Narrow Receivers

Ahz Ahz Ahz Akim gone. So long, alas we hardly knew you again. What does this mean for Mike Williams? Probably more validation that he doesn't belong. Ok so USC churns out Qb's and Rb's, and WR's not so much.

So Martinez will start opposite Furrey and Roy? What about Ellis and don't forget Scotty Vines. It's pretty obvious Eddie Drummond doesnt belong on this team. Special teams are horrbile. Please cut Jason Hanson.I like Roy..I like Furrey. I dont care for Roy's attitude, but that applies to 50% of the pro players today. So I can let that slide in favor of his talent.
I can't say it's a fear, because whether it happens or not doesnt matter. This team could draft a WR in the first round again. Oh my.

It's so obvious apathy has set in for the fans. They are hungry for a winning football team, but the sight of that happening in our lifetime seems so remote. They just don't have the management to drive it. They don't have the talent in place to go to the next level. It is frustrating because as I watch the offensive formations, I know it can be exciting. Martz really does know what he is doing, he just doesn't have the tools. The hope lies in the fact that he can take a bunch of no-names to the next level like he did in St. Louis. I'm not implying Bruce, Faulk, and Holt are slackers by any means. As for the defense, yikes! I don't know if you can substitute talent on defense. In today's NFL heroics and talented maneuvers really help you get the edge. Do the Lions have that one person that other teams fear or have to worry about in their playbook? I doubt it. So as we see them get sliced and diced up for the next few seasons, we'll be looking at the college ranks to wonder which highly touted WR out there will be a Lion someday?

Rumblin Bumblin Stumblin

Do you think anyone has the balls to tell John Madden that he sucks? Listening to him has become worse than listening to nails on a chalk board. It really is nauseating to hear him stumble and bumble about nothing. Seriously, how many games has he actually done where he doesnt mention his love affair with Brett Favre? Sometimes these broadcasters reach an icon level and they become severely out of touch. If I have the game on in the background...I serioulsy can't stand it.

Al Michaels I find just as annoying. They have become cartoons of themselves, trying so hard to make jokes, trying so hard to sound important. I guess I want Phil Simms and Jim Nantz on every broadcast, where they actually talk about the game, and the games within a game. Real football is about getting in the trenches and watching the X's and 0's. I personally do not like to watcht he Fox pregame show, it's all too much fluff. And do I really care about their inside jokes every second? I understand the need to have fun and be light hearted but it gets so routinely boring.

Let me know what you think of my pro football broadcast list:

These guys are good:Merril Hodge, Chris Mortenson, Ron Jaworski, Howie Long, Ron Pitts, Steve Young, Tom Jackson, Chris Berman, John Kruk, Phil Simms, Dan Marino, Shannon Sharpe, Paul Maquire, Bob Trumpy, Don Criqui, Kenny Albert, Joel Meyers, Boomer Esaison, Tim Ryan, Brian Baldinger, Dan Dierdorf, Troy Aikman, Dick Engberg, Moose Johnson, Sean Salsbury, Mark Schlerath, Randy Cross, Jim Nantz, Sam Ryan, Solomon Wilcots, Tim Brando, Suzy Kolber, Trey Wingo, Skip Bayless

These guys are not good:Al Michaels, John Madden, Michael Irvin, Rodney Peete, Bob Costas, Chris Collingsworth, Terry Bradshaw, Jimmy Johnson, Jim Brown, Sterling Sharpe, Tony Sirgusa, Joe Theisman, Dan Patrick, Mike Tirico,Tony Kornheiser, Bill Maas, Richard Baldinger, Kevin Harlan, Greg Gumbelr, Mike Ditka, Stuart Scott, Mike Golic

I also think sideline reporters are useless...although Michael Clayton, Arman Ketayuan, and Sal Paoloantonio I like for pregame stuff. Andrea Kraemer is probably the best at this. However during a game I don't see the point of having sideline reporters such as...Jill Aringon, Lesley Visser, Michelle Tafoyua, Melisa Starks and Bonnie Bernstein. It's not that they don't do a good job, but I don't need to hear what they say half the time.

