Red Kingdom

I'm right there with you. I think this will my 9th season of Center Ice but, I don't remember exactly. I think I got it in either 98 or 99. But this will be my first year of having it on Comcast so, I hope it comes in ok. Had a dispute with Directv a few months back and switched over to cable. However, I'm thinking of going back. I liked Directv better but, so far, no problems with Comcast. Someone had a question about Center Ice Online. I seen on Hockeybuzz.com today that beginning this Monday, Center Ice Online will be available and that they're offering all pre-season games online for free. When the regular season begins, they will begin charging. Also, negotiations between Comcast and the NHL Network are about 90% complete and it will soon be onComcast cable. Talks are going slower between NHL Network and Dish and Directv.

Scott Stevens a relatively unkown back then? Not hardly. Stevens had already put in a number of years with the Caps and was widely known around the NHL as a tough, reliable, stay at home d-man. However, when he got to NJ, Jacques Lemaire really settled him down from taking too many penalties and he turned into a top 2 d-man.

Brad and Andrew Ference are not related. Andrew is a decent NHL defenseman. Brad is also a defenseman but, like you said, more a minor leaguer and likes to drop the gloves. If he's called up to plug a hole, he'll be alot better fighter than Norton was.

Ducks win the Cup. Does this mean that Emilio Estevez gets his name on the Cup?

I don't think the Ducks will win it again next year, though, I think they're quite capable of doing so. It's entirely up to them. They're good enough and though some call them cheaters, is it their fault? It's up to the refs to call penalties and if they choose not to, then the Ducks and any other team is going to go for more to get away with. But the Ducks will make the playoffs and could be a top four seed or, they can suffer a Cup hangover and not go anywhere. I do know they have some players I wish the Wings had or wish the Wings had upcoming players that are similar.

The best part about Cherry is that he shows plays that he can use to teach the right way and the wrong way. Like a hit from behind. He'll show it, then say, "this is for all you kids out there. Don't do this". He also likes to commend Canadian troops overseas and never fails to mention if one is killed or if some Canadian policeman is killed in the line of duty, or even if some kid hockey player met with an accident and either died or is recovering. And most times, he gets pretty emotional about it. I like Cherry and have liked him for all the years he's been on. Absolute best about him is he loves the rough stuff and the fights.

I don't know if it's the same message board but, there's also a rumor that Rob Blake is coming here for Hudler and pick.

I've been listening to TSN's Trade Tracker and Mike Keenan is part of the panel and he said Bertuzzi IS healthy, just not in game shape. So, he could be ready to go and and be in game shape by the playoffs.

If you all take a closer look at the stick in the rink logo, you'll see that it is really the letter C. And that stands for.......Canuck. I never knew that till a month ago when one of my sons pointed it out.

I wouldn't mind seeing Lapointe back. He would give the Wings some grit up front along with a more physical presence and would chip in a few goals as well. I think he's already got about 10-12 this year, which is the usual Lapointe standard. Don't look for Knuble, he just agreed to a contract extension with Philly, not to long ago. Forsberg? I don't know. It would be intriguing but, his injuries aside, there's a better than even chance that after the season, he could go right back to Philly. According to Spectors Rumors, Forsberg really doesn't want to leave but, he might consider atrade to a team with a good chance to win a Cup but, he also might have a handshake agreement with the Flyers to re-sign with them in the summer. Why waste picks and prospects on someone who's going to leave anyway? Unless it's futures you don't mind losing. What about Tampa Bay? They're in dire need of a goalie and there's talk that despite Tampa saying they won't trade their stars like Lecavlier, Richards and, St. Louis, one of them might have to go so Tampa can sign players to cover other key positions and, St. Louis seems to be the one most likely.

Just 30 minutes after their game ended in a 5-4 loss, the Tigers have released Dimitri Young, unconditionally. Guess that means he's gone, no return. When he came back, he was hot but, had really cooled off lately but, something else must have been going on to just up and cut him like that. He was lifted for PH in todays game. Maybe he reacted badly to it and Leyland decided he wasn't gonna put up with that. Or, he's going back to his old ways and disrupting the clubhouse. Guess we'll find out more.

MSU lost in their first round game to George Mason. I don't remember the score but, who cares. They got beat, but good. So much for all the speculating on who they were gonna play in the second round. They'll be watching on tv like everybody else. Unless Izzo opens the door s of the plane and lets them all get sucked out. At least U-M is still going in the NIT.

To bad for Pena. The guy still has potential. He just doesn't seem to realize that baseball begins in April, not August. Wouldn't be surprised to see another team pick him up and he has a banner year.

Ken Daniels announced during the Wings game that the Lions had indeed Hired Rod Marinelli as their new head coach. Hope he's tougher than the last two.

