Civic/Mellon Arena Memories..

I am going to miss the old barn..  I'll say it..  It was a haven for me when the times were the darkest..  I've spent a lot of time in that old place..  Mostly Pens games, but I was there for other things too..  Wrestling, Ice Capades, the Circus, a couple of DREADFUL Professional Development rallys, Indoor Lacrosse, Roller hockey, indoor Footy, Arena Football, oh and a few concerts too..

My first game was Sunday, 13 April 1980.  Game 4 Bruins v Penguins..  I had been playing the game for a while, but I knew pretty much nothing..  The Pens suffered an 8-3 loss to the B's that night..  But I knew this was someplace I'd be again..  My parents started to take me to more games after that.  (E section seats only cost $5.50 back then, and the "A" level was only $15!!)  During my formative years, I got to see my hero at the time, US Olympian Mark Johnson, score two goals to be the Winnipeg Jets.   Paul Gardner score four goals against the Flyers.. (And the Pens still lost that one 6-5!)  I saw a young Wayne Gretzky..  I wasn't impressed then.. (and will never be..)  I saw them don gold jerseys..  I thought, wow!!  They look like the Pirates..
Times grew harder for my family..  My dad lost his job in the coalmine, and my mom worked two jobs to make ends meet..  But, once in a while, I would get a chance to visit the Igloo..

While off tour, at the end of the 1994 season, I got to go to a Pittsburgh Phantoms Roller Hockey game..  It was the first time I ever saw them open the roof..  It was pretty cool, actually!  Flash ahead a few more years, I had gotten my first real job, and bought a 15-game plan for the Penguins.  It was the year that Mario had "bought" the team.  The atmosphere was great..  I loved every second of that season..  But then came 27 December 2000..  Mario's return..  I remember walking into the Arena with my buddy Jay, with him asking me, "How long do you think it will take to get Mario's stuff back.."  Guess what Jay, about :40 seconds..

But there were other things that I went to the Igloo for..  Concerts..  I've seen a few groups play there..  Bruce Springsteen, Eric Clapton (in 1997), Phil Collins (in 1996) and of course, Genesis..  (you can check out the review to that show in 2007 here.)

Yes, I'm going to miss the old barn..  And no, I'm not happy Lady Fafa, or Haha, or whatever the hell her name is, is opening the new place..  Do ya think we could get Bruce to open it a week before she gets to town?? Or better yet, can we get Phil, Mike, and Tony there for just one night??  Please????

~R