathon.  I tried to pack up a few Ebay orders Friday and all I had to do was move around the living room from couch to printer to boxes back to couch, etc., and again, I thought I ran a marathon.  I was so sore and tired when I got done that I couldn’t believe it.  I had planned to go to bowling with Doug last night as I usually do on Friday nights but that was totally out of the question.  I only sit and not bowl but if moving around our living room wiped me out then no way was I going to go do that.  So I was a bit discouraged because I thought I would be doing a lot better than I was by now but I have to keep reminding myself that I had major surgery on Monday and that he had to do a bit more inside than expected so since it has only actually been less than 5 days since my surgery I actually probably am doing pretty good……….considering. 

 

I have had no nausea…………so that is a GREAT thing………because after all that was the whole goal of this surgery to get rid of all the awful nausea I had been having.  Things finally started moving inside me yesterday and now I am having the dreaded diarrhea that was expected, but fortunately it is only once about an hour after I eat and I’m not running all day long like I feared.   I ate a southern chicken sandwich from McDonalds for lunch yesterdat and have had potato chips a few times and had a meatball sub for supper last night with NO problems.  I figure I ate meatloaf with no problems at the hospital and I ate spaghetti two nights for supper with no problems, so how much different is a meatball sub except for the cheese? 

 

So basically I am just trying to rest, get up and walk around occasionally, and hope that soon I am up and around.  Today Doug had to go to a couple stores so I decided to ride along.  I figure if I am going to go back to work next week I have to get moving a little bit plus my legs and arms and hips and everything were aching in the night and figure I am getting stiff from not moving.  So I went………just sat in the car when he went in the one store and then of course the grits I had decided to run through me so I had to go in to Walmart and use the facilities.  All I did was walk in, use the facilities, and then sit on the bench waiting for Doug, then back to the car.  By the time we got home I was so exhausted and hurt so bad!  I couldn’t believe it!  But again, I have to remind myself that I just had major surgery on Monday and it really has been just 5 days so be patient.  I can’t drive until Tuesday and my plans are to go in half days Tuesday through Friday, but again it will depend on how I am doing.  I know I will have to feel a lot better than I do today before I can go back for any length of time.  The doctor basically said once this week is past that I just have to use how I feel as a judge for what I can or can’t do. My follow up with the surgeon is on 10/20 and I am not allowed to lift anything or vacuum or do anything strenuous until then but after Monday I can do other things as I feel comfortable.

 

Poor Doug is really worn out.  His system got all messed up with last weekend getting up early for Ligonier Country Market on Saturday, then we were out late at the Comedy Show on Saturday night, then got up early Monday for surgery and then he stayed late at the hospital to watch the Steelers game with me.  Then he had to go back to work Wednesday and I guess work has been pretty rough along with having to cover everything here since I can’t do anything.  So he actually skipped bowling last night……..he figured as tired as he is he probably wouldn’t bowl good anyway.  We have bascially enjoyed just hanging out at home this weekend and relaxing and watching the Penguins win today and in Sweden and hopefully again tomorrow and the Steelers win Sunday night.  Unfortunately he will have to get up both days and open the gates for the parks since I can’t take my turn this weekend, but he will hopefully just come back home and crash after he does again tomorrow like he did today.

 

I had plans of spending all this time off catching up on designing banners and posting things on Ebay.  I figured I wouldn’t feel good enough to sit up and work on banners because of the incisions and the pain, but I thought I would at least feel like being on the laptop 24/7 and getting caught up on all the pattern designs that have been requested that I haven’t done and get more things posted on Ebay for myself, my Mom, and my mother-in-law.  But that hasn’t happened either.  I just don’t even feel like being on the computer.  Sure am thankful for HGTV though!  I have been watching that from 9 a.m. until 4 p.m. every day!  I love the transformations they do in people’s homes!  Good thing we rent here because if we owned the house Doug would be in trouble because I would have all kinds of projects set up for us to do!  LOL

 

Oh……..the only other thing going on is that tonight is the culmination of Pittsburgh’s 250th Birthday Celebration with a huge fireworks display, unlike any ever seen before.  I had figured I would feel good enough to go to that but alas, that didn’t happen.  There are things going on all day downtown that we would definitely have attended if I hadn’t had surgery but obviously we didn’t go.  I tried hard to figure out how we could go and watch the fireworks like finding a place we can park and not have to walk and just watch them from the car.  But like Doug says, it is going to be NUTS down there and to get a place close enough to see the display we would have to go so early and then it would be too much for me.  So………..unless we could find a cheap hotel room to rent (yeah right, in downtown Pittsburgh? LOL) that we can watch it from, I guess we will be watching it after the fact when it is on TV at 11:30 tonight.  Oh well.  I scheduled the surgery so as not to mess with games and concerts and craft shows and stuff.  I couldn’t avoid everything.

 

Okay, so that’s the latest…………that’s what’s going on here for now.  Just chilling and trying to keep healing because it hasn’t really been that long and I just have to have more patience!  I have to just keep trying foods and see what happens.  Had grilled cheese and no problems.  Had sweet sausage sandwich with tomatoes and cheese and only a little problem.  So things are working and I am healing and maybe soon I will be up and around again.  Well gotta run…………fireworks will be on TV pretty soon…………at least can watch them on our 42-inch HDTV!

John Challis – What An Inspiration!

John Challis is an 18 year old that is facing death, but has become an inspiration to his school, his teammates, the Pittsburgh Pirates, Pittsburgh Penguins, Pittsburgh Steelers, and all of Pittsburgh!  I’m sure his story has now reached way beyond here by now.  I know EVERY single time I see him on TV or read about him I am moved, inspired, and brought to tears.  Last night as we watched the Pirates vs Yankees on TV we saw the story of John in the locker rooms of both teams inspiring the players and the managers and everyone he came in contact with.  We saw the umpires shaking his hand.  We saw him in the broadcast booth for quite some time talking to Steve Blass and Greg Brown and not a word came out of his mouth that you didn’t sit back and say WOW.  Below are two stories about him but before you read those, I want to share with you the words that I hear him say over and over that are probably the most inspiring words I have ever heard:

JOHN CHALLIS:  “I used to be afraid, but I’m not afraid of dying now, if that’s what you want to know,” he said. “Because life ain’t about how many breaths you take. It’s what you do with those breaths.”

