Wings physical play is underrated

[Guest micah]

OK, you want to obsess on Kopecky and ignore Ericcson's fight Kronwall and the rest of the playoffs.

No I don't. I applauded Ericcson's efforts.

This post is completely and utterly clueless. Why don't you actually watch the games and get over this crap?

I don't get the question. Do I strike you as the type that misses a lot of Wings games?

The only thing the Wings aren't doing is cheap shots, other then that they're hitting and fighting with anyone, including the Ducks.

I really enjoyed it when Homer agreed to drop the gloves with the much more valuable and skilled Chris Pronger. That was awesome.

Avalanche fans suck, why don't you stay on their boards where you belong?

As a diehard, lifelong Red Wings fan, I'm not sure an Aves board is really where I belong.

If you want to get on other boards with a clue that works.

I have no idea what that even means.

To get on boards and write this retarded s*** is a waste of time. Not that anyone can really make the Avalanche look worse then they make themselves. I hope your beloved Avs hire Roy, just so they can keep identifying themselves for the pathetic organization they are.

Hmmm.

[Rocket Queen 30 1]

Sometimes. I'm an idiot that way. I probably make more money than you do though, so how dumb can I be?

Matching 5s? Why not? It's fun. Ever been in a hockeyfight? Good times. Your teammates like it, your fans go crazy...fun stuff.

I'm sorry, did someone say that you have to choose between winning a hockeyfight and winning a hockey game?

Oh come on now. Lidstrom isn't soft? He's great but he's soft. Franzen? Maltby? Sammy? Draper? Soft soft soft.

Interesting that you find that income equates to intelligence... but that's an assumption I wouldn't make. As for matching 5's being fun... like I said... I enjoy fights but if it's not necessary then there's no point to it. I'd rather see my team skate well and score goals, but, I guess I'm an idiot that way. I just really can't believe that you're calling any of them soft. The game in and of itself is physical and none of them shy away from physical play. I don't get it but, really I'm not trying to either.

[Jake Ryan 1]

Sometimes. I'm an idiot that way. I probably make more money than you do though, so how dumb can I be?

Matching 5s? Why not? It's fun. Ever been in a hockeyfight? Good times. Your teammates like it, your fans go crazy...fun stuff.

I'm sorry, did someone say that you have to choose between winning a hockeyfight and winning a hockey game?

Oh come on now. Lidstrom isn't soft? He's great but he's soft. Franzen? Maltby? Sammy? Draper? Soft soft soft.

Diamond = NOT soft

Ruby = NOT soft

18 CT Gold = NOT Soft

Now go away, or I shall have to taunt you a second time-uh.

[NomadFromKazoo 42]

No I don't. I applauded Ericcson's efforts.

Really...where? I bolded your reference to Kopecky. Where do you mention anything Where is a reference to Ericcson, Homer, Kronwall, knocking Havlat out of the game twice, our relentless hitting in any of the games we play? We've lead in hits most of the times I saw. Where is any of that? Here's the entire quote, so I didn't cut that part out. It must be in here somewhere...

"Oh, they're quite clearly soft - but the instigator rule allows them to be soft without much consequence. They very rarely accept and invitation to fight, and when they do, they have an irritating tendency as of late to get their asses kicked and their heads broken. Some of them will throw their bodies around sure, but of them very few will answer the bell when they're called out by their opponents. You can call it smart, and maybe theuy're so physically weak ansd fragile that it is smart to avoid the fisticuff like they was the swine flu, but I'll call it soft."

You know NOTHING about hockey. WWF is not hockey. Strutting around like Hulk Hogan pumping your fists and challenging fights is not hockey. It's not even real. We're up 3-1 in the third round because people who do run the team. We're hitting clean and drawing penalties, THAT is hockey. Getting in fights and getting injured and giving away penalties isn't hockey, it's stupid. And you're not a fan of the Detroit Red Wings. I don't doubt you think you are. Fans don't have to ignore reality to love their team. But fans don't ignore reality to hate them like you do.

