Pittsburgh Penguins announce they will visit President Trump, attend WH Stanley Cup Celebration

[DonViejo]

Source: The Washington Post

Pittsburgh Penguins announce they will visit President Trump, attend White House Stanley Cup celebration

By Jesse Dougherty September 24 at 11:34 AM

While the sports world focused Sunday on the NFL and its reaction to incendiary recent statements by President Trump, the Pittsburgh Penguins inserted themselves into the sporting world’s ongoing political discussion by issuing a statement that the team would visit the White House as part of their Stanley Cup celebration.

The Penguins, on the heels of their second consecutive Stanley Cup win this past June, still plan to visit President Trump, though a date has not yet been confirmed. The Penguins released the statement at 10:45 a.m. on Sunday, right as a handful of professional athletes and owners continue to denounce recent comments and tweets Trump has issued regarding the NFL, national anthem protests and Golden State Warriors star Stephen Curry’s now-rescinded invitation to visit the White House with his team.

“The Pittsburgh Penguins respect the institution of the Office of the President, and the long tradition of championship teams visiting the White House,” the Penguins’ statement reads. “We attended White House ceremonies after previous championships — touring the historic building and visiting briefly with Presidents George H.W. Bush and Barack Obama — and have accepted an invitation to attend again this year.

“Any agreement or disagreement with a president’s politics, policies or agenda can be expressed in other ways. However, we very much respect the rights of other individuals and groups to express themselves as they see fit.”

Read more: https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/early-lead/wp/2017/09/24/pittsburgh-penguins-announce-they-have-accepted-invitation-to-attend-white-house/?deferJs=true&outputType=default-article&utm_term=.5125d957d284&wpisrc=al_alert-sports&wpmk=1

[heaven05]

1. well, I'm sure

there WERE NOT very many dissenting voice on the team or in management. Hell in the hockey world entirely!!!!!!

[DeminPennswoods]

33. Here's the truth

Co-owner Burkle is a major donor to Dems. CEO David Morehouse worked for Bill Clinton. The team statement is actually verbatim from what was in the local Pgh paper a few months ago when Burkle granted an in-depth interview to the Post-Gazette's beat writer, Dave Molinari, and was asked a question about going to the WH.

As for the nationality make up the 2016-17 team:
American - 15
Canadian - 16
Russian - 1
Swedish - 3
Finnish - 1
German - 1
Czech - 1
Swiss - 1

Head Coach Mike Sullivan is American.

FTR, Penguin Stanley Cup wins actually book-ended Obama's presidency as they won in 2009 and were among the first teams invited to the WH by him and again in 2017 being one of the final teams he invited to the WH.

[heaven05]

39. THE TRUTH IS

99% of hockey in ameriKKKa is white, so that to me says a lot about "truth"......

[DeminPennswoods]

42. Is this a serious response?

nt

[Not Ruth]

2. Aren't they mostly Canadians with single payer?

[oberliner]

4. No

They have about an equal number of US born as Canadian born players, along with some from other countries.

[Kingofalldems]

28. So the fact is they are mostly not American.

And not American means their country most likely has national health care.

[bottomofthehill]

32. Americans makeup less than 25% of the NHL

Canadians make up less than 50 an the rest of the world makes up the other 25

[DURHAM D]

5. That was my thought as well.

Also, several are European.

[global1]

3. Are There Any Black Players On The Penguins?.....nt

[oberliner]

6. Trevor Daley comes to mind

Last edited Sun Sep 24, 2017, 05:59 PM - Edit history (1)

I believe they have about 3-4 other black players.

[Wuddles440]

17. Daley is with the Red Wings...

this season and I believe that he was the Penguins' only black player.

[oberliner]

19. He was a member of the Penguins team that won the Stanley Cup this year

And thus would be part of the group invited to the White House.

[bottomofthehill]

30. I dont think so

There are only about 25 African Americans in the NHL. I dont think 3/4 play in Pittsburgh. I cant think of any.

[RhodeIslandOne]

35. Ryan Reeves

Didn't play with them last year, they traded for him at the draft.

[bottomofthehill]

44. you are right

He did not come to mind as I have not seen him in a Penguins uniform yet. Also, my bad, my wife just reminded me that Trevor Daley was on the team that one the cup last year.

