Back To The Grind 01/06/25

It was a weekend that saw the Pittsburgh Penguins visit the defending Stanley Cup Champions in Florida, then a team, in the Canes, who perennially gives the Pens fits - especially when the matchup happens on the road in Raleigh. On one hand, the song remained the same in that Pittsburgh put a great game on the ice against the Cats, essentially stealing a point against a first-class Florida lineup. On the other hand, the Penguins proceeded to do one of the things they do best: They blew (another) 2-goal lead against a divisional rival. After a great multi-goal first period in North Carolina, the Pens seemed to doze their way through the second frame and found themselves trailing after forty minutes. Another consolation point was salvaged, thanks to a late-game tally from Erik Karlsson, but neither players nor coach were left with a good taste in their mouths.

Jeff and Jordan preview a tough, tough week of upcoming matchups including the Columbus Blue Jackets (nearly tied with the Pens in the WC race) on Tuesday night, and the Edmonton Oilers (defending Western Conference Champs) on Thursday.

Thanks to Espresso A Mano, Pittsburgh’s finest coffee roasters and cafe, for partnering with Fly Penguins Fly podcast. Visit an Espresso A Mano location near you:
https://espressoamano.com/

Thank you for listening!! Follow the podcast on X/Twitter: @penspod
Jeff Taylor: @penspod_JT // Jordan DeFigio: @fidgenewton

LETS GO PENS.

JEFF TAYLOR + JORDAN DEFIGIO

Intro/Outro music composed and recorded by Jeff Taylor
Mark Guiliana plays drums - thanks, Mark!

Shane Taylor designed and delivered our artwork.
To hire Shane for design work: shanetaylordesigns@gmail.com - tell him Fly Penguins Fly sent you!

Before They Even Stop Crying 01/03/25

Coming out of Christmas break, the Pittsburgh Penguins dropped four of six points against vulnerable squads. The Pens’ schedule gets exceptionally tough starting tonight, when they visit the Cats of Sunrise, FL. Jeff is sucked up into an emotional twister by his first-ever experience with the story of “Wicked,” and Jordan would bring The Bus back to The Burgh if she could.

Thanks to Espresso A Mano, Pittsburgh’s finest coffee roasters and cafe, for partnering with Fly Penguins Fly podcast. Visit an Espresso A Mano location near you:
https://espressoamano.com/

Thank you for listening!! Follow the podcast on X/Twitter: @penspod
Jeff Taylor: @penspod_JT // Jordan DeFigio: @fidgenewton

LETS GO PENS.

JEFF TAYLOR + JORDAN DEFIGIO

Intro/Outro music composed and recorded by Jeff Taylor
Mark Guiliana plays drums - thanks, Mark!

Shane Taylor designed and delivered our artwork.
To hire Shane for design work: shanetaylordesigns@gmail.com - tell him Fly Penguins Fly sent you!

Sara Civian: Hating On Hate 12/23/24

Jeff Taylor and Jordan DeFigio are joined today by storied hockey writer and founder of The Civ Report,* Sara Civian! As a co-host of the Too Many Men Podcast, Civian has also reported for Bleacher Report and The Athletic.

Maybe it’s because the holidays are upon us, but few conversations we’ve shared with our guests have been quite as delightful as this one with Sara Civian. As is often the case on Fly Penguins Fly, our topics of conversation wound their way around some strange and hilarious bends in the road. See time codes below to customize your listening experience, or just buckle up and take in the full hour.

We deeply appreciate YOU, our listener. Fly Penguins Fly podcast is here to provide a safe space for you to unwind and hang out with us, to laugh at the ridiculous side of our great game and to ponder some of the weirder corners of the social media wastelands we all frequent.

In said spirit, we really feel that Sara brought some very cool insights and experiences to the table, recounting her own navigations of the unpredictable digital tundras, airport terminals, and aging hockey barns we all can’t help but love.

(00:38) Jordan DeFigio: Coffee in Nashville, TN
(07:27) Sara Civian: The state of sports journalism as an industry
(13:54) Civian: The darkening of Twitter
(15:25) Jeff Taylor: F-ing up online
(19:38) Civian: Hating On Hate
(21:29) Taylor: On not “running”
(22:51) Actual hockey talk commences!
(23:16) DeFigio: State of Penguins hockey
(24:35) Taylor: On Bryan Rust bringing the positivity
(27:09) Civian: State of Penguins hockey
(29:47) Civian: On Alex Nedjelkovic
(31:59) Civian: What it’s like being around the Carolina Hurricanes
(34:50) Taylor: NY Rangers rant
(38:20) Civian: The NY Rangers are in trouble
(43:10) DeFigio: On “gotcha” trolls
(47:09) Civian: The beauty of going indy as a hockey writer
(48:26) Taylor: Discussing PIT@NJD game
(49:58) PHI@PIT 12/23: All hands preview and predict
(51:15) Jeff’s Baron Silas von Greenback impression

Thanks to Espresso A Mano, Pittsburgh’s finest coffee roasters and cafe, for partnering with Fly Penguins Fly podcast. Visit an Espresso A Mano location near you:
https://espressoamano.com/

Subscribe to Sara Civian’s “The Civ Report” substack feed:
http://thecivreport.substack.com/

Listen to Too Many Men Podcast featuring today’s guest, Sara Civian:
https://toomanymenpod.podbean.com/

Subscribe to Jeff’s new Penguins-related Substack feed:
https://substack.com/@penspod

Thank you for listening!! Follow the podcast on X/Twitter: @penspod
Jeff Taylor: @penspod_JT // Jordan DeFigio: @fidgenewton

LETS GO PENS.

JEFF TAYLOR + JORDAN DEFIGIO

Intro/Outro music composed and recorded by Jeff Taylor
Speical thanks to Mark Guiliana and Ashley Taylor for lending their musical talents as well.

Shane Taylor designed and delivered our artwork.
To hire Shane for design work: shanetaylordesigns@gmail.com - tell him Fly Penguins Fly sent you!