Here are two articles about John.  The first one was written about the Pirates game last night and the other one was written earlier this year.  Both articles are full of wisdom from a young man who is teaching many of us a lot of things.  THANK YOU, JOHN.

_______________________________________________________________________________________________

Bucs inspired by 18-year-old with terminal cancer

By Alan Robinson, AP Sports Writer

 

PITTSBURGH — When the Pittsburgh Pirates arrived for their game Wednesday against the New York Yankees, they were greeted by an 18-year-old occupying the manager’s office and an inspirational message on their locker room bulletin board.

 

The Pirates didn’t even care that John Challis, a former high school athlete with terminal cancer, most wanted to meet Yankees star Derek Jeter, which he did during batting practice.

The Pirates gave Challis the run of the clubhouse. He sat in John Russell’s chair during the manager’s daily news conference, gave a motivational talk to the players, visited the Yankees clubhouse and watched batting practice.

Challis also tossed out the ceremonial first pitch – a day after Hall of Famer Bill Mazeroski did so – and took out the Pirates’ lineup card to home plate during the pregame umpires meeting.

It was a big day for a 5-foot-5, 93-pounder who learned two years ago this week he had cancer, which has since spread to his lungs, liver and pelvis, and is expected to take his life soon.

“Everybody else complains about it, I guess, but it’s not just me getting through this, it’s the people around me who have helped me get through certain things like days like this,” Challis said. “It’s a stepping stone I can look back on and say, ‘Well, I did it.’ Things like this help keep me going.”

Challis played high school football at Freedom Area High School in Beaver County before developing cancer, starting on the junior varsity offense and defense as a sophomore. He remained in high school after becoming sick and, after saying he wished he could play in one more game, Challis kicked off and played wide receiver for several plays against Hickory last season.

A former Pony League player, he also got his wish to bat in a high school baseball game. During an April 11 game against Aliquippa, he entered as a pinch-hitter and lined a single into right field in one of his two at-bats this spring.

Upon reaching first base – a difficult accomplishment given how hard it is for him to run – he found his first-base coach crying and the opposing Aliquippa players saluting him with applause. Some Aliquippa players wore Challis’ initials and his No. 11 on their caps the rest of the season.

“If we can have half the courage and faith John has, we’d all be better off,” Russell said. “It’s a great story and we’ve been following it and we couldn’t wait for John to get here. The courage he shows, the unselfishness that’s a part of his life, it’s a great message for all of us.”

Challis recently set up a foundation designed to help high school students with terminal illnesses. The Tampa Bay Rays have pledged to help by supplying game tickets and transportation.

Challis is surprised only because so many people are stunned at everything he’s done despite being so ill. He said days such as Wednesday badly tired him.

“I’m little surprised that people don’t understand how easy I think it is for a young person, especially myself, to see this major situation as a positive – I mean I don’t see it as a positive, but I’m not complaining about it,” Challis said. “I don’t know why people think it’s so hard.”

The Pittsburgh Penguins recognized Challis at one of their playoff games, where he met co-owner Mario Lemieux, Atlanta Braves pitcher John Smoltz and Steelers owner Dan Rooney.

Challis also went on a cruise after attending his senior prom and graduating from high school, with a snorkeling trip one of the highlights. Asked about the cruise, Challis laughed and said, “That’s a press conference in itself.”

And that motivational message he wrote on the Pirates’ bulletin board?

“Have fun,” he wrote, signing his name below his message. “It’s the reason we play ball.”

The Associated Press

 

http://www.usatoday.com/sports/baseball/2008-06-25-578210704_x.htm

______________________________________________________________________________________________

 

Teen is running out of innings, but the game still isn’t over

 

A tale of courage

 

Sunday, May 04, 2008

By Mike White, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

 

The 18-year-old kid dying of cancer gets his wish, a chance to swing a bat maybe one last time in a real baseball game.

He hasn’t played in a few years, but he’s called on to pinch-hit. His eyes light up at the first pitch and he puts all of his 5-foot-5, 93-pound frame into one mighty swing, making contact and sending a line drive into right field for a single — if he can reach first base. The cancer he’s been battling for almost two years has spread to his pelvis, making running nearly impossible.

The kid worries about falling as he hustles down the first-base line. When he gets to the base, he lets out with a yell. “I did it! I did it!”

Safe at first with a hit and an RBI, the kid is hugged by a crying first-base coach. The opposing pitcher takes off his glove, starts applauding and his teammates follow suit. The kid’s teammates run onto the field to celebrate.

It sounds like the climax to a heart-tugger movie. But there was no producer or film crew at the game between Freedom and Aliquippa high schools two weeks ago. The scene was as real as the tumors in John Challis’ liver and lungs.

John is a kid with cancer, a senior at Freedom in Beaver County who was told a few weeks ago by doctors that cancer was winning and it was close to the end. The disease that started in his liver was now taking over his lungs.

“They said it could be only two months,” he said, fighting back tears.

He paused before his seemingly never-ending optimism came through again.

“I told my mom I still think I can get two more years.”

But his story isn’t about dying. It’s about inspiring.

His story, words, actions, beliefs and courage have become known around Freedom and surrounding areas in Beaver County, bringing people together from other communities and other schools.

Three weeks ago, Freedom baseball coach Steve Wetzel organized “Walk For A Champion” on Freedom High’s school grounds. The purpose of the walk-a-thon was to raise money for one of John’s wishes — a last vacation with his mom, dad and 14-year-old sister, Alexis.

