Stiffy

Well, I mean it is obvious Leino needs another 12 years in GR to "mature" as a player fit to play on the mighty Red Wings. He needs to work on his two way play, give his all for 60 minutes and gain more experience in order to not make mistakes such as bad turnovers. You know, like our veterans in pressure packed game 6 and 7 situations.

You opened my eyes. This post cap era is nothing short of a SOCIALIST NHL!!! :-) Hell, Pinko Commie is more like it! Also, right on about Hossa and his head. I was very disappointed that he (or Babs) didn't realize that when he played WITH Flip he had success. Only in the end of game 7 did I see him try just a little to play off Flip a bit. Really, it went on FAR too long. He needed some serious coaching in adapting his game. How many times, how many times will it take us to realize that to just keep trying and hoping things will change NEVER works.

You know what, you could see this on TV too - that is if one wasn't wearing the red tinted homer glasses. Suck it up boys, we lost it as a team. The whining and excuses is pathetic. Get a pair and own up.

I don't agree with the OP, but please think about it when you say things like this. I mean, why not say, "Other than completely sucking Homer was pretty good." "Despite not scoring a single goal, Hossa was a force." I mean, it just doesn't wash. Results are results. "A" for effort is for little kids in grade school.

There is another aspect to coaching and that is motivation. It can be achieved by praise, trust or fear and intimidation. I think you need a bit of all and that and Babs is sometimes too nice or trusting. Sometimes players need a kick in the ass. Bowman, I think, was a master at this and screwed with player's heads all the time. I recall some story about when he was in Montreal or Pittsburgh he made a comment about a player being a little soft just prior to the game. The guy was pissed off beyond belief at Bowman and went out and hit everyone like mad all game long. Imagine saying something like that to Hossa about his scoring or Stuart and Kronvall about dumb ass penalties. I honestly think it has a chance of really firing a guy up and changing his game. Seeing that our D has really dropped all year, McLellan's coaching was probably a big factor. I mean, it is the same bunch of guys. What the heck changed all season long? Whatever he did, we need something like that back.

Ah, a Rangers - Wings SCF would be something wouldn't it? I hope for it each year. Heck, I could take losing a Cup to the Rangers much better than this last one here. Good luck to you too!

Was that what I think it was referring to? If so, man, ouch!

If Danny says he wants to be in Detroit and will take less to have a chance at winning the Cup, please please please PASS!

Oh yea, that makes up for it. How stupid of me to forget.

Maybe he doesn't have a Cup, but Hossa works for a better orgnanization, that's for sure. Too bad he didn't make THAT the issue from day one. He knows it now.

This makes no sense. If he was "immature" what the hell did he do with it other than score more SCF goals than Marian Hossa or Sidney Crosby? I'd love to have you as my boss. I could get into the job a bit then coast the rest of my life. Sorry, but this is poorly thought out parroted bull s***.

Everyone inside this forum already knows this and everyone outside of this forum will know only one thing, Sidney has the Cup. It's not even worth it.

Why ripping on Talbot? The guy showed up for Game 7 that's for damn sure. I'll take a "low talent" guy with heart any day. In fact, we could use a few more, or haven't you been paying attention?

I'm sure he didn't do this on purpose, but it shows how immature he is. If you are the "face of the NHL" you should understand and respect traditions. In addition, I think it shows how this guy can only focus on himself and winning and anything else or anybody else's accomplishments are next to nothing in his mind. Could he even congratulate the effort of Hank last year? How about just acknowledge it. I don't know why this is so hard for you all to get, haven't you ever dealt with a spoiled brat before? It is that simple. Or ask this. Did Wayne, Mario, Stevie or Messier ever do this? Get real. P.S. Good for Draper calling this out and dropping all the BS.

I think the answer is there is no consistency to this. Merit and performance do not seem to always work on this team, surely not like it did with Bowman. I personally think it is critical. We have these amazing kids who are HUNGRY. Bring them up more often in the regular season and put the old guys on notice, "Your job has to be earned because this kid wants it." I can think of a number of example, both ways, of how Babs dropped the ball on going with the guys who played well or did not. Abdelkader scores in consecutive finals games and they sit him while Sammy, Hudler, Draper, Maltby, Homer... were doing... what? What business did Homer have on any line except the fourth? I can't find it, but I remember reading a quite some time back where Babs said on another team Homer might not be playing at all. Finally, though somewhat related. Does anyone remember a certain steady under pressure D named Kyle Quincy who was given away so we could keep.... CHELIOS!!! Not traded. just put on waivers. He may not have been a super star, but he was smart. I think we could have used a D man like that during these finals let alone all season. Gee, maybe even last night, perhaps, it would have paid to have had a smart D man not screwing up.

