Aznknight 139 Report post Posted May 28, 2013 No this isn't me expecting a last game Wednesday. I have been lucky enough to cheer for a team where every year was a competetive year. I arrived in Vancouver in 94 just after the riots and was very interested in this game called hockey. My cousin was watching the Canucks play the Wings and he was being all gooey about how this Canucks team was just one win away from winning the 'cup'. What 'cup'? The 'Stanley Cup'! The cup that caused the riots, he says. In the Philippines, we last took a stand and marched the streets, peacefully, for our rights. What is this cup that can cause a riot? The wings won that day and my cousin was angry. I said to myself: 'I'm gonna cheer for those guys'. I don't want a team that caused riots!. I go to school and I play hockey for the first time. I passed the puck to my goalie and i scored on my own net. My whole team was dejected but they said 'it's ok, we'll score back'. Although I scored another goal on my own net I remembered what it was like to play the game. I watched highlights on tsn and followed the wings religiously. NHL 91 was my very first video game. NHL 93, 94, 95, 96, 97, 98 all followed. I put my faith in the wings. I prayed for them. I cried for them and I trusted in them. Every success they had, I felt, was also my success. I had something to believe in. 96 was a major year for me and all wings fans because this was the Yzerman goal. I remember me sitting down in front of the TV then jumping uncontrollably. It was 'our year'. Finally after losing last year. Then we face the avs and draper gets hit. We lose the series. I was still in grade school and had been bullied so I just went home, waited for wings highlights and got my taste of success. Then March arrives and mccarty pummels lemieux, scores the winning goal and exacts the full revenge. I felt a sense of euphoria knowing that there's always a next time. We win the cup despite being underdogs to the flyers. I watch vlad's crash video. I was dejected. Next year we play our hearts out after losing a key player and sweep washington. I see Stevie put the cup on vlad's lap and wheel him around while the whole team was behind him. I cried. I get teary eyed even now. They did something more than for themselves. I applied that in my life. Mediocre years came but I still got to watch hall of fame players wear a wings jersey. Fedorov, larionov, coffey, ciccarelli, vernon, shanny, hull, robitaille, murphy, clark, cujo. Then 02. Hasek takes us to the finals and during the year I watched Zata and Datsyuk play alongside Hull...i knew they'd be superstars. 08 and 09 come and last year. I reflect back and realized that I've been very lucky. I watched hall of famers, loved the game and applied everything the wings did, to my life. I go through hard times and know there will be a next time. I go through good times and enjoy it cuz there might never be that chance again. I never regretted anything. Last year was when the last of my childhood heroes left. Lids and homer. I loved them both. Then I look back at this team that they built. They're young and inexperienced still. But, like I did, believed. In a year that 29 teams would have used to tank and get first pick, we go to second round and take the best team to 7. I never once doubted. I prepared for the worst and always expected the best. It has been a joy to watch the new era carry that torch. In retrospect, we should have been all playing golf after the season. But this team made it possible for more palpatations and for wings fans everywhere to still believe. Let's go red wings *clap* *clap**clapclapclap*! 26 wingslogo19, unsaddleddonald, Hockeymom1960 and 23 others reacted to this Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
wingsfan4795 552 Report post Posted May 28, 2013 This is awesome. Well said! Tomorrow will either be a bitter end to an incredible and surprising season, or another chapter in a Cinderella story for the ages. Either way, the wings are the best organization in sports and I'm proud to be a fan. This season has made me prouder than any other because we are exceeding everyone's expectations. LET'S GO WINGS! 2 Hockeymom1960 and BottleOfSmoke reacted to this Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Vladifan 680 Report post Posted May 28, 2013 Well said! Somehow, the Wings have strived AND succeeded without Lidstrom, without Holmstrom, without Bertuzzi, without Helm, and without DeKeyser. Somewhere along the line in this shortened bastardized season this ragtag, crippled, makeshift, old and slow, rookie-peppered bunch of hockey players became a TEAM. A team that has taken the number one hockey squad in the world to a seventh game. Still nobody much is talking about them with any sense of what it took for them to get where they are. It simply doesn't matter. Anybody with a penchant for sports history will be talking about this team in years to come, and they will get their due. They are a miracle of their own making. I am so very proud to be here in this moment. To savor their valor, and experience the thrills and chills at their very Trying. I love you Detroit Red Wings. Thank you so much for who you are, and what you have become. And I am so very proud and honored to be one of your fans. 9 55fan, redwingmachine, wingslogo19 and 6 others reacted to this Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
derblaueClaus 1,668 Report post Posted May 28, 2013 (edited) Beautiful. Thanks for posting this. Yesterday was bitter. Tomorrow won't be, if the refs do their jobs properly. We play a game 7 against a team who most of us, myself included, wouldn't dream of reaching it, let alone the realistic possibility to win it. My personal prediction at the beginning of the postseason was Hawks in 6. And I think of myself as an optimist. So I join you in being proud of the guys. Let's GO Wings ! Edited May 28, 2013 by derblaueClaus 2 Vladifan and puckloo39 reacted to this Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
