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Myself Is Conflicted

by IwoCPO on 03/05/07 at 08:52 AM ET
Comments (13)

Did a little research last night after the game, wondering if my suspicions were correct.  What suspicions, you ask?  Well, I was under the impression the Wings had lost 611 consecutive OT games.  Apparently I was wrong.  They’ve won 11 out of their last 39.  So that’s better. 

But am I the only one?  Am I isolated in my sadness when they’re tied at the end of regulation?  My wife watched the whole game with me then left the room without saying a word as soon as overtime started.  She knew.

Ahhh, it’s ok.  No real harm done in the standings as we still trail Bubba by two with a game in hand.  The real problem, of course, is that Bubba Sr. (Dallas) lost to The Team We Don’t Speak Of and clings to that 5 spot by a scant 1 point.  That’s disturbing.

Also disturbing is the fact that Mike Babcock could have earned his 100th victory as Wing head coach.  I know we were all waiting for that celebration. 

Detroit News/Kulfan

“Myself, the coaching staff, the leadership group (among the players), and the players did a poor job of preparation for today,” Babcock said. “We didn’t have the energy we usually have.”

That bothers Babcock, who demands a hard-working team.

“We left the game out there, and it’s probably the right team that deserved the two points,” Babcock said. “We had some guys who were better (than others), but we didn’t have enough players today. That’s what this sport is all about, you need everyone to be successful, and we didn’t.”

Not real fond of the word “myself”.  Seems to be an NBA thing that’s crept into the quotes of other sports.  Setting that aside for the moment, he’s right.  The Wings looked like garbage, were lucky to get the one point they did and played as though Sunday was just another game against an out-of-division opponent, an opponent with no playoff aspirations, a team against whom the Wings could muster no emotion whatsoever because any semblance of rivalry is long gone.

Khan(!) agrees.

It’s about time the television networks ended their infatuation with the Detroit-Colorado rivalry. It’s dead, and that’s sure to be reflected in next season’s TV schedule. Nashville is the Wings’ new No. 1 rival and their battle for the Central Division title and No. 1 playoff seed in the Western Conference should add some excitement to what is often a dull final month of the season around Detroit.

What makes a true rival?  It’s not necessarily the consistent level of competition between the organizations, or friction between fan bases. It has to be both, and as many of you have said, it has to include some playoff bloodshed, or the 2007 equivalent.  Sure, the Wings and Bubba have a nice thing going when the puck drops.  But their fan base is non-existent.  They can’t average the 14k required to guarantee the team won’t leave Nashville.  The state doesn’t care.  The league is red faced for putting a team there in the first place. 

So if Bubba’s a fictional rival, the Dique are done, we’re probably not moving east to renew consistent hostilities with Toronto, who does that leave us?  Columbus? Unfortunately, no.  The BJ’s just aren’t good enough...which was tough to type.  The Blues fans hate us with every ounce of marrow in their pasty bodies.  But the team just can’t compete right now, despite their 322 draft picks they gained at the deadline.

I guess we’ll just have to wait on that one.  For now, should we be concerned with the Number 1?

Ah, yes.  The number 1 seed.  The holy grail.  The spot that has brought us so much joy the last two seasons. 

Much of myself says this: Screw the number 1 seed. Screw the President’s Trophy that brings us a first-round matchup with Calgary rather than Dallas (hopefully).  There’s only one good thing about fighting for that top seed:  it could get the Wings into a playoff frame of mind much sooner than usual. 

Naturally, if San Jose passes Dallas for the 5, everything myself just said about the 1 seed goes right down the toilet.  I don’t want anything to do with that Tank, Thornton, that Russian goalie, Guerin or the rest of them. 

So myself is conflicted.  And that’s no way for a self to be in March. 

Filed in: | Abel to Yzerman | Permalink
 

Comments

Wings were more than a little flat, but with Hasek in goal that could have been a 3-0 shutout.  With Legace in goal it would have been a 3-1 victory.  Anyone who buys that spin (Babblecock’s quote) just doesn’t know their hockey.  Osgood is not looking like the bargain that Holland was hoping for.

Posted by Gramps (hockeytowntodd) from HockeyTown on 03/05/07 at 12:08 PM ET

I thought Osgood looked a little shaky yesterday.  Wings were kind of flat through the first period.  I don’t like afternoon games because it seems like the teams take a little time to get going.  I did think the game was pretty entertaining and it was nice to see some hits and not a parade to the penalty box.

