Entries with the tag: babcock

You Can’t Always Get What You Want

by IwoCPO on 06/14/08 at 05:47 AM
Comments (31)

But, allegedly and according to Mick, providence somehow assists in providing what your spiritual advisors determine to be your greatest need.

Interesting.

Because I’d say we have the whole “wants” thing covered.  Now? Well, now it’s up to Tick Tock to determine the “needs”. 

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Bettman:  “There’s an ‘n’ in there.  Put it in there.  Do it.”

by IwoCPO on 06/13/08 at 07:27 AM
Comments (32)

He’s only won six Norris trophies Gary.  You gave him the cup a little over a week ago.

What did you say to him then?  “Congrats Dick”?

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The Legend? It Lives On From The Chippewa On Down.  In Its Honor?  An NHL Awards Show Live Blog

by IwoCPO on 06/12/08 at 06:47 PM
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I’ll be editing this as we move along.

Gordie Howe, Lifetime Achievement Award?  Could it have gone to anyone else?

Lidstrom, Norris?  Check. Legendary.  2nd Best Ever?  Maybe.  Maybe Better.

Datsyuk, Selke? Check.  “Long speech, but English is little.”

Zetterberg, Selke? Denied, but with a big old consolation trophy.

Datsyuk, Byng? Check. There was no doubt.

Chelios, Masterson? Denied, but with a Cup, and still with a job...allegedly.

Uncle Mike Babcock, Adams?  Denied, but there is no doubt, none, who the best coach in the NHL is.

It’s a dynastic Live Blog.

Chemistry

by IwoCPO on 03/08/08 at 10:26 AM
Comments (16)

Here’s what I know about chemistry.  In tenth grade I failed it, and I mean miserably.  The innocent young maiden sitting next to me tried to help by drawing the entire periodic table on her thigh then letting me look at it during tests (and only during tests you sick bastards), but even that didn’t work.  I applaud her efforts though.  Sweet girl. Grew up on a farm, then moved to the big city to try to get into acting, only to find talent alone...nevermind.

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Lidstrom, MSM Constistency, Chelios and Another Frigging Contest

by IwoCPO on 03/07/08 at 01:36 PM
Comments (2)

Pierre LeBrun, on Toronto’s Fan 590, said earlier that Lidstrom is going to have to convince Uncle Mike he’s ready if he expects to play this Sunday, that the staff will take exactly zero chances on a re-injury.  Good.

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McCarty In Detroit With Hurt Ribs

by IwoCPO on 03/07/08 at 07:56 AM
Comments (11)

0848: Updated below with a welcome note to Mac from an unlikely source.

Paul pointed you to the Chelios interview yesterday, during which Jimmy D Jr. said he believed Darren McCarty was already back in Detroit.  Of course, that led to speculation that he could play as early as Sunday against Bubba.  Ted Kulfan, former Deep Digger captain, says...not so fast.

Darren McCarty is coming to Detroit quicker than expected but not to play. McCarty is bothered by a rib cartilage injury suffered last weekend while playing with Grand Rapids of the American Hockey League. He will be examined by Wings trainers Friday and will not be on the ice.

General manager Ken Holland said trainers will determine whether McCarty is able to play with the Griffins Saturday in Cleveland. McCarty was held out of Thursday’s Griffins game in Milwaukee.

“We’re going to see if he’s able to play,” Holland said. “Right now, he’s not able to play. It’s nothing more than day to day.”

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Train Delay

by IwoCPO on 03/06/08 at 08:04 AM
Comments (30)

I didn’t see the hit on Kopecky, and I didn’t see Downey’s antics, and I didn’t see Rafalski’s body slam of a guy who outweighs him by thirty pounds.  No, I wasn’t passed out.  Damn you all for thinking that.

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“That Is One Crazy Motherf…”

by IwoCPO on 12/08/07 at 08:55 AM
Comments (8)

Updated 1051 EST: Just for fun, read through the list of comments at Russo’s Rant’s blog from last night.  Amazing how the tone changed over the course of three hours.  Includes a good comment from Matt Saler from OtW.

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I put that in quotes because I guarantee those were the exact words shouted, whispered in awe or uttered from father to son accompanied by a hearty back slap last night at 2153 EST. 

And it’s true.  With a shutout just moments away and the memory of watching Chris Osgood start seven consecutive games still very fresh in his cluttered mind, our Czech Miracle of Insanity returned to his sociopathic self and gave us a wakeup call.  I’m almost shocked he didn’t point at the cameras after his takedown of Gaborik and say…

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Kevin Allen On The Wings

by IwoCPO on 11/30/07 at 07:37 PM
Comments (5)

Don’t get all excited. It’s a day old.  But I just read again the transcript of the Allen interview with Stoney and Bandwagon Bob (Wojo) on WDFN and a few things jumped out at me that I think deserve my genius analysis.

