55fan

Man Shack. I love it.

Blood Feud is great. If you like the fighting aspect (or need it explained to you), I recommend The Code. If you don't get the whole fighting thing, the prefaces by McSorley and Twist will give you all you need to know. My only beef with it is that it's a bit tough to read as there are all these interview quotes interspersed with the text, often at places where you are required to either go back a page and catch them up, or stop reading in the middle of something to read the quotes. Other than that, pretty good book, but then, I love enforcers. Thanks to everyone for the suggestions. Christmas is coming, and they all say I'm hard to buy for.

With Svetlana and Emma, or as bachelors? Do we get subtitles if they speak in Swedish or Russian? Whose house do they live in? Maybe we should just put the whole team in a house on road trips and tape that. Maybe I should stop now before I start thinking that this would be a really cool idea.

My heart is with Mac, but that's not in the best interest of the team. I do wish him well in GR. I would say keep Downey up. Leino and Helm are better at the whole skating and shooting and passing and scoring thing, which is important, but we have a lot of guys who are good at that. Plus, unless I'm mistaken, they don't have to worry about waivers. Downey, on the other hand, is the only one who can fight worth a crap. He's the one we need to keep the other guys honest. I say keep Downey up, with Leino and Helm being the first call-ups. From what I've heard, Leino is pretty good. I haven't gotten to see him play, so I'm basing that on others' opinions. Helm impressed me during the playoffs. Keeping Downey up allows Helm to continue to develop, and Leino to get used to this continent. They'll get more playing time in GR and, since injuries are inevitable, will also get some Wings experience as the season progresses. In the playoffs, one or both can play in Downey's spot. Enforcers are used to being in the press box during the playoffs. Not saying they like it, just that it is the way of the game.

Thank you so much! I guess I'm enough Irish.

I think it's harder to repeat now than in the past due to expansion teams. I also think that the Wings have a brilliant chance this year. I would also like to wish Nev a happy belated b-day.

Yeah, Red Wheels would have something to do with the auto industry, and the Winged Wheel logo most certainly does, but the name Red Wings really doesn't. Sounds more like shoes or birds or something. Like I said: Love the team, just not a name I'd choose.

Re: Lids vs Z in regard to salary. Remember that Lids has been around for much longer and has had bigger paydays prior to the lockout. He is no dumb bunny. I'm sure he has invested his money and doesn't need the extra million or 2 to save up for the kiddies' college fund. Z, on the other hand, is just starting out in the family scene and has been making relatively little (for his talent and contribution). I could really see Z getting 8. Expecting him to go less than 6 at this point in his career wouldn't be fair to him. That said, I don't see him taking off elsewhere for 9. I can see him giving us a hometown discount, but not to the point that he's being taken advantage of. As for the topic. Good on Cheli.

Yes, I saw that. That was my line of thinking. Instead of us going over and playing us, we would go over and play some of their teams, and they could come and play some of us here. Sorry. I see now that I was expecting you folks to read my mind.

You explained it well. Thank you. I think it would be fun for SEL and NHL teams to play each other in exhibition games. Use the rules of whatever country hosts the game. It wouldn't be more than a game in each country. Sort of a goodwill thing.

I have to be honest here. I love the Red Wings, but I would not give that as a team name if I was the one sitting around the marketing department of an unnamed team. Predators is on my not-so-hot list as well. Sounds, well... creepy. The Jazz was a good name- until they moved to Utah. Ducks- missed it by one letter. Flames make me think they should be more fashion-conscious. Pistons is a perfect name for a Detroit team. Reflects the auto industry, but has a nicer ring than the carborators (sp). Maple Leafs is also a great name. Generally, any tough animal is a good name, any weak animal is a bad one. See previously mentioned Ducks and Penguins, although ice and Penguins do have a connection.

Hi, Mindfly. I know English isn't your first language, but I'm a bit confused about what you mean. Do you mean the Swedes are insulted by the Americans or that the Swedes feel that the Americans should be insulted by the NHL? Your English is really good, but that part was a bit fuzzy. Thanks!

Drummer from the Grass Roots? Forward for U of Minn basketball team? Guy who invented the DVD rewinder? Leader of a huge country with colourful money? Got me.

The Prince is in the Palace, not the Joe.

Good grief! The woman's almost 40 and has had 4 kids. I think she looks GREAT! And so does Nick. And that's what counts.

Oh, my stomach hurts from laughing. Ok, I can breathe now. That was funny. EDIT due to alcohol-induced poor judgement. Apologies to any who were offended. Oh, and Shoe- thanks for the tip on the arrow by the gas tank thing. I never noticed that either.

Look people straight in the eye and tell them with a straight face that it stands for habaneros. Seriously. It's worth a laugh. Either they believe you and you can laugh at them, or they can't believe you're that stupid and the look on their faces is priceless.

I don't remember this from last year, and before that I wasn't a member. To be honest, I looked at the pic, went into my Malts file, didn't find one of his back, went into my Val file, checked out his back and then came back to find that if one doesn't know that they use a different font in the preseason that one is not an avid fan. Please consider that some of us don't get the games televised nor are we close enough to civilization to attend games, and may not know these things. Aside from which, I'm a chick. If a guy has his back to me, I'm not checking out his font.

I like and respect Sakic. That said, I have never heard that Turtle apologized to Draper. If he did, or tried to, I am more than willing to admit that I'm wrong, but I do need it proven to me as everything else I've heard is to the contrary. Not trying to be nasty, just asking for something to give me a good reason to change my mind.

Yeah, it ranks right up there with watching those Flomax commercials with your mother and trying not to laugh when they mention that Flomax may cause a runny nose.

From Blood Feud: "What probably enraged the Red Wings most, though, were comments by Lemieux that he 'made Draper famous' with the incident, and that 'nobody would ever have heard about him' otherwise." Now I know he and Mac called it Pax, but unless he and Draper made up after this book was printed, it is as Living the Dream said. As far as this relates to his comeback, he can do as he pleases, and I won't care. I'll root against him, for sure, but that's because he won't be with the Wings. We are far too stacked and have too much in the talent pool to even consider him.

Not to throw cold water on this, for I too am dancing in the streets, but do we all remember how well the Lions did before Millen? I've been an avid fan for over 4 decades, and every time something changes, everyone is elated because NOW we can finally reach that Superbowl, and then nothing happens, and we fire someone else, and the whole thing starts over. I'm not sure which day was happier for me: The day they hired Millen or the day they fired him. I had such high hopes. Do I still believe? Darn right I do! I believed in Eric Hipple. I still have Jeff Chadwick's 2nd year card on my desk All the same, I hope Millen gets back into broadcasting. Or something. I don't wish him a bad future, as long as it's away from the Lions.

I liked Millen......about a decade ago.

That's the spirit! If it weren't for people telling us that this thread is too long, this thread would be pretty short. Has anyone commented on the fact that Downey and Flip were road roomies last year? This could go for another 6 pages.

Better thumb than toe.