Locked On Penguins - Daily Podcast On The Pittsburgh Penguins - Locked On Penguins 1/27-A tribute to Kobe Bryant, plus thoughts on all-star weekend

Episode Date: January 27, 2020

In this episode of Locked On Penguins, Hunter starts the show with a heartfelt tribute to Kobe Bryant and how much he meant to him after he passed away yesterday in a helicopter crash. He then recaps all-star weekend and offers up his thoughts on everything that happened, including Alexander Letang stealing the show. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Hello and welcome to today's episode of the Locked-on Penguins podcast. I'm, of course, your host, Hunter Hodes. Follow me on Twitter at Hunter Hodes. Follow the show's Twitter, L at L-O-U-U-U-Score Penguins. We have a lot to get to today. We'll talk about All-Star Weekend, you know, how it was kind of a bit of a dud, outside of Alexander Chris LaTang, Alexander, Chris Letang's son, stealing the show a lot.

That was probably the cutest thing, and the women's three-on-three. was awesome, but the game overall was just a dud. But, you know, I'd be remiss if we didn't start off today's podcast because, you know, we all know this is an episode, I mean, this is a show about Pittsburgh Penguins, a daily thing that's going on with them. But, you know, I'd be remiss if I didn't start today's show with about, of course, the tragic, tragic loss of Kobe Bryant yesterday, one of the top 10 best players of all time. The second best player, probably of our generation, of course, died in the helicopter

crash and um you know this is a death i think for many many people you know myself included that you know you're going to know exactly what you were doing um when he ultimately of course passed away you know i think a lot of people could say that you know for you know of course way back when you know john lennon passed away and how big that was you know maybe something jimmy hendricks you know Muhammad ali if you want to compare it to sports uh you know neil perr obviously just passed away a couple weeks ago for music, but you're just, you're going to know exactly what you were doing when Kobe Bryant, unfortunately, of course, passed away in the helicopter crash. And this is, you know, I'm not going to be afraid to admit it. I was a mess yesterday. I probably cried more times than

I could remember. And, you know, you're allowed to do that even though if you don't know someone personally that passes away. You know, there's, it's not really, you know, some people might like to say, you know, oh, well, you know, you're making it about you if you like post stuff and about like your, your personal experiences with like, you know, like how he like meant so much to even though you never met him or like really knew him. And it's like, that's not really it at all. You just show some compassion. You know, Kobe Bryant had such a massive effect on my life as a younger kid, you know, I mean, especially me. I don't think a lot of people know this. I grew up a Los Angeles Lakers fan. You know, I said that we're taking me to Wizards games.

You know, I really wasn't a fan of them. Kobe Bryant was one of the players that I grew up watching. Of course, like I said, I loved the Lakers. You know, I remember exactly where I was when you had the 81-point game against the Raptors in 2007. I was up in Philadelphia visiting family. I stayed up a little later than I should have watching the game. And, you know, I woke up the next morning and saw the rest of the highlights.

And, you know, I just put a big smile on my face. You know, I obviously, I played basketball as a young. kid and even though I don't follow the NBA as much anymore I kind of feel out of love with it I did it when I was a really younger kid and Kobe was just such an she was just such an inspirational player you know just how good he was you know you always had when I was always play with my friends outside playing a pickup game of basketball in my neighborhood you know we'd always say you know last shot and then whoever would put it out be like all right Kobe for the win and then whoever made it we'd all just go crazy like oh my god you're Kobe Bryant just

won the game. It was just, that's, that's how much he meant to, like, all of us. And he was just, I'm trying to get through this without, you know, crying or anything, because, you know, last night there was obviously a lot. But, you know, when I played as a younger kid, you know, when I played in all those youth basketball leagues, you know, I strive to be as good as he was because I saw just how good he was on the court, what he could do, his dunks, his shooting, the three-point accuracy. The way he broke, I think, the Lakers record for most consecutive free throws. He still has the second most points of all time in NBA history.

It's just what he was able to accomplish and then what he was able to do was just nothing short of unbelievable. He was gone way too soon. And, you know, let's not forget that, you know, there's also eight other people, of course, that passed away. and his daughter, 13-year-old daughter, who was, you know, probably could have played in the WNBA if she kept going where she was going because Kobe was such a massive influence

and, you know, just getting her to, you know, just keep playing. And, you know, I feel so much, I extend my thoughts and prayers to the bride family, his wife, Vanessa, and the rest of their children. And then, of course, I send my thoughts and prayers to everyone else who died on that crash, the pilot, the family, of course,

of one of Kobe's daughter's teammate. It was just, I couldn't believe it when I just saw the news. I wish the NBA kind of would have canceled all the games yesterday, considering it just looked like none of the teams, like when I was seeing on Twitter, it looks like none of the teams could even play. They were just so, you know, obviously shell-shocked by the news as everyone else was. You know, I loved how in a couple of the games, the Raptors and the Spurs, they took the shock-cock down all 24 seconds for their first possession.

in honor of Kobe. I thought that was an unbelievable great gesture. I loved that so, so much. It's just, I'm just, I'm almost had a loss of words for it because he was just such an inspiration. You know, I just, I still remember also watching his final game, that 60-point game just a few years back when I was still in high school, believe it or not, I didn't care.

