I occasionally correspond with Mr Frei since I live locally here in CO.  I think some of his comments were directed a myself yesterday.  I encouraged him to come on down and see me before the game today with my sons.  He will definetely know were here tonite.  The streak ends tonite.  Go Wings!

Grew-up in Marine City, MI, just north of Detroit (from birth to age 25).  Living now in the Wind-Swept Plains of no-where, I last saw the Wings at the AAC in Dallas, in January ‘06 (wanted to be sure to see Stevie Y for what I thought might be my last opportunity).  Spent the weekend in Dallas with the fam.  Rode the e-train from the hotel to the game.  Lots of Stars fans on it. 

My, then 13 y/o, son and I shelled out $200 each for lower bowl seats.  We each wore the Winged Wheel Jersey.  Went early to catch the pre-game warm-up and skate.  Separated by only plexi-glass, from “the Captain”, Lidstrom, Z, etc.

The Wings lost in a shootout.  But it was an exciting game. 

I have to tell you, my son and I encountered nothing but “good natured” ribbing from Star fan.  Indeed, they were generally polite and helpful (I had not been to the AAC before) getting my son and I on the right trains.

Oh, and I would venture to say that nearly 20% of fans at that particular game had on Wing gear.

Have always been a fan of the “local team”, always will be (I think its like your taste in music—most people (myself included) have a fondness for what they grew up with).  My son and I both have a wardrobe full of “hometeam” gear (well except for Lion gear—even I’m too embarassed to wear that—in football season it is U-Of-M).  Son’s bedroom is our shrine to all things Michigan sports.

Frei makes it sound like some sort of disloyalty—why?  And maybe more importantly who cares?

Must have had nothing else to write about is all I can guess. 

On yesterdays game.  Thought the Wings played with much more intensity.  Still having defensively lapses too frequently.  Lilja left Howard out to dry on the lone goal.  Howard was brilliant. 

But the Wings lack of scoring is kinda scarry.  I think the main problem is injury bug to Raffi and Kronwall. Nick is really the only D-man that can consistently generate attack from the Wing zone.

At least they gave a good effort—something sorely missed these past several games.

I’ve never been forced to move from Michigan since I became a Wings fan, so I can’t empathize with the transplants. But in my opinion, if you can switch your allegiances that easily (especially to a hated rival), then you were never a real fan to begin with. I, for one, love seeing Red Wings jerseys in other arenas.

Born and raised in the Ace-Deuce, and while I left in my early twenties because another couhtry could offer me better prospects than I had in southeast Michigan, I can’t even understand why I’d all of a sudden stop cheering on the Wings, Tigers, Pistons, U of M and even the Lions, and stop hating OSU and the Avs just because I live somewhere else.  Of course, I have it easy because I don’t give a crap about soccer and my friends don’t give a crap about hockey, baseball, basketball, or football-- except for the fans of the local hockey team, but I see all sorts of jerseys when I go to games there-- mostly NHL teams.  My Wings jerseys get respect and more importantly, knowledgable comments and conversation.  But it’s always friendly.  All respect to those fans like the Chief and Hockeychic and Jeff who fly the flag in enemy territory.  Moritari te salutant.

Still.  Doesn’t mean that I’m going to act superior to one of my closest friends, from Columbus and a die-hard Buckeye fan.  Terry Frei is an anguished little wad-sack.

Well I guess, I’m one of those people you can dump on.  When I first moved out here, there was no NHL hockey. Zip.  Then when the announced that a team was moving here, I vowed to support it because I wanted NHL hockey to work here, I wanted to be able to see it so I could watch my Wings and enjoy the other teams.  So I have had tickets for the Avs ever since that first season.  When the Wings come to town, I’m there, decked out in my Winged Wheel, waving my flag, cheering on my team.  Otherwise, I’m cheering for the Avs though that has decreased somewhat over the years and now I just sort of observe them more than actively cheer them on.  But hey, it is still NHL hockey and I’m lucky enough to see it. 

