Uncle Danny

I disagree. This is exactly why JR should be on TV and shouldn't shut the hell up. Unlike the rest of his talking head comrades, he says what he thinks and comes from a position of experience. I may not like the content, but I'd much rather watch this than the usual cliched drivel we get. And to what, I think, is your point, if we lose the series because of something JR said on television, we have much, much larger problems.

Red Wings bars in SF: Kezar Pub (Stanyan near Haight): This is probably the premier Wings bar in town -- the owner/bartender is from Detroit. Lots and lots of tvs and the best wings in town (no pun intended -- they're tasty!). The only downside is that it can get a bit crowded, especially for weekend games. I would imagine that this place is insane for this matchup. If you can get a seat, this is the place to be... just be sure to get there a little early. Kilowatt (16th St. between Valencia and Guerrero): Less of a Wings bar than in years past, as the two bartenders from Detroit have moved on...but you can always get a TV with the game on it, and the local crusties at the bar itself are typically Wings and Toronto fans. This place is decidedly NOT a sports bar, though... more of a punk rock dive that happens to be filled with Red Wings fans. You won't be able to get any sound here, as they'll be playing music. Shotwells (20th St. and Shotwell): Not a hockey bar, but they do have the NHL package and will show Red Wings games on request (assuming there isn't a Giants game on). Best beer selection in the city, and the staff and locals are amazingly friendly. If you land here, tell them Dan sent you...hell, I might even be there I should add that Kezar runs shuttles from SF to San Jose for games. Something like $60 for the ride, a keg on the bus and some nosebleed seats. Very rowdy bunch of fans. I've never done the shuttle myself, but when I make it to the Shark Tank, I always go up and say hello to the Wings faithful. Friends who've done the whole package say it's one hell of a good time.

Going to re-up using my same round one criteria: $100 for a round 2 series Wings win $100 for a round 2 series sweep by the Wings LGW!

Datsyuk, but honestly the whole team played well. Only Abbie, Draper and Stu held off the scoresheet? Impressive.

Money being sent as I type (well, almost)... if I don't now, my wife might find out and take something far more valuable from me! Honestly, it's for the kids, as silly and cliched as that sounds. I don't get how anyone with a few spare bucks wouldn't give for this.

So where do we send the loot? This is the happiest $200 I've spent in a long, long time

Late to the game here, as I was out of the country for the first three games...but I'm in! Seeing as we're already three deep, I'll eschew with most of the individual pledges and go straight for the jugular: $100 for a round 1 series win $100 for a round 1 sweep I'll re-up if/when the hockey gods grant us a round two with a new set of criteria.

I'm in. I actually spent 10 of the last 12 days in Mexico and didn't shave the entire time I was there... if I did shave now, I'd have pasty white cheeks and tan everywhere else. I have no choice but to continue and hope that the Wings make it deep enough for the tan on my face to fade some before I can shave it off. I'll post pics later, but my facial hair grows faster than Nell Carter's waist line, so it'll by Grizzly Adams style by the end of the second round.

When it's kinda unique.

F: Corey Perry (I get the Stamkos/Crosby love here, but I think it misses the point of the thread. We're not hurting for centers or soft offensive talents. Perry brings a sniper's touch and he's a prick to boot on the wing. If Selanne were about 20 years younger, I'd have picked him, though ) D: Boring answer = Weber or Doughty G: Boring answer = Miller

I really hope the league doesn't make an issue of this. This is hardly Rick Tocchet or Pete Rose... just harmless fun with a fan. I actually dislike Turco a little less after this episode.

Larson was on the list, unless I'm imagining things.

From eva Not a bad list. I'll go with: 1) Gretzky 2) Lemieux (christ can we do a list that doesn't start this way?) The rest in no order: Forsberg, Datsyuk Thornton, Larionov, Lidstrom, Weight (oh, i'll catch s*** for this one), Oates, Fedorov, Leetch A couple of the young guns on here I'm sure will overtake, but I want to see a few more years from them first.

I wish I was kidding. It would also remove one of the largest draws from any WC matchup Detroit is involved in.

I think it's wishful thinking to believe that the NHL would allow Detroit to move to the east, regardless of what happens with other franchises. The east already has four of the original six, and the top two non o6 teams from a marketing perspective (Caps and Pens). People talk today about the eastern conference bias -- moving Detroit would multiply that. As much as I'd like to see it, I sincerely doubt it'll happen. This is a business, after all.

Holy crow, I can't believe I missed Sakic on my list. I'll knock Leetch out of the top, um, 11, and put Joe there. Also good to see some Francis love here. He might take Nick's place for me. The Sedins are good...very, very good... but I think it's a wee bit of a stretch to call them all-time good. Were I Canucks fan I wouldn't take it as a slight that they're not on this list, as they're amazingly fun to watch regardless. Only three people on my original list are still active, and the only one of them could I make a serious case for being knocked off would be Lidstrom. Thornton is a no brainer for one-of-the-all-time-best, and Datsyuk is a magician. So, I guess that gives us (trying to force rank now, but this is less science than art): 1) #99 2) #66 3) Oates 4) Thornton 5) Larionov 6) Sakic 7) Fedorov 8) Francis 9) Datsyuk 10) Weight 11) Forsberg HM: Janney, Coffey, Lidstrom, Leetch...H Sedin EDIT: You could take #5-8 and jumble them however you like. That was the roughest part of the ranking for me.

Forward: St. Louis, Gaborik... both just flat out fun to watch play. Oh, and Marleau due to a run in with his father in law at the Shark tank. Defense: Doughty, Keith Goalie: Miller, Thomas (MI, represent)

FFS, I hope that was a joke, esteef.

No, I work a desk job... but I did meet my wife at a past job, so... well, you know The person below me regularly gives to charity.

Sorry, shoulda been clearer (actually didn't mean to quote the poster above me). I was interested in the video posted, not the knee injury. I've got an aversion to watching people get sliced open (never could stomach those surgery shows), so I didn't want to open this up and be confronted with something Zednik-esque. Thanks for clarifying. Just watched and wish I could hear what was said. Chances are it was just someone calling him out for being a ***** and leaving the ice over a little blood, not having actually seen that it was a skate to the face. Ouch. I don't care how chirpy Chicago's rep is, they don't seem to be stocked with the types of players who would knowingly taunt someone over something like that. But then, what the hell do I know? I'm just some dude on the internet.

This is how I took it as well. I don't really have an issue with either the video's list or Eva's. Fedorov I think definitely deserved a nod, and I was also pleased to see Mogilny and Selanne called out by others. I think the only member of either list I'd taken some exception to is Lindros. There is no disputing that he was one of the best in the game at his peak, nor that he was a monster talent. But on a list of the "most skilled," I'd put several players already mentioned ahead of him. He relied on his size and strength more than his ability to dazzle you with the puck. I'm also seriously surprised to hear people questioning Kovalev's spot on this list. The guy was a freaking magician in his prime. He was just never able to pull it all together mentally into the total package. A list I'd be interesting in seeing is one of the top ten all-time passers.

Frightened to watch the video for fear of gore, but I really want to see what happened. Is the cut nasty? Ok for the squeamish to watch?

Nope. It's around 67 and sunny. I'm happy. The person below me thinks that groups of people walking in a slow moving horizontal row, occupying the entire sidewalk, should be forced to go to traffic school.