SouthernWingsFan

A lot of things to consider regarding this overall as I think about it more. I apologize for rehashing any previous original posts/thoughts first brought up... I wouldn't be too surprised if something is going on "behind the scenes" to possibly keep games close etc., but I take a lot of things with a grain of salt and I try not to act too emotionally high/low about things even though plenty in life is annoying. With that said, it is easy to go into conspiracy theory mode and the like, but that's not my thing and not worth my time as thinking like that gives me heartburn. If there is something going on "behind the scenes" it is league wide and there's no conspiracy theory where ZOMG THE REFS ARE ALWAYS AGAINST THE RED WINGS (or *insert favorite team name here*)!!!!!! Made a post about this already, but I'll rehash. Officiating isn't easy in any level of sport. I made my fair share of bad calls in basketball and soccer while in college, reffing people around my age in intramural leagues, and people wanted to take my head off just as much due to the competitve nature of sport. Some pretty solid athletes who obviously played and were decent when in high school, some slow and uncoordinated with beer bellies already developed. Asking referees to be perfect all the time is near impossible and it isn't realistic, but I think most people in here are generally understanding that you are going to goof a call up every now and then. The inconsistency is still frustrating, and tonight's game is another example. However after my first game officiating, I gained a new respect of what refs of any level have to try to deal with in a fast-paced game and the things they deal with both from players and coaches and fans. It is a hard gig. Bettman...no matter how much we dislike him as fans, he reports to the owners of the league first. He has to please them first. If the owners are satisifed with Bettman no matter how inconsistent the officiating might be or how frustrated fans might be, Bettman is doing his job. Now, that's not to say that fans are a big pile of dogs**t in this whole equation all the time. In any business, whether it is professional sports or running a pet shop, you have stakeholders which are important to the business. Fans definitely make up this business of hockey/professional sports, but they aren't first in the food chain with regards to Bettman in this situation. The owners are. Make the most important stakholders happy first, and those are the owners. Is it fair to the fans? Not always, but life is rarely fair these days. Sometimes I wander though if Bettman is just in complete denial of what fans want. Recent schedule modification is a good example. Pretty much everybody and their cousin who is an NHL fan wanted everybody playing each other at least once I think. But Bettman more/less says that they changed this schedule as a "last resort" and wanted to keep things the way they were. I could be wrong though as I am not the smartest nail in the toolbox. And unfortunately, when you are the head honcho of an organization, you typically get more credit sometimes than necessary, or more blame than intended. Bettman is far from my favorite, but sometimes negative things happen that are beyond his control. Kinda like the LGW Scapegoats for better/worse (always worse). With die hard fans, I still think it would take a lot, lot more for some to abandon the sport.

*shameless bragging post* Today I accomplished a new personal best. I killed 450 calories flat in 30 minutes of cardio work. To say I was gassed out and the end of the exercise is an understatement. And, all of that work is gone now thanks to a pizza I ate for dinner and beer I am currently drinking.

Because hardcore fans of any team/any sport over-analyze, over-react, and do all the excess worrying, which is unfortuantely a natural part of the package.

It is a little alarming to me to see officiating so inconsistent, regardless of who the teams are that are playing. No, I'm not expecting perfection from referees, they are human and are prone to mistakes just like you and me, lord knows I made plenty of bad calls when I was a basketball and soccer ref for a few years back in college, but the inconsistency is undeniable to me. That being said, it is still hockey, which is a sport I love to watch, and nothing is going to change that anytime soon.

Nope, it is a bit nippy down here though so it might make sense. I've never tried to, my fingers are fat enough as it is so typing with mittens wouldn't help. The person below me has done the Freaky Deaky recently.

Hudler = Coo Coo A coo coo cluck.... All right so that wasn't really that funny. The reference to his short height and how he'd have to jump to head butt somebody was hilarious.

Nope cause I'm not that old yet (), I had to dye my hair twice in one day though years and years ago when I tried to dye my hair blond and it turned out to be awful-looking. Will never dye my hair again. EDIT: Bah, late...I have only been to Las Vegas in the airport/plane twice to different cities, both times single, both times departing single. I will hopefully go to Las Vegas in a few years though. The person below me has drank a gallon of milk in an hour before without throwing up.

Hasek had his own unique style that made him successful throughout his career. To ask him to change how he played that made him get so successful in winning 6 Vezinas etc. is a difficult request to do. And just because people might have thought he still had his good moments these last few years doesn't make them idiots or that they know nothing about hockey. You don't or didn't like him the past few years. That's fine, nobody will get on your grill for that. Getting on the cases of other fans/members though just because they don't share in the absolute loathing that you do, that ain't right.

