Revenge is Best Served on Ice

So, my ability to multi task has been stressed to the limit as of late, and I know that by diving back into blogging I'm only trying to make my life even more hectic and stressful.  That being said, I have to weigh in on "the tweet heard 'round the world". 

Just sitting around the house tonight w my dog. Felt like I should be doing something important, but couldn’t put my finger on it.

— Phil Kessel (@PKessel81) September 21, 2016

Now as a Penguins fan, I laughed until there were tears upon reading this.  Secretly, I've been a bit of a Phil Kessel fan since he was drafted last at the All Star Games some years ago (I'm too lazy to look up when).  For those who feel that he has disrespected his country, his team - I'm sure Don Cherry could go on for hours pontificating on all the other ways - let's look at the simple facts.  If you are a professional athlete, at the top of your game, and largely responsible for your team's offensive success in the final round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs, then what else is to be construed from being left off your country's roster than a person slight?  As Steve Rogers so brilliantly said: "It kinda feels personal."

And to recap, Phil did not go on a Twitter rant, he didn't cast shade at anyone in particular, or call out coaches or players or personnel  Instead, he voiced his point with tact, wit, and a dash of well deserved snark.  If I were ever in a situation even remotely similar, I could only hope to have that much restraint.  So feel free to jump on some bandwagon or another, I don't honestly care.  I am a Penguins fan for life (unless they ever treat my favorite player the way the San Diego Chargers once treated Drew Brees - I still can barely speak of the Chargers without spitting, and I own two New Orleans Saints jerseys.  Who Dat?).  I am not a bandwagon fan, and never will be.  If you want to follow along to someone else's point of view, be my guest, but know that deep down, beneath the anger and plethora of opinions swirling in hockey right about now, know that if you were in Phil's shoes, you would have probably done much the same.  Remember that athletes are human beings, and just as worthy of opinions as we are.  

For that, I applaud Phil once more, and I can't wait until October 13th, when he gets to see the Stanley Cup Banner raised.  Who will be laughing then?