WingsZR2

Here is the email I sent to Bettman Dear Mr. Bettman, I have recently read about a warning sent to the Detroit Red Wings concerning their zamboni driver/octopus wrangler Al Sobotka and a possible fine of $10,000 US for each instance when the cephalopod is twirled in the air. While I fully understand that objects thrown onto the office can result in a delay of game penalty to the home team I feel that a fine is quite ridiculous. For 56 years octopi have been a staple at the Olympia and Joe Louis Arena, during the last 30 years Mr. Sobotka has been responsible for removing them from the ice. I can understand the fear of octopus matter being plastered all over the ice but I ask you to fear not for the players’ safety. Mr. Sobotka takes great pride in the quality and consistency of the ice surface of JLA. A twirling octopus is as much a part of Red Wings history as Jack Adams, Gordie Howe, and The Captain Steve Yzerman. Years ago Frank Brown was quoted as saying “Every so often, an octopus slips out of someone’s hands and Al is right there to take care of the matter. And he cannot be blamed if, as it tries to break free from Al’s grasp, the octopus lifts Al’s arm and twirls itself in the air.” I understand from recent press clipping that Mr. Brown’s and the NHL’s stance on the matter has changed to “Because matter flies off the octopus and gets on the ice when he does it.” Please reconsider the fine you intend to impose on the Red Wings for Mr. Sobotka’s actions. I would like to point you to the advertisements Versus has been running regarding the Stanley Cup Playoffs, one in particular where the camera shows said octopus sliding across the ice as the narrator says “I am a cult following”. This “cult following” is headed by Mr. Sobotka, we look to him for inspiration as we reflect on this simple act. We are talking about a tradition that is over a half century old and I don’t feel will die any time soon. As long as the Red Wings make the post season and as long as Mr. Sobotka maintains some of the most immaculate ice in the NHL you will continue to see cephalopod after cephalopod grace the ice. After all, tradition is something grand; it brings generation after generation together to understand something beyond being a spectator, being just a body in a seat. Respectfully yours, Jason Nashville, TN via Detroit MI

A guy from the Detroit News took my picture next to the Elvis statue but I didn't make the cut..First thing I did this morning was check the web and I was as disappointed as last night. Maybe I'll have better luck Wednesday.

Best entry in the A2Y glossary!

So I will be there on Monday sec 117, I'll probably make my way over to 113 for pregame. I also have tickets for Wednesday 115 4 rows behind the Wings bench. I was talking to some family today and they told me Mickey was going nuts last night that the refs were taking forever to drop the puck. My sign for Wed is "Mickey said drop the puck already". This is going to be a great weekend!

Just a couple more hours until this party is officially under way. The menu for this evening is catfish, which I personally caught last night. Play with passion and desire tonight boys, play it one game at a time.

I’m happy to announce that I just bought two tickets to game 2. WingsZR2 will be departing Nashville at approx 6pm Friday night and will make his grand entrance in JLA around 1:32PM on Saturday. He will return home on Sunday to prepare for the beat down in game 3. Part of me is sad that you guys are suffering so much with the local econ and can’t all attend, the other half is just thankful for the opportunity to spend a few hours in the house that Stevie built.

Go with "You should've beat Chicago" and on the back "You asked for it" I'm not sure if I'm going to game 3, I'll be at game 4 for sure.

Granted the games between them have been close this year they are an unproven bunch with a revolving door in goal. Can Dan Ellis stand up to the pressure of the Stanley Cup playoffs? Chris Mason can’t. Nashville beat the Hawks and BJ’s, awesome, those guys are going to be golfing in 3 days. I fear our own implosion more than anything else.

Franzen is going to get burned out pretty quick with all that double shifting.

Zing I hear the same can be said about the current mayor.

I would prefer Nashville for a few reasons 1. I would get to see at least two games before I start using my Southwest vouchers flying to Detroit. 2. I would love nothing more to rub it in to all the a$$holes I encounter that have the nerve to say that the Wings are choke artists yet they can't get past the fact that they've done jack in the whopping 3 series they've been in. 3. I have a hard time getting up at 6am the day after a west coast game.

The real question should be when are they going to rename it the Nicklas Lidstrom Memorial Trophy.

I’d rather be old and smart that young and dumb any day.- Brett Hull after the 3OT game against the Canes in the 02 finals.

Well said my fellow Wing Nut, well said indeed. The guy has been to hell and back. If he hangs them up at the end of the season at least he will know that he gave it everything he had. Maybe I'm hung up on 1997, D Mac ending his career with the Wings is bittersweet.

Will someone going to the game on Friday please start a Darren McCarty chant. Darren McCarty

National signing day has long since passed and we still don’t know where he’s going to go. Well that should all be an afterthought by the end of the week. Per Rivals and every other sports outlet he has narrowed his decision down to 2. It appears at this point that Penn State and Oregon are out so it’s down to Michigan and Ohio State. A friend of mine at Rivals seems to think that it’s bad news for the Buckeyes given the time that has passed since NSD. As a Michigan fan I really hope that is true, given our lack of a QB that can run RR’s system to its fullest. If Pryor ends up in AA if would be a huge win for Michigan and RR, all while giving it to Ohio State a big FU. Nothing would hurt more if he did ended up in that cesspool called Columbus. Choose Michigan Terrelle U of M puts QB’s in the NFL and our coach runs the offense that best suits your skills

That statement is just wrong.

I live in Nashville so... They tell me Detroit sucks I tell em to count our cups, or division titles or whatever else comes to mind

I'll be in sec 111 I believe wearing a red Zetty t shirt

Who couldn't point out the back to back losses in the NC games? So by your own admission they win the games they should, so why didn't they win a NC the last two years? They were out played in every aspect of the game in the loss to Florida and they didn't show any type of killer instinct against LSU. I live in SEC country and have to defend the Big 11 all the time, thankfully Michigan was able to beat Florida to move their record against the SEC to 23-5, however I can't argue with OSU's 0-9 record versus the same conference.

He had months to prepare, I hope the University of Ohio State takes good care of him. I know a certain defense is going to try kill him every November.

A whole lotta pizza money

The 8th seed

Sasquatch will probably get a slap on the wrist, Burke will probably petition the NHL to have a parade in his honor since he does so much for the game.

The one day I'm able to access youtube at work and this is the video I get to watch, priceless.