41 replies to this topic

[w1ng3dLV]

I'm constantly asked why the Wings since I'm not from Michigan, and their conclusion is that I must be a bandwagon fan.  They can all think what they want. 

I've lived in Vegas for nearly 20 years now and I guess it could have been more logical to jump on the CA bandwagon when the "Great One" took the Kings to the '93 finals, or the Disney claim on the "Mighty".  

However...for the simple answer.

I feel that the distaste that I have for C. Lemieux from '96, the nickname Turtle from '97,  and for the tears of joy in '98 while we "Believed" in the "Vladiator" changed all of that for me.  

If that makes me a bandwagon fan, then I'm guilty for loving a Class-Act Organization that still continues to watch after their own, and can still produce in a salary cap world still today.  Can't say the same for a lot of teams in any sport.  PERIOD.  

[Barrie]

You've never accused another team of buying a championship? Cuz that's what they did that year.

Hey a Championship is a Championship.

You know what though, that year there was more bought teams than ours (Rangers, Leafs, and Flyers). Plus most of our talent came through the farm system.

[Jusek]

Writer is mad because there is too much Red Wings fans in Honda Center. Poor Ducks fans...

[LOredwing248]

I Love the Joe and I want it to stay exactly the same forever

[donfishmaster]

Seems like a lot of typing concerning the opinion of a Lousy ^ucks fan. ^ucks fans are insignificant insects...their drooling, slack-jawed ideas about my Wings are of no consequence to anyone with an IQ greater than a bean. This article screams, "DELETE!"

[Broken 16]

Hey a Championship is a Championship.

You know what though, that year there was more bought teams than ours (Rangers, Leafs, and Flyers). Plus most of our talent came through the farm system.

I'm not doggin' it. I'm just as proud of that one as any other. I'm just sayin that I can see other cities doggin it because it isn't far from the truth.

[LeftWinger]

I'm not doggin' it. I'm just as proud of that one as any other. I'm just sayin that I can see other cities doggin it because it isn't far from the truth.

Nowhere near the truth... the challenge is still there, name me one...

[Broken 16]

Nowhere near the truth... the challenge is still there, name me one...

Seriously... this topic isn't even worth arguing. I give.

[haroldsnepsts]

Well, let’s take a closer look:

Reason 1: Hockeytown
Any city would love to have that title. It’s ours and I believe it’s trademarked – ENVY

Reason 2: The Joe
The Joe is filled with history and a s*** load of banners! – ENVY

Reason 3: Chelios didn’t shake hands
I know someone else that did that in 2009 and we are the only ones pissed about it, I guess they will have to deal with it like we do. – Maybe not envy this time, but pretty damn ridiculous and reaching for a reason to hate.

Reason 4: 2002 Awesomeness
BOO HOO the Wings had an awesome roster filled with future hall of famers, you guessed it – ENVY

Reason 5: Bandwagon Fans
Wings fans are everywhere… - ENVY

Ok, you got me… 80% ENVY 20% BS.

Honestly if I weren't a Wings fan I would hate the team for all those reasons but number 5.

Hockeytown is a little obnoxious, especially trademarking it, and not that accurate. Detroit is hockeytown so long as the Wings are winning and Cup contenders. The real test is when they're mediocre or bad. This is footballtown if anything, because for whatever reason, we still want to watch the Lions break our hearts season after season.

The Joe- I wouldn't hate a team for their arena, and I have fond memories of the Joe. But even in the mid to late 80s, that place was outdated.

Chelios - I hated Cheli before he was a Wing, and for all the s*** people give Crosby for skipping the line, I can totally get being ticked at Chelios for doing it (though I didn't realize he skipped twice?)

2002 - The least exciting of all Cups to me, because they were such a stacked team. Winning a Cup is still pretty awesome, but I definitely would've hated the Wings for buying an all star team like that.


