SouthernWingsFan

I'm not one to ever get into the whole trash talking thing, it's not my thing and I don't let others doing it get to me. There's nothing wrong with a good ribbing or rubbing it in to your friends obviously, or vice versa once or twice as long as you are being respectful. It's when you do it after the 17th time is when it gets annoying and I want to smack you upside the head then. I heard you the first and second time. We often hear about being a gracious loser and not being sour or angry, it should work the other way around to. Be a gracious winner, if there is such a thing.

I don't care how banged up this Avs team might be. This game is played on the ice, not on paper or on a sports Internet forum. I still expect the Avs to come out hard. The Wings need to take advantage of the Avs injury misfortunes though and end this series tonight. Do not give them any more hope than necessary that they can get back in this series. And, assuming Detroit wraps this series up, we all need to stop worrying about media perceptions about the Wings advancing being "tainted" due to a depleted Avs squad? I couldn't care less what sports media says about this. It is a waste of time getting riled up about what sports writers think. You could say the same thing about the Ducks last year against the Wings, or you could bring up countless other examples of teams advancing in the Stanley Cup playoffs or even the NBA playoffs because the other team was dinged up. Is the Ducks championship tainted then because of this situation? No. Is the San Antonio Spurs NBA championship last year tainted for whatever reason because they lucked out in not having to play #1 seed Dallas Mavericks last year with over 60+ wins, when Dallas got upset in the first round by Golden State? No. The Wings were foruntate to miss the Avalanche I think in the 1998 playoffs when they got upset early by Edmonton. Does that make the '98 Wings championship tainted? No. I'm sure the Rangers championship in 1994 got aided by more favorable matchups and some important players being injured as well. I could go on and on and on... Thems the breaks and you have to play the roster that is currently healthy. It was fortunate to work out for the Ducks last year, and it looks to be fortunate that it'll probably work out for the Red Wings at least in this series. A depleted lineup, media perceptions, inconsistent officiating will not change the fact that the Detroit Red Wings advanced (assuming they did after tonight or 5 games or whatever) and are playing in the WCF. And you can say this same thing about pretty much any other series in the NHL or NBA for past examples. Quit worrying about what other people might think of the Red Wings whether they have been "lucky" or "fortunate". Worrying about public perception of your favorite sports team or athlete is one of the biggest wastes of time in my opinion, is similar to watching paint dry, and causes unnecessary stress or discontent. This is going to be mentioned by somebody or some news source if the Wings advance, just let them write what they want to write in peace and go about their business gracefully. Who cares about what they think, just accept that it will happen and enjoy a probable 2nd consecutive deep run in the playoffs.

Step away from the computer, calm down, deep breaths. Unfortunately for Wings fans, VS just doesn't cater to us alone. Whether we like it or not, Sidney Crosby is one of the main faces of the league today and the NHL wants to market him as much as possible. Plus, if this game does go into OT, overtime periods are much more suspensful in general than the 1st period of a game. Versus has exclusive rights, it is their call. Life isn't all about the Red Wings.

Datsyuk and E.T., gotta be some relation in the way they look.

Multiple choice quiz... The capital of Wyoming is... a) Cheyenne b) A big rectangle c) W *shrugs*

Marvin Gaye - Ain't That Peculiar

I haven't watched much of Dallas' or Pittsburgh's games in-depth, but by default of an undefeated record so far in the playoffs, I'll go with Pittsburgh. Detroit and Dallas can be 2a/2b IMO, can either flip them around. Detroit has been very poised and played their game more often than not after letting Nashville back in the 1st round, and any team that beat the defending SC Champs with some ease and are potentially going to sweep the 2nd best team in the conference (at least by points) has got to be playing impressively.

Cool, sorry to sound a little conforntational in my original post to you and you getting the brunt of it, just the fickleness of people, many of them being the sky is falling and utter chaos types going to thinking the Wings are gods all of a sudden just humors, and annoys to a certain extent, me when you know whenever the time comes when the Wings face adversity, we are going to go back to doom-and-gloom in here. But I'll shush and put a sock in it on my end.

Whether you like him or dispise him, you never wish this upon anybody. I hope Avery gets better.

I know where Niceville is! I have lived in the New Orleans area all my life minus five years in college in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. A few weeks ago I moved a little north of the city closer to my job to the town you see on my little mini profile below the Swedish Chef. Honestly, the whole hockey isn't popular thing down where we're from doesn't really bother me. I like the sport, and that's good enough for me. More often than not when I was living more in the city in New Orleans I watched games in the comfort of my own home, but I found a few bars/restaurants here and there which were open to putting games on assuming they didn't conflict with any big local sports that day and didn't give you a hard time. Where I currently live now, VS is actually local here (available in just Digital Cable in New Orleans), and while hockey will never be the main squeeze here, the couple of places I've gone out to for dinner or drinks since I moved here have shown the playoffs where I didn't really have to ask/prod to put it on. Again, not going to be all that popular but still, there's some awareness that it's around.

Because it's Samuelsson, DUH! /end extreme sarcasm and I see zero need to change anything up right now either and have been pretty content with how Samuelsson has played for the most part lately.

