MulesWillFly93

Well, my answer this summer is: if hockey can't come to you, get yourself to some hockey! Bought me some Bauer X20 skates last week, and I'm going to try to learn how to play pretty soon. Wish me luck...I am not the most sporty person in the world. I'm actually reading a book for fun right now (Neil Gaiman's American Gods)...I haven't done that since, oh, last summer. You guys have totally got me watching the Tigers, too. By ordering Center Ice, I apparently also got all the out-of-market MLB games, too, so I've been putting on the Tigers games when I don't have anything else to do. I swore I wouldn't get wrapped up in it, but hey, it's not like there's anything else on TV. I don't know what's going on half the time in the game, but now I know about stuff like stealing bases, hehe, so it's a learning experience.

You know what, I take back what I said. Someone just explained to me that technically the Canadian game would be a "Heritage Classic" game for Canadian teams only. I know it's just a minor change in the name and different set of teams, but speaking as a person who would like to see an Original Six Day, I guess I can't complain. Either one (Canada Day or Original 6 Day) would be pretty similar to a Winter Classic except for the teams involved, so if I'm for an O6 Day, I guess I can't be against a Canadian heritage game. I still think the choice of teams for the very first year is a little wonky, but whatever.

That must be the reason, and yet...I don't understand. TWO Winter Classics? That's...just...weird, man. Agree with everybody that one of the reasons it's so successful is because it's a novelty. So now we're going to have two. Well, actually, on second thought, that's just about what I would expect from the NHL. I mean, I appreciate them trying to actually to do something nice for Canadian fans for a change, but talk about going about it the wrong way! And what's up with the teams, as somebody pointed out? Montreal at...Calgary?! Ooookay. This is getting to be comical, I swear...you don't have to worry about off-season entertainment; the NHL will always be there to come out with some completely off-the-wall announcement for you to ponder and mock.

Love all the stories, guys - thanks! Haven't met any of them...not much of a surprise there - you can't get much further away from MI and still be in the U.S. Although I did see a guy who looked a crapload like D-Mac at the local skating rink a couple of months ago. I hope I didn't freak him out by staring at him too long, but I probably did...I don't think it was him, but it took quite a bit of staring to decide that his nose wasn't quite crooked enough. My apologies, random dude at Ice Town.

That is SO COOL!!! Aww, he's such a great guy, and it's so nice to see polite people like you get a personal experience like that. So did he say, "We shall see," in more of a positive voice or an iffy one? Hehe, I'm just kidding, I know he wouldn't give anything away. Man I hope I can meet some (or even one) of the Wings someday...

I think it's great when people wear retired players' jerseys, whether it's Yzerman, Howe, Shanahan, Fedorov, whoever - the Wings have a great history and it's cool to see people honor that. I don't think it's supporting another franchise, in the case of guys like Shanny or Feds; it's appreciating the effort they put into making a Wings a truly great team. If they decide to move on, well, that's life, but I think it's worth it to remember the years they spent with the Wings. And I just don't see how wearing a Red Wings jersey is supporting another team...I'd probably have some issues with somebody who showed up to a Wings game with a Rangers Shanny jersey, but a Wings jersey? No prob, Bob. On the other hand, if I were only going to one game a year or something and had to make a big decision between an old jersey or a current player's, I'd probably wear a current one to show my support for the guys on the ice. But if you're going to several games a year, which is obviously more likely, then go ahead and mix it up! Put 'em all in rotation, hehe.

Yep, go Lightning! It goes without saying that the Wings will always be my favorite team, no ifs, ands, or buts. I do, however, have an opening for a 2nd favorite team. I mean, I like the Caps, and I watch them a lot, but I don't really have any big attachment or loyalty to them. If they traded all their good players and started to really suck, I wouldn't have any qualms about not watching them anymore. TB gives me something I can stick with through thick and thin and really get into, so yep, they just shot up past the Caps for the #2 spot.

Ahaha, and then he beats Bettman over the head with a rubber chicken and yells, "I AM THE NHL, BIATCHES!!!" ...Hey, suddenly I don't mind Stevie leaving half as much! The one that seems most likely to me is Osgood going to TB. They need a decent goalie; we have 2 and aren't using the elder one (I said "elder," not "elderly"!). Maltby might go, too, but I don't know...I definitely don't think we're going to see 4 or 5 guys going to TB, but that's probably stating the obvious.

Understatement of the year... Can I be put on suicide watch if Lidstrom doesn't re-sign? I can't take all of this at once: a Hawks-Flyers final, Yzerman goes to the Lightning, and (God forbid) Lidstrom retires. :head explodes at the thought:

Well, I can't say I'm not bummed to see him go, but I wish him all the good luck and success in the world. I think they have the beginnings of what could be a pretty darn good team, so I hope Stevie can take them there. And hey, my thought is, at least he went to a team I didn't really care about either way before, so now I have no problem rooting for them! Just imagine if he'd gone to the Flyers (not that they have an opening, but y'know)... :shudders: Go Lightning!

