Getting Ready To Say Goodbye...

Today the Pens broke ground on their yet to be named areana. Not only will it be the home of the Pens, but it will be where the Harlem Globetrotters will play whenever they come around here (Since there isn't an NBA team here, I can't figure what other basketball team they'd house) as well as concerts, circuses, and pro wrestling.

This is the first leg of the Mellon Arena's farewell tour. Built in 1961 when my mother was two years old, most believe this place has worn out it's welcome. Indeed, during the Pens playoff run and I managed to get in there, I thought the old place would collapse with all the noise and banging we made. I went and saw the WWE (then WWF) when I was four in my first trek to the arena... Back when Hulk Hogan was cool and not the center of the circus that is his family... Those were great times...


In any case, it's also the place where Mario Lemiuex and the rest of the awesome 90's Pens dazzled us with two Stanley Cup wins and several playoff appearances. Not only that, but Mellon Arena has seen a great deal over it's four plus decades. Canadian Prog Rock band, Rush made their U.S. debuts there. They still tour in Pittsburgh to this day, most recently on their Snakes and Arrows tour. Elvis Presley even played there. So did Led Zeppelin, and The Who. They're never gonna come around again. So, when the Igloo finally goes down, will we be as happy as everyone is acting like they'll be?

I doubt it. I remember the hatred we spewed at Three Rivers Stadium. I was only in Three Rivers twice, but I never had a bad time. They decided it would come down on my 13th birthday. February 11th, 2001.... Has it been that long? I remember people hating the place for years, and then when it went down, people wept. I've only seen that kind of emotion from the people of Pittsburgh twice since then. When Bob O'Connor died from cancer, and when Myron Cope died.


So, the point is... Will we weep when Mellon Arena falls? Or rejoice? My money is on weep.