The Penguins' championship run is now 14 games old, with anywhere from four to seven games remaining. A fortunate few can have the privilege of watching game action from inside Mellon Arena, often at a hefty cost. But for the majority of Penguins fans, we're watching the game from somewhere else, be it outside the area, at home, at a Pittsburgh sports bar, or at an out-of-town establishment.
I'm pretty sure about 95% of you don't care for the Versus broadcasting team, and the reasons are well-documented. Not only did they appear to be Flyer cheerleaders/apologists (and for obvious reasons), but the broadcast pales in comparison to the excellence we've come to know from FSN Pittsburgh, who covered their assigned games from every conceivable angle and with a surplus of insight and analysis.
As Jim Krenn and Randy Baumann said on this morning's WDVE morning show, FSN's Dan Potash is like an embedded reporter in a war; he really injects the reader right into the action. And Potash should know - he's certainly paid his dues and spent a lot of time covering those pre-Crosby Penguin teams that history will soon forget.
When FSN broadcast their last Pens game, what followed was a lose-lose for everyone. Fans were forced to tune to Versus, and FSN (as of tonight) is broadcasting minor-league arena football between Reading and Baltimore. Quite a dropoff from Penguin playoff hockey indeed.
Despite your dislike for Versus, you're still tuning in; Game 2 of the Pens-Flyers series was the most-watched telecast (2,345,834 viewers) in the history of the network. And local TV ratings have beaten established TV titans like American Idol.
Ratings and opinions aside, the real point of this post was to discuss where you watch said Penguin broadcasts. I've fielded inquiries from readers wondering more about the outdoor Arena experience, about Penguin bars outside of the city, and even from readers who relocated who wanted to know where to watch a game in the city of Pittsburgh.
Given the fact that I watch the games from the cozy confines of home, I've had little data to share with said readers, other than what I've seen or heard. So Penguin fans, this one's up to you. Do your fellow Pittsburghers (at home and across the country) a favor and share your expertise for any or all of the following questions:
1. A loaded question: What's the best Penguin bar in or around the city of Pittsburgh?
2. If you've experienced a game outside the Arena on the big screen, is it (as I anticipate) worth the trip?
3. For out-of-towners: I know I've put this out there before with several responses, but I thought we'd consolidate it into one neat and tidy post right here...where are you planning on meeting to watch the Stanley Cup Finals?
Please, if you have any info to share, feel free to leave a comment for your Penguin brothers and sisters. I know many of you have gotten into the habit of emailing me directly, and while I certainly appreciate that, please take a second and create a Blogger account to drop some knowledge and share your opinion with the greater masses.