There's one thing I just don't understand. I've seen this on other message boards regarding the hire and I've heard it on 1270 from Mike Valenti over the last couple of weeks about hiring a coach period. Some people have this idea and Valenti is one of them, that a guy shouldn't even be considered for a head coach position unless he's been either an offensive or defensive coordinator. That a position coach, like what Marinelli has been with the Bucs, is not worthy of a head coach job. I'm wondering where this idea came from. It's like they have to ascend this type of ladder to get there and if they don't, they're doomed for failure or the hiring team doesn't know what they're doing and are asking for trouble. Now, in all the years I've followed the NFL, most coaches were hired out of the assistant ranks of other teams. It didn't matter if they were a OL coach, a LB coach, whatever. If they were highly regarded as an upcoming head coaching material, that's how they were hired. Now, everybody says, "nope, can't do that, he's not an OC or DC so, he's not head coaching material". I just don't get it. Already tonight, on other boards, folks are poopooing this hire because Marinelli isn't a coordinator.

I seen the Saints play a few weeks ago and it was like watching the Lions. Same mistakes, flubs, everything. Still, I think the Saints will win because the Lions will be playing on the road. Todays game? More of the same. Surprised they even have a TD in all this. It's 31-10 in the 3rd and the fans are beginning to chant "Fire Millen". Can't tell how many people are left in FF to watch the game. I don't even know why they're staying. They're either suckers or they got nothing else to do today.

So what if he's 41. He could still have alot left in him. Randy Johnson didn't do himself any favors last season. He was pretty bad. What about Roger Clemens? He's what, 43? He had the lowest ERA in baseball last season. Jamie Moyers of Seattle is still going strong at 43. Rogers was 14-8 with a 3.47 ERA for the season. What current Tiger pitcher had a better one? Probably none of them. He could be what the Tigers need for a couple of seasons. A veteran starter who could possibly settle down the young pitchers and give the Tigers a little stability till guys like Verlander are ready.

You hear the latest on TO? It seems that Sen. Arlen Specter of Pennsylvania is saying he's going to convene the Senate Judiciary Committee and start hearings on the TO matter with the Eagles. He says that, he felt that the Eagles treated Owens in a nasty and underhanded manner. Or something like that. OK, the story is on ESPN.com. Spector says the Eagles may have committed an anti-trust violation by keeping TO from talking to other teams about his services and that was unfair to Owens. Here we go, more government buttinskis into pro posrts. By the way, Spector does not support TO in his contract squabble with the Eagles. In fact, he says the Eagles were right not to pay him and should sue for breach of contract but, this other stuff is different.

Fox Sports Jay Glazer is reporting that Mooch has been fired and Tony Ortiz of 1270 is confirming right now, on the Sports Inferno Show.

Olson was the OC last year in the last half of the season and that's when the Lions offense started taking off. Jones had those 100+ yd games, Joey was actually getting the ball downfield. Look for the same thing to happen next Sunday. He'll probably turn Jones loose, instead of JOnes gettig a dozen carries, he'll get about 25. Of course this all hinges on whether the players haven't already mailed it all in and already have their bags packed for the last game. Someone brought up the fact that the Lions have only 1 playoff win since 57. Actually, the Lions had some really good teams up to about 63-64. They would usually always finish with a 10-2 or 9-3 or 8-4. The only thing keeping them from winning another NFL title was Green Bay. If the Lions finished a season 10-2, the Packers would be 11-1 and they would go to the title game vs the Eastern Conf team, usually, Baltimore or NY. They had some lean years in the mid-60's until Joe Schmidt took over as coach and then they got pretty good again finishing with a 8-5-1 record in 70, then losing to Dallas 5-0 in the playoffs. After that is when things really got bad which carries on to this day. Hell, it used to be a big deal to see the Lions end up with a 7-9 or 8-8 or 9-7 record. Mostly, it was like they've been for the last 5 years. Things started going bad when Ford took over in 64. Before that he was part of a group of owners, whom he bought out and became sole owner in 64. I think the WC Ford Sr. wants to win but, just doesn't know how to hire the best people. Make no mistake, Sr. has the last word. Bill ford Jr. has nothing to say about it. He's tried a couple of times to influence his dad with some ideas of his own but, daddy shoots them down. If and when Jr. takes over then you might see things go in a more positive way. Or, winning is not the first priority for Ford. He's making tons of money on the Lions with both ticket sales and tv rights, which brings in more money than tickets. If the lions happen to get pretty decent and win more than lose and make the playoffs, Ford will be happy. After all, it'll mean more money in the bank.

It's being reported on a few sources like Fox 2, 'DIV, WXYZ that the Lions are firing Steve Mariuci and maybe even Matt Millen. Even ESPN has had something about it. My son called his buddy and he said he seen on Ch 2. Maybe the Fords didn't like being embarrassed on national TV this afternoon.

You're right, nothing official yet. I've been listening to WXYT 1270 and they keep saying that it could come down sometime today but, I'm beginning to have my doubts. Mariucci was on the station earlier this morning and said he knew nothing about being replaced. But, wuould anybody expect him to say anything else. As far as Millen goes, he should also be fired but, I think there's less chance of that. I put that in my original post because that's what I heard but, I doubt it will happen.