Honestly, I can't really blame him for starting Theodore in game 3, even though a part of me was cheering for that decision inside. Think about it and tell me if this makes any sense or if I need to lay off the mushrooms... Of course Theodore didn't play his best in the first two games, however he still does have some experience in the postseason, even though it isn't much. And he was the guy the Avalanche went with down the stretch run, and he did his job in helping get them to the playoffs. You have Budaj, who while playing great in mop-up duty without much pressure the first two games, had no playoff experience and who didn't really see the Wings IMO when they were buzzing early the first two games, not having to deal with what Theodore did. If Theodore was having any confidence issues, think of how it might have been even more uncertain if they started Budaj yesterday. There would be a good chance I think if this happened, any confidence problems Theodore might have had (assuming he had any) would have gone completely down the drain, and you have an unproven 'tender with almost zilch playoff experience, none as "the guy" at least. It would've been just as much of a risk starting Budaj I think, hence me understanding Joe Q's decision. That all being said though, the Wings have absolutely had his number since the St. Louis days. And even with that being said, I do not want them letting off the gas pedal and giving Quenville and the Avalanche any more hope than necessary to get back in this series. Finish it tomorrow night.

Ask me this if the Wings make the SCF.

What do you do if you smash your toe?! Call a toe truck.

James Brown - Super Bad

Brief but happy reading as well from Detroit News sharing in the McCarty love. http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/artic.../804300342/1128 Good column.

And to lighten the mood up... "Who is he?" "He's an a**hole." "I know that! What's his name?" "That is his name sir A**hole, Major A**hole." "And his cousin?" "He's an a**hole too sir, Philip A**hole." "How many a**holes we got on this ship anyhow?" *EVERYONE RAISES THEIR HANDS* "I knew it I'm surrounded by a**holes. Keep firing a**holes!" Name where that originally came from.

Well, Samuelsson HAS hit a player in the jaw already himself, so he's got to have some acting experience being struck in the head area. Seriously though, I am a Samuelsson supporter and what the hell are you supposed to do? 99 times out of 100 whether it is accidental or cowardly intentional, if a stick hits a guy in the face, more often than not the natural reaction is to at the very least flinch or something. It could be "physics"!

Chelios has been less than impressive I think, but up 3-0 and winning your last 5 playoff games, why mess with the lineup? Lebda, for the most part, has done his duty has a 3rd line d-man I think since going in for Lebda and stays as the 6th d-man for now. It's not like Chelios has been treading rear out there, but he's made some pretty bad passes at times. That being said, I still think overall even at his "old" age now he's better than Lilja, but that is just 1 imbecile's opinion.

Just basically trying to warn people not to get too ahead of themselves, which many have been doing on here I think. I think it's pretty safe though to start looking forward after this evening. While Theodore didn't play his best in the first 2 games, if he wasn't confident in himself, and Joel Q wasn't confident in him, he wouldn't have been playing game 3. Was it the correct coaching move? Entirely subjective, honestly I thought he played a fairly decent game, at least much better than the first 2. Another poster bought this point up though. Budaj didn't really face the Wings when they were humming or in full throttle at the beginning of the games, not having to deal with what Theodore did. For the most part, the Wings came out full throttle again and Theodore did better. Would you have put a guy in to start with almost no playoff experience whatsoever other than "mop-up" duty, or a guy with some limited experience in getting it done. Honestly I'm 50-50 on Quenville's decision on who started. On the one hand, I was glad b/c the Wings did good against him the first 2 games, but think about it, if Quenville starts Budaj, you put in an unproven goaltender with no playoff experience and if Theodore's confidence was going down south, benching him probably would have put his confidence completely down the tubes I am assuming. If we're thinking like that, I can't really blame him for starting Theodore. And I've been watching hockey since the mid-90s when I was a teenager. Does that make me less "educated" or "knowledgable" about the sport then, since I have the handicap of being born later?

Could be throwing the body around a little more, but he's far from being invisible. He's definitely skating well I think and just isn't quite finishing his chances. I think being more back into a "shutdown" role with Draper and Drake might have something to do with it, and not as much of an offensive role on the 2nd line. But right now, when we can't really ask for things to go this much better with the Wings, no sense in changing much, and as stated Clearly has been holding his own for the most part even though it might not show up on the most important parts of the stat sheet.

An ass-kicking day for me today. Worked out twice today, weightlifting in the morning, running in the late afternoon... New Orleans Hornets advanced to the next round of the NBA playoffs... Detroit Red Wings greatly improved their chances to advance to the WCF finals this evening... Life good....... Also, does this make any sense to anybody? Undisputed Heavyweight Champ after a boxing match....If it's undisputed, what's all the fighting about?

Marva Whitney - I'm Tired, Tired, Tired (which I really am at the moment )

LMAO! GMR I wasn't referring to you specifically, but you cannot tell me with a straight face that some people didn't think Colorado's forwards overall had (or have) better depth than Detroit's. Now they change their tune and the Avs are totally incapable of winning at all? Perhaps this bothers me some how, perhaps it's not all cockiness or arrogance but I just don't want people to act so shocked that losing this series or the Avs even tying up this series is still somewhat of a realistic possibility. Obviously I do not wish for this for any of this to happen and the odds right now are in favor of the Wings, but the series isn't a slam dunk guarantee still.

They take them to a hat store. All right that wasn't all that funny, I don't know what I'm talking about. *shrugs*