[yallerdawg]

8. Celebrating Stanley Cup win!

[LenaBaby61]

16. Don't think any of them .....

Would ever get the Philando Castile treatment. Hell, they probably don't even know who he is and don't CARE that a police officer just hauled off and murdered him, got his pension and got away with it

So, of course they'd love to go see the tReasonous, p***y-grabbing, birther-in-chief.

[onecaliberal]

7. White people right? Before anyone says anything, I'm white.

Yes hockey racists will go visit the grand wizzard racist in chief.

[PSPS]

9. Yes, almost entirely white.

[sarisataka]

21. Are all

Whites racist?

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

26. Not all whites are racist, obviously... but, privileged? Well, that's another story.

[onecaliberal]

37. All whites are privileged. Dump supporters are definitely either racist or apologists for them.

[RhodeIslandOne]

36. Well, so did every NHL team that won during Obama's term.

Except that idiot Tim Thomas. But all his teammates did.

[Freedomofspeech]

10. As a Penguin fan...

I am extremely disappointeded to hear this...Of all days to announce this. Crap.

[DinahMoeHum]

11. Penguins taste like chicken.

Last edited Sun Sep 24, 2017, 04:02 PM - Edit history (1)

[FakeNoose]

12. The Penguins also went to Obama's White House, so please STFU

The Pittsburgh Penguins are not political and don't grandstand on anything except great hockey in a great city.
That's been true for a long time and will continue.

Last year the Penguins won the Stanley Cup and were invited to the White House to be congratulated by Obama.
This year they won again, and they're invited again. They would have accepted no matter who extended the invitation.

We're proud of our team and very happy they've won back-to-back Stanley Cups. Back-to-back championships almost never happen in hockey because it's so hard to maintain the teamwork and drive, and to keep the players healthy and focused.

Congratulations guys!

[atreides1]

13. Sure, it's the same thing

I remember when President Obama said that anyone who doesn't stand for the playing of the National Anthem, should be fired!!!



"A man who stands for nothing will fall for anything."

Malcolm X

[FakeNoose]

15. That's not what I said

The Penguins would have accepted an invitation from Hillary Clinton if SHE were president.
But she's not, so they're accepting the invitation from Trump.
It doesn't mean they voted for him or they even like him.

They're not political.

They probably hate his guts (for all I know) but they're not playing politics.

Thanks

[6000eliot]

22. He demeans the office of the presidency,

and he demeans anything or anyone with whom he comes into contact, including "non-political" sports teams. Until there is an honorable person in the White House, there is ZERO honor in going to visit.

[HopeAgain]

29. He blows apart conventions that protect the integrity ...

Of government. He doesn't deserve the convention/traditions of visits from championship teams. Hockey - the sport of mostly white privilege. Eff 'em.

[pangaia]

18. You told DonViejo to STFU?

Or maybe the article author. I don't know.

Well, fuck the penguins.

Now we're even.

Back to Mozart...

[FakeNoose]

40. No sorry, I meant to reply to another poster

[pangaia]

41. You can not imagine how many time I have done that.

[bottomofthehill]

31. By making an announcement at 1030am, I think they are grandstanding

There was no reason to interject themselves to the conversation today via a team statement.

[Henry Krinkle]

14. Hockey players are more refined, dignified and respectful of our national anthem

The only knee's taken on the ice, are to an opposing players head.

[ThingsGottaChange]

20. You don't know

a damn thing about hockey or hockey players, do you?

[GoCubsGo]

24. Yeah, no kidding.

The game has change A LOT since 1975. It's nothing like that now. Not that that movie was an accurate depiction of the NHL--even back then.

[GoCubsGo]

23. Just when I thought I couldn't dislike them more...

[jcmaine72]

25. I seem to remember an old joke about the only thing being black in the NHL are the pucks....

...and they get whacked with sticks. But what the hey, it all sounds like great fun. After all, they mustn't be disrespectful. Perhaps Trumpo will share some pussy-grabbing stories with them.

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

27. Well then, fuck the Penguins!!

Time to stand united against the Racist-in-Chief!!

[HAB911]

34. Hockey?! TOO FUNNY

[madinmaryland]

38. Aren't there a lot of Russians in the NHL?

:idea:

[heaven05]

43. Well russians

don't like POC either