I also don't need the obligatory pan to the booth to see the announcers talking about the game. I don't care, I never cared, and I never will care to see them. I just want to hear them, and I want to hear them talk about the game. Do we really have to know about their pregame meals, and the restaurants they go to in each town? Save that stuff for the baseball guys.

Oh that reminds me http://www.shutuptimmccarver.com/

Crow anyone?

Marinelli has dinner with the Mooch!

Lions head coach Rod Marinelli and his wife had dinner with former head coach Steve Mariucci and his wife during the bye weekend. Marinelli and Mooch coached at Cal together and Marinelli's wife is the godmother to Mariucci's daughter.“Our wives are best friends,’’ Marinelli said. “We coached at Cal for five years (1987-91). We were neighbors and went to work together for five years. He called and invited us to go out and so the four of us went out and watched his daughter ride a horse (at the Bloomfield Hunt Club).''The two men did not do a lot of talking about the Lions.“We talked about (his job) at NFL Network and we have so many old stories together,'' Marinelli said. "We’ve been trying to touch base and you can’t do it during the season so it was a chance. He called and it was great. I had fun seeing him.’’

Romantic.

Will it ever end?

2007 Lions schedule announced

HOME : Dallas, NY Giants, Denver, Kansas City, NFC South Team, GB, Minn,
Chicago

AWAY : Philly, Washington, Oakland, San Diego, NFC West Team, GB, Minn,
Chicago.

PREDICTION 0-16

Red, Nail Files & DMac

Red Auerbach passed away-
Red Auerbach who's accomplishments are unparralled in sport always seemed to me to be a cartoon character. I had a hard time taking him serioulsy, yet maybe that's why I thought he was cool. He always seem to be this old school character who had a simple way to convey his thoughts like an old uncle complaining about everything under the sun at Thanksgiving dinner.
I never really liked the Celtics, but I respected them. Damn they were good. I probably should add the Celtics to my evil list just for having Danny Ainge on the team. Anyways the old school types are becoming few and far between. Red was defintely one of the icons of sport; when the game was still very cool.

Joe Niekro passed away -
I always loved the Niekro brothers. I've always had this desire, especially in recent years as I get older to throw the knuckleball. I guess in the back of my cloudy brain I know that I can throw one even now, I'd have a shot to pitch in the big leagues. Ok stop laughing, you are hurting my feelings. My memory of Joe will always be when the umpire had him remove items from his pocket, and he flung out a nail file behind him. Classic!

Darren McCarty bankrupt -
Impressive list of things to get rid of. Cute baby strollers too. Man, and I thought I had debt problems. Wow. http://www.cbkaye.com/auctions/110506.htm

Trevor Berbick -dead...
I remember this guy boxing, before boxing became a complete joke. I thought he was tough as nails...then the psycho Tyson came around and the sport took a big dive. I used to really love the heavyweight matches pre 1990. Berbick just reminded me of the old days watching the classic matches.

WS 2006 Game 5 Musings

Hey nice first inning Verlander..ya rookie. I don't buy into the fact that you don't pitch Rogers. If you are at elimination time, you throw everything and the kitchen sink to win the game. Sure you need to win the other games, but there is no tommorow. Worry about tommorow when it happens. You need to win today! Am I wrong here???

By the way, Fox is the worst sports network ever. Their announcers and color commentators are lame. Their anchors and guests are worse. Yeah even Joe Buck is annoying.