I stayed up all game to watch that all night to watch that game. and I had a few tears at the end of that game. And if you guys want to watch that game, ESPN is actually going to be televising the game. Tonight at 9 p.m. Eastern, you know, we scored 60 points, his final NBA game. They're going to rear it. So great job by ESPN to do that, honor Kobe, some more. And, yeah, I'm not going to get into some of the, you know, the ruthless tweets that I saw yesterday from people. You know, there's people in their mentions that are giving them a bunch of heat and rightfully so.

but I do want to say this now that of course that this happened, you know, please hug your loved ones, especially tight, you know, every single day. You know, every day is a gift. You're never really promised tomorrow.

Just if you have a grudge with someone in your family, you know, just let that shit go and just love them because you never know what can happen. You know, you never know if today's going to be your last day. Just, you know,

every day on this, earth that you're alive is a gift you should always always remember that you know surround yourself to people that you love to your friends your family tell all of them that you love them every single day because you know you just you never know when it's going to be potentially ripped away from you and something like this could happen so i just i really wanted to hem home um that point um but you know rest in peace cobi bryant rest and peace to everyone who tragically died and that accident we will miss each and every one of you on on this earth it's just I'm trying my I'm sorry I'm just trying my hardest you know not to break down and start crying again

because I'm just I hope the Lakers you know go out and win it for Kobe this year and you know for all you people that still in school you know you still throw the you still do the air shots with the trash going to the trash can yelling Kobe you know keep that shit going you know That was the thing when I was in school. You know, we'd always, you know, fold up a piece of paper, throwing in the trash can, you know, countdown three, two, one, and yelling Kobe, right as you're throwing it in, you know, that was something I absolutely loved growing up, I'm doing all the time. So if you're still in school, keep doing that or, you know, just keep doing that in general,

you know, this just makes me want to go out and just, you know, just be back home, honestly and just go shoot some hoops at my, on my basketball hoop that I've had since I was a kid. But I just really wanted to start out the show with this. That was probably one of the most hard days. I think we've all had to go through with Kobe Bryant's passing. If you were really like a, even if you really weren't a big NBA fan, you just knew how much Kobe meant to so many people that didn't even get the chance to know him personally, you know, or meet him.

And, yeah, just, you know, rest in peace, you know. My thoughts and my prayers are with all of Kobe Bryant. family and all the families of all the victims that passed away in the crash. All right. So now with that, with that, out of the way, I just really wanted to get to that to start out the show. That was just really important to me with what happened yesterday. Of course, we had the NHL All-Star Game this weekend.

We had the skills competition. I thought the skills competition was okay to watch. You know, of course, we all know who stole the show this weekend. Alexander Latang, Chris Latang's seven-year-old son. It's hard to believe that he's seven to the three. this point. I still can't believe, you know, just a few years ago, that he was only around four, I think, when the Penguins, like four to five, when the Penguins won, that's the 2016 Stanley Cup. So, yeah, he's, he looks like he grew up quite a bit, but it was great to see them

have a great, um, a father-son time. You know, it looked like that. Alex was having such a fun time. And, you know, I loved that, um, he was interviewing all the, um, you know, the players, such as Tritian Jari. I think Michelle Kukkiolo of, I think if I mispronounce her last name, I apologize. She writes for the Penguins official website. Peth Peninsons. That's scoop. She was like whispering in his ear to ask what questions to ask Jari. Like, how do you enjoy, how do you enjoy it? Thought that was really funny. I loved how he was answering questions for Tanger at the press conference. That was really, really funny that I loved how he was playing pass with it. It looked like Mitch Marner on the ice. Victor Hedman was passing him to puck.

at times. It just looked like he was having an absolute blast, and I think that's something that, of course, he's never going to forget that for as long. As, you know, for as long as he lives, that just looked like he was just having such a fun time. But, and then, you know, he kept joking apparently with everyone, like, I'm going to take your job.

