PITTSBURGH -- A homeless man suffering from bipolar disorder targeted Pittsburgh Penguins owner Mario Lemieux with notes offering unusual advice on how to win hockey games.
James Hoop is in the Allegheny County Jail on a probation violation but has not been charged with any crimes in connection with Lemieux, defense attorney Sumner Parker told WTAE Channel 4's Marcie Cipriani.
NHL security officials contacted authorities after the 54-year-old Hoop started addressing some notes to Lemieux's wife and daughters and tossing them into Lemieux's yard in Sewickley earlier this year.
"The letters contained suggestions for putting the hockey players on vitamins and some of the younger players -- (Sidney) Crosby, (Jordan) Staal and, I think, (Marc-Andre) Fleury -- that they ought to stay away from certain types of food and they shouldn't be eating so much sugar," said Parker. "I think one of the letters questioned whether Sidney Crosby had the maturity to be the team captain."
Neither Lemieux nor the players have pressed charges. The notes, along with several Christian CDs, are being held by Penguins security.
Parker said Hoop -- who claims to be a doctor and has been taking medication for his disorder -- meant no harm and was only trying to be helpful.
"He wanted the Penguins to do better and, gosh, after he started sending the letters and dropping off these religious CDs, they did start to do better," Parker said. "Now, the coaching change (replacing Michel Therrien with Dan Bylsma) may have had something to do with that, but who knows?"
Lemieux's home is within view of the road that it's on, but there is a gate, a 6-foot fence and security cameras for privacy.
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