Hank

I don't miss Mac at all. The dude pissed away his money and family on booze, drugs and puck bunnies. I'm still pissed that he called up WDFN to have a fund madeup for the family of one of his bandmembers that died. So many people donated money for that guys family. But what they weren't told was that guy blew a lot of his cash on drugs too. Many wings have pubicly said how McCarty fell into the wrong crowd, through Grinder, that basically destroyed his career and life. Good riddance to a bigtime loser.

He crossed the picket line because he knew they'd sell just as many papers without him, proving that he's not necessary. Albom's a moron and his ego has grown bigger than his ears. Does anyone remember when he wrote that piece where he states he spoke to an athlete personally when in fact he wasn't even in the building. He barely acknowledged this in print and on his radio show. He's a self righteous boob who thinks his words carry such weight we should all crumble underneath them and praise him as the greatest literary scribe since Charles Dickens. Another thing I detest about his writing is how he tries to repeat a theme throughout his articles. For example, he might write an article about how Yzerman "keeps going on". So he'll write a few paragraphs and end it with "yet, he keeps going on". And then he'll repeat that retarded phrase 2 or 3 more times in the article. Ooooh! So dramatic Mitch! He should retire and do what he's built best for - midget tossing. Man, I'd love to toss me an Al-bomb!

Absolutely. The Flames are still a very dangerous team - especially at home. I don't think the Wings are taking them lightly at all. I'm really hoping the Wings can take Game 2 and then go for a split in Calgary. But if last year's final showed us anything it's that a series can swing at the drop of a hat. I just hope the Wings can play the way they did last night every night. If they do that, I'll be happy no matter what.

Hindsight is 20/20 and any GM that would have traded Federov would and should have been fired for stupidity. Federov himself didn't know if he'd stay or go. Lets say Lidstrom was going to be a UFA next year and there was a chance he might sign somewhere else. Would you have traded him before this years deadline? Not if you weren't completely braindead. Al-Bomb knows as much about hockey as he does haircuts. Both are severly outdated.

Hahaha. Well this is post is very much "tongue-in-cheek". I think I bashed Pavel more than anyone in Wings nation regarding Pavels postseason play. I'm glad to be eating lots, and lots of crow today.

I can't stand Mitch Al-Bomb at all. That big-eared, little midget knows nothing about hockey. I still remember when he wrote that article about how the Wings should have dealt Federov before the deadlin in '03. Sure Mitch. We're coming off a Stanley Cup championship and we should deal one of our top players on the chance he might not resign. Brilliant. Now back to the Shire Bilbo Albom!

All I have to say is 'kudos' to the Redwings and the effort they put forth last night. I was pleasently surprised in how they played and I'm glad to be eating crow today. Even if the Wings had somehow lost last night I would still be proud of them. They played 'hungry' for the first time in years. Also, it looks like they played with less patience from the get-go as well. That was needed. They took the game to the Flames very early on and I was shocked and surprised to see how many times they would engage in puck battles whole-heartedly and come out with the puck more times than not. If the Wings can play like this throughout the playoffs it should be a fun spring. Great job guys! P.S. I think the Wings are finally pissed off with the way they were bounced the last 3 postseasons. And I'm sure the fact that media, hockey experts and fans across the NHL were all picking the Flames had something to do with how they played as well. And it also couldn't have hurt their desire knowing that the Joe wasn't sold out for the first time in a LONG time. I'm glad they wanted to show their fans and themselves that they are capable of working and willing themselves a win.

Let's not forget Joey Kocurs almost fatal blow to that Minnesota North Star player.

MAAAAAAAAAAATLOOOOOOOOOOOOOOCK!

Hahaha! Or she put him on hold and this old fart spent 45 minutes bitching at a Michael Bolton CD.

Who is this guy kidding? He was talking to a janitor or a guy from the ticket booth. Kenny's probably still laughing about it.

Absolutely. I'm not saying they need to go to dump-and-chase hockey but they do need to be a lot stronger along the boards. Last year we got destroyed in the one-on-one battles along the wall and corners. And even though we're a puck possession team we can still drive the net and get into danger zones. I believe it was their last game against the Blues at home that really showed me what Detroit is lacking. In that game, each time the Blues got the puck back to their point there would be 2 forwards in the crease with the third forward hovering around the slot area. The Wings never, ever do this. If they get the puck back to the point all 3 forwards are hovering around the deep edges of the slot, never in it (with Homer being the obvious exception). Our skilled players won't go near the danger zones. Also, when the Blues played that way the Wings dmen couldn't prevent them from being effective in that area. It's harder for dmen now to do anything with the new rules but we could at the very least take advantage as well. In the end, I still don't think the Wings match-up well with teams like Calgary, Anaheim, Nashville or San Jose in the trenches. Losing Williams and adding Calder and Bertuzzi was huge. Both those guys will win and engage in a lot of puck battles. Heck, even little Hudler wins his share and always throws his midget body into the fray. But we need our top players doing the same. We need Dats, Zetts and Langer to do it as well. I'm not saying throw their bodies around with wreckless abandon but they need to sacrifice their bodies to make a play and they can't shy away from any puck battles. If everyone can do this, we'll beat the Flames.

