My Mt. Rushmore

This topic seems to be trend amongst blogs and sports talk radio as of late so I’m going to give it a shot, with a bit of a twist.

Being as I am often the voice of negativity on here and twitter (follow me! @shamtown) I am going to do this my way.  So I present to you, with limited commercial interruption (please click on the ads!) my Mt. Rushmore of Pittsburgh Traitors!

There they are.  It’s very surprising that three of them are actually Pittsburgh Penguins.  With how bad the Pirates have been you’d think there would be more traitors!  I guess the fact that the ownership seems to be jerking everyone around leaves us fans with little sympathy and a whole load of understanding when these guys leave.

We’ll start at Mr. Hossa.

We all know the story here.  Marian Hossa turned down money and years with the Pittsburgh Penguins to go and play for the team who beat them in the Stanley Cup Finals.  Hossa went to the Redwings, sticking his finger directly in the eye of Penguins fans.  Hossa claimed he was open to staying, but that was just a lie.

The Penguins did get their revenge, as they actually beat the Wings that season for the Stanley Cup.  Still his treachery and flat out disrespect to the Penguins organization rubbed many the wrong way.  I will continue to boo Marian Hossa, whether people like it or not.

Raul Mondesi is one of my favorite traitors.  Very rarely does someone just flat out quit a team!  Even more rarely does a guy flat out not show up and then end up playing for another team three weeks later!  That’s exactly what Raul Mondesi did when he said his house was under siege in the Dominican Republic.   Mondesi went to take care of his problems, deserting the team without much warning and his contract was thus terminated.  It is clear though that Raul Mondesi just didn’t want to play for the Pirates as he signed a contract with the Angels less than a month later.

In a “shocking” turn of events Mondesi was elected to a seat in the Dominican’s Chamber of Deputies.  That’s not the “shocking” part.  The “shocking” part was that he was elected as a member of the country’s Dominican Liberation Party but a little over a year later he left that party and joined the rival Dominican Revolutionary Party!  It looks like selling out is firmly engrained in Raul Mondesi’s character.

Next on the list is the newest one.  One who has actually blocked both me and Brad on Twitter!  That man is Max Talbot.  Max left the Penguins, which in itself is probably not a treasonous act.  He also left for years and money, again something that can’t be blasted to much.

Where did he go though?  The evil Philadelphia Flyers.  If you are reading this post you know how seething Pens fans hatred is for this vile, filthy organization.  Max Talbot will now be lining up with the enemy, our biggest enemy, for money and years!  Max Talbot is Benedict Arnold!

The only thing good to come from Max Talbot’s exit is that we won’t have to see his newly discovered half assed play, and his affinity for the younger puck bunnies who annoy us all to no end.  Talbot moves on to the bigger city, with more puck bunnies, and a higher disgusting quotient that will fit this greasy man nicely.

Last but not least is the man who almost made amends, he of internal death, and the man who has put the final nail in the coffin in regards to Penguins fans forgiving him.  I will not even type this man’s full name he will be known in this post on has JAGrOFF.

JAGrOFF can’t really be considered a traitor for his past actions, just an asshole.  See he was traded, which really removes the traitor label.

Then he started talking.  JAGrOFF always starts talking.  He talked about making amends.  He talked about what Mario Lemieux did for him.  He talked about playing for the veteran minimum just to make it up to Mario, his idol.  What did the Penguins do?  Offered him a contract for substantially more than that amount.  Penguins fans lined up to throw rose petals at his feet and kiss his ring.  Pens fans glowed at the thought of forgiving one of their greatest superstars.

How did JAGrOFF respond?  By using the Penguins offer to drive up his price and then signing with the mortal enemy in Philthadelphia.

JAGrOFF earned his spot on the mountain because of this.  And while these others may have their faces removed at some point in time, his will always remain.