Cool! I had a year and a half of Russian in college, but I need a LOT more practice, so I'm always pleasantly surprised when I get something right. Agree about Ovechkin. The guy's good, but I think he needs to broaden his skills a little more, like you said. It'll be interesting to see what happens next year...everybody (including me) said this is year that will tell the tale, and well, it kinda did. But now that they've had even bigger ups and downs this year (won President's Trophy, lost in quarterfinals), it'll be interesting to see if the Caps, and of course specifically Ovechkin, do anything drastically different. Please do something, for pete's sake...I hated seeing them lose in the quarterfinals.

Exactly - because he's a rad friggin' dude! I like his interviews...he always gives honest, non-BS answers and has something to say besides the pat "great season, looking forward to next year" stuff. If I were in Michigan (or heck, anywhere in the upper Midwest), you could bet I'd be at that signing today with him and Miller. If there's anybody I really want to have a successful next season, it's him. I think he made a ton of progress over the course of this season...it wasn't like Halak who kinda came on hot all of a sudden; you could tell it was a steady kind of learning that built on itself, and I think that's definitely good news for next year.

Поздравляю, Павел! That's supposed to say, "Congratulations, Pavel!" but I suck at Russian.

You know what, I'm tired of hearing about how so and so's fan base are all a bunch of bandwagoners. Yeah, you're right, they are. It happens. It happens in every darn town with a sports team across America at some point. Whenever a team gets it together and starts doing a lot better than they had before, what do you expect? Of course people are going to get a lot more interested! Not everyone's a die-hard fan, and you know what, I think that's okay. Living and dying by a sports team is not for everyone. And if you just want to go and enjoy a game every now and then, then you have a right to do it. I mean, I understand if you're a Wings fan in Chicago and are arse-tired of hearing the taunting - I'm a Wings fan in Ducks Land, so trust me, I know. I just don't think it's fair to blame it on bandwagoners...anyone can be an a-hole. And does anybody think Detroit shouldn't have won the Cup in, say, '98 because there were too many bandwagoners at that point, and therefore the team didn't deserve it? I wouldn't want anybody to say that, that's for sure, and I don't think it's fair to insult true Hawks fans who aren't jerks and love hockey (however many or few of them there might be) and deny them a chance at seeing their team win a Cup. I also don't think it's fair to the players, who have worked hard all year (except when we beat them, hehe), even if I personally can't stand some of them. I may not like them, but I can't say they're crappy players. Call me a traitor - I don't really care, but I just can't have overly sour grapes toward a team who has proved they deserve to be in the Finals. I mean, I have somewhat sour grapes because we're out and they're still in, and usually I'm as big a Hawks-minus-Toews hater as anybody else, but I cannot say they don't deserve to be where they are, so my sour grapes are only at a medium level.

Yeah, while I was watching Russia vs. Canada a few days ago, I was thinking, you know, this is kind of more fun than the NHL playoffs at this point. Pasha's there, Ovechkin's there, hell, Fedorov's there! Pasha put some awesome moves on Canada, Corey Perry played a good villain as usual, and everybody got into several nice, big pile-ups...good times! Meanwhile, the Hawks are killing the Sharks like they were an 8th-seed team, and the Flyers are beating the only team I wasn't mad at and/or don't generally hate. So now it's going to be Blackhawks-Flyers (unless something really weird happens)...whoopee. Do I root for the team I have a personal dislike of (the Flyers) or my team's division rival (which also has a couple of guys I personally dislike)? Yeah...I can't wait for next year.

To which Shanny replied: "Hey @seanaverydotcom, it's not that I love his music so much as I love his hair and when he wears sleeveless shirts. Have a nice day- Sean." Hahaha. Yep, Shanny's pretty much the reason I signed up for Twitter...better entertainment than TV. Oh - I liked this one from today; thought it was à propos for a Red Wings board: "Last one of the night. Can we all chip in and buy my boy Darren McCarty a new tooth for when he's on tv?" I'm glad he said it and not me, but I have to admit I've totally been thinking the same thing...although I don't know, on the other hand, it just wouldn't be the same ol' D-Mac if he didn't have that big gap-toothed grin. Hehe, he probably wouldn't do it even if Shanny paid for it!

Can I join, too? I'm having the same conflicting thoughts as you guys...I like some of their players, especially Toews, like everybody said, but I can't stand some of their players, especially Kane, like everybody said, and even though I spend most of the year ragging on them, I think they really deserve to win more than the other 3 teams still in it. Help, I'm being torn in two here!

