Saturday, February 21, 1981
The prosecution makes excellent points about Mr. Fleury's fragile ego and what is perceived by many to be his inalienable right to be number one -- after all, he was a number one pick. They hold him in the same regard as fellow number one goalie pick Rick DiPietro. But as Mr. Di-pi-8-holes's illustrious career shows, a number one goalie does not grow over night. Not every world-class talent is ready for the NHL before they grow pubic hair, such as the incestuous Marty Brodeur. Many need to learn at the knee of a veteran. A veteran who has seen Lord Stanley, has tasted him -- and knows what it feels like to have that glory ripped away by his own stupidity.
Therefore, your rainbowlicious honor, I ask you to consider my client, Mr. Conklin. A NHL veteran at age 31, he has been humbled by relegation to AHL teams. He knows embarassment -- if we may submit into evidence exhibit A, a tape of the lack of Conkblock in a Stanley Cup final. Mr. Conklin knows what it takes to rebound and knows how to shake off a bad goal. Furthermore, my client here has proven himself as an elite goalie this year, placing in the top statistical rankings. I ask you, why not stay with the hot hand? Why not provide this young, impressionable, fragile goalie with a tough mentor who can split the duty and help him mature. After previous leaders attempted to convert Mr. Fleury into a yo-yo, bouncing him between the AHL and NHL, Mr. Fleury's psychological development has been stunted.
All I ask is please, give Conks a chance. Truly, you must Rock out with your Conk out. It is the only answer.
DRae
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Your Honorable Gayness,
I am Mr. Hotshot Lawyer FireFox representing Mr. Conklin in this case today. Our defense is simple. Mr. Fleury started the season for the Penguins with every opportunity to excel as he did the year before. However, he did not repeat his performance of last year. He consistently gave up large rebounds, was replaced with Mr. Sabourin several times in both starting and relief positions and has the worst statistics of all 3 goalies on the team this season. Mr. Conklin however clearly has the better statistics to even include the league leader in save percentage. My defendant has also made a clear case that his puck handling skills can and do win games. See exhibit A…a score card for the Feb 19th game against the Panthers where Mr. Conklin was credited for an assist on the game winning goal.
In conclusion, it is clear that my defendant should keep his job as starting goaltender for the Penguins until such time that he is not performing up to the high standards he has shown this season. Mr. Fleury is still young and will have many opportunities in the future to represent the team well. Besides, Mr. Fleury does not have fan rallying cries the fans so enjoy like “Conkblock”, “We built this city on Conk and roll” and “Rock out with your Conk out.”
Thank you for your time your Honorable Gayness. I hope my statement will not require any “de-briefing” (Hotshot Lawyer = stunned)
SCOTT ALEXANDER
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Well in court its all about truth, and facts so here's my input on the pens beautiful goal-tending situation. At the beginning of the year we were stuck with MAF as our only real goal tender, if anyone can remember when Sabu let in 5 in the pre-season. Next I had a heart attack when MAF got hurt simply trying to move. However since then we have givin a new guy the "Key to the crease" and the city, Ty Conklin aka Conk block. There's the truth now down to the facts MAF was (9-8-1) record thats one game better than Sabu, with a save percentage of .902 that ranks at 34 in the league. Now on the other hand with 2 games in hand Ty Conklin is 16-4-3, the least amount of losses among any goal-tender with enough starts and an incredible .932 save percentage. If Conk had not played this well MAF would have returned at least a week ago, So sorry for your loss MAF you need to play back up, a nd O yeah your not going to get a huge contract sitting in the run way. Looks like the penguins are the true winners of this whole situation. LETS GO PENS
JFERRANTE4
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If the goalie glove doesn't fit you must acquit. Your honor, Conks got a groove that just can't lose. What is the hurry to bring back Fleury? We are winning nightly and this can't be taken lightly.
In the event Conks has a bad night or we play back to back, parade out Fleury and lets see if hes got the knack.
Till that happens clearly Conks is the man. He is the best date third wheel in the land. For with him we know net penetration will rarely occur. The puck is swallowed up in his body barely a blur.
So I ask you your honor to stay with THE ANSWER, he is solid as big balls that like Lance Armstrongs are impervious to cancer!