Negative. The person below me has played paper football recently.

SI.com article regarding this... http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2008/writ...ex.html?eref=T1 Also CBS.Sportsline.com... http://www.sportsline.com/nhl/story/11106075

Negative. And Lite-Brights were the s**t back in the day. Hell they still are today. The person below me has gotten dunked in a garbage can before, either full/stinky or empty.

Jackie Lomax - Little Yellow Pills Groovy little song from the late 60s. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HqT-xTvEC8Y

We're not going to do something like that, because we are all lazy and we all suck. In terms of "padding" votes, doesn't really bother me at all. I'm definitely not against All-Star games in general as it's something for the fans etc., but it's a game that doesn't count for anything in the standings or anything and it's a chance for athletes to get injured in a game that doesn't count. Ah well...

Shouldn't be too surprising to many in here now (also putting your mousie on thingies to click as well ). What I cannot stand in here is when people in here blame referees for the Wings losing or think that there is a refereeing conspiracy or bias against the Red Wings. Do referees play a hand in determining the outcome in a game? Without question. Are they the main reason you lose? Very rarely. Officiating is just inconsistent for better/worse and it's a part of the game now for every team and all across the league. You deal with it and whatever other adversity comes to you during a game.

In terms of the article/journalist, he is right in the sense that Lidstrom is boring in terms of consistent play and not being outspoken or a drama queen off the ice. The journalist seems to be focused more on the "entertainment" and off-ice/off-playing surface part of games. Stories outside the game. That I disagree with. I like entertainment to a degree, but not to the point or you are a distraction in the locker room or create drama or or controversy where there's no point or reason to create drama. That is where I disagree with the journalist. I'm all about going about your business in a quiet fashion and just playing the game and doing your job. While I don't follow the NBA much anymore, back when guys like Jordan and Magic played, one guy I really liked and thought was an excellent role model in terms of how he presented himself on and off the court was John Stockton for the Jazz. Never created any drama, never really did much PR stuff in terms of "HEY LOOK AT ME!", just did his job, was a leader, and was one of the best at doing what he did, and was extremely humble. I think he is in a similar mold of leadership/play as Lidstrom.

OMG we got Hossa!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Sorry, got nothing better to say other than what other than the tagline other members said about him in the offseason.

We need to combine these two players for these plays alone to make for that much more of an entertaining player. In all seriousness, yeah I do miss Hasek primarily because he was exciting to watch and had a flair for the dramatic on the ice. Off the ice is another story at times and I don't like behind the scenes drama but that's for another discussion/time. It was finally time to part ways with him after winning it all, it was time before and after when he flooped up coming back in 2004 with the 3-ring goalie circus with Joseph and Legace, but I think he changed the hearts of many when he had a fairly good season overall the year before the Wings won the Cup again.

Sorry, I'd really think long and hard before I made fun of somebody about a mental or physical condition. And I'm one that is easily into joking around and goofing off. Could Brown not be so sensitive? Perhaps so. If he is comfortable being joked at regarding this, that's his choice and maybe something like this will spread a few laughs around. You gotta know your boundaries and limits though. And making fun of somebody's mental or physical condition, probably not the wisest of ideas, especially when it leads to friciton of a team or organization. Avery doesn't have to live with this condition. Brown does. Put yourself in the shoes of the person that has to live with the handicap and you might think differently.

Never been to Boston at all. The person below me has had to be a certain height to ride the amusement park ride recently. *shrugs*

Yep. I'm all for being a smart allec and I use sarcasm a lot to enjoy things and make me and others laugh, but not at the expense of knowingly pissing others off or offending people. That's not right. to Avery on this.

Chicago - Make Me Smile

Is it bad karma for Stanley Cup Champs to autograph a golf cart? Not necessarily, but it might be bad karma for a fanboy or fangirl who might get distracted by the signatures while driving, potentially causing a rec.

Cool. It's not like I'm dead broke but depending on my money situation next season I might consider this route. Much cheaper than NHL Center Ice obviously, but with Center Ice at least I know what I'm going to get, and to watch 80+ games a season on a big TV for just $160 roughly is still a helluva deal in the grand scheme of things. I don't have HD or anything on my TV, but I can live with my current picture quality.

Bingo. This is a major reason why it is hard to read some posts after a loss or a bad stretch of games or to take such threads like scapegoat or LGW Whipping Boy of the Week threads seriously.

Well, at least on paper and in writing, they have woken up... http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/artic.../811130382/1128