GMRwings1983 8,793 Report post Posted May 28, 2013 I'm proud this team has played best with their backs against the wall. Winning out late in the season and then beating Anaheim twice, all while facing elimination. I just wish the team wouldn't make it so damn hard on themselves. They haven't made anything come easy this year. 2 Vladifan and Hockeymom1960 reacted to this Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Crymson Report post Posted May 28, 2013 Well said. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BottleOfSmoke 5,965 Report post Posted May 28, 2013 Thank you for the positivity injection! Last night was hard, and I've had a s***ty day because of it lol. As much as going out now would hurt, I could not be more proud of what these guys have managed to scrape together this year. I'm excited for what the future will bring for this team! LGW! 2 Vladifan and Hockeymom1960 reacted to this Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
RedLightGoesOn 81 Report post Posted May 28, 2013 (edited) Let's be real honest here. The Wings are not the best team on paper right now but they are definitely making much better teams work for it and play on a whole different when their backs are against the wall. If****** love that s***. I like it that this team will work as hard as it can and will itself to make it this far. They have come real far and it makes me really excited for next season. If we go out tomorrow night I won't be very upset, but I know it will leave the question of,"if we did win how much further could we go?" going throughout Red Wing Nation. The Hawks are a good team, I am just happy we can settle the final divisional rival bout with an epic Game 7. Edited May 28, 2013 by RedLightGoesOn Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Aznknight 139 Report post Posted May 29, 2013 Win or lose I'm proud. Nobody can take away the 3 games we won against Goliath from our David. In 09 we scrubbed this growing Hawks team off the floor. Dynasties fall but having a team to believe in will never die. Gus will score 40 and DD will be a norris winner. You heard it here first. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
John Marvin Murphy 33 Report post Posted May 29, 2013 That one goal that Nyquist scored where he had the puck and the whole hawks defense on a string was enough for me to nod and not care if we lose this series. We have a winning future ahead of us and the Hawks can't take that away from us in this upcoming game 7. They may move ahead, but next year, we'll be back for the 23rd year straight. 2 Vladifan and Hockeymom1960 reacted to this Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
beachwing 426 Report post Posted May 29, 2013 My hope this season was to watch the Wings at least till June so no complaints....last 4-5 weeks has just been a blast!!! 2 Opie and Vladifan reacted to this Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ally 448 Report post Posted May 29, 2013 Very well said. I'm so proud to be a fan. Win or lose I love this team. (But preferably win tomorrow) 1 Vladifan reacted to this Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest The Axe Report post Posted May 29, 2013 Win or lose, Red Wings rock. I like LGW peeps too. 1 Vladifan reacted to this Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
55fan 5,133 Report post Posted May 29, 2013 That was beautiful. Nothing more I can add. Go Wings. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
xtrememachine1 795 Report post Posted May 29, 2013 Great post! I completely agree. Its been a real honor to be a Wings fan all these years. Lots of great players, moments and memories Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Z Winged Dangler 2,082 Report post Posted May 29, 2013 I love me some Wings and I am quite proud of them this year. Especially for not castrating the officials in game 6, which they had all the reason in the world to do. I love how they're always calm, cool and collected. It makes it a little easier for my blood pressure to go down when crap like game 6 happens. Let's hope we see an all ings WCF! 1 Vladifan reacted to this Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
b.shanafan14 733 Report post Posted May 29, 2013 Great post. I feel very positive this post-season, which I haven't been in a while. Watching how this team competes every game. Watching our young prospects grab the torch the way they have. Surviving 13 (going on 14) games of precious playoff experience against the #1 and #2 seeds the way they have has been an incredible and pleasant surprise. This team has learned so much, through the good (3rd line goals) and the bad (Smith lapses), which in the long-run makes me hopeful for the future. It isn't over yet. Let's hope its just beginning. GAME 7 in the top-seed's barn. LGRW!! 1 Vladifan reacted to this Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
wingslogo19 281 Report post Posted May 29, 2013 Very well said!!! This is positive. Detroit Red Wings Fan till I die Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
wingsgirl001 983 Report post Posted May 29, 2013 Not much more i can add that others haven't already said. We weren't even supposed to make the playoffs, and once we did, no one expected us to get this far. The fact that we're here, at Game 7, in the 2nd round against the Blackhawks, no less, is something to be extremely proud of. Obviously, I'm pulling for a win, but even if we lose, these boys have all of my respect and of course, i will love them no less. LGRW! 1 Vladifan reacted to this Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
unsaddleddonald 357 Report post Posted May 29, 2013 I can't get over how much more excited I am for the future than I was even 2 months ago. Things will get better....soon. 1 Vladifan reacted to this Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Hatethedrake! Report post Posted May 29, 2013 Win or lose tonight, I am very proud to be a Red Wings fan. 1 Vladifan reacted to this Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Aznknight 139 Report post Posted May 30, 2013 They played their hearts out. Now I can focus on having sex with my wife 2 Wingsfan72 and evilmrt reacted to this Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
evilmrt 636 Report post Posted May 30, 2013 They played their hearts out. Now I can focus on having sex with my wife That's one way to soften the loss hahaha Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
HadThomasVokounOnFortSt 878 Report post Posted May 30, 2013 Zero reason to hang your head, team looks damn promising with the young ones! Great season, and enjoy every minute. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
