Super Bowl XLVII: Baltimore vs San Francisco (Pittsburgh: home, high school)

[WestLibertyAve]

Originally Posted by Pttsbrgher

So .... what is the Pittsburgh NASCAR team? See? No real feel for something personal to get behind in NASCAR until it's me behind the wheel!

No real athletic skill, driving around in circles = B - O - R - I - N - G ! I love the Kentucky Derby because the horses are the athletes to get behind, but an engine and manufacturer?

See I like NASCAR...but I don't get in arguments about the validity of it as a "sport" because I realize that's an uphill battle. I guess it's as much of a sport as golf or curling, although the old timers who had to race without ventilation or power steering have more of an argument than most of the drivers today who don't even know how to work on the cars that they drive. Plus, with NASCAR's rules governing body style and modifications to the chassis, and the increased cooperation between teams (due to economics), especially engine departments, even cheering for those aspects of the sport has taken a hit in recent years. There were talks about 10 years ago to put a NASCAR sanctioned track out by the airport, I believe that ultimately fell through when the developer died..I'm sure that would have spawned some interesting C-D threads each time the circuit came to The Burgh.

[jay5835]

Originally Posted by SteelCityRising

Sidney Crosby =

I'll fight both jay5835 AND alleghenyangel for him!

Sidney is definitely OMG hott, but is he gay?

Is Sidney Crosby gay? « Sidney Crosby secrets and lies. What is he hiding?

[Goodjules]

Originally Posted by greg42

This really does have a relation to Pittsburgh because of the fierce Steelers-Ravens rivalry.

But holy hell, how is Baltimore winning the votes right now? Some Ravens fans came over to stuff the ballots.

No Steelers fan can be pulling for the Ratbirds I don't think.

Now it's a tie!? What's wrong with you people? SF all the way!

[ditchdigger]

Juliegt is a nice person and a rabid 49ers fan.

I think there's a vaccine for that.







Of course, you know the Niners wouldn't have the Superbowl record they do without a Western PA kid at QB, right?



As far as this one goes, I don't much care. I guess I'd rather see SF win, but if the Ravens do, I can find some comfort in these two things--One, it'll give them a lower draft pick, and as the Steelers' conference opponents, that would be better for us, and two, when, in the future, a Baltimore fan speaks proudly about their Superbowl XLVII championship team, we'll be able to ask, Oh, you mean the team that we beat with our THIRD STRING QUARTERBACK?

[Craziaskowboi]

Originally Posted by WestLibertyAve

It's only very popular locally because the Pens have had a good run of late. You really don't have to go back that far to find a time when the arena was nearly empty every night and you couldn't give tickets away. And you don't have to go too far back beyond that to find a time when it was the hottest ticket in town and they were winning Stanley Cups. So what happens in 5-10 years when our roster isn't as sexy and they aren't winning as many games again?

You're embellishing.

Average Penguins attendance per season as measured by percent of arena capacity (1989-2010)

1989-1990: 94.6%
1990-1991: 94.0%
1991-1992: 94.4%
1992-1993: 95.1%
1993-1994: 98.7%
1994-1995: 95.1%
1995-1996: 95.9%
1996-1997: 98.5%
1997-1998: 89.0%
1998-1999: 87.5%
1999-2000: 91.2%
2000-2001: 96.4%
2001-2002: 87.9%
2002-2003: 87.1%
2003-2004: 70.1%
2004-2005: N/A (lockout)
2005-2006: 93.3%
2006-2007: 97.0%
2007-2008: 100.8%
2008-2009: 100.2%
2009-2010: 100.8%

Since the 1989-1990 NHL season, the Penguins have had one whole season in which less than seven of eight seats in the arena were full. That was during the 2003-2004 season, when the Penguins jettisoned all their best players in a massive salary dump and finished with the worst record in the NHL. Even the two non-playoff seasons before that had seven butts in every eight seats.

The variance between seasons isn't abnormally large either. Including the Penguins, there are 27 NHL teams that have been in existence since the start of the 1999-2000 season. During that time, the Penguins have averaged 93.4% of arena capacity, which is about mid-pack, with 12 teams (Boston, Colorado, Dallas, Detroit, Montreal, New York Rangers, Ottawa, Philadelphia, St. Louis, San Jose, Toronto, Vancouver) averaging more, and 14 teams (Anaheim, Buffalo, Calgary, Carolina, Chicago, Edmonton, Florida, Los Angeles, Nashville, New Jersey, New York Islanders, Phoenix, Tampa Bay, Washington) averaging less.

Furthermore, the standard deviation in percent capacity attendance for the Penguins from one season to the next is 7.0%, which is also about mid-pack, with 11 teams (Colorado, Dallas, Detroit, Montreal, Nashville, New York Rangers, Ottawa, Philadelphia, San Jose, Toronto, Vancouver) averaging a lower standard deviation, and 12 teams (Anaheim, Buffalo, Calgary, Carolina, Chicago, Edmonton, Florida, New York Islanders, Phoenix, St. Louis, Tampa Bay, Washington) averaging a higher standard deviation. Three other teams (Boston, Los Angeles, New Jersey) have an equal standard deviation.

