betterREDthandead

We can't complain much. We wanted a coach that wasn't beholden to the tired old ways at Michigan and we got it. Course, I am glad that Jackson's back. Can't complain about that either. All indications are that McGuffie and Cissoko are still committed. So far so good.

Because both teams play in Pennsylvania, and the only way to fill Beaver Stadium, which is F'-in huge and in the sticks, is to attract fans of both teams. It's a good idea. The Pens having an outdoor game doesn't preclude anyone else from having one.

Quick search of "Tigers" in the full text of the report reveals the following names, most of which are a blast from the way past. Warning! Nothing earthshattering is here. Mark Carreon Phil Hiatt Hal Morris Rondell White Nook Logan Fernando Vina Gregg Zaun Some other names of note on the users' list, pretty much all of them fingered by the former Mets' clubhouse boy, Kirk Radomski. Some heavier users than others. Segui seems to have been something of a distributor of the stuff too, given how often his name is mentioned in conjunction with others. Roger Clemens Andy Pettitte David Segui Chuck Knoblauch David Justice Glenallen Hill Denny Neagle Miguel Tejada Paul Lo Duca Kevin Brown Eric Gagne Also interesting - "The Players' Association was largely uncooperative."

I doubt we'll see Cabrera. His performance has been too consistent and steady. Carlos Guillen is a guy I worry about. Light-hitting shortstop suddenly turns into a masher. Hmmm. I hope he's not on the list. And Maggs, because of all the injuries - guys who've been hurt are prime steroid candidates.

Friday: Buffalo @ Washington Calgary @ Carolina Toronto @ Atlanta Minnesota @ Anaheim Saturday: Phoenix @ New Jersey Dallas @ San Jose Columbus @ Boston Chicago @ Buffalo Toronto @ Montreal Atlanta @ Ottawa Pittsburgh @ NY Islanders Carolina @ Philadelphia Florida @ Detroit Washington @ Tampa Bay Nashville @ Colorado Vancouver @ Edmonton Minnesota @ Los Angeles Sunday: Philadelphia @ New Jersey Phoenix @ NY Rangers Calgary @ St Louis Florida @ Chicago San Jose @ Anaheim

I'm all for it. Ozzie should retire a Wing. It seems like neither he nor Howard are of the temperament that a tandem of any kind would bother them, which is a bonus.

The nice thing about a long-term deal like that is, if the player is really worth it (which Datsyuk is) the deal is made during the economy that exists in 2006, but the deal runs through 2014 when the salary cap should be much higher. It's obviously not breaking the bank now, think what it'll look like in 2012 when the cap will probably be $8 million higher.

I considered the point about style before, and it's true to some extent. (Obviously there are exceptions like Holmstrom, Vladdy, etc.) But two problems - one, we are talking in terms of identifying with the players, not necessarily with their styles of play. You pointed out that the NFL has the bonus of having watched all the players since they were hots*** recruits in high school, which helps, but in hockey, that's not true for the Europeans (as you mentioned) but its not true for the North Americans either. Most NA players play in juniors, which Americans mostly don't follow. And college hockey doesn't have the exposure of college football. Jimmy Howard came from Maine - great - but that's not the same as Calvin Johnson coming from Georgia Tech or Tayshaun Prince coming from Kentucky. And ultimately, basketball has the same style issues. White guys in basketball are universally seen as space-eating rebounders (if they're big) or dead-eye shooters (if they're guards.) J.J. Redick, ultimate white guy. Black guys are the slashers and scorers, the dunkers and the runners. Jason Williams was so much considered to have a "black" game that he picked up the nickname White Chocolate. Yet you'd still have major racial issues if a coach or a fan or anyone said "we need more white guys on this team," even if all they meant was we need guys who can shoot a 3. And if a columnist ever dared to suggest the team needed more white guys so that people could identify more with the team? Hooooooooooly s***. Football too, by the way. White guys are pocket QB's, possession receivers, and linemen/linebackers. Black guys are running QB's, running backs, star wideouts, and DB's. If you said "we need a white QB" because you felt the guy currently there ran too much? Hoooooooooooooooooooly s***.

Why is this acceptable? And this not?

Bringing old school and new school together, one puck at a time Earlier he decided to watch a random Wings-Leafs game from 1971 in which he didn't know the outcome - now he has a new twist and blogs two games at once, including last night's. Favorite quote from the article:

I doubt it. That mock was probably churned out in 30 minutes, tops. Not nearly that much thought goes into this stuff at this early hour, it's more like lining up the teams and then matching them up with Kiper's board, 1 to 1, 2 to 2, and so on. That's why it makes no sense to dive into mock drafts until the season's over, Super Bowl and all, and we have a better idea of what teams need.

He does talk Wings quite a bit. I don't think he's a Wings fan, exactly, but he is an old-schooler from way back and loves the O6, and I think he talks up the Wings because they're the one O6 team that's doing tradition proud. He also talks about the Bruins a lot, probably at least as much as the Wings.

