Let balance out the hate, people.

[Louisville 112]

I went to the opener last night. It was the first game I had seen at the Joe for years and it was a blast.

The only thing that really bothered me was the balance of booing between Bertuzzi and the extraordinarily large TOOL, Chris Pronger. I was really hoping the fans at the Joe wouldn't give Bert too hard of a time. I knew a bunch of assholes would ride that wave but I was surprised to see how many actually did.

In fact, people were talking s*** about him all night. I know that happens to a lot of players who leave teams but Bertuzzi had never disrespected Detroit and he was a rental after all. He left for the right reasons.

My point in all this is that Pronger is the bigger *******. Have we all forgotten his quotes in the media after his suspension on Holmstrom? I mean seriously, is there a bigger cockier ****** bag in the league? I wanted the crowd to really lay it into him, but it was kind of disappointing.

The antics I saw from him last night (I swear I saw him chop guys every time the play went the other way and the ref wasn't looking, he's very good at that) were disgusting. Also, I don't know if it was on TV but Pronger got hit in the face with a stick after going after Homer. It was great.

I for one will boo (and I did) him until my voice box goes out.

edit: sp

Edited October 4, 2007 by Louisville

[eva unit zero 271]

The difference being:

Pronger was not a player on the Wings who wanted far more than he had shown he was worth; when the Wings didn't give it to him, he contacted the team that beat us in the playoffs and signed there. It's like the Fedorov thing, except the primary factor was actually money, and Bertuzzi never made an impact in a Detroit sweater.

[Louisville 112]

The difference being:

Pronger was not a player on the Wings who wanted far more than he had shown he was worth; when the Wings didn't give it to him, he contacted the team that beat us in the playoffs and signed there. It's like the Fedorov thing, except the primary factor was actually money, and Bertuzzi never made an impact in a Detroit sweater.

I suppose, but that depends on whether you agree booing Fedorov is right. Or for that matter, booing Matt Schneider.

I'm not saying nobody should boo Bertuzzi, but I just think Chris Pronger hurt our team more than anyone in the league and his personality should go hand in hand with the booing.

[JayUp88 1]

I was there last night and i didn't boo bert. I liked bert but he still left us. I can see how people are booing him but i will give the guy some credit, he was in the winged wheel even if it was for a short period of time.

[Curban915 0]

It simple Bert left to the team most wings fans hate and he did it for money. i hope all that money he has now hurts his back.

[eva unit zero 271]

I suppose, but that depends on whether you agree booing Fedorov is right. Or for that matter, booing Matt Schneider.

I'm not saying nobody should boo Bertuzzi, but I just think Chris Pronger hurt our team more than anyone in the league and his personality should go hand in hand with the booing.

The difference between Bert and Schneider is that Bert called the Ducks, and also that Schneider was replaced with a much better player for the same money.

[OsGOD 3]

But the main question is where they actually timed in their booing... cause if so then HATS OFF TO THE CROWD...

Usually you know Fedorov Touched the puck within the last 10mins or so when the booing starts. THey suck at booing... kinda embarassing actually.

I got a little excited when Big Bert scored the goal. I was happy for him and just further my perception that he will have a big year this year.

[Curban915 0]

Bert will play 70 games and have around 65 points. Just the luck the wings have.

[OsGOD 3]

its not dumb luck we have its stupidity.

[JayUp88 1]

its true

[betterREDthandead 58]

I don't think there was a whole lot of excessive Bertuzzi booing. I noticed he was booed when he lined up for his shootout try, but then again the other two were booed just as heavily.

[Hockeytown Red Wings 245]

I dont know, booing Bertuzzi just felt right. Pronger deserves it more though.

[GoCryWolfe 0]

I'm sorry, but Bertuzzi just didn't fit here with the players we want to give opportunity to this season, ESPECIALLY for the price he got. He didn't go out and contact Anaheim, Brian Burke contacted him and gave him the obsene amount of money over two years, something I'm glad the Wings didnt do.

And as far as Schneider, I feel he's in the same boat. Rafalski is definitely an upgrade IMO, and takes far less penalties. Yes, Schneids was a gritty player, but 3/4 of the time he hit someone, his stick hit their face too, resulting in a penalty. Rafalski is light on his feet, and has a great first pass. he has that vision. And he's slippery.

Regardless, I won't boo Schneids or Bert. Ill miss Schneids, but Bert was only here for a short period of time.... Some fans just like to jump on the bandwagon of booing people who leave Detroit.

The only person Ill ever cheer against is Fedorov, but only when he plays the Wings. He chose to go to Anaheim for the same amount of money we were offering. Traitor right there. However, I do wish him the best and hope he bounces back sooner rather than later in Columbus.