From: Geezer
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JOEY RUBINO
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JIM POOLE
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Well, there's no point in sitting Conky if he's stunning teams left and right. And further, Fleury would be just the best backup in the league, which would make it easier on all of Pittsburgh's psyche. Didn't Anaheim utilize two goalies in the playoffs? That would work, if one has a subpar game, just give him a blow and let the other quality netminder have a shot. Chris Carosi ...........................................
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...of being AWESOME. That wasn't my defense. See below for a less dude-tastic argument.
(JURY PRESENT)
THE COURT (JUDGE CHARLIE): The record will reflect we're back in the presence of Mr Matlock, counsel for Mr. Conklin. Mr. Shero, and Mr. Therrien. Number 1, both parties have agreed to stipulate as to the following matters: Coolness of goaltending equipment will not be called into question. Order selected in the NHL Entry draft is not of matter in this court. And also Mats Sundin has a gorgeous mouth.
MR. MATLOCK: No problems your honor.
THE COURT: Proceed MR. MATLOCK.
MR. MATLOCK: Defense calls Mr. Nigel Dawes, your honor.
MR. MATLOCK: Please state your name and spell it for the record sir.
DAWES: Nigel Dawes, D-A-W-E-S;
MR. MATLOCK: Mr. Dawes how are you currently employed?
DAWES: I am a profession hockey player, with the New York Rangers
MR. MATLOCK: Do you know the plaintiff in this case, a Mr. Marc-Andre Fleury?
DAWES: Yes I do. I played in the 2004 Canadian Junior Hockey tournament with him.
MR. MATLOCK: What was the teams record in that tournament.
DAWES: We were undefeated for most of the tournament. 4-0 at one point, if I recall.
MR. MATLOCK: Who was the leading scoring in this tournament?
MR. SHERO: OBJECTION! Relevancy your honor?
THE COURT: Overruled, I want to see where this sweet, sweet, hottie is taking this line of questioning. Make it brief, Mr. Matlock.
DAWES: I was. 11 points; 6 goals and 5 assists.
MR. MATLOCK: And did you win the gold medal in this tournament?
DAWES: No we did not.
MR. MATLOCK: And why not…
DAWES: Because of Marc-Andre Fleury.
MR. MATLOCK: What was the score in that gold-medal game, with less than 5 minutes to go?
DAWES: We were tied 3-3 with the US.
MR. MATLOCK: So it was tied 3-3 and you did not win this game. Why not?
DAWES: Because Fleury thinks he can handle the puck.
MR. SHERO: OBJECTION
THE COURT: Yes I’ll sustain that one. Keep your witness under control Mr. Matlock. If I have to beat him myself I will.
MR. MATLOCK: Ok. So you lost. How did you lose?
DAWES: The US came into our zone, Fleury came out of the net and tried to play the puck, and it bounced right into the net.
MR. MATLOCK: Do you know Mr. Conklin?
DAWES: Not personally. I’ve seen him play.
MR. MATLOCK: How does he handle the puck?
DAWES: He’s a 3rd defenseman. It’s invaluable for a team to have that…I would know.
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Mr. Conklin, through no fault of his own, found himself thrust into a situation with little room for error. He was expected to shoulder the burdens and playoff aspirations of an entire team nay, a city and undoubtedly it can be said: he delivered. And while Mr. Fluery's past record is indeed remarkable, the very argument that his supporters are making (that he should not lose his previous position due to external circumstances) can be used against him, in favor of Mr. Conklin. What about his claim to the position that he has held for the past two months? Additionally, the notion that one "shouldn't lose their job to injury" is archaic and unrealistic. Let us not even begin to enumerate the risks that hurrying back from injury and immediately putting oneself in the "line of fire" might result in both physically and mentally for Mr. Fluery.
No one in this courtroom is suggesting that the plaintiff does not have some rights or claims to the position of goalie for the Penguins organization, merely that those claims are not necessarily those that were afforded him prior to his injury; they are not that of the starting goalie. The situation has changed.
In a position so important as goalie, on a team so extraordinary as the Penguins, should not every player be subject to proving themselves for any reason? at any time? This is that time. Mr. Fluery ought do what serves the "whole" more than the "self," namely, himself. He ought to acquiesce to a settlement, as proposed by the Defendant's counsel.
