One Last Ride

Mellon Arena
Mitchell and Ritchey
Photograph courtesy of Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh

I won’t have time to post tomorrow, as I’ll be rushing to get home from work and head down to the Igloo, so I decided to post this now.

Click here for a Youtube that was done beautifully (not by me of course)

Tomorrow will be the beginning of the end – the last Penguins Home Opener at Mellon Arena. I face the end with mixed feelings. I’ve been stating for months that it will be bittersweet and as the time grows nearer, it’s all too true. I will miss the old gal terribly, even though I look forward to a modern new arena where I can actually have leg room.

But there is so much that I will miss, so many good times and bad, that have been a huge part of my life. During past thirty-six years I have journeyed onto the hill more times than I can count. If I could count them, I promise I wouldn’t post them all. I’ll just highlight some memories.

My first concert was to see Tony Orlando and Dawn. I was just a baby so I don’t actually remember it, and my mother took me. She failed to take me to see Elvis, though, because she said I was too little. I don’t get her reasoning here and still hold it against her. Ice Follies, Ice Capades, Disney On Ice and getting those glow in the dark necklaces to wear, themed flashlights to wave and eating way too much junk food-all good times! My mom’s friend, Johnny, used to always get me the best seats because I was a spoiled brat (still am).

And then there was one of the biggest moments in my life. Summer. 1987. Pink suede, fringed jacket and big, Big, BIG, frosted hair. Bon Jovi, Slippery When Wet tour. Oh. My. God. What a great night. The man flew over the crowd. Can you even comprehend what that did to me??? I still remember it like it was yesterday. Cinderella opened up for them and someone from CCR joined Jon and the boys on stage to do a rendition of “Drift Away,” which of course became one of my favorite songs forever after. My aunt, Arlette, took Kim, Kristie and me. In retrospect, we probably all should mail her a thank you note for putting up with three screaming, obnoxious, horny teenaged girls for a whole night.

But the main part of my Igloo experience of the years has been my Penguins. It took me a few years to convince my mom to take me to a game but on March 27, 1987, she finally gave in. It was against the Philadelphia Flyers. Thankfully, one game was all it took for her to get addicted to hockey and that was the start of many games and memories:

The Atmosphere

The smell of Nachos, mixed with the smell of beer, combined with the smell of sweat – most people would find this repugnant, but to me it smells like home. Those seats where the concrete pillar hides some of the ice? I’ve had the opportunity to sit there. I look at the banners hanging from the rafters of the Stanley Cup Championship years every time I set foot in the arena. Mario and Briere’s retired jersey banners hang alongside the flags. The Ring of Honor brings tears to my eyes. Teams having to cross each other on their way to the locker room from the bench (and vice versa) has resulted in many “incidents” over the years. Crowded concourses where you shuffle along because the crowd moves like a snail has lent itself towards getting to know people a little too well at times.

The People

The cotton candy guy. The guy who used to dress as Elvis. The Penguin lady who holds up her big penguin statue and wears the goofy headgear and Im afraid I will turn into her one day….yeah that lady. The guy who started with his friends going shirtless and writing PENS letters on their chest then hung on by himself with his bare chested N while his other friends drifted away. John Barbaro. Jeff Jimmerson. Vince Lascheid. Iceburgh (the coolest mascot in the world). The horrible house band they had for a few years. Every usher and concession stand worker I have met and spoken to over the years has been a joy to deal with. Every annoying person I got stuck sitting in front of who screamed in my ear or talked nonstop and every kid who kicked the back of my seat through the whole game, everyone who was there with me: I love you all!

The Moments

My first game. My first playoff game. My first Stanley Cup finals game. My first Stanley Cup finals win. Getting Chili from Wendy’s when the Pens scored seven goals and the “Chili! Chili!” chant that started after the sixth goal. Getting my face painted for the first time (yes I am one of those people). Losing my voice from screaming (only to get it back again the day of the next game and losing it all over again). My memories of the last time I saw Lemieux skating on the Igloo's ice. Had I known then it would be the last time I saw him wearing the sweater and skates I would have savored it even more. That wonderful March night against Buffalo when 66 came out to tell us that "Your Pittsburgh Penguins will remain right here in Pittsburgh where we belong." That night gave me chills like no other. The night I didn't just get misty eyed but I cried huge tears, was the first game after Lemieux announced his retirement. I knew then that I would never see him skate in the NHL again. It was one of the saddest moments of hockey.

I may very well cry tomorrow night. It won't be the first time in the Igloo. It won't be the last. Im sure the emotion will be high with the raising of the banners, but it will be the last time I see them raised in that old barn. I will be there for the last Pens game come hell or highwater. If Im dead, I have left instructions to take my body ala' Weekend at Bernies and prop me up in my seat.

But as I said before...this is the beginning of the end. Call it the Civic Arena. Call it the Mellon Arena. Call it the Igloo. It's been Home to me.