[Opie 308]

I did love the fact though that Pronger got booed in London.

That was funny as hell, people who did not really have a team to claim as there own, booed him.

Being the biggest prick in the league will get you booed in any country, and a boo in any language is still a boo!!!

[Guest micah]

To be fair, I booed Bert when he was a Wing too, just like I do Cheli. A gutless cheapshott artist is a gutless cheapshot artist, no matter what team he's on.

Edited October 4, 2007 by micah

[Jon 0]

I did love the fact though that Pronger got booed in London.

That was funny as hell, people who did not really have a team to claim as there own, booed him.

Being the biggest prick in the league will get you booed in any country, and a boo in any language is still a boo!!!

Damn, I wish I would have watched all of that game.

[vangvace 12]

I got a little excited when Big Bert scored the goal. I was happy for him and just further my perception that he will have a big year this year.

He might since he dropped 20 pounds this offseason...

[Guest nutz2u]

I was glad Schneider grew feathers and became a duck

[Copenhagen848 58]

I was happy for Bert when he scored. Bertuzzi was the one guy I was really hoping the Wings were going to sign this offseason, but players/teams have reasons for doing whatever they choose to do....so be it. I personally hope that Bert has a great year in Anaheim (as long as the Wings or someone else takes them out in the post season). I really liked seeing Bert on the Wings...oh well

P.S. Pronger is a homo.

[Guest jaytan]

The Fedorov situation and the Bert situation were totally different. Fedorov had been in Detroit for years and the Wings had actually arranged for him to escape the USSR. He was trying to get WAY more than he was worth because he's a prima donna and doesn't really care about the team or winning.

Bertuzzi was a trade deadline rental who wanted to come back for Detroit but was lured away by his old pal who still had to spend a lot more and risk a lot more than he should have in order to land him. If he'd ended up in, say, Phoenix or Washington or something like that, I don't think he'd be booed. It's just that he ended up going to the team that knocked us out of the playoffs in a nasty series last year.

I'd love to have him back, but not with that contract. I hope he returns to his original form (as long as it doesn't mean the Ducks winning another Cup). I didn't get to see the game last night, but I see he had a hand in both of Anaheim's scores.

[Echolalia 2,961]

Also, I don't know if it was on TV but Pronger got hit in the face with a stick after going after Homer. It was great.

haha yes i did see that

[HockeyCrazy3033 168]

In a way I take the boo's towards Bert to be kind of a joke. Before he was a Wing he'd get booed non stop, and you can tell the fans really couldn't stand him. Now it seems like the boo's were kind of a bittersweet one. If that makes sense? I don't think they did it because they don't like him, and because he 'left' us, but kind of just for fun.

[Detroit # 1 Fan 2,204]

I wouldnt boo him. Why would you? He hasent done a thing to the Wings, and probably never will.

I'd rather boo that ***** Perry, Pronger, Getzlaf, Mcdonald. There are a couple guys I like on the ducks (Huskins, Schnieder, Kunitz, Bertuzzi, May). But they have alot of D-bags too, and why the fans would boo Bert instead of the D-bags.

[Kp-Wings 3]

^^^^ Bertuzzi is a douchebag.

I only booed him during the shootout. Not excessivily or anything, because he didn't do anything when he played here, and was pretty much useless the whole time he was here. Unlike Fedorov, who was a great player here and had it good, and just up and left just for who knows whatever reasons.

There are far more players on the Ducks that I booed over him though, most noteably Perry and Pronger. Those two... I swear, they are both such dicks. They probably kick babies for all we know.

Edited October 5, 2007 by Kp-Wings

[SouthernWingsFan 854]

Pronger's hate is well documented in here, and he's deserved it to a good extent, so I understand the booing of him. The same with Bertuzzi being a former Wing as well. But I'm over the whole Pronger drama. While he laid a questionable hit on Flipper last night, I just don't really think of him one way or the other as an a'hole or the greatest guy on earth. That, and what he did last playoffs is done, finished and over with.

I'm just one to normally get over things easily and move on and just go about my business to the next thing in my life or normal routine, and I just don't boo or scream in general towards anybody. I wouldn't do it towards Pronger, Bertuzzi, Fedorov, Iginia, etc. It's just not my style. I don't really hate anybody that badly to focus all my energy towards them.

So, as you might predict then, I'm a pretty dull and boring fan. Don't get me wrong, I love watching the games and hockey, I just don't get into that many side stories or extreme focus on a player. I normally just like to watch the game.

For better or worse, I'm just an extremely non-chalant person by nature.