yoops14

The post series handshake is one of the greatest traditions in sports, not just playoff hockey. Not one other sport shows that class and respect that hockey players do at the the end of a series. I get that tensions/emotions are high after it's done, but if you refuse to shake someone's hand, then hockey players are no better than NBA players, etc. It sets a status quo that you're a spoiled, selfish professional athlete who doesn't have to respect tradition or have any class. Just my 2 cents.

It's not really about playing games with headaches, it's about playing games with lingering post-concussion symptoms. I guess the worst case scenario for anyone in sports medicine is what's called Second Impact Syndrome. This can occur following a concussion or head injury where the symptoms haven't resolved. Basically, there's still bleeding somewhere in the brain causing those symptoms and if the person takes another hit or jostle or shove, the brain is re-injured and can instantaneously swell and hemorrhage. Nothing the medical staff can do to save the athlete's life. None of us in sports medicine want someone dying on our watch, especially if it's a preventable situation (i.e. Lilja sitting because of continued post-concussion symptoms), so that's why athletic trainers and sports medicine physicians are particularly conservative with head injuries. As an ATC, I'm not particularly conservative on many things (I'm fine with letting anyone play with a sprained knee/sprained ankle/muscle strain as long as they're functional), but head and neck injuries I am extremely cautious with.

I'm still up in the air as to where I'll be. On one hand, I'd love to watch it at the Cubby Bear across the street from Wrigley. On the other, The Gin Mill in Lincoln Park is a Red Wings/Michigan State bar, so that would be fun as well. You also might want to look at Stanley's on Lincoln and Armitage or basically any of the pubs on the North Side. So excited!!!

Hudler is working the crowd like a damn rock star!!!!! "Let's go Red VINGS!"

McCarty being interviewed: "Yeah, I'm going to sell the movie rights." "Who's gonna play you? Brad Pitt?" "Nah, too goo looking."

Bowman had it, no?

Lilja's voice cracking and saying he's getting "tear-eyed." CLEARY with the Tigers hat on!!!

Babcock's kid holding up the sign- "Red Wings fans are #1!"

I was thinking about this very thing today when I reading about how Crosby, Malking, Gonchar, etc. were playing with some type of dehabilitating injury. I thought to myself- A. It's the playoffs, EVERYONE plays with something, and B. I guarantee there were Wings playing with injuries, but they didn't need to come up with excuses as to why they didn't win and therefore did not make a big deal about it.

I hope he'll be staying. You just can't say enough about the energy and the positive attitude he brings on and off the ice.

So, you're a neurosurgeon then? Do you know what second impact syndrome is? That's when an athlete returns too quickly from a concussion, gets hit, and his brain swells instantaneously, killing him within minutes. There is nothing, and I repeat nothing, any medical personnel can do. There are no reports of people living through second impact syndrome. And you cannot diagnose second impact syndrome in advance, so that type of thing would not show up on a CAT scan or on an MRI. So, yes, apparently since you're the expert, the Red Wings physicians are just "covering their own butts," and not truly concerned about his health. So, I guess if it were your liability on the line and Franzen's LIFE on the line, then you could do whatever you wanted, clear him for whatever you wanted. Thank goodness it's not you making the decisions. And just as a side note, most athletes know the dangers of playing with concussions, and I can guarantee Franzen has been informed of the possible consequences as well. Just as Yzerman was advised of the consequence of playing on his knee and just as Crosby was informed of the consequences of playing on his foot. And let me just say, neither of those injury were potential life-threatening situations.

Usually it's not up to the league to determine protocol on injuries, even head injuries. It's typically up to the discretion of the medical staff, specifically the team physician. Our team physician's protocol states that an athlete goes from non-contact to limited contact to full contact and if any symptoms (yes, this includes a headache) return then the process starts over and you once again have to wait until the athlete has no symptoms before he can participate again. That's just my .02, other physicians might have differing protocol.

I get worried for every series. Because it's the playoffs and anything can happen. We've learned that in the last 3 years, haven't we? That no team should be underestimated? That's not to say that I don't have confidence in the boys, but I just firmly believe you should never take a team lightly.

Blackhawks fans are finally getting excited about hockey again and this is great news for them. I went to a Blackhawks game at the United Center a few weeks ago and had to get standing room only tickets. It was insane. I don't remember the last time I went to a game there and wasn't able to buy a ticket at the window beforehand. It was great to see the support they got from their fans.

Definitely not enough. I was hoping for a minimum of 10, since of course we have to be "realistic" about who we're dealing with here. Does anyone else find it extremely fishy that he returns ONE game before the playoffs begin??? Fricking conspiracy...