Gizmo

I dunno, Booter agitated and drew the PP, I didn't mind that as a Wings fan. Fruitto's a punk who missing a lot more than he hits and I love it when he embarrasses himself.

It's been fun to watch that stat plummet!!! With each game, I think the addition of Calder was a great move. He's one hell of a scrapper.

When the tickets for 2006-07 were released, I had the luck to snag two tickets in row three of section 128. I'm a semi-pro sports photographer and decided to take along a camera that meets JLA's camera policy. My weapon of choice was my back-up digital SLR, a Nikon D70, with an 18-70 lens. Here's some of what I got: Calder... Homer understudy Is it a goal?!?!? We don't know, Vokoun's sitting on the evidence! Seconds before Nashville goal #3. Nashville SO goal Frazenstein about the tie the bow on the game. I liked the contrast with Vokoun in the background on this one.

We saw that at the game and it was great!!! A friend watched the highlights on ESPN that evening and said the commentator added after the clip "Someone forgot to tell Tootoo the trade deadline has passed!!!" Hey, I just watched the clip and spotted myself in the video! I'm the guy in the Wings jersey in the third row behind Osgood next to the guy (Preds fan) waving around the rolled up poster they gave the attendees!

Though I've had my work appear in Sports Illustrated and papers like the NYT, it isn't all that hard to take those kind of photos. I wasn't even using my top-end equipment (I would have KILLED to be able to bring my 80-200 f2.8 into The Joe with me!). Here's some pointers I can pass along to help: 1) If your camera supports it, use "manual mode" for exposure. The light doesn't change on the ice so, there's no reason to let the camera's meter set the exposure. Also, the white ice will throw off meter anyway and give you grey ice and darker players. If the meter doesn't offer "manual" mode, but does allow exposure compenstation, dial in about +0.7 steps of exposure. If using manual mode, shot test photos to get the shutter speed and lens aperture right. If your camera displays "highlights" information and/or an image histogram use them to check for "blown out" highlights and make sure the ends of the curve on the histogram aren't againt the ends of the graph. 2) If you have manual, jack the ISO as high as it'll go (I used 1600) and try to get the shutter speed up to at LEAST 1/250th a second. Normally, I shoot hockey at 1/500th sec, but with the consumer lens I used it doesn't allow enought light in to go that high at ISO 1600. 3) If shooting the warm-ups, get the lens against the glass or as close as possible. This will cut down on the glare from the rink glass.

I've only been to around 9 games at JLA, but I thought it was a great crowd. I loved the "Ozzie! Ozzie! Ozzie!" chanting during the SO. And I second the big bronx cheer to the plows and salt trucks. I just about nailed someone on the road behind the post office when I had to stop suddenly and I witnessed a nice accident in Detroit when someone got off of I-94 and lost it on the exit ramp. It took 3 hours to get home instead of the usual 2. The roads, along with the OT and SO made for a 2 AM arrival back at home.

The rejects were due to any combination of: out of focus, motion blue, bad composition, the guy in front of me stood up, etc. BTW, thanks for the comments. I figured the chances of me getting those seats, or ones like them, are pretty slim unless I want to pay $$$ on the secondary market. I've been shooting my son's Pee-Wee games this season http://community.webshots.com/user/Gizmologist and thought I'd give the Wings a shot! I agree that Ozzie looks "sad", but I interpreted that it looked more like "deep thought". Why I took it, my son said "Nice, Dad! You got him pulling his pants up!"

Cameras are permitted as long as the lens is not over 80mm and you don't use the flash.

Yes... I was sitting three rows right behind Ozzie and it was nervous as hell watching the Preds keep swarming around him in the third.

Last fall I met Ted Lindsay and Shawn Burr at a game worn jersey show near DTW. They were there signing autographs for the NHLPA retirement fund. They were there for a couple of hours and had a lot of time to kill. I stood around and ocassionally chatted with them and listened to them trade war stories. It was pretty cool. Both guys were very down to earth.

Nuts... We have seats three rows behind the goal for tomorrow night and I was hoping to wear my Homer jersey. Sucks!

David, Without a doubt, the stretch run will be nothing if not interesting.

Perhaps my point was lost on you. While the Preds' ambitions haven't changed since the article was written the landscape has been altered somewhat. The addition of Forsberg has not gone unchecked. That "White Whale" just added a fair helping of grit.

Good article... but it doesn't take into account the additional firepower the Wings have added after its writing!

I heard him say that and about fell off the of sofa!

If you don't have your fight strap attached, it's a game misconduct.

You had to say it... didn't you?!?!?!

I'll second that!

I don't know why they don't just make it official and let the Wings wear the red jerseys in Chicago!

Mickey's right... The "kids" are fun to watch on the ice!

Homer for President!!!

I was against this when it was rumored due to the Moore incident. But since it's done, then so be it. I hope it works out for the team and it's a good pick-up.

Confirmed TSN... Philly for a draft pick.

TSN says they are hearing Philly too.

Quite frankly, when I noticed how quite it was on TV last night it was during a part of the game that the Wings weren't giving the crowd much to cheer about.