The Curse Of Taylor Swift

Take a look at this picture:

From left to right, you have Max Talbot, Jordan Staal, Taylor Swift, Alex Goligoski & Tyler Kennedy. I'm not sure when this picture took place, but it was at a time when the four guys pictured all played for the Pittsburgh Penguins while Taylor Swift wasn't feeling 22 yet. Anyway, all four of the players are no longer part of the Penguins organization, and while they have each done well financially, they have not achieved the level of professional success they did as members of the Penguins. So is there a Taylor Swift curse?

From yesterday's Pittsburgh Post-Gazette interview with Tyler Kennedy:

It’s pretty crazy, but that’s hockey. Not too many guys stay with the same team their whole career. Maybe it was that Taylor Swift [jinx] thing. I don’t think I’ll be going to any concerts in San Jose with Taylor Swift, that’s for sure. But I thought we really came together as a line, and I think we had a great two, three years. We really became close as friends. Maybe that’s why we did so well on the ice. The biggest thing was, we just played well together.

(emphasis added)

Did they know she was trouble when she walked in? I wonder if there are teardrops on guitars somewhere.

The Superstar and Sidney

Enjoy this video of Max Talbot - Superstar and this other guy on the Penguins named Sidney Crosby.



h/t Three Rivers Burgh Blog

Max Talbot = Superstar

After scoring two goals in the Penguins' game seven 2-1 victory and winning the Stanley Cup, the woman in the video would definitely go on a date with "superstar" Max Talbot.



Even with (especially with?) the playoff beard!



Congratulations to the Pittsburgh Penguins, the 2008-2009 Stanley Cup Champions! (I like the sound of that!)


Photo courtesy of AP as part of a terrific Yahoo photo gallery.

Penguins v Capitals: Battle of the Car Commercials

While the Penguins defeated the Capitals on Sunday courtesy of a Sidney Crosby shoot-out goal, there also appears to be a battle between the two teams off the ice. Dan Steinberg's Sports Bog featured this video of Alexander Ovechkin singing the Eastern Motors song:



I'll take Max Talbot for the block.



If nothing else, this should at least make you smile on a Tuesday.

Game 5 Recap

I’m awake...barely after staying up for game five of the Stanley Cup finals. Although I managed to fall asleep during part of the second overtime, I was wide awake for the third overtime and Petr Sykora’s winning goal. I was so excited by the goal that I had difficulty falling asleep. While I was lying in my bed, I couldn’t get the "California Soul" song from the Dockers commercial out of my head.

Anyway, what an amazing win. When Detroit took a 3-2 lead in the third period, I though the series was over. However, Max Talbot’s goal with about 30 seconds remaining in regulation kept the Penguins alive. Despite Detroit dominating play in the overtimes, Marc-Andre Fleury made 55 saves leading the Penguins to victory.

Here are all of the links you need for more about the Red Wings-Penguins game:

- Coverage from the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

- A special thanks to Seth Rorabaugh of the P-G’s Empty Netters for conducting a live-blog of game five. I was able to read what I missed in the second overtime immediately through Seth’s work.

- Fox Sports

- Yahoo's game recap and Puck Daddy

- Going Five Hole

- And of course, the Pensblog

Game six on Wednesday at 8:00 on NBC.

Sunday Morning Musings

This car commerical features Pittsburgh Penguins Colby Armstrong, Max Talbot, Sergei Gonchar and Evgeni Malkin. Talbot (the second player in the video) may consider the acting profession after his hockey career ends. (via Scribbled Noise)


All the Sunday morning news shows are obviously talking about Barack Obama's impressive win in South Carolina. However, I want to point out that Joe Biden, who quit the race several weeks ago, defeated Dennis Kucinich, who dropped out on Friday, 694-552 to finish in fifth place. (Bill Richardson received 727 votes to finish in fourth.)