SouthernWingsFan

In terms of the present, I think Anaheim is more hated. Overall though, not even close b/w the two. Not much is going to touch the late 90s b/w Detroit-Colorado in terms of rivalry or hatred.

I don't get too up in arms about this, but nevertheless this is something that you'd think would be avoided in the Finals. Ah well that's just me though. This isn't the norm obviously but back-to-back games in the playoffs isn't a brand new invention. Specifically for the Wings I can recall two recent instances of playoff games on back-to-back nights - the 2001 series against the LA Kings and 2007 series against Calgary. The LA series obviously went downill, and the Wings fared just fine in the back-to-backer against Calgary.

The Players Championship of the PGA Tour is on this weekend. Pretty much since the NHL got a TV deal with NBC, NBC broadcasts TPC over any playoff hockey still. You may not like it, I may not like it, but that's the way it is, and NBC is going for TV ratings. The TPC is one of the better golf tourneys out there, and it'll trump any playoff hockey ratings any day of the week. Not trying to rip on hockey, but that's almost a cut and dry fact.

Next thing you know the kid will say... Seriously now, I know things can get overheated in sports and fans gets emotional and stuff, lord knows we've seen plenty of people go off the deep end in here. But when you actually have more time to type your thoughts out vs. saying them in the heat of the moment where you aren't thinking as much and it's quicker, it'd seem to me that stuff like this should be easy (or easier) to avoid when it is typed out. I'm not the sharpest nail in the tool box though so I dunno...

Yes. While not having him in the lineup presently isn't the sole/main reason the Wings are currently down this series, I think the Wings are missing him right now to some degree...

Ugh. I don't get giddy on slamming Bettman 24-7 like some do in here but this is pitiful. Even if he just said something like, "It's a shame that a game like this had to be determined by such a ruling even though this is the rule," I would be all right with that but he doesn't even come close to doing such a thing.

I wouldn't get hopes up to see these guys play if most everybody is still healthy unless this game tonight is just totally awful. Besides, most of these guys would probably just play on the 4th line anyways if I had to guess and it's not like the 4th line has been bad this playoffs. Helm has been incredible, Kopecky has laid a good hit here/there and has stepped up his play IMO and I haven't seen any brainfarts by Maltby that might stand out.

Posted this more/less in one of the similar threads but I'll rehash. Firstly? Do I think the call was utter crap? Without question. When your coach is still fuming well after a game, as well as an opposing coach saying they caught a big break, you know that a call was pretty much in the wrong. Do I blame the ref for making the call? No. It is the current rule. Yes, it sucks without question for us and was the wrong call. I've been a sports official before, granted at much lower levels in just collegiate intramural leagues in soccer and basketball and there is just so much you got to keep track of and the action is still very fast, pretty much every call or no-call you make is just heat of the moment gut reaction, so quick and fast. People/refs are going to make errors. I sure made my fair share of terrible calls/no-calls So with that thought in mind, I'm not going to start a parade to roast the ref's head here. What pisses me off is not even so much the ruling, but that stuff like this isn't reviewable. Intent to blow the whistle, phantom interference calls waiving off goals, "net" goals like what both happened against Detroit and San Jose in regular season games, how these things aren't reviewable when other types of goals are is beyond me. I'm not just saying this being a bitter Wings fan after this loss. Throw any other team name in there and I'm going to say that they got shafted, even the Ducks this series if it happened to them. And we could play armchair quarterback on reasons why the Wings lost that game, and it wasn't just because of this call. But it is a damned shame that this blown call had a very large outcome on the result of this game.

This. I hate the blown call like everybody else here but the problem lies more within the officiating rules rather than the refs themselves. Things like this which have direct implication on a goal (intent to stop play, phantom interefernce, net goals, etc.) need to be at the very least reviewable. There is no conspiarcy theory against the Wings wanting them to fail no matter how much some want to believe.

I haven't read thread responses so I apologize for rehasing. It's a shame when people take being a fan way too far like in this instance and it's just more than your friendly ribbing or taunts. However if you know things are going to get worse than just this, don't add fuel to the fire by intervening. Only ends up hurting more peole. If these guys were already throwing down hands with people and you are trying to break things up and keep/start the peace, I understand, but don't make a small housefire a giant bonfire. Sometimes it's best just to walk away.

Given whatever the current rules are, I understand the referee's intent for blowing the play dead and the reasoning/rules behind it. The referee did it there. Okay. Fine. Yes, it obivously sucks for us but that's the rule. I'm not going to go on a rampage wanting to roast the ref's you-know-what's for doing this. I have been a sports official before, granted just collegiate intramural action in different sports, but you have to make so many decisions or things to let go in the heat of the moment, the action out there is so fast, that it's basically a really fast rapid judgment call. I certainly made my large shares of scrweing up as an official as well. So I'm not going to chew the ref out regarding this. Stuff like this though, intent to blow the whistle, or the "net" goals like what happened both against the Red Wings and San Jose in regular season games, or phantom interference calls need to be reviewable though after a "questionable" call. I'll emphasize again the referee had to make a choice under fire but the fact the stuff like this cannot be reviewable is a downright joke, regardless of if it happened to the Red Wings or another team. That's where my beef is. The referees are never the sole reason of why games are lost, we could play the Game of Scenarios all day which helped contribute to a Wings loss and it isn't only/solely the refs, but it is a damned shame the outcome of a game like this hinged largely on this "no-goal". The league needs to seriously get their act together to re-examine such instances where goals/calls can at the very least be reviewed.

