Kira

I had planned on not watching it anyway. I have a 900-page book I'm reading, so there is my Saturday and Sunday. I'd much rather put my brain to use for something constructive than to watch Buttman and his legion of ass-kissers.

Look, to those of you who think that Nick and Pasha are faking these injuries, I personally think you're nuts. Explain to me what the point of them being in Montreal is when they can't play...what in the hell is the use of them going up there just to sit around and answer stupid questions from the media? Why can't they just stay home and recuperate with their families to help take care of them? Is that selfish? I don't think so. If it was your favorite player, you'd be just as hot under the collar as we are. And I appreciate the guys who have come out in support of Nick and Pasha.

And just who peed in your Cheerios? Grouch. Listen, I don't care if they stayed home and soaked in their hot tub, or if they are lying in the sun in Bumf***, Egypt...they have the right to spend time recovering from whatever aches and pains they have, not kissing the collective asses of the media before, during, or after a meaningless game. Get over it.

So basically, Duck Guy, you're saying that you think these two should show up no matter what??? That even if they were on a pain med that the doctor would not let them travel on, they should defy their doctor's orders and show up, just to sit and get grilled by the media??? I think not. I don't see why they should give up their time off just to kiss the asses of some newspaper writers who hate the Wings to begin with. You would give up your vacation just to show up for some lame-ass question and answer session with a bunch of writers who could care less about you ??? Sorry, but not me. If the boys are in some undisclosed location recuperating, even if it's at home, I'd be damned if I'd tell them to go to Montreal and kiss media ass. The best revenge to this joke is for the Wings to win the Cup again...in Detroit. Make Buttman give the trophy to Nick, and also for Pasha to win the Smythe. Wouldn't that piss him off??? And to do it in Detroit, so we can all tell him what we think of him. As for your team, I'm sure your little puppets will dance very nicely when their strings are pulled.

Unfortunately, I doubt it...remember, this isn't Cindy we're talking about. This is two guys who go out and give their all every game, every shift. This is two guys who prefer to fly under the radar and go about their business. Not some puck-hungry, egotistical, attention-grabbing media "darling". They'll never get a break.

Hey, if any of us can get a foot in the door, it's worth a shot...we have nothing to lose by trying.

Now this shows the kind of boss you want to work for...and it shows why players would do anything to either join this organization or stay with it. Bravo, Mr. Holland. Bravo. By the way, we can voice our discontent....right to the asshat. Thursday afternoon at 4PM on NHL Home Ice on XM and Sirius, they do a call-in show with the Buttman. We need to flood the phone lines and emails with our opinions on this. If we call in and tell him what we think of this, he has to listen to us. I say we flood the phone lines and the emails with this.

Am I the only one who thinks this is like suspending a kid for skipping school??? What a joke - if this means that Pasha doesn't win the Byng, or Nick doesn't win the Norris, big deal - ask them if they care. Their eyes are on the more important prize, and if it means taking time to rest and spend time away from the game, so be it. Sit it out, boys...we still love and support you.

Thank you. Nice to have backup. No matter how good of stats you have (and I know our stat crazy poster thinks we don't know anything), attitude means a hell of a lot. You will be remembered not only for your accomplishments, but how you carried yourself and how you treated fans and teammates as well.

I've got to go with Pasha. Okay, Fedorov in his prime was good, but there is one thing that sticks in my craw, and it's the one thing that someone else brought up...his attitude. If he wanted to play, he couldn't be beat. BUT he also had his times when he just didn't want to do anything, and it showed. When he left, his attitude was, "The grass is greener out west." Wrong, boy - you got a valuable lesson on that. Pasha has no ego problem and no attitude problem...he's team oriented, and isn't out for the individual attention. It's the reason he flies under the radar a lot...it's why you will hear him say he prefers setting up a teammate for a goal rather than scoring it himself. It's why he works hard every practice, stays out after the other guys leave the ice, works out hard every day. He's not got an ego...if you talk to him, he's gracious, kind, generous with his time, takes time to sign autographs for people. Somehow I don't see Fedorov doing this...his attitude got in the way. And whether you like to admit it or not, that attitude (or lack thereof) has a lot to do with how they will both be remembered. Statistically, I'm sure someone will say Fedorov will always be better, but there is that intangible of attitude. The edge, to me, goes to Pasha.

Whatever the reasoning doesn't matter to me. I'm just glad that he and Nick are both skipping out on this farce.

I would say it's perfect that the guys are skipping this farce in favor of time to be with their families. Good on you both! It just shows how much of a joke this whole thing is. How much do you want to bet that if they asked any of the other Wings to go, they said no?

Good. Now I can do something else on Sunday afternoon. Like read, walk my dogs, take a nap, cook a nice dinner...my hubby won't know what to do with me not watching hockey for a week.

Aw, gee, I didn't know ya cared... You're almost as bad as I am. I sent a message to Pasha every day during the playoffs last year wishing him luck. And it worked! Well, almost every game. If we didn't win, he scored points, so I prefer to think that the luck went that way on the days we lost. The day he scored the hattie I sent him a message that said, "Good things come to those who wait but better things come to those with a wee bit of impatience in their hearts." I think it worked. If I run into you I'll be sure to remember the Febreeze.

I was thinking more along the lines of Claude Lemieux.

Sorry to burst your bubble, sweetheart, but I was not the unimpeachable source. I only repeated what that person told me.

Our unimpeachable source comes through! Remember he said that Pasha wasn't going to Montreal. Clever wee devil you are, my Pasha...go off and bask in the sun for a few days. And don't do anything stupid - no parasailing, no wakeboarding, and for God's sake, no getting attacked by sharks!

If you remember, a couple weeks ago when the reserves were announced, an unimpeachable source said that Pasha was not going to be at the ASG. Remember??? Clever move, you little devil...And you are not far from a beautiful hotel at the South Rim of the Grand Canyon...which everyone should see at least once in their lives. It's the off season at the hotel...what better place for a week of R&R????

To tell you true, Ted Lindsay was the originator of a couple of traditions of the NHL. One of them is the ceremonial meeting at center ice to shake hands with the other team at the end of the playoffs. And the other is the circling of the arena with the Stanley Cup. Ted was the originator of both of those. The one I love is the circling of the arena. Lindsay's reasoning of this is, as he says, "I knew who paid my salary, and it wasn't the management." So to me, there is a real Detroit basis to these two traditions.

Jiri Fischer is one of the most kind hearted people I know of. I wish I could have met him last year at camp. Maybe this year. Andreas Lilja is better looking in person than people give him credit for. All of the guys are very nice, very generous with fans, and incredibly polite.

Sounds like you had a great time. I'm glad you at least got to talk to Pasha. What sweethearts the guys are. I have one of those nifty little practice pucks too. Funny, but I also got mine at a Wings/Kings game. Coincidence?????

I still haven't forgotten his comment on the only reason Pasha got the goal in the Winter Classic was that he "had the wind at his back". Methinks the boy got hit in the head with a puck one too many times.

Who wouldn't????

I thought that was the new name for the Lady Byng.

Hell, no! He probably invented them and they stole them from him.