116 replies to this topic

[NBCnothingbutcrosby]

Says he's going to play... WTF. You're at 50% you fricken moron, you're doing more harm than good!!!! I'm livid.

Edited by NBCnothingbutcrosby, 09 April 2012 - 03:12 PM.

[Doc Holliday]

The guy is always injured.

Honestly, as nice as it is to know that Cleary doesn't just suck, it is getting really annoying to watch him play poorly and find out that it is because of another nagging injury he is having.

[Jedi]

A little source material, since OP is too livid to provide it...

http://www.freep.com/article/20120409/SPORTS05/120409039/1053/sports05

Red Wings forward Dan Cleary may only be at 50% due to his troublesome left knee, but he’s completely committed to being in the lineup for the playoffs.

Cleary practiced today after missing the final two games of the regular season. It was clear he was still in pain. “Yeah,” Cleary said. “Nothing I can really do. The rest helps a lot to bring down the swelling, but once you get back on the ice, it’s pretty sore.”

Cleary said he takes pain medication when he plays, but not when he practices.

“I’m going to play for sure,” Cleary said. “When you practice, there’s no pain reliever involved. It feels a little better in the game.”

How effective can he be?

“Mentally, I’m just going to have to find a way to get through it,” Cleary said. “Do the best I can and try to contribute. Try to be a factor.”

When asked to put a percentage on his health, he said “50 (percent) probably.”..
(read article for rest of the story)

[b.shanafan14]

Not sure what my opinion is right now. Its good to hear he's committed and all, but as others have said, it would have been better if he had been just sitting out getting healed up instead of dragging ass all season just to get to playoffs at 50%. I wish we could replace him, especially since its now common knowledge that he will be little help due to his injury, but the team can only stand to have so many AHLERs. As much as it sucks to have these injured or otherwise useless players in, I can understand managements apprehension to replace them.

[RedWingsRox]

I respect the ironman mentality of Cleary and declaring himself available but ultimately isn't it the coach's decision to sit him or not? Sometimes I find that Babcock rather play 50% injured player than to call up a healthy young guy. I question that but obviously he knows more than me. I'd like him to call up someone like a Helm and Abelkater in years past, but do we have any more of those in the Griffins?

[atodaso]

Says he's going to play... WTF. You're at 50% you fricken moron, you're doing more harm than good!!!! I'm livid.

Right. Because I'm sure it's his call if he plays or not. How selfish of him.

[GMRwings1983]

He shouldn't be playing.

Some guys can play at 50% and still help the team. As we've seen all season, Cleary at 50% is not helping the team at all. In fact, he's hurting the team and is rather easy to play against right now.

He needs to sit.

[Frozen-Man]

Not sure what my opinion is right now. Its good to hear he's committed and all, but as others have said, it would have been better if he had been just sitting out getting healed up instead of dragging ass all season just to get to playoffs at 50%. I wish we could replace him, especially since its now common knowledge that he will be little help due to his injury, but the team can only stand to have so many AHLERs. As much as it sucks to have these injured or otherwise useless players in, I can understand managements apprehension to replace them.

I'll see if I can find the link but I remember reading that they intended to sit him out and get healthy/surgery but then Dats got injured and they told him that they needed him to play and then would just get the problem fixed in the off-season. As too him being in the lineup now, that really is Babs decision and he wouldn't play him unless he thought it was the best option that the Wings have available to them.

[AceInTheSleeve]

This guy should be out on IR 30 games ago to get fixed! Cleary is completely ineffective while playing on one leg, and hes gonna get steamrolled in his condition in the playoffs, despite his never say die attitude. He aint no Stevie Y!

[atodaso]

He shouldn't be playing.

Some guys can play at 50% and still help the team. As we've seen all season, Cleary at 50% is not helping the team at all. In fact, he's hurting the team and is rather easy to play against right now.

He needs to sit.

If this really was a fact, he would be sitting.

[GMRwings1983]

If this really was a fact, he would be sitting.

Is Babcock not watching the games out there? Cleary is just skating around aimlessly and isn't able to help the team. In not doing so, he's hurting it.

Call up some youngster from the minors who will play hungry and try to shine in the playoffs. Kind of like Helm in 2008. It's honestly more the coaching staff's fault than Cleary's. He'll play until he drops, but they have to step in there and realize it's not a good idea.

