mikey's Thread of Penguin Randomness

Postby **NTP66** » Fri Nov 06, 2020 9:43 am

I still can't believe that we ever signed that human piece of filth.

Postby **iamjs** » Fri Nov 06, 2020 9:47 am

The original version of the story had Tibbetts on a bus ride back after a loss and was asked to move seats because he was a rookie sitting with the veterans. Billy get pissed, throws a hamburger at whoever told him to move his seat. The flying burger missed its target and hit Mario. Billy was soon sent packing and was eventually traded to Philly.

For as long as this thing has been an urban legend, I'm kinda surprised that even the primary parts of the story are true.

I'll link the story when I get home.

YouTube · Postby **mikey** » Fri Nov 06, 2020 9:48 am

I always thought it was true haha...those things just happen...

Postby **nocera** » Fri Nov 06, 2020 10:08 am

My guess is if Tibbetts was around today, he never would get signed to an NHL team. He would get the Mitchell Miller treatment.

YouTube · Postby **mikey** » Fri Nov 06, 2020 10:16 am

Oh of course...

Postby **Jim** » Fri Nov 06, 2020 10:29 am

My guess is if Tibbetts was around today, he never would get signed to an NHL team. He would get the Mitchell Miller treatment.

He doesn't deserve the privilege.

Postby **iamjs** » Fri Nov 06, 2020 1:48 pm

As the legend has it, Tibbetts was one of the first players on the bus and was able to snag a prized seat up front, opposite side of the driver. As players filed on, one of the veterans--among them rumored to be Kevin Stevens (who's a little gruff himself)--asked Tibbetts to move to the back, being as he was young player without many games played in the league. Tibbetts rebuffed strongly, not wanting to surrender his seat. There was a heated confrontation, nothing physical but an intense, vulgar exchange that would make George Carlin himself proud.

In the end, at the urging of other moderate team "graybeards" and to maintain peace, Tibbetts was ousted to the back of the bus and the vet got his choice seat. Stewing over this defeat and not wanting to look like a punk in front of his other colleagues, the hotheaded Tibbetts, as the story goes, allegedly thought up a quick plan for revenge.

Supposedly in Tibbetts hands was a cheeseburger that he was eating for a post-game meal. Fed up with getting jerked around and with his situation in general Tibbetts knew what he had to do. He flung the cheeseburger towards the front of the bus, towards the vet who embarrassed him publicly.

Unfortunately Billy Tibbetts wasn't a baseball player, his aim was off and in the fit of rage the cheeseburger supposedly sailed a clear foot over the sitting target's head. The burger was on a path to harmlessly hit the front windshield. Except, as the story goes, as fat would have it guess who just happened to be stepping on the bus at the same moment that Tibbetts hurled his projectile?

As the story goes, Tibbetts was re-assigned to Wilkes-Barre the following day and soon after the Pens decided to cut ties with him.

http://sweaterted.blogspot.com/2008/08/ ... gedly.html

Postby **iamjs** » Fri Nov 06, 2020 1:53 pm

My guess is if Tibbetts was around today, he never would get signed to an NHL team. He would get the Mitchell Miller treatment.

If his situation came about today, I don't think he sniffs the AHL or even the ECHL. At best, he becomes a player who lights up the lower leagues like the SPHL, the FHL, and maybe jumps onboard with a newly started league or two trying to find "star power."

Postby **Dickie Dunn** » Fri Nov 06, 2020 5:21 pm

He was traded to Philadelphia very shortly after the incident occurred and immediately got the **** beat out of him by Oliwa.

Postby **AuthorTony** » Sun Nov 08, 2020 6:20 pm

Speaking of Tibbetts:

In 2019 he served 58 days for violating his probation, then pleaded guilty to two counts of criminal harassment against the Scituate police chief and the chief's sister, and one count each of violating a harassment prevention order, intimidating a witness and driving with a suspended license. Shortly after being released, he was arrested on new drug charges.[26]

Postby **Lelldorin** » Mon Nov 09, 2020 4:19 am

Give me some Vatanen already. But I guess we do not have cap space for him?

YouTube · Postby **mikey** » Mon Nov 09, 2020 10:44 am

Cap nor roster space really...we soaked that all up with guys like Kapanen, Sceviour, Ceci, etc.

Obviously, hindsight is 20/20, maybe you couldn't foresee he'd be available for likely cheap this far into the offseason...and even if we had the room, who knows if he'd even want to sign here...but it would have been a real nice add in my opinion...

Postby **Lelldorin** » Mon Nov 09, 2020 11:41 am

Given our D heading into free agency signings, I would have given him 3-4 million per year for 2-3 years without hesitation. He is probably even cheaper now...

Edit: Our two biggest needs were probably a PMD and a 3C...

Postby **MR25** » Mon Nov 09, 2020 11:47 am

Instead we signed Cody **** Ceci

Postby **faftorial** » Mon Nov 09, 2020 11:56 am

Instead we signed Cody **** Ceci

Your new whipping boy?

Postby **Jim** » Mon Nov 09, 2020 11:59 am

Instead we signed Cody **** Ceci

Would that be because giving someone $4Mx3 is a legitimate alternative to giving someone $1.25Mx1?

Or, is it that waiving and burying that $1.25Mx1 guy, leaving a cap hit of $175,000 is such a roadblock to signing the $4Mx3 guy?

Postby **Trip McNeely** » Mon Nov 09, 2020 1:46 pm

At this point Vatanen is gonna likely need to take a one year deal. It would be dumb business for him to sign multi-years at a discount price at this point. Teams are cap strapped this year. Play one year cheap and hope to sign one more decent contract when fans are back in the building

Postby **Pavel Bure** » Tue Nov 10, 2020 9:54 am

So are a certain number of us griping about a guy who’s in the leftover bin at big lots not being signed by the Pens? Is that who Vatanen is?

YouTube · Postby **mikey** » Tue Nov 10, 2020 9:56 am

If you honestly believe that message and/or don't know who Sami Vatanen is, that's a real tough look...

Postby **Pavel Bure** » Tue Nov 10, 2020 10:22 am

If you honestly believe that message and/or don't know who Sami Vatanen is, that's a real tough look...

Outside looking in, every team in the league could have signed the guy for months now and he’s not on a team.

Postby **Gaucho** » Tue Nov 10, 2020 10:24 am

Neither is Mike Hoffman.

Postby **faftorial** » Tue Nov 10, 2020 10:28 am

Neither is Mike Hoffman.

Probably asking for more money than anyone is willing to pay them under the current conditions.

YouTube · Postby **mikey** » Tue Nov 10, 2020 10:38 am

Yeah, I'm not sure where PB is going with this...I just don't get why you would take a strong stance on a player that you don't (?) know...?

Vatanen, Hoffman, Granlund, Haula, Soderberg, the ghost of Chara, Hamonic, etc. are all still out there...but Cody Ceci is not...Evan Rodrigues is not...does that mean that Ceci and Rodrigues are better players than Vatanen and Haula...? That'd be surprising...

Postby **Jim** » Tue Nov 10, 2020 11:09 am

Remember how excited you were when the Pens traded for Jordan Leopold? That's how excited you should be if the Pens signed Vatanen. Maybe the excitement level of when the Pens got Christian Ehrhoff.

Postby **meow** » Tue Nov 10, 2020 11:11 am

Are there any players that Jim likes? Honest question. I’d take Vatanen on my team any day.