SouthernWingsFan

Because Hossa had a helluva playoff run and while he wasn't 100% dead set on returning to Pittsubrgh, he expressed some pretty good interest in possibly returning there. And he goes to the team that beat the Penguins in the SCF. If I was a Penguins fan I'd be a little bit sour about that as well. And again, flip-flop the teams and Hossa leaving the Red Wings, plenty of people in here would be just as upset as Penguin fans, guaranteed. Conklin, while he filled in very well for Fleury in the regular season when he was injured, didn't play a second in the playoffs. What are you basing not having a future in Pittsburgh on? Just because we played them in the Stanley Cup Finals and they were a rival of ours for 1 1/2 weeks? I highly doubt there is going to be much letdown there, they have two of the better offensive producers in the game at both young ages and who are probably going to be with the team long-term. They are going to probably make another deep playoff run and if they are able to keep the majority of players together, I wouldn't be surprised whatsoever to seem them return to the Finals over the next couple of years. The Sydney Crosby treatment in here is just funny in here sometimes. Blame the sports media for all the hype he gets, not Sydney Crosby himself. Syndey Crosby did not ask for any of this and all things considering his first full 2 years in the league, I think overall he's handled himself very well all things considering. For those who say he's not a good leader or will never be a good leader, he's only 21 years old for crying out loud and has plenty of years left in the league to be one of the better guys in the league assuming he doesn't get any major injuries. If Penguins personnel didn't think he would be a good leader, he wouldn't be captain for the Penguins at such an early point in his career. And last time I checked, Detroit had a certain recently-retired famous former captain who was a captain of the Red Wings at a very early point in his career as well. He turned out to be pretty darn good. What's his name? I'm sure there were doubts about him leading at such an early age from fans as well...

Quote from the article on TSN... This seems like a weak argument to where Crawford is trying to cover his rear. Players don't necessarily miss shift changes, but can't always get to the bench cleanly or immediately to make a change. There is plenty of blame to go around in both Crawford and Bertuzzi and other parties, and I'm just going to leave it at that, as I don't feel like arguing the degree of blame for people or go through these events again. I just want this thing to be over and done with and everybody involved in the incident to be at peace with the decisions and move on so I don't have to hear details about this again. I don't totally loathe Crawford, I don't totally loathe Bertuzzi or want bad things to happen to them intentionally, I just want thing thing to be over and done with.

And I nominate you to give that classy message to him.

We laugh at them now, but flp-flop the teams and situations/results...if Hossa left the Red Wings in the exact same circumstances, plenty of people in here would be flipping their lids just like Penguin fans. Still, I skimmed some of the thread, funny stuff, and funny goodbye gift.

http://msn.foxsports.com/nhl/story/8449530...es-up-to-repeat Some quick blurbs I thought to be of note... Enjoy!

Games can be broadcasted on Nickelodeon or the Cartoon Network or the Weather Channel for all I care. I just want to see games in color with a halfway decent picture. All the extra stuff with HD or broadcasting is nice, but it's a bonus for me. Just be on somewhere. It's better than nothing. I don't worry or get bothered about commentators or sports analysts on what they have to say about the game or take down 150 different notes on why they should be stroking the Red Wings ego and 150 different conspiracy theories on why they are against the Red Wings. I just enjoy watching hockey and sports.

I'm all for trying Datsyuk and Zetterberg apart since we have a little more offensively leeway and depth with the addition of Hossa. However, completely taking Holmstrom away from one or both of them is a bad, bad idea I think. I love Holmstrom, he's one of my favorite players for the game he plays and abuse he takes to score/help out on goals, and I will never come close to saying he is utterly useless without Datsyuk or Zetterberg, but he is simply a better player with at least one of them. And I know Samuelsson is a favorite whipping boy on here, but for those who say he isn't that good defensively, true he doesn't kill penalties, but he wouldn't be playing the point on a powerplay as a forward if he wasn't defensively responsible. Just sayin'... I am all for trying him out on a 3rd/checking line role with Draper and Cleary, since we now have some more offensively depth for him to give it a go in such a role on a regular basis.