More than 500 people took part, including baseball teams from eight Beaver County high schools and members of Center High School’s football team. John also used to play football at Freedom.

Mr. Wetzel, who calls the teen his hero, hoped to raise $6,000. That total was easily surpassed “and people are still calling with donations,” he said.

The family has booked a cruise for June.

The Challis effect

A Beaver County church had planned a fundraiser, but John and his family asked the church instead to conduct the event and give the money to a fifth-grade boy in Beaver County who has a brain tumor.

“His family can use it more than we can,” John said. “That’s just common sense. Someone does something good for you, then you help someone else.”

Actions and statements like those are what has inspired so many others. All of Aliquippa’s baseball players wear John’s jersey number “11″ on their hats. At the walk-a-thon, Aliquippa star athlete Jonathan Baldwin, a Pitt football recruit, presented him with a ball signed by Pitt players.

After the walk, John addressed the crowd.

“He spoke from his heart,” Mr. Wetzel, the coach, said. “He said, ‘I’ve got two options. I know I’m going to die, so I can either sit at home and feel sorry, or I could spread my message to everybody to live life to the fullest and help those in need.’ After hearing that, I don’t know if there were many people not crying.”

Last Thursday, Beaver pitcher Manny Cutlip tossed a three-hitter against Freedom as John watched in street clothes. After the game, every Beaver player came up to him and shook his hand. Some hugged him and some said they were praying for him. Manny Cutlip asked Mr. Wetzel if he could go to lunch some time with John. It happened the next day.

“I don’t know what to say. I just wanted to get to know him better and see if I could learn anything from him to help me in my life,” said the young pitcher, an imposing 6-foot-3, 225-pound standout athlete who will play football at IUP.

At lunch, he gave John a new football with a handwritten personal message on it. Part of the message read, “You have touched my heart and I will always look up to you as my role model.”

Talk to John and you’ll laugh at his sense of humor when he says things such as, “You can’t let girls know that you know how to text message because they won’t leave you alone.”

But listen to his mature views on life and his philosophies … and you might cry.

“I used to be afraid, but I’m not afraid of dying now, if that’s what you want to know,” he said. “Because life ain’t about how many breaths you take. It’s what you do with those breaths.”

Figuring it out

It’s been almost two years since John found out about his cancer. He knows the date like a birthday. June 23, 2006.

He discovered only recently that doctors didn’t expect him to last through that first summer. “To me, that’s already an accomplishment,” he said.

In the first few months after the cancer discovery, John’s father, Scott, would get up in the middle of the night, peek into his son’s bedroom and see him wide awake, staring at the ceiling.

“He would just be thinking,” the elder Challis said. “He’s always been one who had to try and find an answer for everything. He wants to figure things out.”

Through his own thoughts and through his deep Catholic beliefs, John believes he has “figured it out.” He answers questions with maturity, courage and dignity, traits that have become his trademarks.

John requested that his mother, Regina, not be interviewed for this story because it will be too hard for her. He talks to his father about what to do after he dies.

“I sit up with him at night until 1 or 2 in the morning,” Scott Challis said. “He’ll tell me, ‘Dad, when I’m gone, you have to do this or that. You have to watch your weight.’ He’s worried about my weight. He tells me I have to take care of mom.

“When the doctors told him a few weeks ago about how the cancer was winning, he had a lot of questions about what it was going to be like and about being comfortable. Later on, he broke down with me and you know what he did? He apologized. He was upset because he felt like he was letting everyone down who had been praying for him.”

Scott Challis has found talking about his son makes the situation easier to deal with. But many people like to talk about John. Shawn Lehocky is a senior and one of Freedom’s top athletes. For every football and baseball game, he wears a red wrist band with John’s No. 11 on it.

“It seems like everyone in this community knows who he is now and he really has brought so many people together,” Shawn said. “He’s always on my mind. To see him and what he’s going through, I don’t know if I could act like that. He said some pretty strong words at that walk-a-thon that you don’t hear 17- or 18-year-olds say every day.”

John fought back tears a few times during last week’s interview.

“Sometimes I cry, but people cry for all different kinds of reasons,” he said. “Sometimes I just want to know why, but I think I figured that out. God wanted me to get sick because he knew I was strong enough to handle it. I’m spreading His word and my message. By doing that, I’m doing what God put me here to do.

“It took me about a half year to figure all that out. Now, when I’m able to truly believe it, it makes it easier on me. And when you know other people support what you’re thinking, it makes it easier.”

When asked where he gained his wisdom, he answered, “Through cancer.”

“They say it takes a special person to realize this kind of stuff,” he said. “I don’t know if I’m special, but it wasn’t hard for me. It’s just my mind-set. A situation is what you make of it. Not what it makes of you.”

He regularly wears his Freedom baseball hat. Under the bill of the cap is his name, plus this line: “COURAGE + BELIEVE = LIFE.”

“I guess I can see why people see me as an inspiration,” he said. “But why do people think it’s so hard to see things the way I do? All I’m doing is making the best of a situation.”

John then raises his voice.

“Why can’t people just see the best in things? It gets you so much further in life. It’s always negative this and negative that. That’s all you see and hear.”

John tries to keep complaining to a minimum, but he acknowledges his moments of crying.

“If I’m mad at anything in this, it’s that I’m not going to be able to have a son, I’m not going to be able to get married and have my own house,” he said, fighting back tears again. “Those are the things I’m mad about. But not dying.”

The role of sports

John loves sports. He is an avid hunter — “got three buck and two doe in the last year,” he said.

He played baseball through Pony League and always loved football, despite his small stature. As a sophomore, he started on Freedom’s junior varsity team as a slotback and cornerback.

“I was 108 pounds. I had to be the smallest player in the WPIAL,” he said with a laugh.

The cancer forced him to stop playing football as a junior.