More Randomness

In my last post, I completely forgot about KDKA's weathermen. The reason could be that we, as Burghers, tend to not think of any weathermen other than Joe DiNardo. He is the mark that every other weatherman (or woman) will get measured by. No one comes close. But KDKA does have some damn good men in their Severe Weather Center:

Dennis Bowman - Smart man. Left WPXI and headed over to KD Country. Don't know why but a couple of times he's had some stubble like he forgets to shave or something. It works for him. He's also an accomplished ventriloquist, so, if he's not sure about the weather, maybe he can throw his voice on to someone else and blame them.

Jeff Verszyla - Chief Meteorologist. He came aboard KDKA in 1996. It's hard to believe it's been that long! He's not quite as Yum! as Jory, but certainly makes my weather watching more pleasant!

John Burnett - host of the former Evening Magazine and co-hosted Pittsburgh 2 Day with Patrice. He wasn't born in Pittsburgh, but he does so much for the community and has been here so long that we'll forgive him. I love how he always talks about his wife, Debbie. It feels like she's part of the KD Team as well.

In other KD news.....Jennifer Antkowiak Returns!!! Yay!! How cool is it that I had lamented over her leaving on my Sept 15 post and less than a week later she's back! I love Jen! She's had over 37 children (okay, it was only 5 but it seemed like she was pregnant a lot more than that). She'll be doing the morning anchor slot which may actually make me wake up earlier just to see her smiling face. Welcome Back, Jen!

The Men of KDKA

The men of KDKA. (No other introduction needed)

Jon Delano – I don’t like him. That’s all Im gonna say because he detracts from my KDLove.

Ross Guidotti and Ralph Ianotti-For the longest time I got these two mixed up. Noooo. They do not look alike. It’s just their names. But here is the lowdown on each: Ross plays and coaches hockey. Gotta love him for that right there. Next up, he served in the USMC. Semper Fi, dude, Semper Fi. He’s always on top of the reports. He also has the thickest head of hair I believe I’ve ever seen. Now Ralph, not so much the thickest hair. But what he lacks on top he makes up for in heart. He handles “Crime Stoppers” which, of course is another segment of KDKA I love. He’s one of the first on the scene of any major story. He’ll be in Washington county then BAM! he’s in Westmoreland.

Stacy Smith – The man had polio as a kid and couldn’t even walk until he was 3 or 4 years old. At one time he was virtually paralyzed from the disease and could barely move except for his eyes. Did he roll over and decide to collect SSI for the rest of his life? Never contribute to society? Hells NO! He’s on the board of directors for Harmarville Rehab and belongs to the 3 Rivers Council for Independent Living. What. A. Guy. Invincible.

David Highfield – The hometown boy. The boy next door. The boy who is not afraid to get wet and muddy during a flood to get the news out. He is Robin minus the lame tights.

Jory Rand – Yum! I don't even mind when he fills in for Bob Pompeani. Yum! Gorgeous and he played hockey growing up? ‘Nuff said. Did I mention Yum? If you don't have HD...get it. He looks even better in HD. I know that this section on Jory is not much other than me mooning over him, but YUM!

Dave Crawley – he makes everywhere KD Country. Every story has a cute little rhyme. I just love those segments.

Harold Hayes – He’s been on KDKA even longer than Patrice! 1979. He’s a staple of my KD viewing. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve seen him doing a story standing in the rain with his glasses all wet and you know he can’t see a damn thing, yet he keeps reporting for us. He is rock solid.

Paul Martino – Has a band called “The Mystic Knights”. Paul covers everything but when there was political shit going down you just knew he would be there. I sometimes think he, Pompeani and Ken Rice are brothers separated at birth.

Bob Allen – This guy is just a great big teddy bear. You just want to hug him when you see that big smile. I just love when it’s snowing out and he wears that fedora. Many times you don’t get to actually see him when his story is on. You just hear his calm, reassuring voice. That's okay though. I can see his big smile through his voice.

Jim Lokay – Ok, I admit, Im not awake to watch him when he does the traffic in the morning. But if I did wake up in time to watch the tellie, I would turn him on. He’s also on during other segments and I have to say I like him. How could I not? He has a German Shepherd Dog.

Marty Griffin – I know he thinks he’s Clark Kent with those glasses and Im assuming Kristine thinks he’s Superman. Marty is on the lookout for us. He’s not afraid to get in somebody’s face when he investigates a case. You can just tell the bad guys hate him when he busts them. You never know when and where Marty is gonna pop up. So, if you’re doing something shady you better watch out! He’ll getcha!

John Shumway – I so very much miss the days of John and Larry Richert in the mornings. Those were the days I had to get up at like 6 am to get to work. These two made me wake up earlier just so I could watch their antics. John is still on the radio with Larry on KDKA in the mornings and I still listen, cracking up laughing the entire time (which anyone who knows me knows it is very hard to get me to even crack a smile in the mornings). Don’t let his good nature fool you though. He’s one of the best reporters on KD and can be all business when he has to be.