Oh, that's awesome that your team is co-ed! I would honestly rather play with guys than girls...I don't know what it is with us, but I swear we're meaner to each other than guys are. It seems like it takes a lot to get a guy to hold a grudge, whereas girls remember little stuff forever and let it grow into this major, lasting hatred. I quit playing soccer in 5th grade because all the teams, including ours, played so dirty (and because I sucked at it). I don't mind a little roughness (obviously, or I wouldn't be into hockey), but it was like a bunch of female mini-Claude Lemieuxs running around. Anyway, I'll have to see if they have a co-ed team around here - I didn't even know they existed! I'm taller than some NHL players, so I think it'd work out. Crossing my fingers that I've magically gotten better at sports since the bad old days! Congrats on winning the Happy Gilmore Cup, hehe! Lol, that's a great story. Love the "Jenerator" part too, ha! Yep, same here - I lured a couple of my friends into watching some of the Wings-Coyotes games with the promise of alcohol, and I think they had a good time, but they're just not that into it. I would definitely finish school first - it's frakking expensive to live out here, so you'll need all the diplomas/awards/experience/whatever you can get so you can get a job that'll pay the rent. Not to be a downer or anything, but that's what I'd do. Funnily enough, I want to go to U. of Michigan for grad school, so we might be switching places! If you get out here before I move, though, I'd definitely be down for starting a team.

WC...is that short for 'Wagon Classic? Or possibly We Choked... Honestly, I think it's a good match-up, and I'm glad the Caps are getting to do it, but I wish they would have let a few more DIFFERENT teams have a turn before they cycled around to the darn Pens again. I mean, if you're going to go with the Caps, the obvious thing to do would be to have them play the Pens, but the timing sure isn't great. We'll only have had 4 of these things after next year, and the Pens will have been in half of them? That's just not right. In case anybody from Gary's office is listening, I am not going to quit whining until I get my Habs-Leafs WC, just FYI. Whine whine whine.

Cool! Thank God, there is hope! Thanks for the support, everybody - I really appreciate it. I was feeling kind of dubious about it before, but I'll definitely have to give it a try as soon as school's out. I wish I could get some friends to go with me, but I'm the only girl I know who likes hockey. Only one of my friends will even go ice skating with me, so I think I'd have a hard time talking them into hockey, hehe. That's ok, though; it'd be nice to meet somebody else, guys or girls, who likes hockey, too...you don't come across them too often in Southern California (although I did talk to a cute guy who was a Kings fan the other day...but I digress).

Yeah, it's better than the ones you mentioned, but I agree with The Nephilim that the Canadiens, as well as the Canucks, aren't the most creative names ever. I can't imagine naming a team the Americans...it'd be like, well yeah, we kind of got that already from the fact that they play in an American city... I'm used to both now, though, and they don't bother me like the friggin' Wild or Avalanche or any of the non-count noun teams do (although none of them are quite as lame as the Miami Heat or the Utah Jazz, in my opinion). We used to have a minor league (can't remember what league) hockey team called the San Diego Gulls...add that one to the list of "lame bird names" along with the Ducks and Penguins. That's not quite as lame as the Long Beach Ice Dogs, though...

Yeah, baseball just doesn't excite me all that much. I did watch the Tigers play the Angels on TV a week or two ago when there wasn't any hockey on, and it was kind of interesting when something was happening, but I have to say, it kinda drags after a while, and they stand around too much if you ask me. I'd like to actually go to a game sometime because everybody I know says what you said - it's fun if you're actually there. Of course, the two teams I'd kind of like to see, the Tigers and the Red Sox, aren't playing at the Padres' ballpark at all this season, so I dunno. I think I'll stick with NASCAR...it lasts too darn long, but at least there's always something happening (there really is more to it than just driving around in circles), and it's really fast like hockey.

I like that split... I want to see Howard play a lot, but I want Osgood to be ready if for nothing else than the ever-present chance of injury (God forbid). I just want everybody to be in damn good shape for some major ass-hauling in their Cup run next year.

Oh, awesome! I'll have to give it the ol' college try, then. I can't wait! That's true - I did say something about the Habs a few days ago after they beat the Pens. But yeah, I don't know what I'm going to talk about once the whole thing's over. I mean, I do watch NASCAR, but I keep that to myself...it's my guilty pleasure. Gotta give it credit, though; one of the reasons I started watching hockey is because I was bored out of my mind during NASCAR's off-season. Now it's kind of the other way around - I watch NASCAR during the NHL's off-season.

Gee, now I'll have to find new ways to annoy my friends on Facebook since I won't be able to update my status with Wings news that nobody cares about. I'm thinking of learning how to play hockey myself. I was horrible at sports in grade school, so I don't know why I think anything will have changed, but I like it so much that I just have to give it a try. They have lessons at one of the ice rinks in town, so at least I won't just be screwing around by myself and creating bad habits. Do you think 25 is too old to learn to play hockey, though?