Exactly. Until the Wings can beat a good team in the playoffs they'll be ridiculed. Until then, they've earned the crap that's being written and said about them. Prove 'em all wrong boys! I agree on both counts. But the Wings are still not very physical. They may be a little more than last year but it's still not enough. If you look at the last 10 Stanley Cup winners all had a good amount of grit. Even the Detroit teams that won had a good amount of sandpaper to their game. I think we really need to set the tone early on in Game 1. The first 2 lines that go out there MUST hit everything in sight. Or at least show the Flames that they aren't going to be pushed around or effected by physical play themselves. Bobby Clarke once said that hockey is a lot like prison. If you whack a guy and he doesn't come back at you with anything or show he's going to lay down and take it, you own them. Cups are won in the alleys and we have to show Calgary we're ready to throw oown.

What worries me is that everyone said the exact same thing about the Oilers series. And Calgary is perceived to be a lot better this year than what that Oiler team was.

Brian Fantana picks: West Quarter Finals 1 Det v 8 Cgy = Cgy in 6 (Don't mind losing points on this pick if I'm wrong) 2 Anh v 7 Min = Ana in 5 3 Van v 6 Dal = Van in 7 4 Nsh v 5 SJ = SJ in 5 East Quarter Finals 1 Buf vs 8 NYI = Buf in 4 2 NJ vs 7 TB = NJ in 5 3 Atl vs 6 NYR = NYR in 6 4 Ott vs 5 Pit = Ott in 6

And he has the audacity to call Sidney Crosby a 'hotdog'?

I'd say Datsyuk. He carried this team during the rough times in the latter part of the season.

But they're absolutely right in their assessment. This is the year that the Wings need to show some backbone and fight for goals. If they're unwilling to go in those danger zones they're finished. Love them or hate them, both Cherry and Hull are bang on. We are a collection of sweethearts. Many players, over the course of the regular season, even said that getting wins from Detroit is very tough but you know you're not going to be physically beaten up or worried about getting hit all night against them. I'm hoping that Bert and Calder can change that attitude. But we need everyone finishing their checks. Even Dats and Zetts. (I'll leave Lang out of this as we all know he'd rather cut his hair than lay down a hit).

Same here. The only thing worrying people about Kane is his size. But seeing what guys like Briere, St.Louis and Gionta have done, the new NHL allows smaller players to excel. Kane will thrive playing with Havlat.

I can understand your thoughts. When rock-papers-scissors is considered worthy of ESPN's money but hockey isn't, something's wrong. Too bad you guys couldn't get Bell Express Vu. At the very least look into XM radio. Channel 204, Home Ice, is the best hockey programming in any medium.

LOL! Because I enjoy beer that doesn't require a spoon or a stomach pump. Labatt Blue rocks! Just ask Brian Fantana! Oh yeah!

I definately prefer night games. The weathers getting better and I have a lot better things to do at 1:00 on a Saturday or Sunday than sit inside.

Labatt!

I think it has a lot more to do with the poor playoffs the Wings have had more than anything else. Also, we don't have as much star power as we once did either. I've heard that Illitch really forced Hollands hand to resign Datsyuk just to help keep a star on the team long term for ticket sales. This might be true. And lets face facts people, outside of the Lions this city has an abundance of fair-weather fans. Do people forget that at one time Mike and Marian Illitch would personally take potential season ticket holders out for supper to help sell the Wings? Or the fact that they gave away free cars during intermission just to get people in the seats? And this is an original 6 hockey team!!!! If the Wings went 1 season without making the playoffs I think the Joe would be at 75% capacity. Even less if they missed multiple years.

LOL! I should add a pic of some cheese. The CBC can suck it! All year long they force Canadians like me and others to stomach one Maple Leaf game after another and then they complain when they're forced to show another Canadian team (there's 6 you know!!!) at a time they don't like. Does my argument make any sense? No. But when you have a 6-pack like mine, you don't have to.