whitewolf406

DirtyD you have collected my thoughts quite nicely. Last year after the WCF's a good friend, older than even me, hockey player in Mens over 50 league, and lifelong Wings fan told me that he's done watching the NHL. "We should have the best experienced and sharpest officials at any level in the world. I can get fair & constancy from the refs in my rec league and the NHL is closer and closer to the WWF." Almost exactly a year later I'm realizing he's right. The officiating in most of the series so far has been poor/inconstant at best. It's not a grand conspiracy for or against any one team, but against real hockey fans as a whole. The current s***HEAD in charge cares more about a fan the game might get over the core fan base that keeps the doors open for at least 2 too many teams year in and year out. Anyone who says "and the officials might make mistakes" after game 2,(and thinks the lockout was good for hockey) is not going to address a damn thing that's wrong with the game or league. He is a business man first and a hockey fan last. "If something's making money it must be working OK" attitude has ruined more than one empire. How many chains of whatever business you want to pick has imploded because it expanded too much or too rapidly? It doesn't matter how good the product is, as long as we have one for them to buy they'll buy it. He as recently as a 2/3 months ago AGAIN brought up expansion. He is hellbent on keeping a team in a market that will NEVER make a profit and his next stroke of genius can only be figuring a way to have the Winter Classic there. When you have a self-satisfying, delusional madman running your business the officiating issues are just the tip of the iceberg. In Gary's world, the game is merely a means to promote merchandise.

One shift, one period, one game at a time. Keep it going guy's. I believe.

THIS!

I made the same observation after the 1st game, and after this abortion the stripes have decided we are the reincarnation of the Anaheim Duck's. After 44 years of watching hockey, I realize the axiom of letting them play in the playoffs is officially over. I guess there's to much at $take for the league.The blatant inconsistencies in not just a spot or two in a game, but tonight the better part of the 3rd period combined with some of the high-jinks in many of the series in the 1st round are getting to be to much to swallow. A bad or missed call once in a while is expected in sports, but when the refereeing at most middle school sporting events is better and more consistent than paid professionals in the NHL you have to wonder. Much like watching the average TV sitcom, my friends and I predicted when penalties would be called and when they wouldn't. I have a feeling I know what the story line of the rest of the playoffs is going to be, and no I don't hear black helicopters every time I walk outside. I cant' remember the last time I felt like this after watching any game not just one of ours.

Same crap here in Montana. April 16th game I had BH-Preds on Vs, home+away+home HD on center ice. Nothing anywhere for Wings feed. Had to wait until Hawks ended for Vs to switch! Funny thing I went to start my neighbors direct tv dvr ( Hawks fan from Chi. ) and guess what? There's the FSD feed! If Vs has the exclusive why can we both pay for center ice and he gets games I can't? Watching Vs exclusive during the regular season is fine because they're not pre-empting other games as you just go to CI. The commercials last summer and fall all tout "every game through the SECOND Round of the playoffs". I'ved had CI since 2000 and up to last year got what I paid for. Bresnan customer-no-service had no clue or explanation of course. Going to one of the dishes next year may be a crap shoot as well after last years Vs fiasco. Wonder how much Vs donated to Buttmans legal defense fund for this bulls***?

Just before the game ended, I was telling they guys I watch with that my team MVP this year is Ozzie. I believe that he has decided to prove that if he isn't going to play every day that he still can contribute to this teams success. He has stood up for Howie, helped deflect the media scrutiny ( see game 3 postgame ), and made sure there has been no disruptions in the locker room. Then I look back to the TV and it seems like the first guy over the bench to the net is Ozzie. I thought it was fitting he led him though the handshake line.

Nhl.com said tba Wed. afternoon. Word is Thur., Sun. in SJ, then I would guess Wed. Fri.at home the way the 1st round went. Wouldn't surprize me to see it bumped up a day to keep the Wings from getting more than a couple day's off. Rumor is Chi.-Van. is going on Sat., in which case you would think we'd start on Sun. but this is buttman's NHL.

Miller,Eaves>Bert,Williams Youth,energy+some experience>experience Like what the seniors have gave us this year, but I agree with a previous post. I'd rather have the youngsters for more than a couple years than the old guys for just a couple.

http://www.thehockeynews.com/articles/32354-Campbells-Cuts-Rumors-of-relocation.html A lot of the same stuff we've seen lately, and one of the first times I've heard anyone out in the national press other than us saying we should move to the East. • The Atlanta Thrashers are for sale and anyone with a hockey background would not want to buy the team and keep it in Atlanta, which is why there is word the NHL would not stand in the way of any new owner moving the team in a couple of years. One possibility is Seattle, which would give the NHL another team in the West and, if the Thrashers were to move there, allow the Detroit Red Wings to take their place in the Eastern Conference.

Nice piece about Babcock and insight to his work ethic. http://www.cbc.ca/sports/hockey/story/2010/03/11/sp-nhl-redwings-babcock.html?ref=rss

They don't even have to talk about him. From about the 3rd min. of the game to the the 5th min. they showed him on the bench 3 times for Christ's sake!

Gold-Finland Silver-USA Bronze-Whoever

It amazes me that the average NHL fan can come up with a better plan than Bettman and his Ivory tower minions. This guys realinement plan is, like all of them, not perfect but IMO better than the current alinement at least in terms of travel. Lets throw it out there for your thoughts/opinions/tweaks. http://www.freep.com/article/20100205/SPOR...o-and-Minnesota

Thanks, I'm lucky to speak coherently let alone figure out spellcheck too.

True story, I forgot to add in the original post the his biggest ***** would probably be losing the 2 regular season games.

WELL SAID!!!

I for one of the few thought the first gen. Coyotes Jerseys were great (I still have a green hat w/the face logo). The green and red colors were better than the current red, and the ancient coyote looks less cartoonish and more original. It doesn't make me wonder if I'm looking at an alternate Wild jersey

That will be perfect, fares shouldn't change to much till then. Looking forward to seeing a game for my B-D, last time I did was 67'!

I'm trying to recall about when the schedule for the season is announced. I'll be going home for Thanksgiving and my 50th B-D, but I don't want to jump the gun on airline tickets untill I know that I can catch a game or two at the Joe.

I think the second stat looms as large or larger than the the first. I would like to know what the % is within that stat for them at home? Pitts., seems to even more than many teams feeds off the home crowd and their energy. Them getting a PP in the first 2 minutes of a game (game 6) is HUGE. If they score it's enormous and even if they don't it can bring even more life into the crowd. It's not just the # of PP's called it's WHEN in the eb and flow of a game that can make the difference.

THIS IS IT! Anyone up for game 7 get off your but and come on down to BWW's in Bozeman. We need all the support we can muster. Game time 6:00, Pm me to get a seat with us. Looks to be a classic. GO WINGS!!!!! Mark.

I want to get some start getting some fans together for some games at playoff time. Even though I have center ice, I have watched a couple games at Buffalo Wild Wings and allways met a couple wings fans. I will talk to them about taking the place over. and post more info as it becomes available. PM me with contact info if you like. Mark

Were very lucky here. The general manager of their 2 locations (Billings is the other) is from Texas but grew up liking the Wings, and the manager of our location is from Saginaw. They just opened last year but have had Center Ice from day one. They must had figured that having Hockey here is a must. All of their staff has been great to us and looks forward to us coming in! I can't see a place like that leaving out hockey, seems like a dumb move to me.

Were getting together on Tues. the 9th for game 6. Should be a great crowd for what will prove to be a great game. PM me if you would like to join us. We had some Pitts. fans to banter with last Thurs., so we would like to have a good turnout. See you at BWW's in Bozeman at 6:00! Mark