Edited May 26, 2009 by NomadFromKazoo

[kook_10 1,705]

so if not fighting and hitting less for the first 60 games = coasting, then which teams dont coast for all 82 games, and how has that worked out for them? I think that while your penchant for the physical game may be a preference you are entitled to, it may be shortsighted. The goal of the season is to win the cup, right? Would you honestly rather see the Wings play like the Ducks and lose in the conference semis like the Ducks?

[Bannedforlife 403]

Straight from the coach's mouth. That's kinda sad. You cannot argue with their skill or their success, but the Wings should really reduce regular season ticket prices for the first 60 games. 60% ticket price for a 60% effort.

You don't strike me as the kind of guy who catches alot of games at the Joe, so what do you care? You seem like more of a couch complainer.

[NomadFromKazoo 42]

You don't strike me as the kind of guy who catches alot of games at the Joe, so what do you care? You seem like more of a couch complainer.

He's one of the 140 pound guys who yells at the TV in his squeaky, cracking voice, "hit him, hit him you coward!" Then he swings at the air, gets dizzy and sits down. A couple shots from the inhaler and he's OK.

[Frozen-Man 144]

To all of you who have little or no prior dealings with Micah here is the run down:

1) He bad mouths the Wings every chance he gets trashing them in almost every post

and

2) If he is miraculously not trashing the Wings (players, coaches, or management) he is bragging on himself, telling everyone how great he is, and saying that he is better/smarter/richer than everyone else.

If you keep these two rules in mind you don't really even need to read his posts because 99% of the time one of those two rules will cover it.

[WingsCaptain 0]

That's not 60% effort....that's 100% intelligence. If you throw your body around with reckless abandon like Kronwall and Stuart do in the playoffs, you won't be healthy throughout the year, and most certainly not in the playoffs when those types of hits are so crucial and helpful.

It's called saving yourself for when its important. Until the Red Wings struggle in the regular season, there's no need to play that way all 82 games.

Exactly. For 50+ times this season (for the 4th year in a row), the Wings played better than their opponents and won the game, without risking undue injury. Makes perfect sense for Babcock to ask his players to step it up come playoff time. Any more before that is just dumb. Just look at the teams who were on the links when the season ended . . .

[Frozen-Man 144]

He's one of the 140 pound guys who yells at the TV in his squeaky, cracking voice, "hit him, hit him you coward!" Then he swings at the air, gets dizzy and sits down. A couple shots from the inhaler and he's OK.

I just spit Sprite all over my desk. That is one of the funniest (and probably most accurate) things that I have ever read.

[Rocket Queen 30 1]

To all of you who have little or no prior dealings with Micah here is the run down:

1) He bad mouths the Wings every chance he gets trashing them in almost every post

and

2) If he is miraculously not trashing the Wings (players, coaches, or management) he is bragging on himself, telling everyone how great he is, and saying that he is better/smarter/richer than everyone else.

If you keep these two rules in mind you don't really even need to read his posts because 99% of the time one of those two rules will cover it.

what a funny guy... or maybe sad.... who knows....

[WingsCaptain 0]

Saw Micah's post and had to respond. Too funny . . .

1. Sometimes. I'm an idiot that way. I probably make more money than you do though, so how dumb can I be?

2. Matching 5s? Why not? It's fun. Ever been in a hockeyfight? Good times. Your teammates like it, your fans go crazy...fun stuff.

3. I'm sorry, did someone say that you have to choose between winning a hockeyfight and winning a hockey game?

4. Oh come on now. Lidstrom isn't soft? He's great but he's soft. Franzen? Maltby? Sammy? Draper? Soft soft soft.

1. Not more than me. Unless you're a pro hockey player, which you're obviously not. But really, what does yearly salary have to do with hockey?

2. Yes to the hockeyfight. Not fun. Obviously you've never been in one. You do it because you have to, not because it's "fun." If you have been in one and you really think it's fun, then you're a masochist. Read any of Aaron Downey's comments on the subject, as to why he does it.

3. No, but sometimes an ill-advised major (along with an instigator penalty if you're particularly stupid) can cost you a game. The Wings play it perfectly. Get inside your opponents head, tick them off, then let them take a penalty. PP = win. Matching minors = dumb.

