Opie

Will there be an LGW shirt that says OMG HOSSA!! Goddamn it I can't get Matt's OMG Hossa image to load!!!!!!

Got to tell you guys and gals I thought this thread would go down in a blaze of glory (horrible Bon Jovi reference intended). It is really neat hearing the stories that brought people in. I guess after reading some of these, it isn't Yzerman that turned me on to hockey as much as he made me a wings fan and my Pepere (grandfather) turned me onto hockey. Watching hockey with him when I didn't understand the game and was watching it on the french channels and I know two words in french memere (grandmother) and pepere. So I was able to appreciate the physical beauty of the game, and then I started really appreciating Yzerman as my pepere rooted for the Maple Leafs and Canadians!

Mule looks a little freaked out by him too, is that the guy from ***** eye for your guy or whatever?

IF he plays on the second line with Flip he will make him look all world. IF he is on a line with Hank it will be easily one of the best lines in the world. IF he is on a line with Dats it will be easily one of the best lines in the world. IF he is on the 1st PP unit in Detroit it will be a devastating line with Lids, Ralf, Dats and Z plus Hossa, that is not fair!! IF he is on the 2nd PP that just gave Detroit 2 of what? the top 15, top 10? PP units in the league, he is that good oh yes he is! Either way the point still remains the same, he is going to eat. people. alive this season.

Don't forget when comparing US cities to Canadian cities to factor in the fact that the Looney is almost worth as much (If it isn't yet, haven't checked) as the US dollar, when teams were moved from the Winnipeg and Quebec city. Times have changed and cities and industries have changed and grown, you can't compare Winnipeg then to Winnipeg or Phoenix or Florida now.

Semantics, LOL!!

Not a Nascar fan so that whole top part went over my head to a degree, I just know Stewart is starting his own team/ownership if he partnered with the Wings ala Fenway Rousch that would be cool was all I was saying. The rest of it, I will take you word for it!!

2 words: Fight strap!!

RE: your sig Why not Fenway-Rousch racing seems to be making both parties a good chunk of change!

Its the NHL, Bert came back, McSorely came back, Boulerice will be back (pending Skill), Downie will be back (Pending skill) Simon would have been picked up by some team if he didn't leave for KHL. The Penalties are never strict enough, just when Simon loses a s*** load of games and people think, well maybe they are getting the hang of this, then it is Pronger who tries to do exactly what Simon did and he has almost the same suspension record, he gets nothing, a slap on the wrist. I am not sure the NHL will ever get this right, I would rather see guys throw fists every shift they take against each other, 5,6,7,8 times a game every game than I would one stick swing or one skate stomp, but which one is the league making a bigger effort to get rid of? Hmmm interesting! I say if you are found guilty (for a lack of better term) for something like Stick swinging, stomping, brutal acts of violence it should be a mandatory year first offense and pending review could be a career long suspension. Second offense automatic career suspension.

Here is the thing about BEING a Red Wing and PLAYING for the Red Wings, Hossa (IMO) is playing for the Wings, he will in all likelihood be gone next year chasing the big bucks, deservedly so. Hank will be the next 'C' on this team, he and Dats will be the face of this org when Lids is gone, if not already. However they understand that Lids is the man, best player on the team, best defenseman in the world, etc. etc. They also understand that with BEING a Wing comes a two way loyalty relationship, a give and take. The Wings may not pay you the most, but they will give you fair money and a chance to be a champ every year, IF you buy into their system. Not sure that the young guys are on board with that yet, Flip said he wants to be a Wing for life, Huds I don't know, Mule I hope. The thing is you can't blame a guy for wanting to go to another team if they are throwing millions more at them, but you have to respect when a guy pulls a Hossa. Knows he could get more money else where, lots more money. But he is playing the market, he goes to Det wins a cup (I can hope) now those offers will be back on the table and he will also have a ring on his hands thanks to the Wings. Now if he decides after this year (he seems stoked, from what I have read, to be a wing) that being a wing is more important than he will sit down and Holland will work it out between Hank, Hossa, and Mule. The only question is, Is Mule playing for the Wings or does he want to be a wing. I know it sounds arrogant to think that players should be willing to take a lesser salary to play in Det, but when the best player in the world (Lids) is willing to be in Det and take less money, because of what it offers him, than anyone that comes in after has to understand the hierarchy of how things work, if they don't like it they can sign elsewhere, but where else would they have a shot at the cup every year.

