Birthday Boy – James Neal

Happy 26th birthday, Nealmobile!

When you came to the Penguins, we hardly knew you.  Since then, well, we hope you like this website dedicated mostly to your existence.   Think of it as a place to remember that getting older is a) inevitable and b) really working for you.

To celebrate, we share with everyone: 926 Days of James Neal

The day we looked up the New Guy’s picture:

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The day we went to Pittsburgh and he won the game:

 

The day we committed long term to this relationship:

 

The next day, when we were not the only ones:

 

The last day he ever let someone else use the mirror:

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The day we knew this was going to get ridiculous:

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The day this officially got ridiculous:

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The loudest I have ever screamed about something that was not a goal:

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The day we realized how special James is:

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The day he told us he doesn’t wash his hair:

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The day we decided that is fine by us:

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The day we thought, “Oh, um, maybe not.”

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The day we took back our doubts forever:

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The day Alison & I traded jellybeans for magazines via international post:

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The day I changed my mind about tattoos:

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The day Nealer got sassy [video]:

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And never stopped:

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The day James was a window cling giveaway:

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All the days we’ve spent talking about the Gingerbeard:

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The day on which we were the most right about James:

 

And every other day:

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Yes, this guy:

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Became this guy:

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Which is exactly what we’ve spent our last few birthday wishes on.  Would it be greedy to ask for another 40 goals?  Or just enough that we haven’t seen too many pictures of his Ferrari this summer?

Now to get through the 30 days until hockey starts…

Flashback: Birthday Boy: James Neal (2011), Birthday Boy: James Neal (2012)

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Leave a Reply

  1. Gingerbeard for LIFE!

    The Neal/Malkin GIF is adorable. A non-verbal acknowledgement of their mutual awesomeness.

  2. ambitiouspants Reply

    Flawless, flawless post. How so pretty Nealsy?? I just want to chinhands and ogle his ginger beard forever.

  3. He’s only 26?? Thanks, Pants, for making me feel extra old. I was sure that he was closer to 30. Ugh.

  4. jana Reply

    The last photo of him, I immediately thought “Boy Toy,” followed up with, “YES PLEASE!”

  5. Kaitlin Reply

    Why isn’t this an international holiday? HAPPY BIRTHDAY NEALER!!!!!!

  6. Goddamn, so gorgeous. A relief that he’s 26 and making me feel a little less weird about being 30!

    Happy birthday James! I ask “#isitoctoberyet?” on a daily basis mostly so I can see that HAIR and that STUBBLE and that SASS and those TATS on a regular basis. We’ve missed everything Nealer around here.

  7. Geno and James sassing Rossi. Forever the laughtears.

  8. Val Reply

    …and now you know why I have cougarish tendencies!

  9. MB Reply

    Awesome job for an awesome man. I know he’d be proud. 🙂

  10. lynn Reply

    Thank you! That GIF of Geno and Neal is the gift that keeps on giving. I actually never thought he was hot until I went in this site six months ago. U got me! Though the hottest Pen for me is still Letang. Omg how can one team have so much hotness and talent? Not fair!

  11. duckgirlie Reply

    …Does he have NEAL tattooed in big letters on his inner bicep? IS HE AFRAID HE’LL FORGET HIS NAME?

    Thank god he’s pretty.

  12. Becca Reply

    Ahhh the unbuttoned-button-up-over-the-head .gif is the best thing ever!

  13. Heather Reply

    I LOVED the Sassy Nealsy tweet over Crosby-gate!!! Couldn’t stop laughing & that was the day he won Twitter. He’d already won my heart long before.

    Where does one get their hands on that window cling?!?!? I has a need. 🙂

    P.S. Tanger tweeted last night about his “last night out with the boys” in Mtl, which means he’ll be back in Pgh very soon! Plus, Nealer skated at Southpointe yesterday (according to Shelly Anderson of the PG). The boys are starting to migrate home & that makes me SQUEEEEEE!!