4. Lidstrom is quite the opposite of 'soft.' Sixteen seasons without missing a playoff game (until now, at age 39) and 1330 regular season games in 17 NHL seasons. And saying Lidstrom is 'great' is like saying the surface of the sun is 'warm.' He's one of the top 5 defensemen of all time.

Well that was fun. For what it's worth, I find Micah's posts amusing.

~ Z

Edited May 26, 2009 by WingsCaptain

[NeverForgetMac25 483]

I didn't say it wasn't intelligent.

I said that one ought not have to pay the same ammount of money to seea team coast as they pay at the end of the season to see them play hard.

It's not about coasting. It's about playing a conservative physical style to ensure you're healthy when the postseason starts.

You don't seem to be able to wrap your head around that concept.

[NGKEIB 32]

The Wings are smart about fighting. Remember that Eager for Kronwall for 5 minutes is not a fair trade. Especially if you are rolling 4 dmen. But Big Rig for Perry was a good trade off since you gave a 3rd pair dman for one of their top line players for 5 minutes.

I also like how we turn down fights when the other team is clearly trying to change the momentum. Kopecky should have known better and not fought. No reason to give the other team anything to build off.

Actually, Ericsson's scrap worked out even better, since I believe they each got seven minutes. And Kopecky was the one to challenge Beauchemin, not the other way around. Beauchemin was apparently surprised, since he didn't make Kopecky for a fighter (I don't think his opinion changed after the fight).

Why waste the physical play during the regular season and risk being injured? Stuart and Kromwell saved it for the playoffs and add Helm's hits to the mix and suddenly they are physcial enough to win the Cup.

Haha, is Cromwell going to be a new nickname for him?

Diamond = NOT soft

Ruby = NOT soft

18 CT Gold = NOT Soft

Now go away, or I shall have to taunt you a second time-uh.

Well, actually, gold is pretty soft...

Exactly. For 50+ times this season (for the 4th year in a row), the Wings played better than their opponents and won the game, without risking undue injury. Makes perfect sense for Babcock to ask his players to step it up come playoff time. Any more before that is just dumb. Just look at the teams who were on the links when the season ended . . .

I think Calgary is sort of a case in point. Their goalie was exhausted, and their D-corps injured. Though you might question the decision to suddenly ratchet up the physical play 22 games before the playoffs start, since then you might suddenly have a whole slew of injured players to deal with.

As for micah, I think he kind of misses the 80's... I wouldn't call Lidström soft - he's only missed one playoff game in his career etc. I would say there is more to being 'hard'/'strong' than fighting. Though on the other hand, I can understand why he doesn't like Franzén, Maltby and Samuelsson.

[MidMichSteve 1,115]

He's one of the 140 pound guys who yells at the TV in his squeaky, cracking voice, "hit him, hit him you coward!" Then he swings at the air, gets dizzy and sits down. A couple shots from the inhaler and he's OK.

I just spit Sprite all over my desk. That is one of the funniest (and probably most accurate) things that I have ever read.

I was beginning to think it was a mistake to start this thread, however this made it all worthwhile.

Thank you very much!

[Dabura 12,232]

Oh, they're quite clearly soft

Clearly.

[SouthernWingsFan 854]

But they don't fight or punch people! ZOIKES! What a bunch of doofuses!

[Guest micah]

Really...where? I bolded your reference to Kopecky. Where do you mention anything Where is a reference to Ericcson, Homer, Kronwall, knocking Havlat out of the game twice, our relentless hitting in any of the games we play? We've lead in hits most of the times I saw. Where is any of that? Here's the entire quote, so I didn't cut that part out. It must be in here somewhere...

Read the threads about the Kronwall hit, chum. If you want to know my thoughts on specific hits, on Ericcson's fight, on Homer's chickening out when the more-skilled Pronger challenged him, on Datsyuk'd physical playoff play, etc - read those threads. It's all here - but my thoughts on each of those topics doesn't really fit here. This is a thread on whether th eWings as a whole are soft, and I think they are. If you refuse to fight, you're soft. Who cares? Lot's of great players were soft. Gretzky was pretty soft (though more willing to fight than half of our squad), Jagr was kitten-soft. So what? They were great players. They were also soft. Like Lidstrom.