“But I will never forget,” his father said, “when he first got sick he told me, ‘Dad, I have to dress for a football game one more time.’ “

He got his wish in the final game of his senior season, against Hickory. Coaches let him kick off once. He was supposed to kick and immediately run off the field to avoid danger. Instead, he stayed on the field and got a little excited when the kick returner started heading his way before being tackled.

Later in the game, the coaches put him in for two plays at receiver. Mr. Wetzel and others who saw the game proudly tell how, on one play, John tried to block a defender, fell down, but got up and pushed another defender.

Mr. Wetzel said seeing John play in that last football game, doesn’t compare to seeing his hit against Aliquippa in that April 14 baseball game. John vividly remembers the details leading up to the hit. When he walked into the batter’s box, he saw Aliquippa’s catcher wearing a protective mask with the initials “J.C.” and the number “11.”

“I just looked at him and said, ‘Nice mask.’ “

He then noticed an Aliquippa coach saying something to the pitcher.

“I’m thinking, ‘If they’re going to walk me or throw easy to me, I don’t want it handed to me,’ ” he said. “But sure enough, he threw me a fastball. That’s what made it so good. … There were only about 20 people there watching, but everyone was cheering.”

Mr. Wetzel said: “We made it to the state [PIAA] playoffs two years ago and I thought that was the best feeling. I got to play in WPIAL championships at Blackhawk as a player. But that day, that hit, that moment … That was the best feeling I’ve ever had in sports.”

Six days later, Freedom played a game at PNC Park. John attended the game, but had an IV line in his arm for a treatment he was getting. He took out the IV line and asked Mr. Wetzel if he could pinch-hit again.

“Unbelievable. He told me the doctor said he could take it out for up to seven hours,” Mr. Wetzel said. “He told me he just wanted to be a normal kid one more time.”

So Mr. Wetzel let him pinch-hit. This time he struck out.

They have a unique coach-player relationship. Mr. Wetzel invited John to be part of the team a year ago and John calls the coach one of his best friends. They talk every day, at least on a cell phone, and go to lunch together once a week.

“The kid has changed my life,” Mr. Wetzel said. “I cry for him just about every day. I’m 32 and I’m getting married in September. You know what he told me the other day? He told me to save him a seat in the front row of the church, because even if he’s not there, he’ll be there in spirit.

“He just keeps doing things and saying things that are just unbelievable. I know our team will never forget this season because of Johnny.”

The two want to start a foundation in John’s name for young cancer patients.

“Even if [the foundation] is something that can help only one kid or one family, to see people in a different way like I have, it will be worth it,” John said. “Maybe it will help younger people who haven’t gotten to see the finer things in life that I got to see.”

John plans to attend Freedom’s prom May 9 and plans to graduate in June. As John ended this interview, he said he wondered how his story will come out in the newspaper.

“When you write this, don’t overthink things,” he said. “I’ve learned that. There are a lot of unanswered questions in this world and the reason they’re unanswered is because if you think about them too much, you’re always going to come up with different answers. So don’t confuse yourself and think about this too much.”

First published on May 4, 2008 at 12:00 am

 

http://www.postgazette.com/pg/08125/878966-85.stm

 

 

Pittsburgh bleeds black, gold and titles

GREAT ARTICLE ………….  http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/titletown/news/story?id=3448538

ESPN.com

Updated: June 17, 2008, 7:29 PM ET

 

Submitted by bananafish711

I grew up in a city more devoted to its sports teams than perhaps anything else. Until I was 18 years old, I never lived anywhere else and just assumed that everywhere was like Pittsburgh. I just assumed that people, no matter who they were, loved their local sports team. Ask anyone in Pittsburgh if they love the black and gold, and I can nearly guarantee that you will hear a resounding “yes!” 

 

 

When I moved away to college, I met people from all over the United States. Every time I met someone, I would consider the sports teams in the vicinity of their hometown and ask, “So, you’re from (city), I guess you’re a (insert local team) fan, right?”

 

 

And for the first time, I heard “No, not really.”

 

 

Really?

 

 

Back home, I remembered the jubilance of an entire city after back-to-back Stanley Cups in 1991 and 1992, the entire section in the paper devoted to Mario Lemieux following his first retirement, the stories of the legendary men that were the Steelers of the 1970s, the tears following Super Bowl XXX, and the sense of nostalgia the day they tore down Three Rivers Stadium.

 

 

The whole city had this one thing in common, this complete solidarity no matter what. Two years ago, when the Steelers won Super Bowl XL, I was watching from my apartment in Boston. After the game, tears were streaming down my face. I was overwhelmed with happiness to see the team I loved so much win the big game, but there was a distinct sadness too. There was nothing I wished more than that I could be in Pittsburgh, because I knew it had to be an incredible sight.

 

 

I have heard the argument that “no town without the big four should even be considered for TitleTown,” but I challenge you to find fans more dispersed throughout the world who maintain their loyalty. It doesn’t disappear when they transplant to a different city, it doesn’t so much as shake. I’ve found fans in Boston and even so far away as the Netherlands.

 

 

To those who would still argue that fandom doesn’t make a TitleTown, I say that Pittsburgh has grown athletes like Joe Montana, Dan Marino, Joe Namath, Johnny Unitas … and Ken Griffey, Jr., who have brought admiration to their respective franchises.

 

 

It’s been the hometown of respected coaches like Marvin Lewis, Marty Schottenheimer, Terry Francona, and Dick Nolan. What’s more, that’s just a fraction of the talent to come out of Pittsburgh. Consider then, what Pittsburgh athletes have contributed to teams across the nation.

 

 

I live in Washington, D.C., now, and for the first time in a long time, I’m close enough to make the drive home every so often. Each time, I love to walk through Pittsburgh’s Strip District and watch the endless sea of black and gold caps, with a blue and gold thrown in here and there to salute the Pitt Panthers. They’re all there, remembering the five World Series, five Super Bowls, two Stanley Cups and countless number of titles from the University of Pittsburgh’s sports programs.

