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a list of things I take more seriously than mindfly: 1. A promise from a politician 2. The artistic musical styling of one Justin Bieber 3. The word of an AD in college football that there will not be a coaching change and they are committed to the current coach, after a couple sub-par seasons 4. Brett Favre's retirement announcements 5. The complaints of a woman wearing a low cut, 2 sizes too small shirt, that guys always stare at her boobs 6. The weather report I could go on...

Gee....ya think? Babcock is delusional about goaltending. It's his blind spot. He seems to think that he can manufacture a Starting Goaltender, by sheer number of Starts alone. He did it with Legace. He tried to do it with Conklin. And now he's doing it with Howard. Babcock needs to learn that what makes a goaltender a #1 Goaltender is NOT the number of Games he starts during the Season. It's what's between his ears. And you can't FORCE that, no matter how many Games you throw 'em out there. Babcock seems pig-headedly stubborn, incapable of learning from past mistakes, and unwilling to admit when he's wrong. Maybe THAT is what kept him from ever being able to make it to the NHL as a Player.

It's pretty simple, VM: If Babcock turns to Osgood now, odds are Ozzie is so fired up and hungry for the #1 spot, that he TAKES it. And never looks back. What does that mean for Mike Babcock? It means he was WRONG about the goaltending. It means that he was WRONG to stick with Howard as the Wings were driven to 7 Games against an inferior opponent, and bounced in 5 Games against a choke Team which was swept in the next Round. It means that he made the WRONG decision to declare Howard the Starter to open this Season, without a hint of competition for the spot. For those who state that "Howard is the Starter. You have to stick with your Starter." Says WHO? What justifies keeping Howard as the Starter, when his "back-up" is outplaying him. Wasn't Osgood the Starter just LAST SEASON....until HIS "back-up" started outplaying HIM. Then a NEW Starter was named, based on merit. When Legace was the Starter in 2005-2006, and Osgood was the back-up, it was: "Manny's the Starter. He's our guy, and we're gonna ride him." When Dom was the Starter from 2006-2008, and Osgood was the back-up, it was: "Dom's the Starter. He's our guy, and we're gonna ride him." When Ozzie was the Starter in 2007-2008, and Conklin was the back-up, it was: "Whoever plays better, plays." When Ozzie was the Starter in 2008-2009, and Howard was the back-up, it was: "We're going with the hot hand." Now that Howard is the Starter, and Osgood is once again the back-up, it's back to: "Howard's the Starter. He's our guy, and we're gonna ride him." Anyone who fails to see the ridiculous double standard here is out of their minds. It's quite simple. Babcock will NOT allow Osgood a shot, not even a shot, to re-take the Starting role. He'll keep throwing Howard out there, for loss after loss, regardless of HOW he's playing, until the TEAM pulls it together, and Howard starts Winning again. THEN he can say: "See. It was just a slump. All is well now." Right up until the Wings are bounced out of the Post Season early, again. He did the same thing in January/February last Season when Howard went 8-5-6, and was giving up 3+ goals per Game consistently. He just kept throwing him out there, Game after Game, after Game.

Are you serious? Please, please, please remind yourself of the stretch run last year. Where Jimmy Howard basically carried us on his back. We wouldn't have made the playoffs without him last year, chew on that. His start this year wasn't bad either...sheez. Put Jimmy on waivers and watch the ensuing GM on GM violence. Pretty sure Leighton goes unclaimed, but either way, pretty much no one will care anyway.

Howard has been badly outplayed by Osgood for a month and a half. This what you don't understand. Howard automatically gets the next start after a bad game to 'sort it out' if you will. The problem is that he has been having a ton of bad games. Osgood, on the other hand, has been playing great and after each great game he gets exiled to the end of the bench for another week or two. Howard has done nothing to earn his starts this season; Osgood has done plenty. Osgood should be starting half or more of the games from here on out until Howard proves otherwise.

A friend of mine posted some Leafs jokes on my facebook, I'll share them here.. What's a common theme with the Toronto Raptors, Blue Jays, Argonauts, and Maple Leafs, aside from all being from Toronto?... None of them know how to play hockey. What do you call 22 millionaires watching the playoffs?... The Maple Leafs. Why doesn't Hamilton have and NHL team?... Then Toronto would want one too. It's a sad fact that most people who witnessed the Leafs win their last cup were in diapers... It's a fun fact that the next time they win, those same people will be in diapers again. Man goes into a bar with his dog to watch the Leafs game. Bartender says it's ok, so long as the dog doesn't cause any trouble... When the Leafs score their first goal, the dog leaps off the bar stool, does a backflip and dances around on its hind legs. The bartender says to the man, "Hey that's pretty sweet! What happens when they win a game?"... The man replies, "I dunno. I've had him for 3 years and we're yet to see it happen!" What do the Leafs and the Titanic have in common?... The both look good until they hit the ice.

GO USA, GO MITCH CALLAHAN

Even Luongo isn't "elite" anymore. The guy used to be, but he's not very "clutch." He's certainly great but like Ken and Mick said the other night, there just aren't any truly dominant goalies in the league. Do Miller, Lundqvist and Luongo really stack up when compared to Hasek, Roy and Brodeur (in his hey-day)? No.

Better then Howard...

good thing we still have one Czech, or else, no funny. Still the best Red Wings commercial, ever:

How is Osgood any better than Roloson? Osgood is a compiler, lucky to play for the Wings - behind one of the best defenses in the league for most of his career. If he hadn't joined Wings, there would be no discussion about HHOF or retiring numbers. It would be a disgrace to retire his number. As for his 3 Cups? The first one - Osgood was no.2 goalie; the second Cup - Wings won despite Osgood's piss poor performance; 3rd Cup - Osgood was great. One great playoff run does not make him HHOFer.

He continually finished outside the top 10 in S% and GAA. Get over it.

I know, it's like he treats a starter different than a back up.

Good luck Canada fans! I expect some good bantering, but I hope some posters don't take this game too seriously...

Pcik him up Kenny, can't be worse than howard/osgood atm.

If you are proud of watching a sport in which a majority of the players have been convicted of a felony, then keep watching the NBA.

Hard to tell from the replay but it looks more like a dive then anything else.

That's what's all over Twitter. Even NBC was confused why there was no handshakes. I have absolutely no doubt now that it was no mistake that Crosby didn't shake Nick's hand (yeah, yeah, call me out for bringing that up again two years later, whatever). Good job marketing the game, Crybaby.

Because some journalists are clueless morons? Hell, if anything, to make it catch on with the "average American", you'd have to have MORE fights. At the very minimum one a game, I'd guess.

He's had a hell of a career, but I just don't see his number hanging from the rafters. The very fact that we even have to debate it speaks volumes against his chances. He's good, but he's not on the same level as Yzerman, Howe, and co.

those sportsmanship commercials are the worst lol. "I touched the ball before it went out coach" I know it has nothing to do with this thread or anything just thought that that commercial was silly business.

Blasphemy.