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It’s Osgood…Again

by IwoCPO on 11/30/07 at 04:55 PM
Comments (4)

Khan(!)’s report from practice.

Chris Osgood will start for the sixth time in the last seven games Saturday against Phoenix, coach Mike Babcock said after practice Friday. Dominik Hasek will start the next game, Tuesday in Montreal.

“Ozzie’s playing good, but I need to get Dom back in there and get him rolling, too,’’ Babcock said. “It’ll be a good environment in Montreal, a tough test, a good opportunity.’’

Also reports that Maltby’s out tomorrow, Ellis is in.

Re-Thinking The Official A2Y Stance on Hudler

by IwoCPO on 11/30/07 at 08:33 AM
Comments (10)

I’m a big guy.  In stature?  Perhaps not.  But, emotionally?  Huge.  It takes a strong man to do something like this.

December 15th, 2006/Me

What is the infatuation with this kid?  Who in the organization is so tied to him that we can’t jettison him? Is Hudler better than Rem Murray or Boyd Devereaux...two players the Wings passed on the last two training camps?  Can anyone tell me Hudler fits into the Babcock system...at all?

At what point does wasting a roster spot on his potential become too cumbersome?

Through 25 games last year?  4 points, all goals.  I had lit the torches.  Lit them, ran with them through the village.  “Hudler must go,” I said. 

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Proof Positive

by IwoCPO on 10/27/07 at 07:00 AM
Comments (17)

Stu Nahan, in the second round of the second Balboa/Creed fight, said, “...and I thought Balboa took a beating the first time these two fought but this is a butchering.  That’s what it is, plain old butchering.” Rocky, of course, eventually wore the Master of Disaster down, waited until the 13th to break a few more of his ribs, then miraculously rose to his feet as the Spectrum crowd sobbed in joy.  It was, as Rocky would tell you, the greatest moment of his life--with the exception of his kid being born.

Last night was, as Stu would tell you, a butchering from start to finish.  Every facet. Every shift. San Jose can go 65 and 5 the rest of the way, but they’re not beating Detroit in a playoff series.  Not after last May and not after last night.

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Saturday Issues

by IwoCPO on 10/06/07 at 08:56 AM
Comments (4)

First a few congratulations are in order.  Gramps is back.  Grampa Pinhead, who has served as the A2Y logic czar since our inception a few years ago, has brought back his own blog: HockeytownTodd.  If you’re familiar with Gramps’ comments at our site, you know he’s traditional, cranky and caustic.  Great reading and always a source for stats you won’t find anywhere else.

Secondly, Behind The Jersey has been selected hockey’s tenth best blog by Sports Business Daily.  Visit BTJ to see which other hockey bloggers made the cut.  I’ll let you know when Cracked comes out with their rankings. I’m sure I’ll be in there somewhere.

Oh, and back to Gramps for a second…

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No Matter What, Grigorenko Staying Stateside…I Think

by IwoCPO on 09/21/07 at 01:02 PM
Comments (15)

Gotta give your boy George Malik credit.  When Wing news hits those pulsing Russian news wires, he’s on it like....(insert Bubba line here.  I’ve exhausted all mine.)

Today?  Igor Grigorenko tells some Russian writer for some Russian paper that he’s done with the mother country come Detroit or Grand Rapids.

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Deep Diggers Unite In Attempt To Actually Lower Standards

by IwoCPO on 09/18/07 at 06:32 AM
Comments (4)

Exhibition season opens tonite in The State of Hockey and with it Mike Babcock heads into his third year of playing “Mess with the Diggers’ Heads.” If there’s a bigger lying liar than Babcock, prove it.  He’s spent his first two years shaking his head in amazement as the Wing beat writers take everything he says as actual fact. 

April 2006, according to my notes.
Babcock: “It may look like Hank’s back is hurting but it’s really a migraine thing that makes him walk funny, which isn’t funny, but it still isn’t a back, which would be bad because backs are a bitch.”
Khan(!): “Word for word Mike?”
Babcock: “Word for word. Every last b-word Ansar. Every one of them, all in a row just like the pretty maids on Hotel California.”
Khan(!): “Done.”

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Causing The Least Amount of Damage

by IwoCPO on 09/17/07 at 11:54 AM
Comments (9)

Aaron Downey will beat the hell out of you, but apparently can’t hit Keith Tkachuk in the ass with a puck from four feet away.  Brent Sopel can blast a puck by the best goalies in the league, but his efforts in TC showed us he’ll just as likely give it away quicker than Bubba’s sister at a family reunion.  Igor Grigorenko has all sorts of talent and “hockey sense” but can’t skate for twenty seconds without pulling out the puffer. 