I cannot take the commericials between innings, especially the same ones every frigging inning. You wonder why ratings are low? Why is tivo so popular? Because people do not want to watch commericials! Madison ave are you listening? WE DONT WANT YOU!! Have your commericals in the upper corner, have it scroll by between innings. Fox what are you doing? You have the power to do this. Between innings show practice, do interviews with fans and players, show stats, keep people on your channel. For the love of God come on and do it!
In the first inning...Inge should have went home and got Molina in a pickle...but since he too basically is a rookie, what do you expect? Oh I forget...the Tigers are the only team where rookies make mistakes. My bad.

Polanco = Shanahan. I love Sean Casey...what a gamer. You need to bring him back next year as a bat off the bench. Others don't agree, but I think you need that veteran presence. Plus they need depth with some pop.

Amazing how the pitchers can't field. They look like a friggin softball team.
Where the hell was Thames and Infante? Come on.

By the way, Guillen sucks at short. Put him at 3rd and move the strikeout king to utility role. Infante is gone next year...and watch, he'll do just fine in the NL. Hopefully though we'll get Texiera. Please God, a 3b with some real pop!

Well I know the feeling is that since they made it to the Series, that they had a good year. Big friggin deal. Who cares? Seriously...pennants are nice, but winning it all is what mattters. So in that sense, failure. Disapointment. They gave the series away. 8 errors!

Congrats to the smart Cardinals.

Eroding Loyalty?

Several weeks ago I was attending a Lions game as I usually do on Home Game Sundays (HGS’s) when something very interesting happened. Let me set the stage.

As on most HGS’s I was sitting next to a good friend of mine which is not all that unusual since we share a pair of season tickets. Both being pretty hardcore Detroit Lions fans (sigh…) we were decked to the hilt in our Lions gear, upbeat after a typically satisfying tailgate session, and optimistic about our beloved Detroit Lions (it was early in the season so the cynicism had yet to really settle in). The Lions were atypically marching down the field and were at the 9 yard line going in. The play call was a handoff to Kevin Jones who made a neat move and 2 seconds later….TOUCHDOWN!!!! The crowd went wild, the team mobbed Jones in celebration, sheer unadulterated bliss!

How did I react to this momentous achievement of Detroit Lions offensive prowess? Did I jump up and down? Did I start singing ‘Forward Down the Field’? Did I join in the mass celebration of Lions joy? No. Instead I turned to my good friend next to me, pointed forcefully and said “IN YOUR FACE!”. You see, he and I were playing each other in our Fantasy Football league that week and Kevin Jones was one of my starting running backs.

I’m worried that my loyalties are being eroded by Fantasy Football. Gone are the days where 100% of me wishes that the Lions would win 42–0 every week and that every Lions skilled position player was a pro-bowler. Its not that easy any more. Depending on the week and the Fantasy matchups I find myself rationalizing loyalty by thinking things like “I hope the Lions win but I need the score to be outrageously high because I have Rex Grossman as my starting QB in fantasy and 4 touchdown passes and a QB rating of 124 would really be nice. It’s a strange situation if the Lions win (hypothetically, of course, since that rarely happens) but my fantasy players on the opposing NFL team perform poorly. What am I supposed to feel? Happy that the Lions won? Pissed because my Fantasy players sucked? Both? Or what if the other team wins and my Fantasy players on that team do extremely well? It seems that every single game leaves me with mixed emotions which is not as satisfying as the high high’s of a Lions win or the low low’s of a Lions loss. After all football is about peaks and valleys of emotion and to use the tired cliché “the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat”. Fantasy has moved us to the emotional middle.