First time trying a different local beer right now, Abita Restoration Ale... http://www.abita.com/party/restoration_ale.html http://www.abita.com/brew/restoration.html Not too shabby. Kinda tastes similar to a Lite Beer with a little extra kick and flavor to it. But I am the last person you should take alcohol tasting insight from, since I suck at sensing taste. It still doesn't come close to my love for Abita Amber.

Righteous Brothers - You've Lost That Loving Feeling http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7827EMkm5ko Good song above Elshup. Temple of the Dog is a good album.

double post...

Sharon Jones - I Just Dropped In http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oHEDGW9NQ-o

Something you shouldn't deceptively do when you are on a diet, coming from one of the best shows ever from the 90s. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=51sIqzEo7h4

You are talking about a regular season game. Less on the line. The original poster is talking about a potential game where your favorite team wins the Stanley Cup, and you are there. A game that is a much bigger deal than the first by a large margin. There is going to be a bit of a difference in the atmosphere in the stands and tension in the players and the like. Especially when in the potential Cup clinching game at home, you were a 1/2 minute away from winning it all and not quite sealing the deal, and you can't quite seal the deal numerous times in sudden death OTs, only to lose. It isn't a spoiled post or attitude at all for this game, and I highly doubt the original poster or anybody else is expecting the Wings to win every single game, 25-0, and if they don't, they'll whine and complain for two weeks on end. If people do expect this, then yes they need to have their heads checked. But to go to a game where you spend plenty of cash to possibly see your team win a championship, see your team rally to take a lead in the game, see them almost win if the game were 30 seconds earlier, and see them lose in a sudden death situation, thus not being able to see a Cup winning celebration...I'd not necessarily be bitter, but a little bit down for a while. You don't get too many chances to see a championship winning game/celebration live in your lifetime. The Cup certainly isn't tainted by that loss by any stretch of the imagination, I am very glad they won it all, but for the 20,000+ in attendance, especially for those who might not have seen the Cup winning celebrations in 1997 or 2002 whether they were residents of Detroit/Michigan or not, would have been something to see.

In terms of his hockey career after his year with Detroit in 2002, he played with Anaheim in the 2002-03 season, I saw the Ducks open up the season that year against the Dallas Stars when I was living in that area and he played that game. After that year he played overseas for a few years. In terms of life though, much more important, well puckloo basically explained it all and that's something I had no clue of until now. Hopefully he'll resume somewhat of a normal life in time.

The suits not in the lower bowl arguement has been talked about ad naseum in here, so yeah that is definitely annoying, but why hold the rest of the fans hostage then saying that Detroit fans didn't deserve to win or see the Cup on home ice just because of the suits or people that can't afford to go because of the economy? For many of the non-suit people, it's a crappy economy overall. Entertainment dollars are fewer for most people and that means having to make sacrafices and some people just cannot afford to go to even just 10+ games a season, which would definitely cost more than $500. It doesn't mean that Red Wings fans who might have went to games more in the past all of a sudden don't care about the team anymore. I understand the logic from your post, but honestly I just think you are being a bit too bitter towards people that didn't go, regardless of if it was the suits or because people just cannot consistently afford to go anymore.

Sting/The Police - Message in a Bottle http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KcGrrBOMBiA...feature=related

I'm generally one who gets over things easily and would say or think such things as get over it, move on, or things could be worse (which they could be ) in most cases if people complain about miniscule things, but I can understand being upset, especially if you were there live. I don't let much surprise me anymore at least when watching hockey, we've seen the Wings screw the pooch in letting teams back in the last minute or two of a game (see Anaheim series last year, I know I know, phantom Datsyuk penalty call), we've seen them come back in the final minute (see 2002 Carolina series game 3 with the Brett Hull goal). Plus it pretty much happens to every team good or bad a few times during the regular season. I was definitely starting to get to the edge of my couch as the last minute wore down of that game 5, but I wasn't getting too excited yet like they won because a 1-goal lead is never safe and it takes less than a second to score a goal. When it happened I just sighed and sat back but didn't act too stunned like the world crashed down on me, because we've seen it happen plenty in hockey. But with that being said, I was in the comfort of my home watching TV spending $0.00. Forking out a few hundred dollars on a ticket and parking and food, coming close to seeing a Stanley Cup celebration by about a half minute, regardless of if it was your team that won or not, and losing that game, I'd be a little down in the dumps after as well. Most important thing though is that we won the . One day/game late is better than nothing at all.

