# Some Mario Lemieux questions . . . . . **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [December 29, 2000, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-mario-lemieux-questions/47715 "2000-12-29T20:54:16Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Vinnie\_Virginslayer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/53a042/32.png) [@Vinnie\_Virginslayer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Vinnie_Virginslayer)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2000, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-mario-lemieux-questions/47715/1 "2000-12-29T20:54:16Z")
Now that Mario Lemieux, owner of the Pittsburgh Penguins, is playing for the team, I have some obvious questions: 1. Can the coach bench Mario? 2. Does Mario pick which shift he plays and how often he skates? 3. Can the General Manager send Mario to the minors? 4. If a player from an opposing team injures or takes a cheap shot at Mrio, does he risk never getting to ever play for the Penguins again? 5. Even though he is an owner, does he now have to join the players union and pay himself a minumum salary? ---
**Author:** ![Shiva](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/85e7bf/32.png) [@Shiva](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shiva)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2000, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-mario-lemieux-questions/47715/2 "2000-12-29T21:50:44Z")
I’ll take #5. Mario did not join the players union, but he does pay full union dues. ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2000, 9:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-mario-lemieux-questions/47715/3 "2000-12-29T21:52:35Z")
Don’t know about 1 to 4, but I read somewhere that the National Hockey League Players’ Association was concerned that Mario wasn’t getting paid enough in his capacity as a player. Don’t know if there’s going to be a formal grievance, or if they’ll amend the agreement next time around to deal with a player-owner. ---
**Author:** ![Shiva](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/85e7bf/32.png) [@Shiva](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shiva)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2000, 9:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-mario-lemieux-questions/47715/4 "2000-12-29T21:52:47Z")
He pays himself the NHL minimum salary. ---
**Author:** ![Hodge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Hodge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hodge)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2000, 11:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-mario-lemieux-questions/47715/5 "2000-12-29T23:09:19Z")
Actually, Lemieux is paying himself the NHL average of $1.41 million. Check [this article](http://www.faceoff.com/search/story.asp?f=/news/20001211/001211news1214138.html) 4 paragraphs down. Cheers, Hodge ---
**Author:** ![kinoons](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/a698b9/32.png) [@kinoons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kinoons)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2000, 3:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-mario-lemieux-questions/47715/6 "2000-12-30T03:04:14Z")
only my opinon, but if I was the coach, I sure as hell wouldn’t let mario make any calls about 1-4. I’m the coach, I’m in charge of who plays and how. ---
**Author:** ![Alantus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a6a055/32.png) [@Alantus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alantus)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2000, 3:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-mario-lemieux-questions/47715/7 "2000-12-30T03:50:46Z")
As long as he keeps scoring 2 or 3 points a game it isn’t an issue. However, old dudes with a history of back problems playing in the NHL can often find themselves on the bench permanently, or in this case, back in the owner’s box. Alantus