You know NOTHING about hockey. WWF is not hockey. Strutting around like Hulk Hogan pumping your fists and challenging fights is not hockey. It's not even real.

Some of my favorite pro-wrestlers were Brendan Shanahan and Cam Neely. They made it seem so real. Remember the time Joey Kocur threw the steel chair? Good times.

We're up 3-1 in the third round because people who do run the team. We're hitting clean and drawing penalties, THAT is hockey. Getting in fights and getting injured and giving away penalties isn't hockey, it's stupid.

You seem pretty pro-fighting, the way you just jumped the hell out of that strawman. What makes you think that I want Wings giving away penalties or getting injured? I LIKE hitting. I LIKE drawing penalties. I LIKe scoring goals and I LIKE pretty passes and solid D. I also like the occasional hockey fight.

And you're not a fan of the Detroit Red Wings. I don't doubt you think you are. Fans don't have to ignore reality to love their team. But fans don't ignore reality to hate them like you do.

Which of them do I hate? I hate that many of them are mouthy ******* who are afraid to back up their mouths (Maltby, Sammy, I'm looking at you) - but I don't hate them, individually or collectively.

[Guest micah]

I weighed in at 170 lbs yesterday. Dropping pounds like they was dope beatz, suckas.

And, hockey fights were kinda fun, yes, just like throwing and recieving hockey hits is fun.

[Dabura 12,232]

And, hockey fights were kinda fun, yes

Maybe in peewee. It becomes much less enjoyable the higher up the ladder you progress.

A lot of people don't realize this, but a "good" fight at the NHL level is brutal. That's why I don't get on a non-hockey fan's case when he/she gasps at the sight of a fight. We, as hardcore hockey fans, are numb to the fact that a "good" hockey fight is basically two grown men trying to beat the s*** out of each other. Either your face is going to be smashed or you're going to screw up your hand(s). Maybe both. Ask Joey Kocur.

It's easy to yell, "ZOMG *****!" from a living room armchair.

Edited May 27, 2009 by Dabura

[Guest Shoreline]

If the Wings don't fight or wrestle crocodiles they're not manly, and especially not physical.

[Electrophile 3,554]

I hope micah has a donut pillow, because I'm sure his ass has to hurt after getting it handed to him that many times.

If the Wings don't fight or wrestle crocodiles they're not manly, and especially not physical.

They have to wrestle them blindfolded.

[WingsFan2008 0]

Oh, they're quite clearly soft - but the instigator rule allows them to be soft without much consequence. They very rarely accept and invitation to fight, and when they do, they have an irritating tendency as of late to get their asses kicked and their heads broken. Some of them will throw their bodies around sure, but of them very few will answer the bell when they're called out by their opponents. You can call it smart, and maybe theuy're so physically weak ansd fragile that it is smart to avoid the fisticuff like they was the swine flu, but I'll call it soft.

You can have your fights, I'll take the Stanley Cup.

[Guest micah]

You can have your fights, I'll take the Stanley Cup.

You say that as if you think that a team must choose between fighting or winning the Cup.

I like the postseason roster Detroit has. I would have liked to see a player with a little bit of testosterone on the 4th line durring the regular season. I contend that had we dressed a thug for 60 games, we'd be in pretty much the exact same boat we're in now. Do you disagree?

[Guest micah]

Maybe in peewee. It becomes much less enjoyable the higher up the ladder you progress.

A lot of people don't realize this, but a "good" fight at the NHL level is brutal. That's why I don't get on a non-hockey fan's case when he/she gasps at the sight of a fight. We, as hardcore hockey fans, are numb to the fact that a "good" hockey fight is basically two grown men trying to beat the s*** out of each other. Either your face is going to be smashed or you're going to screw up your hand(s). Maybe both. Ask Joey Kocur.

Some guys must still think it's fun. Shanny didn't fight because it's what he had to do to keep a job. Clark didn't. Neely didn't. Lucic and Chara don't. Those guys fight because they want to. Sure, there are guys like Kocur who would have never got a whiff of the NHL if they didn't fight, but there are just as many who fight because they want to, because they believe it's either honorable or kinda fun.....they just don't play in Detroit anymore.