xtrememachine1

Just a heads up, the Post-Gazette released another anti-Wings cheer card this morning and there are two more on the horizon.

Hey everybody! I've been a big fan of this board for a couple years and I always enjoyed reading what people had to say around playoff time. The first hockey game I ever watched was around 20 years ago when the Pens played the Wings at the Joe. Mario and Stevie both got hat tricks (as I remember, but it was awhile ago) and the Pens won 6-5. I became a huge fan of hockey and of both teams. Throughout the years, people would see me wearing Red Wings jerseys, t-shirts, etc and naturally everyone started associating me with the Wings. Everytime they lost, I would hear "Hey what happend to your Wings? Why was Osgood Osbad last night?" and so on. Fortunately the Wings won the Cup in my senior year of high school (97) and I got the last laugh. From this experience, the Wings became "my" team, more so than the Pens. I got engaged to my wife in my first trip to Detroit after seeing my first game at the Joe Louis Arena on New Years Eve. My 5 month old son's middle name is "Yzerman". When I gave him that name people said, "Wouldn't that be something if the Pens played Detroit in the Finals? Who would you root for?" Cmon now, my son's middle name is "Yzerman" who do you think? But instead I responded with "Nah, that'll never happen. Both teams were in the final four only once in the last 20 years, what are the odds they'll meet in the finals in same season my son is born?" And here we are... its the Finals I've been indirectly cheering for, for over 20 years. I have every intention of cheering for the Wings in the Finals behind enemy lines, but the ribbing is going to be non-stop for the next week or so. This morning there was a "No Red Wings fans allowed" sign on the door of my office and I know that's just the beginning. Every sports talk show host and fan in this city is bashing the Wings and I need this board just for my own sanity. It should be a great Finals and I can't wait to see how these two teams matchup with one another, although I do know this much, from having watched a lot of Pens game, the Pens need to be better if they're going to beat the Wings. I've watched both teams very closely for years and I can see the Wings really putting it to the Pens defense. Everyone keeps asking how the Wings are going to stop Crosby and Malkin. How are the Pens going to stop Dats and Hank? The only part of this series I worry about is Osgood vs Fleury. Fleury is the real deal and Ozzie will need to at least match his talent even if its just for one series.

The Pens had some serious financial problems and almost went bankrupt. Saying that they weren't trying on purpose is ridiculous. The system worked fine. Bad teams get high picks, so they can get better. If you want to get technical, Crosby was the ONLY time they won the lottery since Mario. They traded up for Fleury and Malkin was 2nd overall.

Crosby and Malkin are definitely as advertised when it comes to offense, but if there's one thing people know (especially in Pittsburgh), its that defense wins championships. Detroit has the best defense by far. I've seen a lot of Pens game this year and they're not as good a passing team as the Wings and tend to turn the puck over at the blueline, throw around passes and just hope it hits someone's stick. Crosby is a fantastic passer, no argument, but he does have his fair share of bad passes too and the defense on the Pens don't really back him up when he makes a bad pass. Its hard to watch a Pens game after watching a Wings game. The Wings' passes connect, everything flows people are where they should be. That says a lot about coaching and strategy. I think the Wings have a big advantage in the coaching department and that will be the difference. Before this playoff run, everyone in Pittsburgh wanted Therrien fired.