Fantasy Football has simply changed the core dynamics of watching any given football game. I remember a time where I would pick a game to watch on TV on Sunday (or Monday, or sometimes Thursdays – I love that commercial, by the way. It’s almost as good as the Monkeys that run the business and there’s one human that works there…almost as classic as the “Wasssssup” campaign but I digress….) and actually watch the game all the way through with intense focus. Now I find myself switching channels so frequently to check scores and, more importantly, individual statistics that the actual outcome of any given game is less important to me than the individual performances of the players. The trees have taken over the forest and Fantasy football is beginning to erode loyalty to the team concept of watching and enjoying football. Many of us hate Terrell Owens for what he stands for and how he destroys the camaraderie of a team and a football locker room so I call on all the TO owners out there to take a stand against this injustice and cut TO from your Fantasy teams IMMEDIATELY! Right the wrongs of individualism over teamwork! Let the world know that selfishness truly is the path to hell! Are you with me?!?!? Are you with me?!?!? Didn’t think so……

And what about loyalty to my Fantasy team? It’s almost like having to pick a favorite child. I have multiple Fantasy teams and never a week goes by where there are conflicts between the two. In one league it’s set up for team DST instead of individual players (the merits of which are a completely separate issue worth discussing) and my angst over wanting a very low scoring game to benefit my defense and wanting my 4th receiver, who is always some scrub like Eric Parker or Ashley Lelie to go off for 130 yards and 2 TD’s is sometimes too much to take. Again each week brings conflicting emotions, ups and downs, and most damaging conflicting emotions.

Maybe I’m taking this too seriously. Maybe I should lighten up and realize that its just a game (wait…what’s a game…football or fantasy football?). Maybe it’s my guilt complex kicking in – Catholics, Recovering Catholics, and Jews you KNOW what I’m talking about. Maybe it’s just me. Regardless of what it is, I have to sign off now. I have 3 trades pending in 2 different fantasy leagues, Lamont Jordan is questionable which means I may have to start Michael Pittman (oh the humanity of it!), and I am obsessing over the keeper value of Jericho Cotchery. The good news, I think, is that the Lions are on a bye this week so they may not lose. Cross your fingers.

WS 2006 Game 4 Musings

Well Pudge finally came through...but still left a few on.
How many errors from the Pitchers can we get? It's bad enough they make the wrong pitch selection, and then to boot a ground ball or a make a bad throw? That's a tough break.

The one run, caused by Grandy falling down. I still they could have gotten the out at home on the throw. I dont think cutting it off was a smart move, of course the genius McCarver thought so.

The Cards sure know how to move runners up. I've always loved that about NL ball. I wish the AL would do that more. I know it goes against Moneyball philosophy, but I think it works. Especially during playoff time. The Cards have it down to a science.

At first I didnt like batting order, but it sure panned out for the most part. Way too many ducks on the pond though that were left.

Am I the only one who freaks out everytime Rodney and Grilli are up in the pen?
Am I the only who things the Tigers very rarely can beat out a ground ball for it? Man what a slow time. I suppose Grandy and Inge have the speed, but they strikeout so much...they don't get the chance. Dang it, put the ball in play, utilize your speed.

It bugs me how Larussa jumps up and down like a little school girl when they get a hit or make a play. It's very unbecoming of a manager with his track record. It makes him look silly.
You gotta love when Casey hits a jack...because that rarely happens. That opens the door for the others when a non power guy can jack one.

Damn that Rolen. He's rollin.

I think Bondy could have gone another batter or two.

Pudge seems to be struggling behind the plate. I wonder if he's hurt? that passed ball was the winning run. Holy cow.

It blows me away how that pipsqueak at short can hit the friggin ball.

Well it doesnt look good now.

WS 2006 Game 3 Musings

Pudge you are killing me. Hall of fame catcher? Your legacy now is you suck. Come on. Maybe getting hit in the nads will wake your ass up.

Miner - stop.

Zumaya pitching on the road - worthless

Verlander pitching at home - worthless

Nate pitched ok.

Nice errors on the mound. Baseball 101 - defense wins ball games.

CMO , where was the usless home run tonight?

Mags...swing at the second pitch lately?

Inge - strikeout..need I say more?

Cards get someone on base all the time when Pujols is coming up. It's amazing.

Tigers still only get hits with 2 outs.

Casey is a professional hitter. But it's a waste with no RISP.

For the love of Pete...bat Polanco first or 2nd. We dont need speed on the bases...we need men on the bases...anyone.