 

 

It’s the “City of Champions,” the “Cradle of Quarterbacks,” and it is most assuredly TitleTown USA.

 

 

Submitted by jbrew18285

The search for TitleTown USA should begin and end in Pittsburgh, the home of five Super Bowls, five World Series victories and two Stanley Cups. Not to mention the strong traditions set forth by the University of Pittsburgh. It would be impossible for another city to make an argument otherwise. 

 

 

 

The school that produced four pro football hall of famers and 22 college football hall of famers has long stood for excellence on the field. Our Panthers claim nine national championships with two from the Associated Press.

 

 

Football isn’t the only sport that the Pitt has given this city to be proud of. Their men’s and women’s basketball teams have been national powers recently ending their seasons in tournament action.

 

 

Pittsburgh has long been in love with its Pirates baseball team. Even though they have frustrated us for the past 15 seasons, they still have a rabid fan base. In their history the Pirates have brought nine division championships, nine National League championships and five World Series victories home to Pittsburgh.

 

 

Even though we rarely celebrate victories there, PNC Park provides the best baseball experience in Major League Baseball.

 

 

Hockey is a sport that the Steel City has fallen in love with. Since the early ’90s the Penguins have given us something to be proud of, bringing home six division titles, two conference championships and two Stanley cup victories. Currently, the Penguins have one of the most talented young lineups in all of the NHL.

 

 

An argument for the sporting supremacy of Pittsburgh has to include the Steelers, a team that is responsible for the greatest play in NFL history with the “Immaculate Reception,” a team that has a season ticket waiting list of over 30,000 names, a team that is the pride and joy of the city of Pittsburgh.

 

 

Our beloved Steelers have brought us 18 division championships, six conference championships and five Super Bowl wins. With 19 current Hall of Fame members and many more awaiting eligibility the Steelers have proven excellence throughout the years.

 

 

While many other cities may lay claim to being TitleTown USA none have been as dominant in every sport as their Pittsburgh counterparts. There isn’t any city other than Pittsburgh that even deserves consideration. The search for TitleTown USA ends where the three rivers converge.

 

 

Submitted by winglessepyon

When you fly into the Pittsburgh International Airport you see a couple of things, the Heinz logo and some brief history of the area. But as you come down the escalators you see two statues standing side by side, one of George Washington and the other of Franco Harris. 

Pittsburgh is a city of sports and champions.The Steelers of the ’70s were the team to beat, and everyone has heard of the famous “Steel Curtain.” Some of the well known players have played in Pittsburgh like Terry Bradshaw, Mario Lemieux, Lynn Sawnn, John Stallworth, Joe Greene, Franco Harris and Roberto Clemente to name a few. …

 

 

We even have one of the best golfers to ever play come from here, Arnold Palmer.

 

 

Submitted by 3Riversman

Another argument for Pittsburgh: its place in sports history as the home of the world’s first “rally towel,” the iconic Terrible Towel! 

 

 

The numerous copies and knock-offs across the country are the biggest form of flattery to the inimitable original, invented by the legendary Steelers broadcaster Myron Cope with all the proceeds going to charity, no less.

 

 

Terrible Towels are everywhere, all over the United States, all over the world. There are hundreds of Terrible Towels in Iraq right now, brought over by ‘Burgh-loving soldiers. Seas of gold Terrible Towels engulf entire football stadiums across the country, anywhere the Steelers are playing. …

 

 

Politicians swing them at rallies, fans are buried with them in the their caskets, generations come and go, but the towel endures.

Pittsburgh Penguins Top 10

It seems everywhere I turn there are great articles about the Pittsburgh Penguins Top 10.  Wanted to share them with all of you fans out there that may not have seen them.

Tribune-Review Penguins beat reporter Rob Rossi offers his Top 10 moments from a memorable 2007-08 Penguins season:

Penguins’ Top 10 2007-08 moments

By The Tribune-Review Sunday, June 8, 2008

GIVING THANKS

Nov. 22, 2007: Their season possibly on the brink of disarray, the Penguins rallied from 2-0 deficit in Ottawa to defeat the Senators, 6-5, in a shootout. It was a most pleasant Thanksgiving, even though they spent it in Canada, where the holiday is celebrated a month earlier. The Penguins, hyped as Stanley Cup contenders in the preseason, entered this game with an 8-11-2 record. They went 39-16-5 after this win in Ottawa, which players credited as a turning point.

HOME-ICE ADVANTAGE

Dec. 23, 2007: A sellout crowd at Mellon Arena watched the Penguins down the Boston Bruins, 4-2. That sellout crowd was a franchise-record 31st in a row at home, where they would play to capacity in each of their 52 contests, including 11 playoff games. A first-ever season-ticket waiting list now tops 1,000, and the Penguins have played before 67 consecutive sellout crowds.

WINTER WONDERLAND

Jan. 1, 2008: More than 71,000 fans – many wearing Penguins’ throwback-themed baby blue replica sweaters – packed Ralph Wilson Stadium in Orchard Park, N.Y., to watch the Penguins defeat the Buffalo Sabres, 2-1, at the AMP Energy NHL Winter Classic. The league’s first outdoor game staged in the United States was a smash rating success for NBC, which enjoyed the made-for-TV moment that was Penguins captain Sidney Crosby scoring the shootout-clinching goal.

CAPTAIN CRUNCHED

Jan. 18, 2008: The Penguins entered this home game against the Tampa Bay Lightning on an 18-5-1 stretch since Nov. 21, finally looking like the Stanley Cup contenders they were predicted to be before the season. But they watched in horror as captain Sidney Crosby slid skates-first into the boards at Mellon Arena. His diagnosed injury – a right high-ankle sprain – would keep him out 21 consecutive games. The Penguins would go 11-6-4 in those contests thanks to 14 goals and 36 points from center Evgeni Malkin.

