Do we do enough as a city — or as a hockey culture — to recognize/appreciate Mario Lemieux?
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20 Comments
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66 Mario how many times did he score 5 goals in a game. I remember 4 at least especially the New Years Game and he came close to the 6th on two shots of the Post ❓
Definitely gotta get something named after him soon because 87 will be deserving also at some point. City of bridges right?? Why not change the name of one of them ?? 31st street bridge could be the Mario Lemieux bridge. Or better yet the Sewickley bridge. I’m sure those people wouldn’t mind at all.
An absolute class act! I’ll never forget how he immediately dominated the ice again once he stepped back on it. That game against the Leafs after 1st retirement, he had at least 4 points. Glad I’m old enough to have been able to watch him play live. He was a treat to watch!
the GOAT. You watch the national guys during NHL broadcasts….and it's always Gretzky this Gretzky that. Mario doesn't get enough credit. Gretzky was a legend in his own right, but nobody will ever do what Mario did. He scored 5 goals, 5 different ways in one game for God's sake. Outside of the Heinz History Center there's not a whole lot of Mario shrines in Pittsburgh. But I think that's mostly because, like Sid, he's exceedingly humble and soft-spoken.
Very humbling episode DK. We need to be thankful for the talent we’ve gotten since the mid 80s to this very year. I feel like every Pittsburgh fan I’ve encountered is all grumpy because of the recent struggles of this team, but in reality 1. we should be happy with the 5 cups Lemieux and Crosby gave us, and 2. We knew this was going to happen at some point didn’t we?
Thanks for putting my favorite team in perspective DK 🐧🖤💛
Somewhere I have a picture of Lemieux Ave. that I took in the summer of 1997/8 when I finally got to make a trip to Pittsburgh as a fan from South Carolina.
Mario is a hockey god he changed the game just by tying his skates
There wouldn't be a Pittsburgh penguins hockey club if mario didn't save the franchise……….twice. thank you mario
If there is one iconic shot linking Mario to Pittsburgh (the city), there is the "first day in Pittsburgh" shot from Mount Washington. Naming the overlook after him would be a start.
Mario is a GOD in the NHL and around the world 🌎!!! He is an amazing person!! I went to his hockey camp when I was a little kid and he was the reason I played hockey 🏒! I have had the pleasure of witnessing his greatness and then Sid Crosby! Mario is the reason the penguins are the premier team in the NHL! When 66 speaks everyone listens! Even the great Wayne Gretzky said Mario was a way better player than he was and that’s no disrespect to 99!
We have 5 cups !!! Enough said !! We have 6 Super Bowls !! Championships or bust is the standard is Pittsburgh!
Clemente had to die to get things named after him in memorial. Last I checked, Mario's not dead yet. Living people typically don't get things named after them in this country. The closest Mario will probably come to this is having a HS rink named after him. Joe Montana has the Ringgold HS field named after him. That's about as good as it gets for living sports celebrities in this country. Also, this whole: "Let's name the trophies and divisions after things people know better" is shallow. Why? So we can rename it again once that person does something society has issue with (like everything nowadays) and it has to change again?
Rename the NHL divisions and conferences back to players and people again? The NHL already went away from that naming convention because it was becoming "who's that", and "what does that mean?". Do we want to do it again in 30 years when people wonder who the heck Lemieux was? And they will. Besides, they wanted to be more structured and logical like the other professional sports leagues that they were/are trying to aspire to. Why go back?
I never had a problem with the Lombardi, or the Hart, or Art Ross, or Cy Young. If anything it made me look into those people and appreciative the history of those sports and their accomplishments even more. I don't need the Lombardi to be name the Brady, or anything to be made more current to appease people's inability anymore to respect history or tradition. There's a serious problem in this country with not respecting elders and tradition and wanting to tear everything down to suit more topical agenda's and opinions that are always changing anyway. What's wrong with keeping more revered and historical things the same?
IMO no living person should have an award, street or building named after them. It's tacky. So they do it in Canada, big whoop. That's understandable though. I mean, outside of Gretzky and Rush, what else it there for them to feel proud of enough to memorialize them before death? Celine Dion Boulevard anyone?
im down to rename Pittsburgh – Mariovile
I am going to take the opposite end of this and let me preface this – Mario Lemieux is my all time favorite player of all time, it isn't even close for me.
For the Penguins – you have his number 66 is retired, you have a statue, he is part of the Penguins from my perspective the Penguins have done as much as you can.
The Mario Lemieux Foundation might mean the most as it funds cancer research and patient care, supporting families in challenging medical situations. This might be his greatest impact to the people of Pittsburgh.
I wouldn't want some random street to be named Lemieux Street just for shits and gigs either.
I feel the City of Pittsburgh and we are reaching a time where what are you going to name something for? I have been to Detroit many times, and I see Gordie Howe there, but Steve Yzerman isn't plastered everywhere, but he is revered. I have been to Boston, and Bobby Orr is on the Beantown Mt. Rushmore and beyond the statue/number retired/etc. I haven't seen streets and stuff. The NHL hasn't done much.
I think it is great the QMJHL named the scoring title after Lemieux, but Lemieux's legacy in Pittsburgh is FOREVER SECURE and adding a street name, etc. isn't going to add much.
We have to figure and the Pens got to begin prepping for Sidney Crosby's retirement, where his statue will be, etc. Lemieux has been honored as great as any Pittsburgh athlete.
Really good DK, Mario Lemieux deserves the recognition. I have always and will always believe that Pittsburgh has had the greatest sports teams ,and players of all time. The city of champion's. Beam me up Scotty ! Thank you DK, Great show
Right on DK! I’ve believed this for years. It’s a shame that we often wait until people are gone before we celebrate them properly. Other than maybe the Rooney’s, it’s hard to find someone who has had a bigger impact on Pittsburgh!
Love that Voisin logo, 80's AF.
Fascinating points… room for opportunity to make add history to the game… for division names, I'd have a lottery for teams to name the four divisons of who'd they like to honor… new names each year.
My all time favorite players are Mario and Kevin Stevens. I feel so fortunate watching those 2 winning Stanley Cups back in the early 90's in their primes.