40 replies to this topic

[T.Low]

As a long time lurker of these forums - I might as well join in and say I'll be going too.  Being a displaced New Zealander currently living in Mexico, I don't have any wicked connections that can get me a backstage pass, strangely enough...

 

But the dream of many many years, to see the Wings at the Joe, is finally about to come true.  So I am pretty damned excited right about now!

 

 

I love Mexico.  I'm going to Sayulita, Nayarit, in April.  Where in Mexico are you?

[Richdg]

Hi Rich,  hockey is pretty popular and growing quite a lot.  They have a national competition now which is getting a decent following and some local tv coverage.  NZ team plays in the World Champ Division 3 section 2 or something like that, so a long way from the big time!  There is a pretty dedicated band of rec-league players, who follow the NHL and are pretty hardcore about it.

Cool. I have always thought that OZ and NZ would be the next 2 countries to develop the spot. BTW.... GO BULLS! (S14 rugby ref for those that don't know....)

[kiwi wingnut]

So nearing time to head off to the Joe Louis Arena, to see the Red Wings.  (Always wanted to say that!)

 

A tip for beginners & residents of Mexico (Monterrey btw T.Low), Detroit is bollock-freezing cold!  And to Rich, sorry but I'm a Crusaders man myself - although tonight it's another team in Red I'll be shouting for...

[Richdg]

So nearing time to head off to the Joe Louis Arena, to see the Red Wings.  (Always wanted to say that!)

 

A tip for beginners & residents of Mexico (Monterrey btw T.Low), Detroit is bollock-freezing cold!  And to Rich, sorry but I'm a Crusaders man myself - although tonight it's another team in Red I'll be shouting for...

BOO the Saders!!!!!!! Does Mcgraw still play for them?

[beachwing]

Kiwi.....update us.....how is the Joe so far??
End of 1st period.

[kiwi wingnut]

Sorry didn't have internet phone stuff all set up.  But that was brilliant - well worth the effort!  Apart from the awesomeness of being at the Joe, watching the Wings, it really is quite a different game to watch live.  I have decided I love watching the 3rd and 4th lines, they just seem to give 100% every time.  Okay their 100% is like Dats on 20% but it's a lot of fun.  Probably I am biased though, as a player I suck big time, but I do try, like, really really hard...  Howard looked really good, Brunner was fun to watch, Datsyuk's line as we all know, was like a supergroup with Hendrix, Beiber, and Hannah Montana.  Hendrix would still rock, but you'd spend the night wanting to punch the other two in the face.  That being said, Abby is now my new favourite player anyway, because I bought a mystery signed puck for the Breast Cancer Research fundraising night.  And since I now have his signature, I am forced to rate him...

 

Awesome Awesome night.  If any other folk from afar are planning a trip to the JLA one day - just do it!!!

 

(ps - yes McCaw (The Stevie Y of Rugby) still does play for the Crusaders - though I couldn't tell you the last time I watched a Crusaders game.  I lived in Aussie for a few years, and they don't really give a damn about the game!)

[kiwi wingnut]

Oh, and as for Oz & NZ being nations to develop the sport, from my experience playing there, we have a ton of guys who keep tripping up on that pesky blue line, and generally fall over randomly.  Played against a guy who's nickname was "Tumbledown" in fact.  Well earned.

 

Anyway - the next Dan Cleary will come from Australia or New Zealand.  Bank on it kids...

[BottleOfSmoke]

Datsyuk's line as we all know, was like a supergroup with Hendrix, Beiber, and Hannah Montana.  Hendrix would still rock, but you'd spend the night wanting to punch the other two in the face.

LOL, love the analogy. Glad you had fun, the Joe is definitely a special place full of a lot of great memories!

Edit: or should I say mammaries, in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness night at the Joe!?

Edited by BottleOfSmoke, 05 March 2013 - 10:58 PM.

[Richdg]

Oh, and as for Oz & NZ being nations to develop the sport, from my experience playing there, we have a ton of guys who keep tripping up on that pesky blue line, and generally fall over randomly.  Played against a guy who's nickname was "Tumbledown" in fact.  Well earned.

 

Anyway - the next Dan Cleary will come from Australia or New Zealand.  Bank on it kids...

Aussies started playing baseball about 35 years ago. So they are expanding their range. But there is a decent population between the 2 countries, they have the wealth to play, and they do like contact sports.

[kiwi wingnut]

Aussies started playing baseball about 35 years ago. So they are expanding their range. But there is a decent population between the 2 countries, they have the wealth to play, and they do like contact sports.

This is pretty much true - Aussie has a pretty strong National League already, Melbourne where I was based would sell out the National league games, I think around 1500 spectators.  Also hosted the Div II world champs with Oz, NZ, Serbia, and the juggernauts of hockey, Mexico, Belgium, and Nth Korea.

 

Also they are starting to get a couple of young good juniors from the US or Canada to play in the National League teams.  So it is only going to get stronger.

 

NZ is a bit behind, but I can see it catching up, the bottom half of the country has a climate similar to Detroit I guess, so winter sports in general are really taking off.  Also we love beating Aussies - so I guarantee there are a bunch of people working very hard to get us to that level!

[Salviaman]

Enjoyed the game very much!