Bob Pompeani - Man knows more about sports than anyone else in the world. National, International or Local. He knows his stuff. At the same time, he got an award from PBA in 1998 for their Professional Image Award. He got an award from a beauty school? I recently saw him and his family on the Subway 5 Dollar footlong commercial and I almost peed my pants laughing. I only saw it once and haven’t seen it again. I think it should be played at least every hour. He deserves a superhero name all his own, and he already has one: The Pomp.

And then there is my man….

Ken Rice – Let’s face it…no other man can have eyebrows like that and come off as sexy as he does. Ken is always the consummate professional, but with a human touch and a great sense of humor. I think he is on KDKA all day long and never sleeps. Hometown High-Q is better than Jeopardy. He can deliver some of the funniest quips and never crack a smile, which just makes it all the more hilarious. Recently, during the shootings at LA Fitness, he was the man. You could tell he was furious with the shooter and the senselessness of the violence. At the same time he looked heartbroken for the victims and their families. Yet he stayed professional. Gave us the news as it broke but cautioned us that all details were not verified and not to jump to conclusions. It was some of the best work I’ve ever seen and I was so proud to be a KD watcher even though my heart was breaking at the tragedy unfolding. He is Batman. Not just my opinion. This is the truth. He really is Batman!

The Women of KDKA

Following up on my post from almost a month ago (I've been busy and I'm a procrastinator, what else can I say?) here are some of the reasons I love KDKA. We'll start with the women:

Brenda Waters – “Have a Positive Day.” That’s her signoff for her weekend reports. How many times have I watched a segment of hers and busted out crying?

Mary Robb Jackson – We won’t fault her for having started off at WPXI, now will we? Mary Robb more than made up for it when she used to do Weekend Magazine-I miss that show! Yet another breast cancer survivor who is a leading woman in Pittsburgh and continues to do her part to raise awareness about the issue. Honorary Chairperson of the Pink Ribbon Roundup this year which will benefit the Susan G. Komen foundation, http://www.pinkribbonroundup.org/friday.html

Alison (with one L) Morris – she’s a newbie having only been at KDKA for four years. Once a Wall Street reporter for CNBC, she got smart and moved to Pittsburgh. Perky, blonde, cute, marathon runner, ugh! The fact that she’s a huge hockey fan makes up for these last few faults. She’s got that rough, sultry voice that will have many a men tuning in.

Jennifer Antkowiak - Why, Jen? Why did you leave? I'm still hurt!!!!

Trina Orlando – the newest of the newbies. I wasn’t sure about her at first, but Im starting to like her. Another local girl from Westmoreland County who made her way back home. She’s covering her home beat as the Westmoreland County Bureau Chief now that Mary Berecky has left us. She’s not just another bit of fluff and I can see her being on KDKA for years to come.

Kristine Sorensen – one half of the KDKA sweethearts. She and Marty Griffin are married and have 2 little, mini reporters running around their house. Hope they are being groomed for a future at KDKA. She has those all-American girl next door looks but don’t be fooled! She’s as accomplished as they come. She’s now anchoring Pittsburgh Today but can also hold her own with Ken Rice when needed in the evening. She has such an open, honest smile, I can’t help but trust her.

Yvonne Zanos – she’s looking out for all of us with her consumer reports! I’ve been tempted to buy many TV infomercial items, but when Yvonne asks “Does it really do that?” and then tells me “NO!” I stay away. She’s not just trying to save us money, but looking out for our safety as well. I love, love, love, her segments.

Dr. Maria Simbra – if Yvonne is looking out for our safety, Dr. Maria is looking out for our health. It’s easy to see why Fred Honsberger is stalking her. She has looks that are unique but she’s not just window dressing. For goodness sakes! How many degrees and accomplishments does one woman need? Doctor (Neurologist with degrees in both biology and chemistry), reporter, teacher, wife, new mother, charity volunteer….Im tired just writing about her! It’s too bad she’s a neurologist because I want Dr. Maria as my family doctor!

And I’ve saved the best for last:

Patrice King Brown – My God! The woman hasn’t aged a day since she started in 1978. Did you get that??? 1978!!! Thirty one years ago! She looks younger than I do! We should all want to hate her for it, but she is so good and pure that you just can’t. Matching her ageless face is her timeless style. You could dress her in a dirty sack and with her poise I would want to dress like her. She’s Catwoman, Superwoman and Wonderwoman rolled all into one. She’s the most trusted newswoman in Pittsburgh. On at 4-6-and 11. I missed her terribly when she was off recovering from surgery on her Achilles tendon. Be careful, Patrice! She's not the only person in the biz from her family. Her brother, Dave, is the host and marketer of QVC. Brother, Brett, is the senior VP of the WB. With these connections and her talent, she could have gone anywhere, but NO!. She's a Pittsburgh girl and stayed right here where we need her the most. I want to be just like Patrice when I grow up.

Next up, and hopefully soon, I will post the Men of KDKA.

Best of Pittsburgh

Pittsburgh Magazine just did a great article on the Burgh.

Click here to read it.

Anything not on here that you love about the Pittsburgh?