55fan

Spring. Fall involves raking and getting ready for winter. Pastel or neon?

Kids are definitely off-limits. Moms should only be used for pot-shots on the ice where the insulter can man up and defend his comments with his fists or his wit, as any good son will defend his mama. The pic of Howard was awesome. That needs to be repeated.

When I heard it, I thought he was being sarcastic, but then I don't listen to him enough to judge. It was the way he emphasized "all". The article was funny. In my personal opinion, I believe that Datsyuk has talent. I also believe that water is wet and that zebras are not native to Nova Scotia.

Probably not since the divorce, although one never knows these days.

I don't see that. Tootoo brings energy to the garden-variety games. They need someone to ramp it up and bring extra spark on the average Tuesday in February against the Panthers (or equally boring game where it's hard to get psyched up, but we still need the two points). No one needs motivation to get ramped up during the playoffs. Regular season games need a player with some edge and energy. During the playoffs, everyone has edge and energy. If we had faced a team of dirty players out there pile-driving our players and getting away with it, Toots would be out there to "keep the flies off". As it is, despite some questionable hits from other teams which may or may not have been called, no one is out banging Z's head into anything as time expires. Yet. If that sort of thing happens, and the guys who are on the ice can't handle it, then bring Tootoo in for one game to sort things out. During the regular season, you need to send a message to all of the other teams that you won't stand for such things. During the playoffs, you battle one team at a time, and react to what that particular team is doing at that particular time. At this point, the Hawks haven't been doing anything that requires getting a fighter out there, and the Wings, aside from being gassed in game 1, haven't needed the extra energy. For all we know, he's being like Downey in 2008 and providing the on-going encouragement during practice and down-times, and being the team's positive cheer-leader and motivator, as well as providing depth in the event of injury. Side note from Hamsterland: Yes, Andrew is the full name of Drew. The late, great hamster (who died the day the playoffs started) was addressed as Drew, as is the man on the ice who recently scored a goal.

As I recall, Homer started out as #15 but had to give it up after his 1st year when Minorov came along. He asked to be given #96. Bowman asked why. Homer told him, "That's the year I came to America." Bowman reportedly told him, (paraphrase) "Well you might as well take 98, because that's the year you're going back." Aside from grade school, where they had to be a bit nicer because you were learning, coaches are always whatever combination of harsh and encouraging that they think will work best on players as individuals and as a team. When you need finesse, you speak more quietly. When you need more brute force and all-out hard work, you ramp up your intensity to match the output you want. My dad coached jv football and golf. There was quite the difference in temperament between the sports. I don't think he ever yelled in golf, not even when a kid nailed the side of his pickup.

Irrelevant. Chicago has neither balls nor peens. Sorry. Had to.

That's why I chose my username. When I joined, people were bashing him and wanting him gone. He was no good and made of glass. I believed in him. Granted, I believed in him more than I believe in Smith, but I don't think we should be punching Smith a one-way ticket out either.

I love Tootoo. Heck, I named my new hamster after him. If that's not love, what is? It's not that I don't want to see Tootoo, it's that I don't see how putting him in would improve what we have. Our first and third lines are pretty much untouchable. That leaves the second line, where he doesn't belong, and the fourth line, which consists of Eaves, Emmerton, and Miller. Emmerton is the weak link on that line-and I'm in no way saying that he's been bad, just that he's not as good as the other two- but he's a centre. If Miller had a history of flipping between centre and RW, I'd say, "why not?" But that's not the case. Also we have the Todd and the Shinguard Assassin in the press box as well. I'd put them in before Tootoo. If someone goons things up and we need Tootoo's skill set, by all means, put him in. If (God forbid) we get injuries, I'm glad he's there. As it stands, as much as I love him, there just isn't a place for him that can't better be filled by someone else.

Wow. You look nothing like I expected you to look. I don't even remember you posting that back in the Blaze.

One more way to tolerate them: Watch with friends and make fun of them. Or just do it on your own if you have thick curtains and/or walls.

Probably. I always do. The person below me has gotten a speeding ticket.

Not a fan of either, but skeeters are easier to see, and, therefore, kill. More or less?

Two old ladies were at a bus stop smoking cigarettes when it started to rain. The first lady said, "Oh, no, now our cigarettes will get wet." The second one said, "No they won't." She reached into her purse and pulled out two condoms and a manicure scissors. She snipped the ends off the condoms and unrolled them over the cigarettes. "See? We just roll them up as we smoke, and our cigarettes stay nice and dry." The first lady is impressed. "What are these and where did you get them?" she asked. "They're called condoms and you can get them in any pharmacy." the other replied. A few weeks later, the first lady was standing at a bus stop and it started raining. She remembered the condoms and happened to be near a pharmacy. She went in and asked the pharmacist, "Do you sell condoms?" The pharmacist wondered what an 80-year-old lady would need them for, but, being a professional, he replied, "Yes, ma'am. Is there any particular kind you want?" The old lady thought about it and replied, "I guess it doesn't matter, just so long as it will fit on a camel."

9.5 and 9.7 Raise them after the Hawks dive.

Last game we proved we could hang with the Hawks. As long as we remember that "could" doesn't mean "will" and keep up the intensity, I see victory in our future.

And he's so modest. I love that in a person. Clean, effective, good hits. Love it.

Gone, Gone, Gone- Chiliwack

Oh, heavens. I'll go with chest because it's easier to cover it again. Jordan, Marc, or Eric?

I don't think I'd fit in a cabinet door. I'm pretty large. The person below me has an accent.

I have to go to work. The person below me has worked in a fast food place.

You kidding? Walk. Running is for people with good knees. Whistle or hum?

You know... not trying to get ahead of things or jinx anything- just musing... a few more games like Saturday, and that guy may be right. The Red Wings DON'T belong in the same rink as the Hawks. And that is why the Hawks will be golfing.

Yesterday, When I Was Young- Roy Clark

This is the best thing I have read today. Over the years, I've plussed you and negged you (when we had that option), but this is the plussiest thing you have ever written. I regret that I can only like it once. I might just have to find some random posts of yours and like them. If he had a full season, he might be a bit more poised. If we still had Lidstrom and Stuart, and had gotten DD, and if DD hadn't gotten hurt, Smith would be in the press box, if he was on the team at all. Cola wouldn't have been signed, and White looked good with Lids, so it would probably be 5-18, 55-23, 52-65 with Q and Kindl in the press box. Those are huge "if"s. You play with the team you have. You really don't have other options. Is White better than Smith? I think so, but Babs doesn't. Babs sees them every day. I don't. Yes, Smith is going to make some bad plays and bad decisions. E did the same when not paired with Nick, who often bailed him out. I was ready to write Kindl off as a bust, but he also just needed time and experience to develop. How many times do we get told that D need more time to develop? The young D has been thrown into the fire this year, and they are being refined like silver. Some day they will shine. Some are there; some are not. Criticism is warranted. Wanting to trade him when he's bad is understandable. Demanding that he be traded at this point is premature, short-sighted, and petulant.