EDIT: though it is pretty funny that the reporter forgot Hasek when listing the HOF'ers on the 2002 team. Still, it listed 5 great reasons to love the team. Better than I would've expected from an OC paper.

Edited by haroldsnepsts, 21 October 2010 - 10:04 PM.

[Barrie]

Seriously... this topic isn't even worth arguing. I give.

[Kira]

Consider the source. Their "all-star" ****** bag got bested by our multiple Lady Byng winner, and they're still pissed about it. Hold a grudge, do we?

Edited by Kira, 22 October 2010 - 10:21 AM.

[xtrememachine1]

I'm constantly asked why the Wings since I'm not from Michigan, and their conclusion is that I must be a bandwagon fan.  They can all think what they want.  

I know the feeling. I get "You live in Pittsburgh. You should cheer for the Penguins!". Just because you're born somewhere doesn't mean you have to cheer for that team. I always use the analogy, "Would you rather marry someone that was picked out for you or marry someone you fell in love with?" I fell in love with this franchise 23 years ago. I love the players, the tradition, the arena, the uniforms, the goal horn, etc. Sure the winning helps, but there's a ton to love about the Wings, which is why I believe they have so many fans around the world.

[Shoreline]

I was waiting for a reason to hate the Wings to be 'They got over a million fans at their parade, we only got 10,000... WAH!'

I agree the Joe is old, but hate the team because we out-marketed Disney and copyrighted Hockeytown? Hate us because of 2002? I am sick of hearing that the Wings "bought" the Cup back then...

Hasek we traded for, as a matter of fact a 30 goal scorer and a first round pick.

Brett Hull, is it our fault he took less money to come here? Hell we didn't even sign him until August 22nd of 2001, nearly 2 months after UFA day...

Robitaille, NOBODY wanted, NOT EVEN LA! (much like Modano this year!)

Olausson, again NOBODY ELSE WAS INTERESTED IN HIM!!!

Chelios we traded Anders Ericsson and a first round pick for WAAAAAAY back in 1999.

Larionov was on this team for years...

Lidstrom, Yzerman, Fedorov, ALL DRAFT PICKS!

Shanahan was traded for in 1996 for Keith Primeau and Paul Coffey AND a first round pick!

Jesus H! Now what part of that says we just pulled a New York Yankee's and threw a ton of money at a bunch of free agents and BOUGHT the Stanley Cup!!!?!?!?!?

Pure Envy is all it is.... Hate the Wings because they are your rivals, simple. Forget all the other BS excuses and rationalizations!

For once I actually agree with you. The 1997, 1998, and 2002 champ rosters were stacked full of talent, but even if we wash away the fact that these acquisitions were from the draft, or free agency taking less money to come here, or free agency when no one else picked them, or a trade, a team still has to play, as a team, better than all of the others in the end. How many pre-cap years after their 94 cup did we see the Rangers at a higher payroll than the Wings only to f*** their chances of the postseason up, never mind chances of winning the cup? Where do you think this comic came from years ago? (yes, I saved it)



Money does not equate to championship, though not having any money can equate to losing when you can't keep a single star player. The Wings' success was built on a team system, not on money.

As for the fans, every fan has their reason for being a fan of a team -- who cares? The only problem I see is when fans declare they were fans of a team (or even the NHL) way before they actually were. There's no reason to lie about that. If it's your team, enjoy watching them. Don't need the bulls***.

Also, it's obvious many fans and teams are envious of the Wings, and that's solely due to success. No one is envious of the Thrashers or the Blue Jackets or the Blues.

Edited by Shoreline, 22 October 2010 - 11:42 AM.

[Datsyerberger]

I lol'd at the bandwagon fans one.

Ducks cup year attendance:

20th in league

Following year: 15th in league

08-09: 17th

09-10: 24th

Bandwagon, wut?

Psst, journalist: You don't own a friggin expensive jersey if you're just a bandwagon fan. Yes, those are transplants.

