Allow Me to Introduce Myself...

I am very flattered and honored to be invited to join Pens Universe, one of the finest Pittsburgh Penguins site the internet has to offer.

My name is Joe Depto and I was born and raised in Pittsburgh in 1985. Like all young people raised in Western Pennsylvania, I introduced to the Black and Gold doctrine of sports immediately. I took it all in stride, and it became my hobby, my education, and my passion. instantly.

I grew up immersing myself in all of the local sports fodder I could, making it not only my most relevant time-spender, but also my most urgent one.

Football, Basketball, and Baseball were all sports that had a fond place in my head (and still do), but as I got older I realized they were just affairs.

When I met Penguins hockey, it was true love.

If you're reading this site, or are a part of it, I don't need to tell you how special being a Penguins fan is.

We've seen the dark depths of Kansas City arenas being built to house our demise, Rico Fata-esque letdowns, and a myriad of coaching changes.

We've seen the shining glare of the Stanley Cup, the warmth of a passionate and intelligent fan base, and one of the most talented and most like-able young core of players any professional sports franchise has had the pleasure of having in recent memory.

To my fellow staff members, thank you for giving me the opportunity to be a part of Pens Universe. Your e-mails, Facebook requests, and Twitter follows have been appreciated and flattering.

To the readers, thank you for making Pens Universe part of your day. I hope to add something to your daily Penguins reading to continue to help a great site foster an environment that we all feel is special.

I can't wait to get started and be a small part in helping our beloved Pens defend our coveted Stanley Cup in 2010.

And, of course...

Let's Go Pens!

- Joe Depto