I will always support the Wings first and foremost but I also support NHL hockey as much as Gary tries to ruin it.

By the way, I would really like to get off the stress train.  Can the Wings please win tonight?  PLEASE!!!

I’ve moved in and out of Michigan, but never too close to any other place that had a hockey team.  Generally rooted for the Michigan teams I grew up with, though.

I don’t have any problems with either remaining loyal to the team you grew up with or switching to the new hometown team - just don’t act as though because your team is doing better that means that you are also an inherently superior person to the fans of other teams.  It has nothing to do with you.

What does bug me is someone who looks at the tradition and records of the teams and decides who to be a fan of based entirely on that - the blatant front-runners.  Someone who lives in Nebraska and decides their favorite hockey team is the Red Wings, their favorite football team is the Patriots, their favorite basketball team is the Lakers, and their favorite baseball team is the Yankees - just because they have so little color in their drab lives that it makes them feel important if a bunch of athletes they have no connection with win games.  Feeling happy when your team wins and bummed when they lose is normal - living vicariously to the extent that you wear black for a week after a loss and lord it over everyone else as though you actually contributed something to the victory after a big win is not.  At that point you should get a life of your own and stop trying to live through another.

My Mom actually is a transplant of sorts.  She grew up around Chicago as a Blackhawk fan (they were good then - she was in high school when they won their last Cup) but has lived in Michigan since she and my Dad moved here after he got out of the military and found a job.  She despised the Chicago ownership and what they did to the team, but still has a soft spot for them and is glad to see them doing well since that was the team that taught her hockey.

I think, in a series between Chicago and Detroit, it would be tricky for her to choose...but she would go with the Blackhawks since they have had so little recent success, and I can understand that.

She’ll never switch from Bears to Lions, thank goodness.  My brothers both cheer for the Bears anyway - they don’t like minor-league football. 

Okay, I knew it was a mistake to read the whole Frei piece, but I did it anyway, and now I’m ticked off.

If you are going to acknowledge that it is fine to be a fan of another team, and accept that it’s okay to root for someone other than the home team, than don’t pepper your writing with more “buts” than you’d see at a clothing-optional beach on an especially hot day in August.

You repeatedly say it’s fine, but it still bugs you.

You know what that makes you, Teri?

A petty, small-minded, short-sighted, provincial little ass.  If you don’t like the fact that transplants, by their very presense, have the gall to remind the long-time residents that the city is no longer “theirs” by being uppity and talking about where they grew up, then you frigging move to a cave somewhere so you don’t have to get your nose out of joint seeing the plethora of “outsiders” ruining your town.

And there are many reasons to move away from someplace they think is great - college, a job, military service, marriage, climate, or because they realize that they are romanticising it but that is what people do about their childhood.

Not to mention that he does the unpardonably stupid in telling other people how to be a fan.  Stop being a bossy jackass and telling other people how to act, and realize that hockey in the US isn’t exactly so well endowed with fans that they can afford be selective.  Ever heard “beggars can’t be choosers,” Frei?

Asking people to act like semi-civilized human beings at a sporting event is fine - asking them to refrain from cheering because it irks you that not everyone is a Stepford resident is not.

Someone shoot him - not dead, just with painballs impregnated with itching powder or something.  What an idiot.

I guess it makes sense that a Raleigh resident would naturally hate her brothers and sisters from the next state over...Michigan.  I’m sure that dislike was firmly entrenched before ‘02.  I’m positive that’s the case.

Because, of course, I didn’t know anything about hockey until 1997 and haven’t lived anywhere BUT North Carolina.

Clearly.

It always warms my heart to wander around the various venues and see all the Winged Wheels in attendance.  Shark Tank, Staples Center and the Honda Ponda all have heavy doses of Red & White when the boys are in town. Seems to be a jump on the bandwagon effect....nevertheless, c’mon aboard and enjoy the ride for a nite. I view it more as a public service, you know kind of an ambassador from Hockeytown. Just smile and wave, smile and wave....