I also go back and forth about the #1 seed, I agree, it all depends on where Thornton and Co. end up.

Posted by hockeychic on 03/05/07 at 01:10 PM ET

Sorry for posting twice, I forgot to add, yes, I get sad when they go to OT as well.  There I was in a room full of Dique fans dreading the OT and unfortunately, the dread was for a good reason.  I really wanted to celebrate a victory.

Posted by hockeychic on 03/05/07 at 01:11 PM ET

Watching the game yesterday, as the seconds wound down in regulation, I said to myself; “self, do you really want to see what is going to happen in the OT, or do will you already accept the inevitable?” Being that it was only game on TV, I decided to watch.

Posted by Aaron on 03/05/07 at 02:40 PM ET

Dittos on the sinking feeling with OT.  Fortunately, it usually happens fast!  If I had a nickel everytime I left the room at the end of regulation to get an adult beverage and returned to find the game over...well, I would have a lot of nickels....

Not to mention how that sinking feeling is enhanced once the shootout starts.....

Posted by Rumbear on 03/05/07 at 03:18 PM ET

Overtime...when the money is on the table...is when the Wings REALLY miss Steve Yzerman.

Posted by w2j2 from Alpena, Michigan on 03/05/07 at 04:10 PM ET

Both OT and games that start before 7:30 PM local time aren’t pretty for the Wings.  They never show up before 7:30, whether the game starts at 7, 4, 12, you name it, until 7:30, they refuse to compete.

OT or shootouts are just bad news for Wings fans.  Hasek’s a horrible shootout goalie, Ozzie isn’t much better, and the Wings defencemen seem to believe that OT is the perfect time to illustrate the “bad pinch” at the opposition blueline that results in odd-man rushes. 

Bad news all around.

Posted by George James Malik from South Lyon, MI on 03/05/07 at 04:58 PM ET

One other thing nobody has mentioned:
Penalties, or lack of them.  Detroit had 4 minors, and the Avs had one, ONE..

With the current wide interpretation of the new rules, the referees are given a license to decide who wins the Cup.

It is tragic that Bettman has designated every player ‘00’ status (license to kill).  Leaving your feet for a deliberate headshot is ignored, and the players are free to wear gladiator armor under their jerseys with the excuse of better protection.

Posted by Gramps (hockeytowntodd) from HockeyTown on 03/05/07 at 05:23 PM ET

Gramps, I agree.  I see these hits where players are leaving their feet and I think “Charging” and nothing is called.  There is no consistency in the way games are called and I saw a lot of stuff being ignored yesterday that was being called earlier in the season.

Now Holmstrom is out indefinitely with an “upper body injury” so what happened to his knee?

Posted by hockeychic on 03/05/07 at 05:56 PM ET

I said to myself, “self, remember when old 91 wore the winged wheel and we owned the 4 on 4?” Myself said to myself, “heck yes, 91 owned both ends of the ice in ot. those were the days myself enjoyed the 4 on 4.”

Posted by RWBill from jabbing a six inch sewing needle into my eye. on 03/05/07 at 07:48 PM ET

Shouldn’t it be, ‘myself are conflicted’?

And where does that stupid question mark in the above sentence go—before or after the close-quote notation?

I’ll bet Thomas-the-Dique knows.

Posted by O-Joe on 03/06/07 at 08:41 AM ET

‘Are’ for plural, ‘is’ for singluar.  “Myselves are’ or ‘Myself is.’

The really sad thing here is that all this revolves around something modeled a horribly lame Kevin Allen bit.

Regarding the Wings 4-on-4 putridity… blah.  If the playoffs ever went 4 on 4 for OTs I’d begin to be alarmed.  Sure, it’d be nice to not have to immediately begin crying when OT starts, but that’s life.

Posted by HockeyinHD on 03/06/07 at 10:09 AM ET

Yeah, I know.  It was an obscure reference to a similar line delivered by the dumber than doughnuts ‘Woody Boyd’ character on the old sitcom, ‘Cheers.’ I used in reference to Thomas-the-Dique’s position that Wings’ fans are stupid. 

Poor effort on my part.

No need to get up.  I’ll just let myself out.

Posted by O-Joe on 03/06/07 at 10:56 AM ET

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