[beachwing]

Happy to hear you all enjoyed the Joe and the game....pretty entertaining game on TV so I bet the Joe was a blast!!

[AusWing40]

Bring it on sheep f***ers! Ahah just kidding!

Ice hockey is starting to catch on here, we've gone from 1 NHL game a week on tv to 3-4. The local league here is going to start getting a game of the week which should help grow that league. I know of a prospect over in the Czech Republic from here who I'm keeping an eye on hoping to see him make the NHL some day.

[Wingnut in WA]

Ok so the game as you all know was a blast. We sat in Bill Peters personal seats and were sitting next to Tom Renneys wife. We got down to the locker room after the game and were instructed to wait against the wall while we wait for someone to take us back to the room.

So we see Greg Zanon from the avalanche walking down the hall and I shake his hand and tell him nice beard lol. The next thing I know security comes over and tells us we can't talk to any players coming down the hall. So not wanting to get thrown out I agree and head down to the locker room.

Right outside the locker room I see Pasha and wanted a picture so bad!! Then we walked right by jimmy, but not wanting to get thrown out we don't say anything. The locker room itself felt like the ultimate shrine to Red Wings hockey. I couldn't believe how beautiful it looked. We got a bunch of pictures in front of players stalls.

Then as we were getting to leave I found Bill Peters and oh man, let me tell you what af****** cool guy he is. We stayed after talking for almost an hour. He invited me down for Thursdays game as well, and the ABSOLUTE icing on the cake was as we were leaving he let us go out on the ice and just walk around. I literally stood on the center ice dot where we've won 4 cups.

I was in awe, it was just so amazing. Ill post more pictures, they're just isn't enough room to post them all.

PS the new bathrooms at the Joe are sick. Went to the bathroom grabbed a beer and still back in my seat with 4 mins to spare.

More pics.

More pics.

Sorry the pics are all weird and I'm posting from my phone so I don't know how to fix them.

Last one.

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[rrasco]

Man what a lucky dog.  Sounds like an amazing first visit to the Joe.  So.....are you staying for tomorrow's game?  You better have said yes.

Edited by rrasco, 06 March 2013 - 01:43 PM.

[The Axe]

Those pics are awesome. Just being 20 feet away from Pasha means you have a chance to score! Even if theres no game going on. He will find a way to get you the puck.

[kiwi wingnut]

Way cool WA! I too hope you're going tomorrow, I'll be there and will have to hunt you down to call you a lucky b*****d in person!

[Wingnut in WA]

Yeah it was pretty epic experience!

On a weird side note, Bill had a signed Spokane Chiefs hat from him and babs for me. However apparently someone walked up to Bill and I guess he thought this person was me and gave the hat away to this person. Kinda shady that the guy went along with it and didn't tell Bill he wasn't me.

Once Bill found out he felt really bad but I actually thought it was pretty funny and presided to flip him s*** about it and we both got a good laugh out of it, he also assured me he would make it up to me.

So hopefully tomorrow I can just ask him if he can introduce me to Pasha and hopefully he can autograph my jersey!! Here's to hoping!

I will be there tomorrow again, probably in Bills seats. If anyone from LGWF wants to chat or have a beer please hit me up it would be super fun. We will be in 202a row 7 7&8.

Here's hoping to see some awesome LGW peeps

[rrasco]

Damn right you're going tomorrow. 

[kiwi wingnut]

Feel you guys might like this update...

 

After the Edmonton game, which was super loud and super fun and capped off a great "trip of a lifetime" to see the Wings, I went to a bar by the hotel for a beer.  I was in the bathroom when this guy asked me about the game, said it was great, and he introduced himself, Jim Bedard, the Wings Goalie coach! 

 

So we talked a little, and I told him my story, I guess he thought it was a good one and he invited me along to their practice yesterday.  It meant I had to change my flight back to Mexico and spring for another night in a hotel, but for a once in a life time opportunity, it was well worth it!  So in the end I had a private tour of the Joe, met a bunch of the support staff, photos in the locker room, had a chat with Kyle Quincey who had spent 7 days in NZ on a kind of promotional USA vs Canada tour a couple of years back (he didn't play, it was all minor league guys, but was there as the meet a real live NHL guy).  Waiting for the practice, Ken Holland (Super nice guy) came out and had a chat for a while, mainly about golfing in NZ.  I hope he doesn't get to go golfing there until retirement, since to go in the right season we'd need to be knocked out of the playoffs...

 

After practice Jim told me to wait in the locker room, so I got to sit around while the guys ripped into each other, I was especially glad to hear them all giving Brunner plenty of "you're lucky to be at the Wings man, best place ever", here's hoping he listens!

 

Tootoo was sitting next to me shoulders all iced up so I asked, was it just general recovery or for something specific (hoping for general recovery).  His answer was awesome!  "oh just general soreness...  shoulders, elbows, arms...  knuckles......."  Knuckles!  Love it!!!

 

Anyways, a fairy tale ending to an awesome first ever trip to the Joe Louis arena to see our beloved Red Wings.  I reckon I'll never be able to thank Jim enough for opportunity, Everyone I met, the support staff, the admin guys, all the way to Ken H, were wicked nice people.  We're lucky to be fans of such a fantastic organisation.