Smug?  You bet, deal with it.

Now if I can figure out how to write off the high cost of this public service....ticket price...$320.00 per seat to get near the glass on the last go round with the Ducks.

Damn Baroque, remind me not to write anything stupid in the near future...aside from my usual drugged up drivel

Damn Baroque, remind me not to write anything stupid in the near future...aside from my usual drugged up drivel

As long as it’s funny it has socially redeeming value! 

I have had to deal with this same type of stuff for years, 10 to be exact.  That’s how many years our friends, the Predaturds, have been in existance.  I moved to Tennessee when I was 15 due to my father getting laid off at GM.  When the Saturn plant came calling, we moved.  But I have ALWAYS been and ALWAYS will be a Detroit/University of Michigan sports fan.  I remember in 1998 I was at a Wings game here against Nashville.  I was decked out in my Red Wings jersey, one of 12 I have in my closet thank you, and I just so happened to be sitting across the aisle from a Predators fan, amazing, I know.  Well, as luck would have it, the Predators ended up leading the game 2-1 early, and this guy across from me was just spouting off jibberish about how could I possibly like the Red Wings living in Tennessee and so on and so forth.  I ignored him for a while, until I finally had enough of his ignorant diatribe.  I turned to him and said “who did you root for last season?” He didn’t have anything to say after that, and he really didn’t have anything to say once the score was 6-3 Wings.  That’s the major thing that pisses me off about being a Wings fan and living out of town.  Everyone wants to talk trash when they beat us, but they don’t say a damn thing when we beat them.  My boss is a Predators season-ticket holder.  He’s a good guy and a pleasure to talk hockey with because he’s a transplant too, so he’s a SMART hockey fan.  But if we beat the Predators, I don’t hear a word out of him.  One thing I like about living down here is that I have a hockey team I really hate and can enjoy hating.  Last season, when the Sharks beat the Predators in the first round of the playoffs (again), I took it upon myself to playfully wear my Sharks jersey in public (yes, I have a Sharks jersey.  I actually have 80 jerseys total, since I collect them).  It was fun wearing it, but nobody saw fit to say anything to me, I can’t imagine why.  I guess my point of all of this is that it doesn’t matter where you move to, you can root for whomever you want.  In this day in age, with all of the technology we have like the internet and NHL Center Ice (which I have had for 4 seasons and is worth every penny), it makes no difference who you’re favorite team is.  Just because some ass clown down the street may root for the Predators, doesn’t mean I have to just because I live on the same road. 
Chief, great topic.  This one really hit home for me.  By the way, I don’t get a whole lot of time to post on here, but I do come here and read all the time, so could I be the 20th regular?
Oh, and while I’m at it, Acid Queen, don’t be bitter. 

Long time reader, first time poster

When I first read Terry’s attempt at journalism on ESPN I was mad, but then again its coming from a Dive fan so I looked the other way. I came over to A2Y and see the same thing so I figured it was about time I give my opinion around “transplants”. I was born in Farmington and my father was laid off from GM. After several years of busting his ass to put food on the table the chance to move to south for Saturn came about. At the time I was 13 and wasn’t interested in moving. Gone were the days of youth hockey, Michigan football, and my beloved Wings. Several years later the Predators show up, Bubba as you rightfully call them and the only thing I could think of was when are the Wings coming to town. So they’ve been playing here for 9 years and I cherish those 4 games a year like there is nothing better on earth. For Terry to suggest that I move on is a kick in the groin. There are PredWings fans here and I despise them. I have no respect for someone that roots for one team 78 games out of the year and another team for the rest. If you choose to give up on your roots then you weren’t firmly entrenched to begin with. So, while attending Bubba’s games I proudly support MY TEAM, I don’t look to start trouble but there have been a few times that they took their frustration out on me. Every team in any league has fans that act arrogant, it’s the nature of the beast. If the Wings ever resorted back to their futility that plagued them from the 60’s to the 80’s I would still stand by them. People move to new towns all the time, some of them never forget where they come from and I’m one of em. Proudly supporting the Wings, Tigers, Pistons, U of M, and even the Lions in honkeytonk. For if I had been born somewhere else I may never have had the pleasure to play, watch, and respect the beautiful game that is hockey.

