BlakChamber

I think you're spot on here. Sometimes you have to take a gamble. He could turn out to be a bust, or it could turn out that 3 million a year is a steal.

Nope.

Michigan State's remaining schedule is: Home & away with UM Home & away with Wisconsin Home with Indiana Home with Iowa I figure if the Spartans can beat UM, Indiana, and Iowa, that would put them at 8-8 in the Big 10 and that should be enough to make the tourney.

So the score for the MSU/Purdue game was something like 30-30 at the half last night, when I turned my computer off. I check today, and the final was 62-38, Purdue. WTF

Maybe with the Blackhawks. Not with the Wings. If Fedorov and Shanny aren't hanging in the rafters, and I don't believe they should, there's no way in hell Chelios does.

Agreed on both counts. After NHL2Nite got canceled, I sent him an emailing telling him how it was one of my favorite shows and he wrote me back. And yeah, he's pretty much the only reason I read ESPN.com's NHL section. I actually don't mind Barry Melrose, but The Mullet doesn't work so well on the written format. He's best on TV.

You've also got college football on Saturday, and occasionally Thursday and Tuesday (I think).

Yeah, Semin isn't going anywhere.

WTF is putting it nicely. Bucci's one of the few writers on a national level that has any passion and understanding of hockey. I too disagree with him about widening the nets, but other than, I love reading his columns. That, and he once printed an email I sent him, so he'll always be cool in my book.

Why?

Yeah, real insignificant, having the best record in the league. You don't score as many goals as they do and give up as few as they do by being an insignificant team, even if you play in the Central. But, I'm sure Nashville colluded with Pitt tonight to lose

I thought he had issues with concussions, although I could be thinking of someone else.

You mean you don't love rehashing the same argument every few weeks? I question whether you really like LGW at all then

If Datsyuk played like Fedorov in the playoffs, I'd settle for nothing less than Ilitch driving a dumptruck full of money to his house.

Draper and Chelly? What are we, the Avalanche? Lidstrom is a lock to have his number retired. Had Fedorov stayed with the Wings, I think he would be as well. But since he left, it won't happen. As far as everyone else, sorry. Thanks for playing, we appreciate all the help you gave us. We had some good times. But only the best of the best hang in the rafters at The Joe (or wherever the Wings move to in several years )

I think second is doable, but like you said, we'll need some help. We have one more game than the Weasels, and a much more favorable schedule. UM's last 5 games are MSU at the Joe, where MSU is always good, at Lake State, and at Ohio State. State ends with home and homes against WMU and BG. The game that actually worries me the most is this Friday against Ferris. Even though it's home, I just hope MSU isn't looking ahead to UM the next day.

Spartans took 3 of 4 points from UNO. They're still in fourth, but they put some distance between them and the rest of the pack.

Any team that beats Duke is a good team in my book

I played soccer in youth leagues when I was a kid, and we'd occasionally play in the backyard. But only if we decided we wanted a break from baseball, football, and basketball. And kickball >>>>>> soccer

Do you live in another country? They've been saying soccer is the next big thing in the US since I was a kid. Hasn't happened yet. Probably isn't going to happen. Short of having a school/league/USA Hockey/the NHL subsidize youth hockey, there really isn't much of a way around the fact that it's an expensive sport.

You're not serious, are you?

Bingo.

So, the World Series is over. Hopefully we've all stopped crying and have said thank you to the Tigers for a great season. And that means it's Hot Stove time. As far as the Tigers go. Everything says they want to add a big, left handed bat for next year. Mark Teixeira would be nice. The Rangers need pitching and the Tigers have a surplus of it. Bonderman, Robertson, Rodney, Infante, Inge, Santiago, and Monroe are all arbitration eligible. Stairs, Casey and Walker are free agents. Troy Precival's salary is off the books too. Assuming they were to stay, Bonderman, Robertson, and Monroe have all earned themselves a nice raise. I personally think trading Bonderman would be a mistake. He's improved every year he's been in the bigs, and he was rushed here too early IMO. I also read that he's going to really be working on his changeup this winter. I like Robertson and Monroe, but I don't think losing them would be as damaging as losing Bonderman. I like Casey, he hits for average, is a lefty and seems to fit in very well in Detroit. But he got paid 8 million and doesn't come with the power you'd like to see at the corner. Does anyone have a good list of free agents that are available?

Good news, 161 of the Tigers games will be on TV. http://www.detroittigersweblog.com/2007/01...er-games-on-tv/

I saw the suggestion on another board that UM is more concerned with running a clean program than running a winning one, and that they'd like a few more years inbetween the Fab 5 and trying to be a player again. I suppose with Webber coming back to the Pistons, the Ed Martin stories hit the airwaves when he came back. The one problem if the fire Amaker this year, is I believe the good recruits they got said that the reason they're coming to UM is because of Tommy. Firing him creates a recruiting nightmare.