Do not be fooled by what moron hockey fans in other cities proclaim; the Penguins went bankrupt in 1998 because of a series of bad business decisions by then-owner Howard Baldwin, and they threatened relocation in 2007 because they were promised a new arena as a condition of ownership transference to Mario Lemieux, and he was tired of waiting for it after nine years. Lemieux didn't start playing hardball until the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board rejected Isle of Capri's casino proposal at the end of 2006, which would have included a free arena for the Penguins. Neither the bankruptcy nor the relocation threat had anything at all to do with fan support, and do not let any non-Penguins fans try to tell you otherwise.

Originally Posted by WestLibertyAve

And I can't help but notice the most visual and vocal component of this new breed of fans is the 20-something demographic (which I am a part of). From the conversations I have with people about hockey (I'm not a huge fan, but I know the ins and outs of the sport), it seems like more are enamored with our current lineup than with the actual sport of ice hockey. I especially like the girls who wear all the gear and spend money on tickets but don't understand what it means to ice the puck I hope they all become fans for life and stick with the team through thick and thin, but something tells me it wouldn't take much to go back to those dark years after Jagr and Kovalev left for greener pastures.

First of all, the impact that a good hockey team can have on interest in the sport should not be underestimated. Remember the 2010 Winter Olympics? The United States actually tuned in to watch and cheer on their hockey team, and though they didn't win the gold medal, they came damn close, and there was a buzz about the sport.

On a more local level, there are a lot more kids playing hockey in the Pittsburgh area now than there were 10 or even 20 years ago. It also helps that hockey has the youngest and most educated fan base on average, and Pittsburgh is a city that's becoming younger and more educated.

As for 20-something girls not knowing the rules of hockey, they tend not to know the rules of football either, but they watch anyway. Most girls that age watch primarily because they're attracted to the QB or some other player on the team. It's not a Pittsburgh thing; it's a girl thing.

[bradjl2009]

Originally Posted by WestLibertyAve

It's only very popular locally because the Pens have had a good run of late. You really don't have to go back that far to find a time when the arena was nearly empty every night and you couldn't give tickets away. And you don't have to go too far back beyond that to find a time when it was the hottest ticket in town and they were winning Stanley Cups. So what happens in 5-10 years when our roster isn't as sexy and they aren't winning as many games again?

And I can't help but notice the most visual and vocal component of this new breed of fans is the 20-something demographic (which I am a part of). From the conversations I have with people about hockey (I'm not a huge fan, but I know the ins and outs of the sport), it seems like more are enamored with our current lineup than with the actual sport of ice hockey. I especially like the girls who wear all the gear and spend money on tickets but don't understand what it means to ice the puck I hope they all become fans for life and stick with the team through thick and thin, but something tells me it wouldn't take much to go back to those dark years after Jagr and Kovalev left for greener pastures.

We'll see how it goes in the future but in the early and mid 90s when the pens were also a really good team, the fan support wasn't anywhere near the level it is today. Even in the Stanley cup and presidents trophy seasons from 1990-93 the team didn't sellout every game nor have a 5,000 person season ticket waiting list. There are girls in every sport too that just watch because they think someone is cute.

[bradjl2009]

Gnutella you forgot the pens had a 100.9% capacity in 2010-11 and a 102.7% capacity in 2011-12.

[Craziaskowboi]

Originally Posted by bradjl2009

Gnutella you forgot the pens had a 100.9% capacity in 2010-11 and a 102.7% capacity in 2011-12.

Yeah, I compiled the data two years ago after getting sick and tired of listening to idiots from Detroit to the East Coast talk a bunch of blatantly false **** about the Penguins, the fan base and the recent history of the franchise. It was time-consuming enough that I haven't updated it since, but right now it's common knowledge that the average Penguins game is standing room only. I had no idea it jumped to 102.7% of capacity last season, though. Impressive for a bunch of supposed "bandwagon" fans coming off two consecutive seasons with early playoff exits.

[greatblueheron]

Is this still a Superbowl/football thread??
________________________________________

I just wanted to say neither coach impresses me with their attitudes. Of course, it is all about winning, so they do deserve that nod...
but still, throwing silly, childish tantrums during a game??

They both do it, so is DAD the origin? What was he like years ago, anyone know?

Love watching Kaepernick, so will support the 49ers...but like some else said (well, sorta like this), in a different thread-

I hope both coaches lose.

[hinsey86]

I am the resident Ravens fan...and Ray Lewis fan. Years ago it was Colts fan when everyone around me was a Redskins fan. Going against the grain is always a bit fun. And my husband, the Pittsburgher, is rooting for the Ravens too.