GOODBYE, HELLO

Feb. 26, 2008: General manager Ray Shero made the boldest move of his two-year tenure, sending popular forwards Colby Armstrong and Erik Christensen, top prospect Angelo Esposito and a 2008 first-round draft pick to Atlanta for star right wing Marian Hossa and forward Pascal Dupuis. Shero also acquired veteran defenseman Hal Gill from Toronto for a second-round pick. Hossa, Dupuis and Gill transformed the Penguins into a top penalty-killing team, and Hossa’s 26 playoff points held fuel the Penguins’ run to the Stanley Cup final.

BANNER NIGHT

April 2, 2008: Captain Sidney Crosby scored two goals in the Penguins’ 4-2 victory against the Philadelphia Flyers at Mellon Arena. The Penguins clinched the Atlantic Division title – their first division title since the 1997-98 season. The Penguins would finish the regular season 47-27-8 with 102 points, second overall in the Eastern Conference. Another celebration at the expense of the Flyers was yet to come.

SWEET REVENGE

April 9, 2008: Looking to set a tone against an Ottawa Senators club that eliminated them from the 2007 Stanley Cup playoffs, the Penguins opened this first-round postseason rematch with a 4-0 victory at Mellon Arena. Veteran left wing Gary Roberts – the Senators’ long-time playoff nemesis – scored his lone two playoff goals, and goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury recorded the first of his three postseason shutouts. The Penguins would sweep the Senators, making for sweet revenge.

MONSTER RALLY

April 25, 2008: The New York Rangers surged to a 3-0 lead in Game 1 of an Eastern Conference semifinal series. Game over? Hardly. The Penguins rallied to tie the score and ultimately won the game on center Evgeni Malkin’s power-play goal with 1:41 remaining in regulation. Series over? Pretty much. The Rangers never recovered, and the Penguins would win the best-of-seven series, 4-1.

GO HOME, FLYERS!

May 18, 2008: An Eastern Conference final that was hotly anticipated due to the animosity between Pennsylvania’s two NHL teams was ended emphatically by the Penguins with a 6-0 win in Game 5 at Mellon Arena. Silver strands of confetti fell to the ice as time expired on the Flyers, and the Penguins celebrated their first trip to the Stanley Cup final since 1992. Captain Sidney Crosby refused to touch the Prince of Wales Trophy – an indication of his focus on the Cup.

IT’S NOT OVER-TIME

June 2, 2008: Facing elimination in the Stanley Cup final, the Penguins stormed the Detroit Red Wings early at Joe Louis Arena. But their 2-0 lead became a 3-2 deficit with 34.3 seconds remaining. That’s when forward Max Talbot – the extra attacker with goaltender Marc-Andre Fleur pulled – scored to tie it and force overtime. Nearly three full extra periods later, right wing Petr Sykora scored a power-play goal at 9:57 of triple overtime for a 4-3 win that extended the Cup final to a sixth game. Fleury starred, stopping 55 shots. The Penguins would lose the series in Game 6, but this game cemented their arrival as true championship contenders.

 

Eric Kuzmiak (Columnist) from The Bleacher Report gives his 10 Best Moments:

 

Pittsburgh Penguins’ Top 10 Most Memorable Moments of the 2007-08 Season

 

The Pittsburgh Penguins’ 2007-08 season provided fans with many great moments. Whether it was a memorable game, performance, or transaction, Penguins’ fans were never left longing for something exciting to happen (except of course when the New Jersey Devils were in town).

This is my take on what sticks out as the most memorable Penguin moments of the 2007-08 season.

10. March 9, 2008- Penguins vs. Washington Capitals

This was one of the most entertaining games of the regular season, and really the first time that you imagined a “Crosby vs. Ovechkin” best-of-seven playoff series.

The game, shown on NBC, was about as even as a game could be. Then, late in a 2-2 game, Niklas Backstrom shot a puck into his own net.

The Pens would add an empty-netter and win the game, 4-2. Crosby scored twice, Malkin had three assists, and Fleury made 38 saves.

9. March 16, 2008- Penguins vs. Philadelphia Flyers

It’s always sweet to beat the Flyers. It’s even sweeter to beat them by a six goal margin.

I was at the Igloo for this game and couldn’t have felt any better after watching the Flyers bask in the glory of winning the first four games of the season series. Somewhere deep inside, I was praying for an Eastern Conference Final that pitted these two teams against each other.

Malkin and Sykora each had four point nights, while Marian Hossa scored his first goal in a Penguins’ uniform as the Pens beat their cross-state rivals, 7-1.

8. January 3, 2008- Penguins vs. Toronto Maple Leafs

Ty Conklin earned his fifth consecutive victory, and the juggernaut that was the Penguins’ offense from January until mid-March was on full display in this game.

Evgeni Malkin recorded the first hat trick of his career, while Ruutu and Darcy Tucker dropped the mits for one of the longest, most entertaining hockey fights I have ever witnessed.

The Pens won, 6-2, but seeing Darcy Tucker bleed at the hands of the Finnish Crash took the cake as the moment of the night.

7. April 2, 2008- Penguins vs. Philadelphia Flyers

The Pens won this game, 4-2. Sid put on a dominant performance by netting a pair of goals and adding an assist. Malkin added a goal and an assist. Sergei Gonchar capped off another stellar season with a goal and two assists.

But individual statistics were the last things people wanted to read about in the game recap. On this night, the Penguins clinched the Atlantic Division title, and put themselves in position to win the Eastern Conference later in the week.

They didn’t succeed on the first place Conference finish, however, the playoffs would prove that they were the Beasts of the East.

6. May 18, 2008- Penguins vs. Flyers- Eastern Conference Final Game 5

Remember back in moment #9 when i said “it’s always sweet to beat the Flyers, but it’s even sweeter to beat them by a six goal margin”? Well, this game added “– and clinch a berth in the Stanley Cup Finals” to the end of that sentence.