Rodney scares the hell out of me.

Ok Supp and Reyes are next...just great.

Plate Discipline is so important and so missing from this series. Come on guys.

MNF Dallas vs. NYG

Just a few thoughts while watching Drew (the statue) Bledsoe going down time and again...
The Giants defensive line is Hall of Fame material, all of 'em, but only because the Cowboys' offensive line is so....offensive. Can these guys block anyone? Having the statue behind 'em doesn't help much either. How could he NOT see Madison sitting on the half-assed out route at the goal line? Almost seems like he's trying to keep Owens quiet by forcing some action in to him.

Speaking of O.D., yup, worlds of talent there. I can't remember anyone else in any sport more capable of bringing down an entire team singlehanded like this clown has. Spectacle??! You bet! It's all about him, not the game. Two teams and counting... But, it was nice to see him sit quietly on the bench, even if only for a few minutes, after dropping that out pass on 4th down. My daughters could have caught that one and gone for first down yardage.
And Jerry Jones.... This guy looks worse than Stephen Hawking (and he's got ALS)!! Those comments on the sideline seemed more an attempt at self-justification for bringing in the travelling sideshow, aka O.D. Speaking of JJ's wasted money, Vanderjagt sure doesn't seem worth the $$ either.

Brandon Jacobs is a MONSTER. Just watching him carry a few defenders for 9 yards, force his way into the endzone against a stacked defense, or flat out RUN. Power and speed. Be interesting to see what he can do as the feature back when Tiki is gone.
Little Manning almost looks like a clone of Peyton, except for the few occasional really strange passes. Where in the world are those coming from?? Hey Eli, the guys in BLUE not the white with the blue trim. Good thing they can't catch as well as his receivers. Pretty pass to Plax Burress for 44 yards down the right sideline; dropped perfectly over his outside shoulder for the catch.

All told, good game for the Giants, and Bill is looking less and less interested in managing this managerie all the time. Four turnovers, 155 net rushing yards against, a circus on the sideline, and a meddlesome owner... not overly conducive to a happy coach.

The Bigger House

Check out the proposed plans for upgrades to Michgan Stadium. Impressive. Nice to see that beating Tennessee every year for the largest stadium is so important.

Soon they'll be competing with the grand soccer stadiums of Brazil.

When Temple, Ball State, and Rice come to town, thank God they'll have enough seats for them.

WS 2006 Game 2 Musings

Rogers cheating? Obviously something was there, and if they found something there on video from the last 2 games.... He said it was dirt and rosin...to me that's still not cool, but legal. So be it. It's a legitimate story though because it just doesn't all jive.

Radio reports was that it was betadyne, the stuff ER units put on cuts and what not to stop infection; that too is sticky. If the Cards really thought something was there, they would have been more vocal about it and demanded an inspection from the umpires. An umpire is going to check the hands, not just ask for him to wash them.

The press conf after the game, Leyland said Jones is taking PFP (pitching fielding practice) before he gets on the bus. Molina was talking smack to Pudge all night...behind the plate and up to bat.

Too many RISP...drives me nuts. Score should have been 6 to 1.

Guillen pulls his foot from the bag too soon...watch him.

Edmonds is a vacuum cleaner out there. I'm not afraid of Carpenter or Suppan...we've beaten good pitching all year.

Seems like Larussa has 20 guys in his pen, the way he rotates them in and out.

Rogers should have gone 9.

Cards get too many lead off guys on.

Tigers get most of their runners with 2 men on.

You can't play small ball that way.

Who's coming off the bench when we need pinch hitters while in STL? Thames..Gomez..Santiago..Infante?

Pudge has done nothing so far.

