[Gotham Dark Knight]

Originally Posted by Lefty Noob

Not interested in turning this into some kind of contest, Gotham. If the fact that Patrick is an award-winner, a Hall of Famer and the architect of a two-time Stanley Cup champion doesn't convince you that the guy had merit as a GM, then I give up. We'll just have to agree to disagree on this one.

...Aaah Lefty...you had to go and ruin the party?... rain on the parade?... ...I am hurt...anyway, it wasn't me that made it a contest...you and Watts were going at it pretty good...I was just "a-watching it"...I really don't have a strong opinion on the matter...heck, okay...I'll switch sides...hey Watts...Watts...Lefty is making a comeback...look at him...the boy is on the tip of his toes...dancing Ali style...jab...jab...jab...right cross...he's got references...Watts...Watts...you got any references?...and hey this Patrick dude is a Hall of Famer to boot...can Millen say that?...see there Lefty...see me jump horses in mid stream?... ...Come on Watts...it can't end like this...can it?

[wedge]

Lefty, I say Pittsburgh should fire Patrick and hire Watts. Obviously he knows A LOT more than the GM for a hockey team who has won two stanley cups.

Of course Watts has probably won a few himself, but I don't believe the PS2 is quite the same.

[xdavidwattsx]

Originally Posted by Lefty Noob

What a one-sided look at his career.


Here's some additional info from Patrick's bio at the Pens website.

Admit it. Craig Patrick did a lot of good things for Penguins hockey.

One sided? The guy's been there 17 years and after his first three is a train ride straight to the gutter. What good moves did he pull after of 1992? Sure, he had a good first 2 or 3 years....like Gotham said, that's what makes the whole thing that much more painful. It's been 14 straight years above terrible or lackluster moves. He took them from Cup to bankruptcy in half a dozen years. That's a task not any GM can pull off. How long are you going to keep living off your legacy?

Does anyone really give the Dodgers props for finding Pedro Martinez? No, their GM gets broadsided for trading him for DeLino DeShields.

Additionally, I don't care what "good" the Penguins site has to say about him. He's an employee, it's not like are going to publicly sandbag the guy.

I think you and Mario Lemiuex need to stop drinking the Craig Patrick kool aid. It's obviously not helping the team. Weren't they in last place last I looked?

[xdavidwattsx]

Originally Posted by wedge

Lefty, I say Pittsburgh should fire Patrick and hire Watts. Obviously he knows A LOT more than the GM for a hockey team who has won two stanley cups.

Ahh, the good old fashioned "you don't know cause you aren't a [insert sports term]."

I hate to disappoint, but we're all armchair QBs here. Isn't the the actual point of a sports forum?

[Lefty Noob]

I hate to disappoint, but we're all armchair QBs here. Isn't the the actual point of a sports forum?

Yep, you've got that right. So true, so true, and that's the fun of it.

As far as Patrick goes, as I said earlier, I've rested my case. Personally, I feel like the awards, honors and Stanley Cups speak for themselves, but apparently I have failed to convince you. So we'll just have to agree to disagree on this one.

But I definitely look forward to a rematch somewhere down the road...

[Gotham Dark Knight]

Originally Posted by Lefty Noob

Yep, you've got that right. So true, so true, and that's the fun of it.

As far as Patrick goes, as I said earlier, I've rested my case. Personally, I feel like the awards, honors and Stanley Cups speak for themselves, but apparently I have failed to convince you. So we'll just have to agree to disagree on this one.

But I definitely look forward to a rematch somewhere down the road...

Its a Draw!...Its a Draw!...Watts vs Lefty I is over...its over...but look for the rematch down the road...tickets are going fast!

[xdavidwattsx]

Originally Posted by Gotham Dark Knight

Its a Draw!...Its a Draw!...Watts vs Lefty I is over...its over...but look for the rematch down the road...tickets are going fast!

No way, Frazier went down!!!

For I am David Watts. Giant Killer!

[Gotham Dark Knight]

Originally Posted by xdavidwattsx

No way, Frazier went down!!!

For I am David Watts. Giant Killer!

I believe like in Frazier-Formen I...Frazier got back up 6 times...But hey David...Look, its out of my hands man....it was a Judges decision...I had you 112-104 on my card...but Wedge had it 110-109 Lefty...and we never got us a third judge...but my man, I will be billing you as "David Watts…Theee Giant Killeeeeer"….the "Hammer of Thor"…a man among boys…hey, I'll get you another title fight man…watch me...

[xdavidwattsx]

Originally Posted by Gotham Dark Knight

I believe like in Frazier-Formen I...Frazier got back up 6 times...But hey David...Look, its out of my hands man....it was a Judges decision...I had you 112-104 on my card...but Wedge had it 110-109 Lefty...and we never got us a third judge...but my man, I will be billing you as "David Watts…Theee Giant Killeeeeer"….the "Hammer of Thor"…a man among boys…hey, I'll get you another title fight man…watch me...

Pulling it like Don King. I dig it.

Wedge was DQ'd. He got paid off.

[Lefty Noob]

Patrick is officially out as Pens GM. The AP has a great write up on it.

PITTSBURGH (AP) -- Craig Patrick made some of the best trades in NHL history. He oversaw some of the best drafts, built some of the best teams and signed some of the best players and coaches.

Consider this Hall of Fame resume: Drafted Sidney Crosby and Jaromir Jagr. Traded for Ron Francis, Joe Mullen and Larry Murphy. Re-signed Mario Lemieux so one of hockey's greatest players could play his entire career in Pittsburgh. Hired coaches Scotty Bowman and Bob Johnson.

But it was obvious, after the Penguins sank into bankruptcy for a second time in franchise history and were forced to tear apart a longtime contending team, their general manager lost his drive. Patrick's creative touch also disappeared, and many of the player and coaching decisions he made were bad ones.

...

So, after four consecutive last-place finishes, the Penguins did what once would have seemed unthinkable: They let Craig Patrick go, failing to renew a contract that expires on July 1. That Lemieux, the team's primary owner and a close friend of Patrick, would agree to such a move illustrates how far the Penguins have fallen since making the Eastern Conference final in 2001.

So was he a great GM or a terrible one? According to this, I guess the answer is... yes?

Patrick had been the longest tenured GM in any of the 4 major pro sports. So where does he go now?

[Gotham Dark Knight]

Originally Posted by Lefty Noob

Patrick is officially out as Pens GM. The AP has a great write up on it.



So was he a great GM or a terrible one? According to this, I guess the answer is... yes?

Patrick had been the longest tenured GM in any of the 4 major pro sports. So where does he go now?

Oh, where's Watt's when we need him???...Are we really going to open the "was Patrick a great GM dialog again?"... ...so be it...

[ThePundit]

I hope the Islanders interview him. Quinn, Patrick, - maybe they can coax Scotty Bowman to re-surface.

[blueandwhite]

Or Toronto. No news yet, but as of the firing of Quinn, Ferguson is open and vulnerable. he hasn't been there long, and maybe there's some long term plans - wish he'd share them with us.
Pittsburgh is hurting bad.

[pete_b]

Lefty called it almost two months ago. I just love these shake ups with the teams that don't perform. At least it means that the owners care about winning. WAY TO GO LEFTY for breaking the story. Here is the story http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/H/HKN_PENGUINS_PATRICK?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE =DEFAULT&CTIME=2006-04-21-04-43-16