Edited by Datsyerberger, 22 October 2010 - 12:04 PM.

[F.Michael]

All 5 reasons to hate were based on envy.

Reason number 5 really gets to me… I grew up in the Chicago area and loved playing hockey since I was a kid. I have loved the Wings since I started watching hockey and following the NHL. To say I am a bandwagon fan because I am not from Detroit really pisses me off. Why do people say you have to love the team that is in your city? Does that mean people in Alaska can’t have a favorite team in the NHL? Or the many fans of the NHL from across the pond, I guess they don’t count either? What do you guys think about this? Those of you from Detroit, does it make me less of a fan because I am from Chicago?

I concur, but it goes with the territory. Neither of the two sports teams I root for are from the city I was born/raised in or even where I currently live. It sucks when people assume you're a bandwagon fan or say that you can't be a "real" or "true" fan unless you're from the chunk of dirt the team is from, but I just consider the source. Fans who aren't threatened, bothered or annoyed by fans from other locales don't give a s*** where you're from. They're just happy they have someone else they can take about said team with. Me, there aren't a whole lot of Red Wings/baseball team I root for fans around here, so message boards/blogs are a great way for me to interact with them, including fans like me who aren't from there.

The minute someone calls me a bandwagoner or something, I just dismiss them and move on. You should do the same -- don't let their sophomoric attitude piss you off.

I too have been a die-hard Detroit Red Wing fan since the 1984/1985 season, and I'm from the greater Milwaukee area.

That writer is your typical ignorant tool who has no business dissing us fans whom aren't from Detroit, nor Michigan.

[softshoes]

The tears of the haters sustain me. Their anguish is like a cool drink on a sweltering day. They are the Charlie Brown to our Lucy, we'll always keep pulling the football away while they continue thinking the next time will be different.

[Hockeytown0001]

1. Better players than your team
2. Better management than your team
3. Better fans than your team
4. Greater history than your team
5. In three words, better than you.

[redwingmachine]

Looks like brilliant management to me...

Transactions
The Red Wings were involved in the following transactions during the 2001–02 season.

Trades
June 30, 2001
To Detroit Red Wings Dominik Hasek
To Buffalo Sabres Vyacheslav Kozlov

First-round pick in 2002
Future considerations
March 19, 2002 To Detroit Red Wings Jiri Slegr
To Los Angeles Kings Yuri Butsayev

Third-round pick in 2002

Free agents
Player signed Former team
LW Luc Robitaille Los Angeles Kings
RW Brett Hull Dallas Stars
C Pavel Datsyuk Playing in Russia


Draft picks
Detroit's picks at the 2001 NHL Entry Draft in Sunrise, Florida. The Wings had the 29th overall pick, however traded it to Chicago in 1999 during the deal to acquire Chris Chelios.

Round # Player Nationality College/Junior/Club Team (League)
2 62 Igor Grigorenko (RW) Russia HC Lada Togliatti (RUS)
4 121 Drew MacIntyre (G) Canada Sherbrooke Castors (QMJHL)
4 129 Miroslav Blaťák (D) Czech Republic HC Zlin (CZE)
5 157 Andreas Jamtin (RW) Sweden Farjestads BK Karlstad (SWE)
6 195 Nick Pannoni (G) Canada Seattle Thunderbirds (WHL)
8 258 Dmitry Bykov (D) Russia Aq Bars Kazan (RUS)
9 288 Francois Senez (D) Canada Drummondville Voltigeurs (QMJHL)


Source - http://en.wikipedia....ed_Wings_season

[Hockeytown0001]

I remember thinking that "this newcomer named Datsyuk may only get in 10-20 games this season" before the 01-02 campaign.

[Barrie]

I remember thinking that "this newcomer named Datsyuk may only get in 10-20 games this season" before the 01-02 campaign.

And in his first season, whenever he was on the ice, I kept mistaking him for Kozlov! Just a habit that year when seeing a #13 skating around.