Inge = K

Evil Sports

Being Sunday and all I decided to do some biblical reading and catch up on my Sports Commandments.  In a moment of deep reflection and inner inspection, I was summoned with a list.  Yes another list.  This list was evil entities in sports.   Evil exists, and once you understand that you can face it much easier.   So here is my list of evil in sports as they pertain to my world - Detroit Sports:

Notre Dame

Ohio State

Colorado Avalanche

Chicago White Sox

Cleveland Indians

New York Yankees

Red Sox Nation

Chicago Bulls

Nebraska

Minnesota Vikings

Dallas Cowboys

Atlanta Braves

Florida State

Florida

Miami FL

Stanford

Mighty Ducks

 

What is missing?

Logical Loss

Now I'm not saying the Cards don't deserve to win, or that they won't win it all. I really think they are that good. Plus, when it's postseason anything can happen. {insert cliche} That's why they play the games.

My point is, I am not surprised that the Tigers didn't win. All the media coverage, the pressure of a game one at home, the hype. It's all bound to take it's toll.

Verlander throwing to first on a pick off move for what? Pujols wasnt running.

Why did they keep trying to throw at Encarnarcion? Not exactly a speedster either.

Why do you pitch to Pujols with a runner on first?

Why wasnt Guillen hugging the line on a complete pull hitter in Duncan?

Anyways, did you really expect them to win every playoff game? That's a pretty rare accomplishment. The key will be how they bounce back tonight.

And I've always been a propoent of enforcing the baseline paths. Sure Inge was obstructing him...but he was outside the 3 foot zone.

Tiger Fans...

Tiger Fan Current

In the late 70's growing up in the Midwest the summers seem to last forever. More often than not, they actually did. The one underlying theme of those summers was baseball. Baseball all day long until dusk, with breaks only for lunch or the occasional toy army man fight. Playing ball all day long, with the sounds of Ernie Harwell and Paul Carey through the neighborhoods was music to our ears. We had friends who would grow their hair long like that of Tiger shortstop Tommy Vereyzer. Another friend would keep a baseball card of Aurielo Chi Chi Rodgriquez in his wallet. He didn't have any money, but he had Chi Chi with him all the time. What did I do? I painted my baseball bat black and put black make up under my eyes to be like Steve Kemp. If only I batted left I thought, I could knock in 90 rbi's like him. Others had t-shirts that had a picture of The Bird on them, because he was all the rage. Champ Summers, Chuck Scrivner, Rusty Staub, Ron Leflore, Jason Thompson...these were our heroes. We looked up to them and wanted to be like them.

Yes, we rooted for the Reds and the Yankees, because at the time they were the powerhouse teams, and that's all you saw on TV. We never really wondered why the Tigers weren't that good, we just knew it was our team. We didn't expect them to win, it didn't seem to matter. Yet we wanted them to win, we just didn't know why. It didn't matter because it was baseball. And playing baseball was everything win or lose. My father would take my brother and I down to Michigan and Trumball to see the Tigers play several times every summer. To this day, I do not think there was a better treat then having peanuts and a hot dog sitting with my glove watching a young Jack Morris walk batters after another in his rookie year. Again, we didn't expect them to win, we just wanted them to. I didn't know any better, didn't know what it was like to have a winning baseball team.

I was 1 when they won in 1968, so I didn't really identify with that team. I was in awe at how my uncles would constantly talk about Denny McClain's high kick, or the whirlwind swing of Willie Horton. That 68 team was special to them.As I got older, I rode the wave that was 1984. Wow what a magnificent season. I had watched them develop a team of Lance Parrish, Lou Whitaker, Alan Trammel, Kirk Gibson and Morris. They became our heroes. The late 70's bad teams were washed away by this determined bunch of hard working ball players. A team that truly identified with the hard working class of the Motor City. Yes, those 70's when inflation and unemployment was high, and morale was low in Detroit, those Tigers really helped spur our hopes. Just as 1968 came at a time to calm the riots that plagued the city in the previous years, the 84 team gave us hope for a new turn.