I'm going to take your job. So, you know, when 2030 comes around everybody, and, you know, Alexander Latang is he, what, seven right now, so 10 more years. Maybe, yeah, maybe when he's about almost 18 years old, you know, he could be coming for some of the penguin's jobs. So, you know, they have that to look forward to. I thought that was really funny.

I thought the, I was surprised that McDavid did not win the fastest skater competition. It was won, of course, by that few barsell. That was a big shock to me that he won that. You know, I was able to get one right with Shea Weber winning the hardest shot. I know John Carlson had a really hard one. I was trying to repeat as champion, but also, you know, it's Shea Weber. You know, he has an absolute canon of a shot. and I mean a canon.

So, he definitely brought that too. The women's three-on-three game, I thought that was the best part of the weekend, honestly. That game was a lot of fun to watch. You know, outside of, you know, that and the Squirrels competition was, you know, mostly a little bit boring, you know, especially the All-Star game, which we'll get to. I thought that was kind of a joke this weekend. But, yeah, the women's three-on-three, it actually looked like they were trying. You know, we all know the U.S. and Canada, the women's teams, they don't really, you know,

like each other too much. but, you know, it looks like they were truly going toe to toe with each other. Both goaltenders on both squads were making some really, really impressive saves. I really liked what I was seeing from both goaltenders, and, you know, there's a lot of good chances. But, of course, Canada was able to come away with the win. You know, it was glad to see, you know, they shook hands after, you know, I was glad to see, you know, Amanda Kessel, as we call her here in Pittsburgh. She was having a, I thought she had a good game.

Hillary Knight, of course, for the United States. But yeah, they need to include, I think, the women's, those women's teams more, I think, going forward in skills competitions. Or maybe even put them in the All-Star game as well. You know, I think that would be great as well. I liked how Tomah Trudele came out in the skills competition wearing a Justin Bieber mask. That was absolutely hysterical.

Hopefully another player does that again next year. The breakaway thing, the most consecutive season, saves, that was okay. But honestly, it was just, it was just kind of dull, you know, it just, you know, it was really funny to see St. Louis giving Patrick Kane, all the booze. As you know, they expected, you know, they were expected to considering how much damage. Patrick Kane has done to Blues and the Blues and their fans over the years. He has just tortured that poor franchise for many years to come, though.

You know, they did beat them, the Hawks in the playoffs series just a few years back. But, you know, the hatred will obviously never go away. that Kane, I think, won the last competition. I think it was, I think this was one what actually, Sidney Crosby had beginning, Malkin, the Penguins actually pitched it to the NHLs when, you know, they're firing pucks from all the way up into the stands, like kind of near a, like the concourse area,

like really close to it, and they're just firing pucks there trying to get points or whatever. So I think, yeah, it was the Key Bank Challenge the Penguins did. That's right. And the Penguins were first to do that. I mean, the Enchal adopted that idea, And, you know, Patrick Kane won it. So, you know, obviously, they did not.

Fans are not liking that. But, you know, on to the All-Star game as a whole. I actually thought it was pretty much a joke this weekend. It was just, it was just not fun to watch. And, you know, Gary Batman, of course, has his comments. Like, you know, it's a big, it's an interrupting thing, you know, when we send the players to the Olympics. It's like, it's like, every, it's like, why would you not want the players to go represent

their home teams? Oh, grow your sport because you're the commissioner of the NHL. I know Adam Silver of the NBA would probably do it. I wish Adam Silver was running the NHL because he's actually a damn good commissioner. But, you know, I think it also goes back to the owners and, you know, Bettman kind of being their little PR guy a little bit and saying what they all like. But, you know, hopefully at some point they go back to the Olympics or something. Because, you know, this all-star game, it was just, it almost just does nothing to promote this.

I know the three on three is cool, you know, it makes the game exciting, but, man, some of those three-on-threes were just, you know, a little bit boring. You know, I mean, no one tries in the All-Star game. You know, no one cares. They just skate around, you know, like, ha, ha, ha, we're just skating around, not really doing anything. So it's just, it's whatever, I guess, you know. And also, really good, a funny thing about the All-Star game. Where people, were Penguins fans, were some Penguins fans really on Twitter getting mad at Chris LaTang being a minus four during the first? Brickin' All-Star game, man.

Man, some of these Chris LaTang haters, it just, whoof, it was, they weren't trolling either, which was weird. And, you know, and I get it. You know, the All-Star game is a joke. No one tries. It's dumb. But, you know what? You don't have to give Chris Latang crap because, like, he, oh, wow, he was a minus four.

