Heinz Field will host the 2011 Winter Classic, as the 2009 Stanley Cup Champion Penguins will host perennial powerhouse/chokers: the Washington Capitals. That's not surprising, but it does pose a few questions.
Has the NHL beaten the Crosby vs. Ovechkin horse to death? I mean one guy is as boring as wallpaper samples, and the other guy can barely speak English. The NHL has been trying to prop up this "rivalry," but the two teams play in different divisions, and have only played one forgettable postseason series against each other. How can you have a rivalry when you meet each other only 4 times out of 80 each season?
Then there's another question. Why not New York/New Jersey. Why can't the Devils host the Rangers in what would be a media extravaganza? Those teams are rivals, and it'd get as much media attention as anything in Western PA could. Also consider the fact that the Penguins have already played in a Winter Classic (they'd be the first to play in 2) in Buffalo, which was essentially a showcase for Crosby.
I don't have any major beefs with Pittsburgh vs. Washington in Pittsburgh for the 2011 Winter Classic. So long as the Penguins don't play in another Classic for some time.
And if the NHL wants to build rivalries, as they seemingly do with this move, then maybe they should eliminate the purposeless teams like Nashville, Tampa Bay, Florida, Phoenix, Columbus, the Islanders, Nashville.
-The Commodore
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