D town, sounds to me like we are in exactly the same boat.  I came down to Tennessee from Ann Arbor, and like you, have never even entertained the thought of switching any of my athletic allegiances.  It too chaps my ass to hear some people down here say “Well I used to be a Red Wings fan, but I root for the Predators now”.  I am also of the opinion that there is no “used to” when it comes to being a Wings fan.  Either you are or you never were, geography hasn’t a damn thing to do with it.  Nice to see that there’s someone else down here with some good sense.

Well, I just finished reading the whole article on ESPN.  I had only previously read a portion which was reprinted in yesterday’s Denver Post. Terry tried to mask the article as something that goes on nationally.  I know it does, but he is Denver based and who he is really writing about is us transplanters here in Colorado that flood to the Pepsi Center in Denver.  He cannot stand it. He is a Divealanche homer period.  He has written about this before, and I have corresponded with him on this matter.  He even stole my line about the “Turnip Truck” in his article that I used with him before.  Nothing would be better than the Wings end the streak tonight in the “Can”.  All us “obnoxious” fans down there will drive him nuts. The one thing from living here since the Dive was invented in 1995 is they had too much instant success.  Their so called educated fans were spoiled.  Now they should/hopefully go through some hard times just like other true fans have had to go through.  Red Wing fans have had to go through these times in the past if you were a fan long enough.

Chris in Columbia we are in the same boat, hopefully that boat will be docked on the Detroit River come June.

D town, I hope that happens, I’ll meet you at Hart Plaza

My family and I moved out of michigan when I was 13 during the recession in 82. I never changed who I rooted for. To tell ya the truth, I wouldn’t know how to change. Even if I could, I’d feel too much like a trader if I did. Michigan and their sports teams are a part of who I am. I love going to an oposing rink or ballpark and see people wearing jerseys from my home state. Those people are my brothers and sisters, my clan. And for that fact to tick Frei off, well thats actually a bonus. Frei must be a sad individual because there are millions of us around the country. Heck, a large portion of the entire south is made up of transients.

I’m just glad we have the internet and all those tv sports packages now. Back when we first moved, I had to read box scores and small little AP stories to keep up with my Tigers and UM football. Redwing hockey was impossible to follow because they didn’t even post hockey standings in the sports pages of the florida papers back then.

Great comments from all my fellow transplants.  Chris from Columbia, TN:  you can’t be number 20, but you are 19.  Not sure why but we always lose one just as we’re picking up another. The number of readers never exceeds 19.  Crazy.

Thanks, Chief.  I think that I can handle being #19 in a forum called Abel to Yzerman, that’s bad-a**!!

first time poster:

I grew up in Sidney, OH (3 hours south of Detroit on I-75) and when I was growing up (I’m 24) the closest team in the NHL was the Red Wings, so logically I rooted for them.  I also have roots in Michigan, as my mom is from Ludington and all of her family still lives up there and in the UP. (on a side note my dad is from Dayton, OH and brainwashed me at an early age to be an OSU fan, so don’t hold it against me) So when the BJs come to Cbus, I’m supposed to be a super fan and drop my love for the wings?  I think not Frei.  I follow the team and root for them when they aren’t playing the wings, but you’ll find me donning a winged wheel in Nationwide (along with 50% of the crowd) when Detroit is in town.  Does make me a bad fan Frei?  On another side note, every time I’ve gone to the game in Cbus the BJs fans have been super nice and willing to have intelligent conversations about Hockey.  cheers!