I'm going to give you and some of the other big Datsyuk fans on here some perspective, both good and critical. I absolutely dig and respect and think it is cool that you all are big fans of his and are dedicated to him. Nobody should have any qualms with that whatsoever and if they do, they got the problems. However, you all really need to grow some thicker cojones. And I'm not talking about if people make stupid comments without any maturity or supporting reasons like "ZOMG DATSYUK CAN'T HIT THE BACKSIDE OF A BARN" or "DATSYUK SUCKS SO BAD THAT HE SHOULD JUMP OFF A CLIFF AND DIE" where they don't do anything to back up their claim. Or for any player for that matter. That is ripping on a player without any smarts and I cannot stand this. But it seems like whenever a thread where Datsyuk is the main focus, if somebody even slightly questions things such as...a tiny piece of his play on the ice, maybe if he is in a multiple game slump, or perhaps that he might have struggled with the English language in the past, or even slightly says something like "I'm glad Datsyuk won the Selke, but I think the Selke should also be based on reasons A, B, and C and Datsyuk isn't as strong in these areas"...if people even slightly question him where it is legit such as those things, or if they are doing it in a civil manner, or if they are giving him praise as well as critiquing him, some of you just get so up in arms beyond ridiculousness. You all take overreacting to new levels. Do you understand how annoying that is for an unbiased fan or average joe to read? It has certainly happened with fans of other athletes as well, the goalie wars in here as well. I understand defending and standing by your favorite player, but you all consistently show that you cannot take much criticism of the guy and it is sometimes unbearable to read through such threads, and it happens in just about every thread where Datsyuk is a main focus. And it is sometimes even more annoying then such things as the goalie wars. Hell, in this thread alone, there is no ripping on him, there are just playful jokes just like people would do on any other player whether they are a superstar, a 3rd line grinder, or a bench warmer. Nobody is saying he is a crappy person or hockey player or has bad demeanor or whatever else, and some of you still get ridiculously bent out of shape. Don't ever change for a second that you all are big fans of Datsyuk. Please though try to loosen up though. It isn't worth taking so seriously and losing your hair over, whether it is talk about his game on the ice or just goofing around in gest.

If that's the case, then that would be a croc of poo. Meh, they'll show repeats of it on the Red Wings Web site or NHL Network or whatever. I'll see it eventually but if I don't, worse things in life could happen.

I wouldn't be surprised if there is some truth into what you are saying here, but if this does happen I tone that stuff out. I'll usually make small talk at sporting events with people I go to games to or somebody I might sit next to that I never met, but I'll never ramble on and on and on or sound like I know everything. Because honestly, I know very little () and I go to sporting events to watch the game. I don't go to be a cheerleader, start crap, impress clients, or sound like a know it all. Just put a beer in my hand for an hour or two and let me watch the game in peace and I'm happy.

I only saw one weightlifting event so far this Olympics, so I'm guessing they have different weight classes or something like that, but the women were not bodybuilding looking types, thank god. Bodybuilders make me all sick and queezy. The women weren't really all that tall or weighed much, anywhere from 110 - 130 pounds only. But they had muscle and good technique. But again not the groose bodybuilder muscle type.

And if we're "reflecting" on overtime playoff winners, the Wings-Sharks game 4 playoff game in 2007 is on NHL Network right now where Schneider scored the OT goal. And of course I fell asleep in-between the 3rd period and OT of that game and didn't wake up in time to see the goal. And I'm not going to watch it now since I'm too tired again, about to go to bed, and I've seen the replay about 500 times.

While I don't watch basketball regularly, I watched the first half of the U.S. - Greece basketball matchup this morning before heading to work and the 2nd quarter was one of the more entertaining and defensively dominating quarters I have seen in basketball for a while. Dwayne Wade looks insane for the U.S. right now and they are doing plenty of good things right now in trying to be the Redeem Team.

Groovy cool signing.

Sweet, I'm on vacation during the season opener and Cup raising banner game, but Versus is local where I live so I can preset my VCR and watch the ceremonies when I get back.