Now these 2006 Tigers face a similar fate. Michigan's unemployment rate is at an all time high, the car companies are struggling to get by, and the state is ranked 50th or so in the economy. Can it get any worse? They say often that art imitates life, but in Detroit more often than not sports imitate life. When Detroit suffers, their sports teams pick them up. There's a reason Detroit is one of the best sports cities in the world, it because we need our teams probably more than most. We need this team to unite us, to spur some hope, some positive cheer and perhaps give us some economic growth no matter how small the effect. When Detroit sports teams are bad, they are bad. When they are good, they rise to the occasion - Red Wings, Pistons, and now the Tigers. We won't even talk about the football team. If they won, the roar of the fanbase would be heard for years throughout outer space. We need these Tigers to succeed. They represent more than just our baseball team. Our hopes, our dreams, our demeanor relies on them. This is the cross we carry by being born in this area. We live, we breathe, we die for our teams.

The game starts soon, I need to go find some eye black.

The Brawl - (from March 1997)

The BRAWL (from 3-29-1997)

It has been touted as one of the most important games in recent Red Wings history. Bloody Wednesday was definitely a night to remember in Motown that's for sure. "The Brawl" which it has been labeled has been shown on a Detroit cable station for 2 straight days. VCRs in the Motor City were working overtime to tape the event over and over. Blood thirsty fans? One would think this is equivalent to the Romans feeding gladiators to the Lions the way the local media and fans have reacted. You can call it sweet revenge or justification or payback time or retribution. Whatever you call it, it was important to the Red Wings. "This is a game that brought the Red Wings together," said Vernon, who picked up his 300th career win against the Avs. "Whether it was the first-period fighting or the overtime goal, a game like this only helps give you confidence to go into the playoffs. When you go to the playoffs, everybody has to be ready to do the job and stay together. Tonight showed the guys were willing to pay the price." The fans were willing to pay the price of admission for this game. This is what the Wings needed with 10 games remaining before the playoffs. This year for most teams would be considered a great season, but coming off of last year's record setting performance, this has been a big letdown. Something was missing in the formula.

Last year's playoff elimination to Colorado was overshadowed when Claude Lemieux checked Kris Draper from behind into the boards face first and rearranged his face. Lemieux received only a 2 game suspension and a $1000 fine from the NHL while Drapes spent the summer recovering from a broken jaw. Lemieux became public enemy number one in Detroit and has been a target of the fans and media for about 300 days. He did not apologize for the incident and Draper has said that is all he wanted. In fact Lemieux has gone about how he has made Draper famous, made him money, and has helped his career. There is no doubt that Lemieux has killed the Wings the last two seasons as he rightfully has hoisted the Cup for New Jersey and Colorado. His statements about Draper has partially fueled the bad blood between the two teams establishing the Western Conference rivalry like never before.

"Screw Lemieux" T-shirts were being sold all over the Detroit Metro area. A local sports station labeled March as "Screw Lemieux Month". The hype for this game has been building for along time and finally reached its pinnacle on Bloody Wednesday. Kris Draper's grandfather died the night before the game and he mentioned it to no one. He didn't want anything to be taken away from the game. Draper's best friend is Darren McCarty. McCarty had beem incensed over the comments Lemieux made regarding the incident about his friend. "He did it to Drapes, but he did it to me to," said McCarty, "If one of your brothers gets taken advantage of, you respond. It's a family thing." The same stand has been taken by the Red Wing's fans who consider their team as family. They wanted Lemieux and they wanted him to pay. You will have your fans that are just blood thirsty. Call it sick or morbid curiousity, it is human nature to be excited and drawn to these situations.

The overwhelming consensnus around town, with the exception of the elitist media, are very content of the outcome of the game. The outcome unfortunate as it may have been for the game of hockey to some in general, was ultimatley inevitable. The beginning of this story needed an end. And in a game that meant nothing to the standings it meant everything to the Wings and the final line was written by not only Darren McCarty, but by the whole team. The eye for an eye mentality is being questioned and talked about by everyone fom psyhcologists to school kids.