The Penguins dominated every aspect of this game. After a 4-2 win in Philadelphia in Game 4, the Flyers and their fans were on top of the world. How sweet it was to see gravity grab them by the balls and slam them back to ground level.

The Pens won the game, 6-0, and advanced to the Stanley Cup Finals for the first time since the 1991-92 season.

5. April 16, 2008- Penguins vs. Senators- Eastern Conference Quarterfinal Game 4

This game fulfilled every Penguins’ player, coach, and fan’s year-long desire for revenge against the Ottawa Senators.

The Senators ran over the Penguins in the post season last year, but this year would be different.

The Penguins dominated the Senators in the series, earning the four game sweep on this night. Bryan Murray is “thtill tho upthet that my thenatorth got thwept.”

4. February 26, 2008- The Trade Deadline

Penguins’ GM Ray Shero made the biggest splash on deadline day by acquiring the biggest superstar he could get.

The Penguins lost one of the biggest fan-favorites on the team, Colby Armstrong, along with Erik Christensen, who had worked his way up through the Penguins’ minor league system before becoming a staple in the lineup for the NHL club. They also traded away newly-drafted Angelo Esposito.

Though it was hard to see some fan-favorites leave, most everyone realized that Shero had traded away Armstrong, Christensen and Espo’s potential, and a draft pick for one of the best scoring wingers in the league.

What they got in return would prove well worth what they gave up. Marian Hossa became Crosby’s right hand man, and provided the scoring touch on the wing that Sid had longed for his whole career. The Pens may have still advanced to the Finals without Hossa, but I guarantee they wouldn’t have done it so easily.

Pascal Dupuis and Hal Gill added both a veteran presence along with a much needed boost on the penalty kill. Hal Gill’s size soon led to him earning the nickname “The USS Hal Gill” from the Pensblog, indicating his resemblance to an aircraft carrier.

3. January 1, 2008- Penguins vs. Buffalo Sabres- The Winter Classic

Perhaps the biggest spectacle ever put on by the NHL was a huge success. The ice wasn’t great, but the action and the atmosphere were. Regardless of the numerous 10-minute stoppages in play to groom the ice surface, just the fact that you were watching professional hockey being played the way that hockey in general was intended to be played (basically on a frozen pond) brought about a great feeling to all fans of hockey.

Colby Armstrong scored in the opening seconds of the game, and the Sabres responded later to force an overtime, and eventually a shootout.

It seemed only fitting that the outcome of the game that was the most publicized spectacle in NHL history would ultimately be decided by the game’s biggest superstar. Sidney Crosby, newly-crowned NHL poster boy, had a chance to win the game in the final round of the shootout. The Penguins’ captain did not disappoint. He put a move on Ryan Miller that should have its own holiday, and the Pens won the Winter Classic in stunning fashion.

2. November 22, 2007- Penguins vs. Ottawa Senators

A recurring theme with this Crosby-era Penguin team over the past three seasons has been: relentlessness. Whether it means playing until the final buzzer sounds in Game 6 of the Stanley Cup playoffs, or having to come back from two separate two goal deficits on Thanksgiving night, the words “give up” don’t exist in these young Penguins vernacular.

Many people feel that this game, played on Thanksgiving night, was the turning point in the season for the Penguins. Coming into the game, they had posted a 9-11-2 record and were sitting amongst the basement dwellers of the Eastern Conference.

They fell behind by two goals on two separate occasions during this game. But each time, the Penguins refused to give up. Coming off of goals by Malkin, Kennedy, Gonchar, and two by Malone, the Penguins were able to force overtime, and then a shootout.

The Penguins were stellar in the shootout all season long. This night was no different. It was Jarkko Ruutu who pulled his patented leg kick fake forehand shot, deke to backhand out once again to propel the Penguins to victory.

They never looked back.

1. June 2, 2008- Penguins vs. Detroit Red Wings- Stanley Cup Final Game 5

By far the most memorable performance of the season for the Penguins. Their never say die attitudes emerged once again as they tied the game late in regulation, and then won it in overtime to rain on the Red Wings’ Stanley Cup parade just one more time.

Though the Game 5 performance was not enough to propel the Penguins on a comeback of epic proportions, it showed their true character. A roster filled with guys barely enough to buy their own beer played 109 minutes of hockey, and never gave up.

Maxime Talbot scored in the final 35 seconds of regulation to send the game into overtime. I guarantee you not one Red Wings fan was expecting that goal to happen, let alone coming from Mad Max.

The Penguins battled on for nearly another 50 minutes, playing with five defenseman, and mish-mashing their lines in order to get their big guns the maximum amount of ice time.

Finally, nine minutes into the third overtime, Petr Sykora made good on a called shot and gave the Penguins the victory, and life in the series.

For the rest of his career, when people talk about Marc-Andre Fleury, they will talk about Game 6 of the 08 Stanley Cup Finals. Fleury’s performance was other-worldly.

So, that’s it, the most memorable moments of the season. I would love to do a list of about 50 of the most memorable moments, but let’s face it, nobody wants to read a 20 page article.

I know there’s a lot of stuff I left out, which is why I’m hoping everyone will share their favorite memorable moments of the season by commenting at the end of the article.

2007-08 was a great ride. But, it has to come to an end sometime, and what better time than now? This is my final recap of the 07-08 season. It is time to focus on the looming offseason, and start to get ready for the drop of the puck in early October.

And as always, Let’s Go Pens.

 

Okay……….and I thought there was one I read by Bob Smizik in the Post-Gazette listing his top ten, but I can’t seem to find that one.  But…………here is a great one by Ron Cook, found in the Post-Gazette:

A scrapbook full of goals, guts ‘n’ glory

Sunday, June 08, 2008

By Ron Cook, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

 

The Penguins didn’t bring the Stanley Cup back to Pittsburgh, but, from Gary Roberts’ goal just 68 seconds into the first playoff game against Ottawa to Marian Hossa’s near-miss at the end of the final game against champion Detroit, they gave us wonderful memories that will last long after Sidney Crosby is a very old man.