Proof positive that we have a real Detroiter here. Something that outsiders don't understand. Sadly it took 1 man 20 years to completely ruin Detroit's reputation, and it'll take thousands of people at least twice that long to restore it.

Don't kid yourself if you think Freddy Olausson and Anders Eriksson were the ones selling out the arena. Their presence on the team didn't sell one single ticket. On the other hand, the Russian Five were selling seats. Which is why I think the notion that the team being a bunch of Europeans is behind the lack of sellouts is complete bunk. Hell, even the Canadian face of the franchise had a funny name, and it didn't turn people off. The Wings are having the same problem as the Atlanta Braves had. Moderate success got boring. The Wings were a good team that was exiting the playoffs too quickly, like the Braves ever since they stopped going to the Series. Now add all the following negative factors: bad economy, lockout, bad economy, high ticket prices, bad economy, the long-held perception that Wings tickets are too hard to get, and the bad economy, and you have demand steadily dropping until it finally dropped below sellout levels. If the Wings were smart they'd be centering a marketing campaign around Datsyuk and the dazzling stuff he does, and nobody would care that he's Russian not Canadian. It helps, by the way, that the '90s crop of Wings was a terrific cast of characters. You had Stevie, Captain Courageous; the Russian Five with the old fart, the chess whiz, the Vladinator, and the golden boy - Sergei definitely had a lot of celebrity about him. Shanny, with the Irish jig. The Grind Line, McCarty especially, who was the successor to Probert who we all loved to death. And the coach was a mad genius. It doesn't take a serious hockey fan to appreciate this stuff. This current bunch of Wings, I appreciate because I love the way Cleary always knows how to kill an extra five seconds of power play, and I love how Flip always beats his man to the loose puck, but what is there for the casual fan? Nothing against them, but they're a pretty bland bunch. The most exciting player on the ice is also the quietest off it. The super-duper-duper-star is that way because he's so steady and unexciting.

Well don't take my word for it. Take the judge's

According to that mock, Mario Manningham would be available. No way the Lions should pass on him!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Good Lord, there's still four weeks to play and there's already a mock draft out? I tend to ignore those things until March at the earliest.

There are 881 Heisman Trophy voters. One of them thought Chris Long should win it. Interesting. 12 more thought he should at least be at the ceremony. Also interesting. I wonder who the one guy was. Oh, and for the record, the only reason Glenn Dorsey won all those awards (Butkus, Lombardi, etc.) is because he plays for LSU. Straight bulls*** is what it is. Quite honestly, UVA might not be bowling, and certainly wouldn't be playing on New Year's, without Chris Long. Extremely rare is the defensive lineman who has that kind of impact.

DAMMIT THAT'S LIKE SIX BLOCKS FROM MY HOUSE THAT I'M NOT AT BECAUSE I GREW UP THERE BUT MOVED AWAY DAMMIT. wish they'd do this little deal a little closer to Christmas so I'd actually BE there. Grrr. Me, I'd have no trouble asking for an autograph. I bet they expect it. Just so long as you toss money in the pot too. I don't think they want to go out there to sign autographs and not collect money for the cause, but, well, if the Salvation Army is going to use the star power to bring in the cash, you can't expect people to just drop dough in the pot and not take advantage of the star power while they're there. Be polite about it, as always, y'know? Offer to ring the bell or something while their hands are occupied with the Sharpie DAMMIT. And Sanders is so bloody delicious, too. DAMMIT.

Psh. My three stars are, in order: 1. Chris Osgood in the third period 2. Chris Osgood in the first period 3. Chris Osgood in the second period Flip can have the honorable mention star for displaying probably the only instance of hustle in that game and having it lead to a goal. Maybe he can share it with Kopecky, for being in the right place at the right time and for being the only Wing to bother actually hitting anyone. If that was, say, Colorado, or if Ozzie wasn't a stone-cold brick wall, that's a 6-2 loss tonight. Yeccchh. Glad to get out of there with the two points. I'd have settled for one even. I can't remember the last time the Wings looked so unfocused.

SHG. This sloppy s*** finally bites us in the ass. And right off the face-off, a weak little pass right to the stick of a Predator. These guys are grown-ass men, but I think someone needs to get up in some faces because they are playing lazy, unfocused hockey and just wishing they were anywhere else but playing a game.

Fix your priorities dammit. There's a hockey game on Are these papers due tomorrow?

Basically the same thing we saw in the first. Wings got their goals (Trotz pointed this out on the FSN-S broadcast, and he's right) because the Preds got overaggressive, caught deep in the zone not paying attention, and failed to notice the Wings actually had five on the ice. The Wings aren't focusing on the puck like they usually do. No concentration. They look like a team wishing they weren't playing a game tonight.

Well, a 2-0 lead after looking like crap in the first. Wonder how they'll do if they actually start playing Wings hockey?

2nd penalty shot against the Predators all year. By Wings' standards, that was a remarkably sloppy first period. They wouldn't be able to get away with that kind of period if Ozzie weren't so sharp, or if they were playing a more talented team.