Hey, maybe you would be happy if we brought back Jason Williams too. I mean, he only cost us a WCF. Did you ever hear a general of the army talk about this soldier in the same way. "He was a great soldier. Fought hard and saved us in many battles. In the biggest battle he completely screwed up and got the entire platoon killed. He was a great soldier." In the US navy you lose your ship, you get no more ships. Remember the guy in the 90s who lost a cruiser to a Iraqi missle (well before any war with Saddam). I'm sure he was a great captain and a nice guy, but he screwed the pooch. Where was Stuart thinking of the team when he made that slash, or weak ass "pass" leading to goal 1? He may be this or that, he may be a great player, but he completely f***ed up in the biggest game of his life. Do you want that guy with you next time? Some times they learn and will come through, other times they just keep ******* up. Did Stuart show some incredible burst of energy or brains after all those screw ups? Was he a force in period 3 helping make up for the mess he helped cause? I didn't see it. Oh and don't even start this your a bad fan s***. I am a long time fans of the Wings and always will be, but it is to the team, not a middle of the road D man who completely f***ed up in the biggest game of all.

He has been studying wityh Dats and it shows, but on his own he brings it to the playoffs like he should and others could take a lesson. Oh, and he played injured in last years finals too, but you would have never known it. A very good player and someone we need to keep and get more like.

Would it have mattered? I have no idea, but I think it was ill advised. It's not any other game, it is THE game. Perhaps had then been pointed out with the utmost clarity people like Stuart wouldn't have played indeed, like it was any other game (in the past season with all the damn weak D play and turnovers). They should have been told, even though they knew it, that this was IT and they were expected to give every last drop of sweat they had or regret it the rest of their lives.

Hey, like what if the Red Wings had like a Transformer on their team and like during a break away he could have like transformed like half his body into like a Zamboni making the ice in front of his team mates like real slick and like you know, then like we could have skated like real fast and liked scored goals and stuff and like beaten the Penns.

So Crosby was too busy celebrating to do the hand shake line? Is this true? Ilitch walked by Bettman who tried to shake his hand? Is that true too? I know it may seem petty, but can anyone verify either of these? Seems unclassy for both if true. Crosby ends up looking like winning was it and he could care less. Not cool. At the very least, he was just too caught up in celebrating and simply "forgot." Still, it hardly is surprising. Ilitch ends up looking like a fricking junior high school cheer leader mad at one of her little friends at the dance. If Ilitch really doesn't like Bettman, then stand up to him where it counts, not with this lame s***. Should have shook his hand, looked him right in the eye and said his mind. As for all season and playoffs, he's got money, so speak out when it counts and take the damn fines.

You want to blame something for the Wings loss, try this: If any Penns fan were to see this thread, they would probably feel great about and laugh their asses off. I would if it were the other way. A bunch of spoiled whiney Wings fans who are even bigger sore losers than Crosby was last year.

I'll remember this: "We started good tonight, took a penalty. Then we had two crucial turnovers in the second period, and they scored." Mike Babcock

Tired in the SCF?!? My God what a surprise. Hint, every fricking team in the history of the SCF is tired, but they play through it. You don't think this was grueling for the Penns. Injuries I can accept, but tired I cannot. Tired is why you win, not lose. Old story, but Wayne 99 himself told it. When he lost in the finals he walked by the Islanders locker room (they had just won the Cup). He said they were all sitting there and were completely exhausted. He clued into this. It was a sign of why they won. They left everything, absolutely everything on the ice. No way I can say that about this team. Too bad, but it's true. Like the other poster said, we need a little Yzerman attitude back in this bunch.

Here is Babcock explaining the loss: "I thought we competed, and I thought we tried. But I never thought we got to the level we'd have liked to. We started good tonight, took a penalty. Then we had two crucial turnovers in the second period, and they scored." Took a penalty: Stuart Two crucial turnovers: Stuart and Stuart No mystery here.

Whatever Stuart did or did not do all season or playoffs, he absolutely made hugely costly and dumb ass plays and though you may not be able to deal with it, you bet your ass he knows it. You guys might as well be his wife making all these excuses for him. He obviously can't deal with Game 7 pressure. Though no goals came from it, can anyone say his slashing penalty showed Game 7 discipline and focus? How about Game 2 discipline and focus? It was stupidity. He absolutely should know better. WHy didn't he? Who cares. No excuse. His give away for goal 1 was pathetic. Perhaps had he worked a little harder to get to the puck in the first place it wouldn't have been an issue, but to then make a limp wristed "pass" directly into TWO Penns! Okay, was the game over at this point (or the bad pinch for goal 2?)? In retrospect yes it was. And anyone who things being a fan means you can't call a guy out for playing like crap, get real. Who the hell are you to say who is or isn't a fan. The lowest form of life in sports is not the fair weather fan, but the Homer! As far as I'm concerned I would be happy never seeing him in a Wings jersey ever again. Just like Jason Bonehead Williams and his pure stupidity that cost us with the Ducks. Unforgivable and get the f*** out of here. I know it won't happen, but it would not make me sad.