He is looking for a full time gig, if the job you worked at was like thanks for the help last quarter it was a great quarter for us wasn't it. We are willing to keep you on at a part time level, some of it will be here in accounting while some of it will be working for as a receptionist (No offense to receptionist but if you are an accountant that would be a step down, just saying) and at less than half the amount you were already making. You have three months to make up your mind, you mean to tell me you are not going to go job hunting?

Leonsis Responds to Mckeon http://www.tedstake.com/?p=2626 Puckdaddy blog is what drew this to my attention. http://sports.yahoo.com/nhl/blog/puck_dadd...?urn=nhl,102219

http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=246427&amp...s=headlines_nhl

As some one who was formerly one of the biggest Anti-Downey posters on the board (I have since seen the light, the errors of my way) I have to ask where is all of this anti-Downey posting you speak of. There have been multiple Enforcer based threads but none that I recall (I was heavily involved in most of them) that were specifically Anti-Downey. I am pretty sure everyone has agreed he plays his role fantastically and fits in with this team perfectly. The enforcer bit will never leave this site, and there are many people with differing opinions, but I don't recall people being Anti-Downey, well at least this off season!

Oh my s*** people loosen up! Said by a 6' Red head, Seriously I was made fun of all through school (most people were) being different can suck as a child, but I have to assume most of us here are adults and understand that what was said in this thread was in jest. I was not popular in High School and the popular kids called me Fire Crotch, out loud in the school or even when they saw me at my job. You either learn to deal with it or it will eat you up inside and you will be in therapy in 15 years. Hey I look like Opie Taylor, hence the nickname, but instead of being all worked up about it, s*** I embrace it, it was how I was known all through college, some of my friends had no clue what my real first name was. Not one poster made a comment about how crappy a player he is or how he murdered Mother Theresa. Don't you think the Shark's fans made fun of Ricci, well, bad example no one is that ugly, but you get my point, people were just making an observation. IF you know Dats personally and know that he would be greatly offended by people saying he looks like Lurch, than fine speak up, but otherwise let it go. He appears to have a great sense of humor and would probably have a snappy one liner for the person who called him Lurch to his face. BTW: Great Pics!

Not to derail the thread but imo anyone who signed a contract after Jeff Finger and is making less money than Finger can not be called greedy unless of course they are actually less of a hockey player than Finger (In this case Flip is a much greater player). Just my opinion.

While you are more than likely 100% correct this all but ends his Red Wing comeback story. I am not sure it ends his comeback, I can see a young team (LA, PHO, etc) grabbing him up thinking he can still be a grinder/fighter. Not saying he will be the D-mac of old but I see him landing some where.

Thanks! I was looking over the NHLnumbers.com site and I don't see what Toronto would want back that I can see Fla getting rid of, they just signed Horton, just traded for Stillman. Maybe Dvorak, maybe Zednik? The article said a player would be coming back. These trades are always hard to speculate on when it appears both teams are in a rebuild mode. Maybe the Leafs are hoping a Zednik signing would bring back Sundin, and both Dvorak and Zednik are under 2 mil a year, so that helps the Leafs pocket book. Who knows? Edit: If I were a Leafs fan I think I would want Weiss back in return.

Any clue what Toronto would be looking for then? I can't imagine they are letting McCabe go for just garbage. Maybe they let him go for FLA's first pick hoping they finish dead last?

What? That is all I am to you, sheesh! Kidding!!!! LOL!!

First off and most important, NO HARM NO FOUL!!! I have no problem with you jumping in and when I edited my post I was going to remove the "Was I talking to you" part as it seemed inappropriate, however deleting it would look like I was trying to cover up what I posted so I left it. However with that there the tone of my post seemed like I was pissed at you I wasn't and if when posting to you I offend you just say so, and I will try to change my tone! Again, no harm no foul! Don't shut up, if I shut up every time I made a post I later deemed not necessary or dumb (not calling your post either) I would never post here, which I am sure some would enjoy!

Got to ask, what happened to my post that said he was coming back? http://sports.yahoo.com/nhl/news;_ylt=Ap.F...p&type=lgns Good news that he is back!

GREAT SIGNING!!!! I have to admit once more, last year at this time I would have been all over this board complaining about this signing. But after watching the way he approached his role last year on this team, FANTASTIC!!!!