The Avalanche are still superior and the odds on favorite to win the Cup. The Wings haven't dented that fact one bit. But for the Wings, winning that game in overtime rallying from two goals down and getting revenge on Claude Lemiuex was a turning point. The fans have been finally won over. They were shown that their team wasn't going to get pushed around and wasn't going to get stepped on for lack of effort. Mike Vernon a scapegoat the past few seasons has won the hearts of Detroit just by blooding Patrick Roy in their fight.



For as long as fighting has been in hockey, there has been a movement to remove it from the game. My contention is, if Lemieux would have apologized then this would not have happened. But he didn't and it was assumed that he had no remorse and did the hit intentionally. Within the rules the Red Wings payed him back. McCarty did not recieve a fighting penalty because Lemieux turtled away claiming he was jumped and sucker punched. He did not fight. Video replay clearly shows Lemieux saw McCarty coming and ducked. Lemieux had a cut reopened by McCarty and recieved 17 stitches but returned to the game and nearly scored. The cut may have been reopened when McCarty dragged Lemieux and his head hit the boards. Colorado coach Marc Crawford claims that McCarty kneed Lemieux in the head. That is debatable as the replay would indicate, but McCarty has denied that he did. A few years ago Claude turtled to Cam Neely in a similar situation. This is great fodder for Don Cherry to spew!

Darren McCarty was not suspended or fined for the game much to the dismay of the Colorado officials. After the game Wings defensemen Arron Ward filed a complaint to NHL officals in reference to an alledged altercation between he and Colorado coach Marc Crawford in the hallway outside the locker rooms. Marc Crawford denies these allegations and claims that this is just another Scotty Bowman ploy to fuel the media. Also filed by the Red Wings was an incident where Avs GM Pierre Lacroix was seen pushing a local sports writer in the Press Box during the game.

Lady Byng candidate Igor Larionov took expection to visor wearing Peter Forsberg's hit from behind to start the fights. That being the case it would be far fetched to say that the fight was premediated as Colorado is proclaiming. But to say the altercation as a whole was not premediated is absurd. The time it was going to happen was never planned and how it was going to happen wasn't known. But the fact that it was going to happen was well known. The electricity in the air was enough to light the city that night. 19,983 fans crammed into Joe Louis Arena (a proper name, don't you think?) and cheered furioulsy as 144 penalty minutes were handed out. To finally beat the defending Stanley Cup Champions in overtime and to get revenge was very sweet. Ironically Red Wing enforcer Joey "KO" Kocur didn't suit up for the game due to the flu. Neither did tough defensemen Bob Rouse.

These teams will only meet in the Conference Finals if they each get there. If the hockey gods choose this fate it should be a most interesting battle. Otherwise anything as far as paybacks to the Wings by Colorado will have to wait until next season. Roy, who played stellar was bloodied by Mike Vernon and injured his shoulder when Shanahan ran into him at center ice. Lemieux was bloodied. Forsberg was bloodied. Will these scenarios be replayed and relived in the future? No one knows for sure. Picking and choosing a right time and a right place is the key. The Red Wings picked this time and place to get Lemieux back. Mike Keane wanted to know why the Red Wings waited to do this at home? Does it really matter? In hockey you pick and choose your time and place. Sometimes it takes years, sometimes only 300 days. This event or debacle, depending on your point of view, might be the great deterrent this game needs for the cheap shots that occur. It will serve notice that you can't get away with it.

The Red Wings have been criticized for being to small to match the teams in the East, but on that Wednesday they finally played very big! Kris Draper feels closure has taken place. Hockeytown feels that something has finally opened, it is called Aggressive Hockey! This statement might be true, "The Romans had the gladiators... we have hockey." The spirit of Gordie Howe has made a comeback. What a game!

Hockydino 3-29-97