Solution: Out-of-court-settlement (50/50 split of playing time until and as such, Lord Therrien deems an adjustment necessary)
*run as-is or edit as deemed necessary.
Thanks,
largefarva
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It’s the American way to go with a winner, is it not? No more need be said, in my opinion…………….
Kathie Neubert-Friez
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Ladies and gentlemen of the jury, as in any trial, the burden of proof lies with the prosecution. In order to regain his number one status, MAF must establish that he is the better goalie, or at the very least that he gives the Pens the best shot to win each game. The evidence here clearly speaks for itself. Conklin has a stellar record of 16-4-3 as a starter, with a sick .932 S%, over the past two months. MAF's stats from the start of the season simply do not compare. What's more, there is no telling how he will play now, status post high ankle sprain, a particularly difficult injury for a goalie to sustain. Ultimately, this is not about feelings, personal preferences or even future considerations. This is crunch time. We have a question mark and we have a solid, consistent, proven winner. The choice now is obvious. Conklin must remain the starter until his own play dictates the position is no longer his.
Thank you.
Hip
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Okay, so when I turned this assignment in, it was four pages long. You guys said a paragraph...so I trimmed it. Basically it's as bare bones as any complaint ever was. Fleury has won about 43% of the games he has played this season. Conklin has won about 67%. Conklin has a higher save percentage (.932) than Fleury had before his injury (.908). Conklin is a great puck-handler, so much to the point that the defensemen have said that it is sometimes like having a third d-man on the ice. Even if the team makes the gradual shift to Fleury as number one, they almost have to keep Conklin around, as he can teach Fleury how to be a better puck-handler. There was also an entire legal contract jargon section in that assignment about their individual contracts...but it's confusing at best, even to me. I don't want anyone to sprain their brains. Sherrie J.
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I'm writing in support of the defendant Ty Conklin. His career hasn't
had very many upsides, but the undrafted goalie from Alaska hasn't
really been given a chance either. His only season before this one in
which he played at least 20 games was in 2003-2004 with Edmonton. His
numbers that season (17-14-4-0, 2.42 GAA, .912 S%) and, obviously, his
numbers this year are both better than any numbers Fleury has put up at
the NHL level. That 2003-2004 season was also one in which the Oilers
were not a playoff team. When Conklin gets the chance to be the man
between the pipes, he does his share of work, and as the Pens are
finding out this year, even a little bit (OK, a lot) more.
Matthew Carulli
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2 comments:
I'm posting the same thing I put in the MAF supporter dialogue here, as I believe it doesn't have to be one or the other....
The thing that makes the situation so irritating is that people are under this misapprehension that things MUST be black and white, when that isn't the case.
People on Conk's side talk about rebound control and inability to play the puck. Well why haven't these same people been chastising Conk for MULTIPLE goals coming off of horrid plays with the puck OR the huge juicy rebounds that Conk coughed up (i.e. first goal against FLA).
However, I also hate the whole "you shouldn't lose your job to an injury." While perhaps that is a noble/moral notion, it has no place in sports which is a "what have you done for me lately" industry. More important than that is the simple fact that if you take Conk out of play AS SOON AS MAF is ready to roll, you will upset the locker room. They aren't just on Conk's side, but it is going to put people off to see a guy play great for the most part during trying times, then cast aside just because...
It doesn't need to be one or the other though, and though I realize I'm "splitting the baby" on this one, I feel that both parties can draft a compromise order.
In it, when MAF returns to the big club, send Sabu down (if we lose him, we lose him) so that the two main horses get the most reps in practice and Sabu doesn't get in the way. Over the course of 2-3 weeks, rotate MAF and Conk to determine who is still playing the best. After you pick your pony, ride him heading into the playoffs with the other guy taking spot duty to give him a rest. Play your guy in the playoffs, and make a change only if "your guy" stinks up the joint.
This policy rewards Conk for all he's done by giving him the opportunity to be "the starter," but at the same time, works MAF in and gives him the opportunity to EARN his job back.
Note: A similar strategy was employed by Acid Queen's squad in 2005, and oh yeah...they won it all. Just sayin'
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