It's like, you know, they lost in the opening round. You know, it's really, it's not a big deal. You'll wake up the next day. You'll wake up the next day. The sun will shine the next day. and everything will be okay. So I didn't really understand that. But now the All-Star break is over,

we get back into action this week. Yeah, that's really all the thoughts I had on All-Star Weekend, I guess, you know, just kind of a dull time. It looked like, I mean, the players, you know, I could definitely tell it was missing players, you know, like Matthews, Ovechkin, Crosby, Malkin, you know, just all the, a lot of the big time, you know, talent, of course, was just not there.

some franchise superstars. He was definitely missing that beef. But, yeah, just kind of dull. Hopefully at some point the Penguins will get one of these All-Star games. They have still not had one in the Sindu-Krosby area. I think that's the last thing that David Morehouse, apparently what I read from the Athletic said, that he would like to get before Crosby and Malkin retire and call it quits.

So there's not really too much else going on in Penguin Land right now. Very, very quiet, you know, as the Penguins, of course, begin overall their by-week as it starts today. The Penguins will be back at practice. It looks like on Thursday before they host the Philadelphia Flyers on this coming Friday. Then, of course, they will play the Washington Capitals for the first time this season on their 52nd game. It's, believe it or not, it is weird. It's just insanely weird that the Penguins and Capitals will begin their four-game series,

the first of four games at the 52nd game of the season. It usually never happens. That game will be on Super Bowl Sunday in Washington, DC and also the Penguins have also not played the Hurricanes yet at all. They played them four times in March. But there was a really good article on the athletic today from Josh Yoey, who interviewed Jim Rutherford this morning. You know, he talked a lot.

Josh talked a lot about, you know, what he's looking for at the deadline. You know, just, and I'm not going to spoil all of it, you know, because, you know, you guys got to subscribe to it. But, you know, you know, he's, Jim, Jim is ready to make a deal, basically, is what I got out of it. You know, he doesn't really mind. if it's a rental forward or if it's a to play a return you know they're just looking to make a deal and obviously you know they want to have the right cost to acquire they want to make sure you know they're not overpaid you know yada yada yada

so you know it looks like the penguins are considering all their options at this point and you know what why couldn't you with just how good you know and just um what the hell was i talking about oh yeah you know and why couldn't you with all the options available such as you know with chris cried or yeah you know And even Jim actually said, you know, sometimes he prefers a player that expires since, you know, that gives them cap relief. But, you know, I'll be curious to see if they do have to trade their first-trump pick. I know Jim is sometimes not one and two in the past because he liked a draft. But you know what? When you have Cindy Crosby and Nogdenny Monk and, you know, who cares?

Trade the first-tron pick if you have to. It's not the end of the world. You're in it to win now. You win a fourth cup. You know, you're almost in the immortality stage. You know, three is awesome. But four, that's, you know, that's immortality stage. That's even more of a legend stage for your two franchise superstars.

And I think for four Cups for Ganyi Malkin, I think that would be the most cups ever by a Russian player. Yeah, yeah, it actually would be. You know, right now he's tied with Federov and Laryonov for the most Stanley Cup for Russian players with Stanley Cup. So a fourth Stanley Cup for Malkin would be the only Russian of all Russians that play in the NHO to have. Forced Emily Cup. So yeah, definitely the immortality stage. It also looks like, you know, I'll tease just one more thing with the article. You know, it looks like to Jim Rutherford is not really interested in acquiring a defenseman.

He says, you know, he likes his defensive corpse. You know, of course, you know, with Brian Duhmwin coming back. Justin Schultz is probably going to be back this Friday. I think Dumblin is going to follow very, very shortly. You know, maybe coming back for the game against the Capitals of the week after. But, of course, he has to start practicing because Schultz has already been practicing with the team. They just decided to hold him out for the game against the Flyers. before the buy week.

So yeah, definitely go check that article by Joshua. You know, Jim talks a lot about, you know, what he wants to give up. What he's looking for. He said, you know, like, you know, he's ready to make a deal. You know, the deadline is four weeks from today. So we're getting closer and closer. You know, a trade could happen and, you know, virtually any time now that Kall Star Break is over.

So I think if there was a roster freeze or whatever, that is now up. And, you know, I think that may do it for today's episode of Locked on Manglins It's a nice, you know, short and sweet episode. There really wasn't too much else to talk about that's really just going on in Penguin Land today. So I hope you guys enjoyed this episode. Please be sure to like and subscribe on whatever platform you listen to this podcast on. And we'll be back with another episode coming tomorrow for the Lockdown Penguin podcast. So look for that then.

I think we'll have some more guests coming towards later the week to preview Penguins Capitals especially. I may have Nicole on at some point to also preview that. though we're going to be watching the game together this weekend. So that'll be fun. That will be very, very fun, as long as well as with the Super Bowl. So take care, everyone, and I'll talk to you guys tomorrow.