Yzerfan75

Wow...what part of NC? Here in the Greensboro area we're lucky if they even blurb a Canes game...much less what Rutherford farts on about.

It's everywhere, though, man. We're opting not to buy our mini-plan to the Hurricanes this season for the first time in three or four years for the same reason. Well...that and they send out the flyers with like one weeks notice to come up with all the cash for a deposit. Does that happen with the Wings tickets, too? I don't know about how it works at the Joe...but it seems to me that there is very little of a benefit to being even a mini-plan owner in the NHL anymore (woo-hoo....a whopping 10% at the inflated-prices arena store!!). That saddens to know that Illitch is socking it to folks like this...I always figured he was somewhat on the side of Detroiters when it came to getting a decent experience for a decent price.

Yellow would be cool...that's what I was thinking too. But doesn't this somehow have the feel of a Adobe Illustrator 101 project to it? It doesn't seem polished for some reason.

And that's exactly what I was getting at. I'll slip my firesuit on and climb back into my hole...good lord.

Ah yes...sorry about that. I forgot about the offensive dynamics that will result from that one. I agree with the numbers being high for Bert, Lang (like he's worth much), Calder, and Schneids...but why even bother alluding to resigning them? Did he really think he'd swiing the "Hockeytown Tradition Charm" in fronf of their eyes and dazzle them to signing sub-million dollar contracts...or is he so out of touch with reality that he doesn't have a clue what greedy players want these days? And that's great that he "wants to do more"....well, now's probably a good time to do that, don't you think?

He's done. And, once again....like with weathermen (who seem right only 10% of the time), I'm amazed that he's keeping his job. Of course this will be followed up with many folks bolstering the guy and saying how great he is...and that's fine...but I find it sadly pathetic that he boasted that he'd resign each of the four big free agents...and, well, he resigned one and added, um...Dallas Drake.

Man, I came in here all excited about voiting for Sid Abel for something. Ugh...like Crosby needs more sunshine-up-his-ass. Then again, I went to high school with Jeter and I loathe him as well...

So...you ever go pro with that belly-button thing?

I dig that one, too.

With Weekes gone and Lundqvuist unsigned (at least to my knowledge)...does anyone else here having that sickening feeling in their gut that the Rangers are trying to snag Dom from the Wings?

You know, he's right. We're primed for another spectacular first or second round exit? What Me Worry?

Well, you know, I agree with you...but this is getting a little bizarre, don't you think? What is Kenny waiting for? A ridiculously long and overpaid deal for Hasek...who MAY have a great year like last year...but who could also blow out like he did for us before and for Ottawa? I've never been one to ride the Bash Ken Holland Train...but this is sort of absurd now. He's not bringing in new blood (save for Rafalski...which I contemplate the offensive power that he (doesn't) bring)...and he's not retaining old blood. Wasn't this the year that he hinted at for being THE year with mad free agent signings? (I seem to remember him saying as much to the Free Press or Detroit News).

Ugh...what a headache. So...now will Guerin go back to St. Louis next, or all the way to Dallas? Weight's with St. Louis again, too, right? Who's manning the ship over there?

I gotta say that I agree with the thoughts on Markov...I wasn't that impressed with him to want to pony up a lot more money. Schneids is a tougher one (for me) as I like him a ton...but I'd almost rather spend some of his cash on some more goal scorers.

I know I enjoy listening to the Blues with some whine and a Tkhunk of cheese.

Yah...pretty much I agree with you on the "if Bettman doesn't like it, then do it" angle. I know nothing about Hamilton but I have to say that there seems more interest in a team being there (in terms of tickets so ALREADY...without a team even being there yet) than the overall attendance for the Predators the last four or five years. Didn't an article on TSN say something about it not breaking 14,000 per game each of the last five years in Nashville? I think it's cool that radio stations in Nashvegas are all excited and doing the ticket drive...but I have to wonder when is too little, too late?

Is this picture better? It was taken at First Horizon Park in Greensboro, NC after the Canes won...and, if I remember right, two days after Stevie retired. Walt Neubrand gave me crap for wearing an Yzerman jersey (I mean...come on...this is the guy who idolizes Lanny McDonald)...as well as a couple of redneck pricks. But I didn't care...I was proud of the Captain's career and felt that it should have been rightfully represented. http://a967.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/image...376d1bfd466.jpg

Ah...great article...I remember reading it but it still was funny. I like Jagr's quip "You know, it's not easy to be a captain." I feel for the guy, really...

I give your kids credit. A student of mine recently left NC to play hockey in New York...the state of youth hockey is really really bad here. I'm over here in the Greensboro area and I have to say that it's awesome that the Canes fans there are legit. The ones on this side of e state are very few and far between (yes...even Post-Cup Era) and the ones that I do run into are VERY HOMERISTIC and sadly not very knowledgable. At the RBC it was sometimes better...and in truth I was surprised how many Wings fans I'd see at a game that the Wings weren't at. There seem to be a lot of transplants in the Triangle and Charlotte-Mecklenburg areas. Maybe just not so much here in the Triad (hence the fact that Winston and Greensboro no longer have minor league teams). I want to say that more than 15,000 were at the first parade that I was at...I don't know how many made the second one in Downtown Raliegh. The best quote I heard was something like "Oh...is that Laurel Stanley's Cup?" when Cam Ward was being driven around with the Conn Smythe. Classic!!

My Dad up in Kalamazoo said that game One of the Finals was the lowest rated Finals game in televised history. Something like only 23,000 in the ENTIRE STATE of CALIFORNIA watched it....while there was more than that in the CITY of Buffalo that turned the t.v. on. Did anyone else hear about that? It was in the Kalamazoo Gazette...but I haven't checked MLive or google'd it yet...but I was curious if that was the truth.

Yeah, no doubt do...this post-playoff Special Olympics lovefest is giving me goosebumps. Bitterness is a fine drink...though it's not nearly as tasty as a cup of revenge served warm. And what' s up with certain folks being a fan of whatever geopraphically local team, whenever they move? Sure, I fully admit that I've had tickets to the Hurricanes since we've been down here, but anyone who knows me knows that I am first and foremost a Detroit fan. Heck...even when I got to pose next to the Cup I was wearing an Yzerman jersey. (though in my avatar pic I think I'm wearing a Canes hat and jersey...didn't really want to upset the man...a manager of hte Canes...who invited me to the private showing).

Wings vs. Sabres gets my vote. I can't stand the Rangers.

Eh, I'm a bitter old dude and prefer Oveckin to Crosby any day. So to hell with the Pens. Frankly, I'm pulling for the Sabres in the East. They got screwed by a hot Cam Ward last season (and yes...I partook in the festivities living here in NC) so I hope they get a chance to fare better this year. Plus Miller's a Michigan native...so I'm all about that.

Rather than a Wing? That seems sort of silly.

I remember the LA Kings FSN station kept referring to Legace as Cujo a season or two back...which was pretty humorous considering that Cujo was a Coyote at the time. The funnier thing was that it was the color guy who kept saying...but the analyst was deafening quiet each time the guy made the blunder.