Mt. Pensmore: Ron Francis Takes No. 4

by FrankD on Aug 24, 2010 8:16 AM EDT

It took an overtime period to sort it out, but after much commentary, hearty debates and votes on the ol Pensburgh poll, Ron Francis emerges the victor in a head-to-head against Tom Barrasso for the fourth and final spot on Mt. Pensmore.

And so the Final Four is as follows:

1st - Mario Lemieux
2nd - Sidney Crosby
3rd - Jaromir Jagr
4th Ron Francis

Safe to say the first three panned out the way I thought they would, although admittedly I figured there was a good chance Sid and Jagr could have flipped spots. But whatever the case, we said all along that the fourth and final spot would be the hardest one to predict. The overtime poll pitted the Top 2 candidates for that spot, although in the initial Round 4 poll Mike Lange and Evgeni Malkin made a good run for it.

I come out of this offseason exercise of sorts with more questions than answers:

How much will change over the next few years?
What does Malkin have to do to be considered?
If we can agree Malkin is too fresh for consideration then how did Sid get the nod over him?
Did Rick Kehoe fall short if only because he was the lone bright spot on an otherwise dark period in franchise history?

Something to consider when we revisit Mt. Pensmore in 2015. Or somewhere around there.

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Comments

Always liked #10

I woulda voted for him over Tommy B, but I hate the thought of sharing him with Mt. Whaler-Canemore. I know that other teams will share players like Gretzky, Mess, Roy and so on, but I’d rather see our non-existent monument feature faces that will only be here. No way JJ makes it on the Caps/Rangers list.

2015 will be different. I have full faith that MAF will bounce #10 and if there are one or two more cup wins, Geno may bounce JJ, assuming they are both here AND play up to their abilities

Debate?

by gopens44 on Aug 24, 2010 9:55 AM EDT reply actions

1. Assuming he’s not traded or sustains any major injuries, in 3 years, Malkin will be 4th on the team’s all-time scoring list behind only Lemieux, Jagr, and Crosby. I think by that point he’ll pass Francis, considering he’ll at least have one Art Ross and one Conn Smythe to his name at that point as well.
2. Stay healthy, not be traded.
3. Crosby is the captain, been with the team for one more season, and is a better overall player.
4. I think it’s unfair to guys like Pronovost and Apps to say that Kehoe is the only pre-Mario bright spot. Pronovost played more games and scored more goals for the Pens than Kehoe. Apps had more points per game and a much better +/-. To me, Kehoe’s accomplishments as a player don’t stand apart from the other two. I think he is more recognized today among Pens fans due to his long coaching career with the team.

by et_pitt on Aug 24, 2010 10:26 AM EDT reply actions

But Pronny and Apps were gone before the real dark days leading up to Lemieux. Carlyle was also a bright spot from those years, It’s a shame we never really had the kind of passing of the torch from Kehoe to Lemieux we saw with Lemieux to Crosby. Rick would have looked really nice on that right wing.

Meminisse Sed Providere

by TartanBill on Aug 24, 2010 12:24 PM EDT up reply actions

I think the love for Kehoe was his overall dedication to the organ-i-zation throughout his hockey career. Be it as a player, scout, assistant coach, head coach or even his work in the minor leagues helping the club prospects. It had a lot to do with me picking Kehoe fourth.

by Lindas1st on Aug 24, 2010 3:28 PM EDT up reply actions

Not much debate here

I agree with you, gopens44, I have don’t like sharing a player on our Mount…

Pretty bold statement on Fleury….I’d LOVE for that to happen. Though, I think Fleury would have had a better shot had Tommy B took the last spot.

I do see Francis being bumped, but I think it’s by Geno instead….

by LastSonOfKrypton on Aug 24, 2010 10:59 AM EDT reply actions

BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

We want a recount!

by biggoron on Aug 24, 2010 10:59 AM EDT reply actions

booooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

by biggoron on Sep 1, 2010 3:11 PM EDT up reply actions

Here Here Diomedes7

I would like to congratulate Diomedes7 for his consistent & dogged campaign . Though slightly misunderstood at times, he was absolutely relentless and uncomprimising in his beliefs that Ron Francis deserved the fourth spot on Pensmore. He (either Francis or Diomedes7) has prevailed and again- Congratulations.
I think both men (Francis & Barrasso) are worthy of this honor and I have no problem with Francis winning. Having said that I originally voted for Kehoe and think he would’ve been another excellent choice for the mountain top. But majority rules and there you have it: Lemieux, Crosby, Jagr & Francis. Not bad, I’d say they match up very well against any Mt. Puckmore out there.

by Lindas1st on Aug 24, 2010 3:20 PM EDT reply actions

Any 2 of the 3 (Lemieux, Crosby, Jagr) could beat any complete Mt. Puckmore

by biggoron on Aug 24, 2010 4:54 PM EDT up reply actions

i have a soft spot for players who demonstrate great heart and leadership

and as Matt over at Faceoff Factor recently reminded us (in the context of Staal possibly centering Malkin)
Francis actually centered Lemieux (and Jagr)
on what may have been the best line of all-time.

by Diomedes7 on Aug 24, 2010 8:56 PM EDT up reply actions

Excellent choice

.
Follow me on twitter, Picasa or at Pens Through My Lens.

by PensAreYourDaddy on Aug 24, 2010 9:39 PM EDT up reply actions

awesome

by Diomedes7 on Aug 24, 2010 9:45 PM EDT up reply actions

Fun Ron Francis story:

My dad taught Math up in Sault Ste. Marie when Ron Francis was playing his in the OHL, and actually had him in his class. To this day, my dad remembers that Ronnie was one of his best Calculus students, and that his mother wouldn’t let him go play hockey until he’d finished his homework like a good boy – even if it was for something the Whalers wanted him for.

"Defense! Defense! Common! Do you call that blowing!?"

by JP Nikota on Aug 25, 2010 1:16 AM EDT reply actions

nah...

as great as Francis is I still wouldn’t put him on Mt. Pensmore… he’s definitely not the Penguins-first type of player…

That’s why I’d take Kehoe (or in the case of the final ballot Barrasso) over Ronnie Francis.

Like Frank mentioned above I find it strange why Rick Kehoe was so far behind in the voting…

You have to see it for yourself...

by Bla Razor on Aug 25, 2010 3:17 AM EDT reply actions

I think it’s just a case of most people being too young to know much about him.
I’ll admit, I hadn’t even heard about him until I started hanging out here.

by Skyff on Aug 25, 2010 4:44 AM EDT up reply actions