And so it looks like Uncles Kenny and Mikey have to make a few decisions based on potential and who’s going to hurt the team the least.

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Khan(!): Uncle Mike Views Sopel As Top 4 Guy

by IwoCPO on 09/12/07 at 03:12 PM
Comments (7)

Ansar Khan(!) was handing out balloons as the Wings boarded busses for the trip to TC today.  He found a few minutes to throw a few questions at his primary antagonist, Mike Babcock.  One subject was potential diamond in the rough Brent Sopel.

On veteran defenseman Brent Sopel, in camp on a tryout: “I think he has a chance to be a real good fit for us. He can shoot the puck, he can skate with the puck. He’s got to take (away) some of the erratic play he’s had. (Wings assistant coach) Todd McClellan coached him juniors, I’ve known him since he was a kid, we have a real good feel for him and think he’s a top-four NHL defenseman. Now, just because we think it doesn’t mean anything, he’s got to relax and let his skill come to the forefront and show us what he brings (though the preseason).’’

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Babcock In Mid-Season Form

by IwoCPO on 09/12/07 at 05:25 AM
Comments (0)

Nobody brings out the statesman in Mike Babcock like Teddy Kulfan.  Allegedly the Detroit News beat writer, Kulfan exchanged couch-side text messages with the Wing head coach yesterday.  The result?  Our first Mike Babcock Consolidated Quote of the Day for 2007-’08.

MBCQOTD 12 Sept 2007
“I like our team Teddy.  I like it. I liked it last year and I’m liking it today almost as much as I like string cheese even though I never tear off the pieces of string, just eat it in three bites. Everybody likes their team now though, until about November when you know they won’t be liking anything in Columbus.  Nah, kidding Teddy. Don’t write that. Write this: I’m driving the bus to TC. Kenny told me so. Guaranteed it. You know, lots of people said we wouldn’t make the playoffs last year but we made them then stayed in ‘em for a long, long time. A really long time. Like weeks. Planning on doing that again.  Driver gets to pick the music on the bus.  Got “Rumours” all cued up for the boys.”

Sipple: Cleary Ready For Big Year

by IwoCPO on 09/12/07 at 04:58 AM
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JV Deep Digger George Sipple, still trying to make his mark in a town that is bursting at the seams with ambitious beat writers, caught up with Dan Cleary and Kris Draper yesterday.  Undoubtedly, Mike Babcock will be relieved to read that both players approve of the lines he’s tentatively floated, the same lines that will change approximately 233 times before Christmas.

“When I look at our team and the depth that we have, obviously management believes we can do it from within,” Cleary said. “Filppula—great young talent. Hudler, Franzen all have the ability to make up the second line.”

Draper agreed.

“You look at Filppula; you look at the year Clears had last year,” Draper said. “From the sounds of it, Pav and Hank are each going to play center. So we can still have a balance of some good lines.”

More from Sipple.

Previewing The Division That Gary Built:  Third Man In and The Hawks

by IwoCPO on 09/11/07 at 05:27 AM
Comments (2)

Dave at Gorilla Crouch is an ambitious dude.  About a month ago he started sending out emails that sounded all official, suggesting Central Division bloggers join forces for one big, fat look at the Division Gary Gave Us.  He laid out a schedule, wrote us some promotional verbiage and set the stage for a three-week bonanza.

Today, Chris at Third Man In starts us off with a look at the team that Wirtz Tried To Destroy.  Things are looking up in Chicago.  And why wouldn’t they with The Enigma on board?

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News From TC: Little Wings

by IwoCPO on 09/08/07 at 07:47 AM
Comments (5)

As part of the site’s re-design, I canvassed the 9 A2Y regulars.  I emailed each one claiming I was the widow of a deposed Liberian dictator and that I had millions to place in their bank accounts for safe keeping until I could retrieve it.  Naturally, each regular responded quickly with their account information.  I plan to embezzle twenty dollars from each and send the money directly to Dwayne Klessel so that I can have access to only the hottest rumors.

I also listened to them when they said they wanted more info on Wing prospects, that fans in Hockeytown are hungry for news from TC.  Actually, I haven’t canvassed anyone, no one’s said a word to me about more news on the prospects and that number is really 8, not 9.

Regardless, the kids hit Center I.C.E last night. 

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Bye Bubba

by IwoCPO on 11/10/06 at 09:59 PM
Comments (1)