[atodaso]

Is Babcock not watching the games out there? Cleary is just skating around aimlessly and isn't able to help the team. In not doing so, he's hurting it.

Call up some youngster from the minors who will play hungry and try to shine in the playoffs. Kind of like Helm in 2008. It's honestly more the coaching staff's fault than Cleary's. He'll play until he drops, but they have to step in there and realize it's not a good idea.

That's exactly my point. The fact that he's still in the lineup says that either the organization feels Cleary at 50% is still better than someone from GR at 100% or they just don't have any other choice. Conner comes to mind as a replacement but that pretty much tells me that Babcock thinks Cleary is worth more injured than a healthy Conner.

[NBCnothingbutcrosby]

It's going to be a long series of watching Cleary be stripped of the puck. never come out of the corners 1on1 with the puck, and taking horribly aimed slap shots from the left side by the blue line with no one around to screen. He's so ineffective it isn't funny, and I have a feeling a Dan Cleary turnover may decide a game or two. Even though I absolutely hate him on a cellular level, I admire his heart. But he is just hurting the team, I'd rather see Helm return, Nyquist stay in, and Cleary sit.

[Frozen-Man]

Is Babcock not watching the games out there? Cleary is just skating around aimlessly and isn't able to help the team. In not doing so, he's hurting it.

Call up some youngster from the minors who will play hungry and try to shine in the playoffs. Kind of like Helm in 2008. It's honestly more the coaching staff's fault than Cleary's. He'll play until he drops, but they have to step in there and realize it's not a good idea.

Exactly, Cleary is in a bad spot. If it came out that the coaching staff wanted him to play and he said he didn't feel good enough he would be ripped here for having to heart. The coaching staff are the ones that (whether right or wrong) will determine if having Cleary in the lineup is a net positive or a net negative. I don't think you fault the player for going out with an injury and playing as hard as he can if he shouldn't be in the lineup that is a coaching decision.

[unsaddleddonald]

Wait, you guys DON'T want a guy who is 50% playing on the PK?!?!?

Jesus christ, a Dan Cleary at 100% can only do so much......

(Shake of the head, wag of the finger)

[Hockeytown Red Wings]

I've been increasingly disappointed with Cleary's play as the year went. I felt like I knew it had to be his knees and not just a sudden significant dropoff in production and value. If he's only able to play to 50 percent of his ability, it seems that there might be someone more useful to take his spot while he heals. If it's an injury that needs surgery and isn't going to heal, maybe that provides some insight. But it's been clear to see all season that something was off.

[jollymania]

then at least throw some hits or drop the gloves, if he is just going to coast around out there there is no point.

[dobbles]

That's exactly my point. The fact that he's still in the lineup says that either the organization feels Cleary at 50% is still better than someone from GR at 100% or they just don't have any other choice. Conner comes to mind as a replacement but that pretty much tells me that Babcock thinks Cleary is worth more injured than a healthy Conner.

its not that simple... for us as fans, we just look at it like we are playing nhl12 on xbox and want to pick the best player. in real life, they have balance not only which player gives the better shot, but also what the long term ramifications are. perhaps they didn't want to ruin clearys confidence by sitting him a long stretch. perhaps they dont want to get a reputation as a team that gives up on injured players. perhaps objective evaluation of which player brings more to the table is clouded by the personal relationships that exist with the coach and/or management. perhaps there is a hope that if he kept playing down the stretch that when the playoffs arrived he would be able to step it up because of his experience and that he was just laying off a bit in the regular season. maybe the team didn't want to waste one of its post deadline callups on someone to replace cleary unless they absolutely had to.

now, with all those hypotheticals, i can also concede that maybe you are right. maybe babcock just thought that cleary at 50% was better than calling up conner, andersson, etc. my main point though, is that it is a much more complicated situation than you make it out to be and there is a very real chance that they weren't totally behind cleary but just had to consider all the implications of making a change.

[fixxxer]

It seems like an easy and logic decision to make. You sit his ass until its 100%. I don't know how its up for debate or even up to Cleary at this point. If he does indeed play I have to wonder whats going through Babcocks mind to play injured players when there's healthy young players that will eventually need playoff experience anyways mind as well be now.

[dirtydangles]

on a more awesome note: helm may be back for game one if babcock has his way. helm says game 2 for sure pretty much not ruling out game 1. Babs said helm was ready to him. lol.