Mario Retires

[Don Wassall]

I had hoped Mario would finish out the current season before retiring. But he has always been a very private person and chose (again) not to go out with lots of acknowledgement and ceremony. That's his style but this is still a very sad day.

By any objective measure Mario Lemieux is one of the top five talents ever to play in the NHL. Without his numerous health problems he would be close to many of Wayne Gretzky's career scoring marks, maybe even have surpassed some of them.

Mario was a genius on the ice, seeing and anticipating plays as only a very few have ever been able. Let's hope the city "leaders" of Pittsburgh finally do the right thing and get a new arena built, which would cement Mario's legacy as a player and owner.

 

[Don Wassall]

It's always tough to lose an all-time great in any sport. I remember when Mario came to Pittsburgh at age 18 after being drafted by the Penguins. He knew almost no English, and transformed himself into not only a great player, but a team owner. Not bad for someone who never finished high school. He has been an admirable role model for all white athletes and sports fans.

Here's a few links from The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette after he announced his retirement:

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/06025/643758.stm

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/06025/643800.stm

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/06025/643767.stm

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/06025/643798.stm

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/06025/643799.stm

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/06025/643681.stm

 

[Realgeorge]

Mario, We Miss You!


Mario was the greatest. He was hockey's immovable object, a huge NFL Tight-end playing hockey, but with great hands and god-like instincts. He was impossible to move off the puck, and no one ever did so. I'm a huge Wayne Gretzky fan, but recognize that Wayne was surrounded by major talent and well protected by hockey's most sadistic goons.


Mario needed no protection, except maybe from the horded of autograph hounds that dogged him in his early years. The 1991-5 Penguins units I think were the best of all time, and Mario of course was the ringleader.


Mario is quite gentlemanly, standing out in the sporting world that's filled with self-aggrandizers. I hope he is able to cobble together a rescue plan for the Penguins. I think the white hockey fan population of Antrhacite Region deserves as much.


Lastly: Mario made the careers of all sorts of teammates. Tom Barrasso, Jaro Jagr,Kevin Stevens,Ulf and KjellSamuelson, Rick Tocchet, and even Ron Francis had their finest hours playing alongside Super Mario.


Don W's tributes to Mario, listed above, are excellent tribute to a fine sporting and hockey gentlemen. But a Moose on the ice! Super Mario !!Edited by: Realgeorge

 

[speedster]

Mario was the absolute best one on one.He would totally undress the goaltender.Gretzky on the other hand had some problems on breakaways,but seeing Mario swoop down on the opposing goalie all alone,give it up it's in.I'll never forget how he turned Raymond Bourque inside out in one playoff game and went in and scored a great goal.As far as the best team of all-time.The Habs 75-79.

 

[Realgeorge]

Howdy Speedster ! Excellent Analysis !


I liked the Canadiens of the mid-1970s as well. Guy Carbonneau, Steve Shutt, Cournoyer and Guy Lafleur come to mind. The long list of heavy hitters reminds me of the Penguins great teams of the 1990s. It's curious why such dominant talent no longer coagulates in Montreal, what with the Big Money being paid in salaries.


There's a fellow in my bowling league named "Lapointe", and his forever nickname, despite his protestations, is "Guy". The real Guy Lapointe is an obscure Hab compared to the flashy forwards but the backbone and cement of the greatest Blueline corps in NHL history. I read that he garnered six Stanley Cup rings.


Many of us hope Mario Lemieux has one more miracle in his pocket, that one being getting the Pennsylvania political maggots to approve a new stadium and keep the Penguins in town.

 

[speedster]

Guy Lapointe was somewhat under-rated but when your teammates are Robinson and Savard and throw in fellow D-guys like Orr,Park and Potvin someone is going to get less write-ups.Regardless Lapointe was a solid two-way defenceman who could really score and still holds the Hab record for most goals buy a blueliner with 28.A deserving Hall-of-famer.One final note.I wonder if Mario considers himself a better hockey-player than Lafleur.When Mario was a kid The Flower was his hero.