Sure. The person below me thinks this is funny.

I'm not really sure where you are coming from with this, especially now since Cleary has been one of the top point producers for the Wings so far in the playoffs. True he's not the first to get PP time out there and might be used more in a defensive/PK role first but again, he's been one of the better producers so far in the playoffs on the 1st/2nd line (1A, 1B type of line, whatever). Not really seeing what the problem is here.

To get this out of the way, please save any responses to me as "This is a message board I can discuss what I want" or "You don't have to read the thread if you don't like it". I get it, but I have just as much right to have a strong disagreeing opinion and state it and when I think people in here are acting ridiculous as well as long as it is done within forum rules, so... I didn't see this specific instance last night so if you want to grill me on that fine, but it's all but a guarantee to me that it is being dramatically overblown by EVERYBODY. The amount of Crosby disdain when he's done almost nothing of substance that mocks the Wings (unlike Pronger/Tootoo/Lemieux incidents etc.) is beyond absurd in here. It is sad that it's expected now, but it is still a ridiculous concept to me. Sorry, but I can't find much to put on that Crosby just flat out did something so ridiculous to the Wings to where I just flat out say, "I hate that damn S.O.B." Nothing that would've made me think that in the SCF last year, not the All-Star game hoopla, nothing really to me. I get that NHL marketing is largely a Crosby focus fest or Penguins focus fest. Yes, I think it is pretty ridiculous that one of the playoff commericals right now acts like if the Penguins won the Stanley Cup when they didn't, and not just because I am a Red Wings fan. I even get that Crosby "whines", he might even do it more than once. But if that is the primary or only excuse you have to think the guy is a reject, sorry that's just ridiculous to me. Yes, I get that players voted him to whine the most or whatever. That's too generic of a term to me though. Everybody and their kid sister complains to referees or media or whomever else at some point in their lives when they are frustrated. Everybody blows gaskets from time to time out there, whether it is a professional athlete or a guy working behind the desk for 9 hours a day like me or somebody in the auto plant. I rarely see anything that much out of the ordinary or don't go looking for anytihing unusual where I would say, "That Sidney Crosby sure is a such a pansy and needs to grow up" compared to any other player out there. Using only the "Crosby whines" tagline without any substance isn't enough for me to dislike the guy when anybody/everybody complains at their job/life at some point, and have "whined" definitely more than once. I don't think of Crosby much one way or the other, but the disdain towards him is ridiculous and often overblown. If you want to lay blame, put in on the excessive marketing focus towards his behalf, not Crosby himself. Am I missing something here? Am I not getting it because I'm not on board the Crosby Train of Hate and I think the disliking towards him is irrational? I'm sorry, but I just cannot dislike somebody because of something so generic as this or disliking somebody just for the sake of it or because it is the popular thing to do.

I made the trip up to game 2 of the first round to see a good 4-0 win vs. Columbus.

Very neat.

I'd be thrilled if Leino was brought up given how he produced at a ridicuouls pace in his limited action, but not having Leino up isn't the problem I think. The Wings not finishing is the problem, at least last game. And say Leino just goes to the 4th line, they aren't counted on to score first/foremost (although that'd be nice if it's done obviously). The 4th line for Detroit has been far from a problem. Helm is just busting tail hitting everything he can, Kopecky has been all right with some hits here/there (more than usual that regular season at least), and I haven't noticed Maltby goofing anything up.

And you know this how? The series has only had 2 games played, and it is a best-of-7 series. Last time I checked, a series is over when a team gets 4 wins. As of now, each team has one win a piece. Still a long ways from the series being over. Plenty of people didn't have that many points in the Columbus series, but the entire team for the most part had people contributing in different ways, not just on the main stat sheet. I understand concern but this doom and gloom attitude after just 2 GAMES in here from people when there is plenty of hockey left to be played is pretty pathetic.

Osgood wasn't the sole or main reason the Wings lost yesterday. Putting all the blame on him is ridiculous.

It confuses me a bit as to dressing somebody in this situation but only playing them maybe 6-7 minutes a game. If that's the case, why not go with the younger legs in Derek Meech as the 6th d-man. I'm never going to be the coach though and Babcock has his reasons for doing things, so I dunno.

Don't do it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Nah, not really.

Round 1 Game 5 of last year against Nashville, 1 of just 2 overtime games in the playoffs for the Wings. It's not like they are dinking around out there. They had their chances. That's why it is called sudden death overtime, just 1 chance has to go in. It sometimes doesn't take 20 chances to do it. Hiller played a great game, give his credit. Sometimes goalies play great games, it happens.

Hossa averaged about a point per game during the regular season. He has 4 in 6 games right now, about a point per game average. He's leading the team in shots right now, is his usual self being defensively responsbile, and is busting his rear out there. You aren't always going to score points. Hossa is fine. What's the problem here?

The Wings have been going to the net. Part of their game also is they try to generate offense by shooting from plenty of places. Nothing new here. You never know when a goofy rebound might occur. Sometimes the goalie just plays a great game. It happens.