See how my list compares to yours:

• Roberts’ goal, 44 days before his 42nd birthday and in only his second game back from a broken left leg and high-ankle sprain …

WWGRD? Become a cult hero, actually.

• Ryan Whitney’s fight with Ottawa’s Wade Redden in Game 1 …

No one will ever confuse Whitney with Georges Laraque, but he makes it clear to the Senators they won’t be able to take liberties with Crosby. “You earn respect by sticking up for your teammate,” said appreciative Penguins coach Michel Therrien.

• Ryan Malone’s wraparound goal with 1:02 left wins Game 2 against the Senators after the Penguins blow a 3-0 lead …

• Jarkko Ruutu’s spinning backhanded goal late in the second period of Game 4 is the series clincher against Ottawa …

That name, that sliced-and-diced face, that edge to his game make Ruutu a cult hero of Roberts-like proportions.

• Second-period goals by Ruutu and Pascal Dupuis within a 24-second span and third-period goals by Hossa and Petr Sykora in a 20-second span help bring the Penguins back from a 3-0 deficit in Game 1 against the New York Rangers …

Old friend Jaromir Jagr will say later this was when the series was decided.

• Young Jordan Staal breaks a scoreless second-period tie against the Rangers in Game 2 by chipping in a goal after a sweet pass from Evgeni Malkin, who beats Staal’s brother, Marc, a Rangers defenseman, with an otherworldly move …

• Malkin’s two goals help the Penguins win Game 3 against the Rangers and go 7-0 in these playoffs …

It’s hard to believe the goals are Malkin’s first at Madison Square Garden.

• Hossa’s all-out dive to keep the puck in the Rangers’ end in Game 5, setting up his power-play goal …

“You don’t see superstars diving for the puck like that very often,” Whitney said.

• Hossa’s Game 5 winner in overtime eliminates the Rangers …

It’s hard to say what made the old arena shake more — that goal or big Steelers nose tackle Casey Hampton jumping up and down like a kid in his first-row seat.

• Malkin’s shorthanded breakaway goal — on a slap shot, no less — freezes Philadelphia Flyers goaltender Martin Biron in Game 1 …

It was, simply, the most amazing Penguins goal of the playoffs.

• Tyler Kennedy’s spirited fight with the Flyers’ Scottie Upshall early in Game 2 after Upshall had cross-checked Kris Letang from behind late in Game 1 …

Laraque jokingly referred to Kennedy — the smallest player on the Penguins’ roster — as a “bantamweight,” then said, “I thought that fight was spectacular to see. [Kennedy] wanted to fire up the crowd. He wanted to fire up our team. That’s what he did.”

• Max Talbot, returning after missing three games with a broken foot, gets the third-period goal that finishes off the Flyers in Game 2 …

“Now I can say I did it. I could stop playing tomorrow and say I scored a game-winning goal in the Stanley Cup playoffs,” said Mad Max, whose biggest goal was yet to come.

• Sergei Gonchar dives to poke check the puck away from the Flyers’ Mike Richards on a shorthanded breakaway in Game 3 …

It was, simply, the most amazing Penguins defensive play of the playoffs.

• Staal scores two goals against the Flyers in Game 4 a day after burying his grandfather …

“It was my first funeral ever,” Staal said. The kid grew up in a hurry this spring.

• Where’s Jeff Reed when you need him? …

The Penguins trounced the Flyers, 6-0, in Game 5 to win the series. Does it get any better than beating your hated rival by a touchdown?

• Marc-Andre Fleury trips and falls taking the ice for Game 1 against Detroit at Joe Louis Arena …

It’s OK to laugh at Fleury. He laughed at himself. A priceless moment the next day: Fleury repeatedly practiced stepping on and off the ice.

• Crosby gives the Penguins life at Mellon Arena by scoring the first two goals against Detroit in Game 3 …

“What a true leader,” Talbot said. “The rest of us have no choice but to follow.”

• Brooks Orpik’s seek-and-destroy shift late in Game 3 when he drills four Red Wings in a 15-second span …

“That might have been the loudest moments I’ve heard with the crowd here,” Talbot said.

• Is Adam Hall living right or what? …

The fourth-line defensive specialist scored the winning goal in Game 3 against Detroit when he banked in a shot off goaltender Chris Osgood’s rear end and was credited with a goal in Game 5 when Red Wings defenseman Niklas Kronwall put the puck in his own net.

• Therrien’s decision to use Talbot as an extra attacker late in Game 5 with the Penguins down, 3-2 …

Talbot rewarded the faith by scoring the tying goal with 34.3 seconds left, temporarily silencing the bedlam in Joe Louis Arena.

• Sykora’s power-play winner in the third overtime …

This silenced the bedlam for the night after 109:57 of breathtaking hockey.

• The gauze in Malone’s broken nose …

He played through the pain and was on the ice for Sykora’s winning goal.

• Gonchar’s back injury …

He left Game 5 in the second period and didn’t return until the deciding power play, picking up an assist on Sykora’s goal.

• Whitney’s 50:46 of ice time in Game 5 …

And we say this guy is soft?

• Fleury’s 55 saves …

None was more spectacular than a toe save on Detroit winger Mikael Samuelsson.

• Hossa’s goal on the deflection of a Gonchar slapper with 1:27 left cuts Detroit’s lead to 3-2 in Game 6 and gives the Penguins a chance before last-second shots by Crosby and Hossa dance harmlessly through Osgood’s crease …

What? You thought this team was going to go out quietly?

• One final “Let’s Go Pens!” chant even as Red Wings captain Nick Lidstrom prepares to lift the Stanley Cup …

The fans’ message was clear:

Thanks for the terrific season, the great effort, the spilled blood and the broken bones.

Thanks for the fabulous memories.

Ron Cook can be reached at rcook@post-gazette.com.

First published on June 8, 2008 at 12:00 am