Site and Collection Update for March 6th, 2007

Yeah...only six days late...no big deal... *gah*

Anyways...I can't believe how long it has taken me to get to this...especially considering what the new addition is...

Look like no big deal, eh? Well, they *are* a big deal..."they" are the official media slides of the 1995-96 Pittsburgh Penguins...a team that played quite a special role in Ronnie's NHL career in not just one or two, but at least three ways...

1. 1995-96 was the first season of the reign of the infamous Lemieux-Francis-Jagr line. Thanks to that line...

2. ...Ron got into the 1996 NHL All-Star Event/Game, even though it was thanks to Gary Bettman making him his "Commissioner's Pick" for that year. I *could* go into what a crime that was for it to come down to that, but that's another post.

and...

3. 1995-96 was the best season Ronnie ever had, point-wise, at 119 points (27 goals, 92 assists). Again, thanks to being fortunate enough to center Mario Lemieux and Jaromir Jagr.

In addition to Ron and his two uber-popular teammates then (and still now), the slides feature some other big names like Bryan Trottier (five-time Stanley Cup winner with the New York Islanders and Pittsburgh Penguins, then assistant coach for the Pens), Ed(die) Johnson (two-time SC winner with the Boston Bruins, then head coach for the Pens), Craig Patrick (assistant coach for the 1980 "Miracle" USA Olympic Hockey Team, then general manager for the Pens), Tom Barrasso (the best goalie the Pens have ever had thus far), Petr Nedved (one of the Pens' better scorers besides the "Big Three" in the mid-late 90's, who eventually became even more of a star with the New York Rangers), Markus Naslund (then an up and coming player for the Pens, who eventually matured into quite the scorer and Captain for the Vancouver Canucks), Glen Murray (eventually became a star of sorts for the Boston Bruins), and Patrick Lalime (then a rookie goalie with the Pens, who went on to become one of the better goalies thus far for the Ottawa Senators). *whew!* That's a lot of hockey history there, making these slides another crown jewel for my overall collection.

Between those and the Ronnie Carolina Hurricanes Season Ticket Holders Lithograph, this has already been quite a year for the Ron Francis Project...and it's only been a little more than two months!

Current Music: "No More Tears" by Ozzy Osbourne