The occasion for this happening was the first game back for all the Olympians. At a ceremony at center ice, each Penguin player who participated in Salt Lake City was introduced. Hedberg skated out to his usual "MOOOOOOSE" cheers. Hrdina and Lang were cheered as they entered after representing their Czech Republic team. Kasper was greeted as if he’d won a gold medal instead of bronze by his legion of fans in the ‘burg.

Kovalev was honored as part of the Russian team. Craig Patrick and some of the members of the Pens who worked with him on Team USA came out to be recognized.

Then came the introduction of the gold-medal winner from Team Canada, Mario Lemieux. There was more polite applause than anything, not great cheers for a job well done, and some scattered boos! The look on Mario’s face reflected what he heard.

I am a native Pittsburgher and as such, can speak with some authority on the "fans" of the sports teams of the city. Many, many of the fans are loyal and true blue to all the teams. They’ve stayed with them through the bad times, knowing good times would return. They asked for an honest effort from players and for the most part, they’ve gotten it. But there are also many "fans" who take shots at all the teams and all the players. Just take a look at any of the teams’ message boards and you’ll find them. Pessimistic, sarcastic, know-it-alls who think if the general managers and owners of the teams would just take their sage advice, all would be well.

There are also a good number of fare weather fans. When the Steelers, Pirates, or Pens are doing well, these fans are at the games, watching on TV, and talking them up. But when the going gets rough for any of the teams, they show their true colors. They are off the bandwagon faster than a speeding bullet.

Pittsburgh is a sports city. If a person lives there and doesn’t follow sports, they are left out of many conversations. But even those who don’t follow sports, know and respect Lemieux for what he has come to mean to the city. All of which brings me back to what I heard.

Boos……

Oh, Mario has heard boos before in other cities, mostly from fans of those teams he has tortured throughout the season or in the playoffs. Most true fans of the sport, though, know greatness when they see it and wouldn’t ever boo Lemieux, Gretzky, Jagr, Messier, or even Lindros.

But Pittsburgh fans booing? First of all, if not for Mario, these "fans" wouldn’t even have an arena or a game to be attending. He bought the franchise and kept it in Pittsburgh when it was fast on its way out of town. He is one of the main reasons that there are now so many ice rinks and hockey teams in Pittsburgh. He is one of the main reasons that the Pens own two Stanley Cups. He has donated time and money to the Mario Lemieux Foundation and to other charities. He has taken time in every city he visits to meet with cancer patients, talk to them, tell them there is hope. He has stayed in the community with his family when he could easily have moved anywhere else in the world. He has entertained hockey fans with phenomenal play since he first set foot on Civic Arena ice in 1984.

What does he get for all this from the "fans"? Boos. Why? Because he chose to represent his country in the Olympics in this, his one and only chance to do so ever. During the last Olympics, Mario was retired. By the time of the next Olympics, he’ll be 40. So this was it - the only chance.

But the know-it-all "fans" in Pittsburgh are convinced that he has done a disservice to the Penguins by playing, while hurt, for Team Canada. They think if he could have been playing, he should have been playing for the Pens, not saving himself for the Olympics. We saw that even in Salt Lake, Mario had to miss one game and take cortisone shots to play in the others.

As Mario himself pointed out, if the Pens don’t make the playoffs, he loses money. He has played through incredible pain before, came back to the ice the same day he had his last radiation treatment for cancer, played when he had to have someone else tie his skates because his back was so bad. He’s given everything he has to the team: blood, sweat, and tears, not to mention money. Lemieux doesn’t need defending. Real fans of the Pens don’t have to be reminded.

Fortunately Mario realizes that those who feel this strongly about what he chose to do are in the minority. He will take the rest of this season to rest and try to heal his injured hip so he is able to come back next season and play again.

I hope that when he does, he will be greeted with what he is used to hearing in his second home: