Abel to Yzerman
Ship at Sea
by IwoCPO on 09/01/10 at 06:03 PM ET
Comments (41)
It’s 1 September and I’m still floating, providing a steadfast blanket of protection to the coast of Southern California. Expected return to civilization and internet connectivity is in approximately 36 hours. Breakfast this morning with a few visitors to the warship: one from Pittsburgh, one from Chicago. Odd that both of these fans of the Pens and Hawks agree with us re: Rosby and the Hawks chances this season.
Get Malik to TC. Do it here via PayPal and contribute using George’s email: rtxg at yahoo
Filed in: | Abel to Yzerman | Permalink
A Fan Asks Gary Bettman For Answers: Transcribing Fingernails On A Chalkboard
by VooX on 08/27/10 at 03:35 PM ET
Comments (94)
A lot of people find it difficult to listen to Bettman interviews. Some mentioned in the comment section of this post that they couldn’t listen to all of my interview with Gary at the recent Shanahan Summit.
The A2Y interns are not fans of Bettman, either. When I asked them to transcribe our interview, they kept muttering something about wanting hazard pay and trauma counseling for the job. Knowing A2Y’s budget has been blown on hookers, puppies, fire-trucks, and H2H bail, I sent them home and started to transcribe my interview with Gary Bettman myself.
As part of A2Y’s fair and biased forum, I will simply give you the transcript of our interview now. I’ll save my commentary for another post, including my feelings on Gary Bettman referring to the 2004-2005 lockout as “the offseason”.
Filed in: | Abel to Yzerman | Permalink
Abby Got Me Off, Man
by VooX on 08/23/10 at 06:12 PM ET
Comments (117)
Home Keys is on board. The Emperor told me. Two years at $787,500 each. The kid bought in. He and Helm will be the cornerstones of our Red Corvette energy line for years to come.
Pretend you are an NHL coach, like the Douche Canoe pretends to have been, and you are facing our Red Wings:
The Flying Circus (Zetterman—Dangle—Angry Chipmunk)
Todd-berculosis—Hairdresser—Mule
Happy—Chopper Willa—Charlie Buckets
The Red Corvettes (Home Keys—God—Eaves/Draper/??)
You know you can’t possibly stop the onslaught that will come for 60 minutes. A full game. All lines rolling. Without mercy.
The Flying Circus will dazzle you with acrobatics. The Red Corvettes out-gun you and beat you in the corners. The Hairdresser and Chopper Willa blind your skaters with their whitened teeth. Their line mates, men with addictions to hookers, baby’s blood, top corners, and 180-proof screech, will molest your goaltender unabated. Games against the Red Wings will come with viewer discretion warnings for graphic content, like Law & Order: SVU.
Welcome to your nightmare, NHL, the Red Wings are rested and ready to bring Stanley home.
Filed in: | Abel to Yzerman | Permalink
You Can’t Always Get What You Want. But If You Try Sometimes, You Might Find, You Get What You Need
by VooX on 08/21/10 at 06:49 PM ET
Comments (75)
“You can’t have everything,” Jim Nill said to me a few times. I didn’t record our conversations, it just didn’t feel right, but those words stuck in my head.
In the past, he said, the Wings would go and get any player they wanted, the only limiting factor was price. Today, value is another important factor.
He went on to say the dedication to win comes from the top. Mike and Marian on down. “1A and 1B” as he called them.
The Ilitch family was determined to bring Modano to Detroit. Nill stated that Mike Ilitch wanted Modano very badly because of his local history, including the Little Caesar’s program as a kid, which was very important to Ilitch. He also wanted Modano because he knew he could get him at the right price.
The Wings have realistic expectations with Modano. While they don’t expect him to get 30 goals anymore, 30 assists is a reasonable expectation. If he was the Modano of three years ago, we wouldn’t have been able to afford him under the cap.
What Nill had to say about the cap itself, took me completely by surprise.
Filed in: | Abel to Yzerman | Permalink
Counting Tuesdays With The Chief
by VooX on 08/21/10 at 01:50 AM ET
Comments (26)
Counting Tuesdays With The Chief. That will be the title of my first book. I’ll write that my Red Smith Award for outstanding contributions to sports journalism was my inspiration in the introduction.
Recently I played a dirty trick on everybody. In two posts, here and here, I copied Mitch Albom articles, almost verbatim, in which he fabricated a story and then confessed his amoral ways a couple of days later.
It was wrong to bring the Delicate Genius to the blog. Wrong to steal his lies and bring them to such a fine forum. It was a satirical commentary on faux journalists like Mitch Albom, it had to be done.
It is too easy for someone with access to fake the facts. Too easy to surround a few quotes with paragraphs of drivel. It is tempting to betray the trust of the fans and the readers in the pursuit of selfish desires. Writing sports stories isn’t about enhancing reality by spicing up quotes. Writing sports stories is about telling the truth and bringing people with you to experience the moment. It shouldn’t be up to a faux journalist like me to remind paid journalists that. They are supposed to hold the truth sacred.
Apparently not everybody got the joke.
George Malik, showoff blogger and recent KK addition, sent me this email yesterday after I came clean and apologized via email for misleading him:
There is ONLY one tenet regarding blogging as “journalism” or anything near it--
“Don’t make shit up” --and you violated that tenet. Don’t do it again.
Filed in: | Abel to Yzerman | Permalink
A Fan Asks Gary Bettman For Answers
by VooX on 08/20/10 at 12:28 PM ET
Comments (51)
Gary Bettman was willing to talk to me, a fan not a journalist, and I appreciate that. I really do.
Anyone who follows A2Y knows that the 19 are not kind to Bettman. We call him Li’l Gary in derision. We thank him and then call him an ass. Grown-up stuff like that, and worse. Much worse.
Gary still chose to let me interview him at the Shanahan Summit. He didn’t have to, many others wouldn’t, but he did.
And if Gary Bettman chooses to speak with me again, and I hope he does, I want him to understand his interviews will always be given fair coverage at Abel to Yzerman. Nothing will be taken out-of-context. Ever.
Gary Bettman, and everybody else, will always be given a fair and biased forum at A2Y to voice their ideas, opinions, and rebuttals. We are passionate Red Wings fans, and extremely biased, yet will treat everyone fairly who comes to talk with us. Once you had a chance to voice your opinion, the 19 will tell you what they think about it. They always do.
After the jump, my interview with Gary Bettman. Unedited. I comment on the interview later, for now you will hear it as it happened.
If you do end up reading this: Thanks Gary.
Filed in: | Abel to Yzerman | Permalink
I Owe You An Apology For Last Night’s Column: Here It Is
by VooX on 08/19/10 at 05:00 PM ET
Comments (36)
To our readers: I made an assumption in a column last night. It was a bad move. In a column written Tuesday for our Wednesday Shanahan Summit coverage, I assumed that what I had been told by Tim Kennedy and Justin Abdelkader had indeed happened, that they had indeed flown to Shanny’s Jig, and sat in the stands together rooting on the prospects playing in the camp. That was their plan. Both told me so in separate interviews. Because the column had to be filed on Tuesday afternoon, but appeared Wednesday night, I wrote it in the past tense, as if it already had happened.
Filed in: | Abel to Yzerman | Permalink
Shanny’s Jig Wraps Up And Clarifying Yellow Lines On The Ice
by VooX on 08/19/10 at 02:30 PM ET
Comments (40)
Update - 17:15 -Puck Daddy objects to my use of “misconceptions” when linking his article. While I was referring to misconceptions on the Gore in general, and not his article specifically, I should have been clearer. That being said, did anyone else other than Greg notice or care in the first place?
Looking around the Gore, I noticed there has been some confusion regarding a rule change experiment I neglected to mention yesterday.
During Wednesday’s second session, the one with the traffic light face-off circles, a second goal line was added. It was painted yellow, and contrary to some misconceptions, was not a virtual line but a real one painted slightly more than a puck’s width (3") behind the goal line.
Along with hybrid icing, this may be a change which becomes a rule shortly. I asked if Jim Nill would push to have it named the “Brad May Goal-line” but he only chuckled and would neither confirm nor deny this.
The idea is that on an overhead replay (which can be obstructed by the crossbar) or a behind the net replay, which has perspective issues with the goal line, if the puck is shown to touch the yellow line, the puck MUST have fully passed over the real goal line.
It makes so much sense, the NHL likely won’t adopt it. But that’s my tinfoil hat talking.
Updates from today’s session after the jump.
Filed in: | Abel to Yzerman | Permalink
Longing For Another Slice Of Little Caesar’s Pizza
by VooX on 08/19/10 at 12:35 AM ET
Comments (28)
In the audience Wednesday at the Shanahan Summit, among the 400 puck bunnies, sales executives, movie producers, parents, contest winners, beer guzzlers, hip-hop stars and lucky locals who knew somebody who knew somebody, there were two former stars for Michigan State, Justin Abdelkader and Tim Kennedy.
They sat in the stands, in their MSU clothing, and rooted on the prospects. They were teammates in the magical 2007 season, when the Spartans won it all. Both now play in the NHL, Abdelkader for the Red Wings, Kennedy for Buffalo.
And both made it a point to fly in from wherever they were in their professional schedule just to sit together Wednesday. Abdelkader, who could earn millions, flew by Ilitch’s private plane. Cleaves, who’s just been bought out by the Sabres, walked.
It was loyalty, sure. And it was exciting, no doubt. But in talking to both players, it was more than that. It was a chance to do something almost all of us would love to do: recapture, for a few hours, the best time of their lives, bitches.
Filed in: | Abel to Yzerman | Permalink
We Complain, But We Love It
by VooX on 08/18/10 at 10:30 PM ET
Comments (41)
It’s been a full day. One full of many choices.
The first choice, how to act. I told Paul I didn’t want to go as a journalist. I’m a fan. That is key. I also told him that I wouldn’t do anything to take food off his table. I’m given a long leash here, but I know better than to bite the hand that feeds.
The second choice, what I was going to do. My initial plans didn’t work out. I’ve engineered hundreds of press conferences, and have access to some pretty interesting toys. Initially, I was going to bring a friend with a broadcast HD video camera. I would have had better video and sound gear than most of the media had, and bingo-bango “A2Y in HD” is born.
Fortunately, my videographer buddy made a run for the Mexican border yesterday, a long story, and I realized it was an omen.
I am not a journalist, I’m a fan. Fans don’t bring professional cameras or recorders to games. We’re fans, we bring passion. And a lot of noise.
So I decided to ditch the gear and ride dirty. I brought what I normally carry in my pant and blazer pockets: an iPhone, a pen, and a small notepad. And no research in advance.
I don’t need any fancy toys to show the Deep Diggers how it’s done.
Below the jump, summary of the second session of rule changes, more from Jim Nill, and Bettman talks about A2Y.
Filed in: | Abel to Yzerman | Permalink
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 Next »
Page rendered in 1.1339 seconds
Total Entries: 45605
Total Comments: 283048
Total Members: 2699
Total Logged in members: 10
Total guests: 209
Total anonymous users: 1
The most visitors ever was 2044 on 01/29/2010 03:14 pm
About Abel to Yzerman
Welcome to Abel to Yzerman, a Red Wing blog since 1977. No other site on the internet has better-researched, fact-laden and better prepared discussions than A2Y. Re-phrase: we do little research, find facts and stats highly overrated and claim little to no preparation. There are 19 readers of A2Y. No more, no less. All of them, except maybe one, are juvenile in nature. Reminding them of that in the comment section will only encourage them to prove that. Your suggestions and critiques are welcome:
Check the latest NHL odds at the Internet’s most trusted online sportsbook
Canadian players can also bet on NHL games at the Canadian sports betting site
Recent Blog Posts (Page 2)
Things You’d Like To Ask Li’l Gary And Something You’ve Never, Ever, Heard Said About Rosby
Biased, Unprofessional and Verbose
Yet Another Note To Kulfan And The Message Remains: STFU
Wings Welcome Back Chris Chelios. First Order of Business? STFU
A2Y Stuff
-----------------------------
Wanna Feel Smart?
Does confusion make you sad? When you read words like "enigma" and phrases like "Thanks Gary. Ass", do you wonder why mean people speak in languages you don't understand? Fret no longer friend! The A2Y Glossary will bring you great joy and enlightenment.
-----------------------------
How Others View The A2Y 19
"Like them or hate them, it's not a good idea to start a battle with "the 19" and the Chief. 'Nuff said."
--Astute reader at Dater's All Things Avs
"Hell, I guarantee the content co-opters at Abel to Yzerman were about to link this article under the heading “Bitter Blues Fans” again right up until they just read that last half-sentance. Thanks but no thanks, you Kukla hangers-on."
--St. Louis Game Time
"I realize it’s the slow summer season, but can this guy tone down the tough-guy histrionics? His posts are fatiguing on an otherwise excellent site."
--A2Y Fan, Eternal_Fields
"I constantly marvel at how Bill (IwoCPO) and his disciples at Abel To Yzerman can be so pompous and full of themselves throughout every regular season, but come playoff time they collapse into wavering puddles of stress and nervousness as they anxiously await the impending and unavoidable collapse of the Red Wings in the post-season."
--Mile High Hockey
"I hate them because they are better than us. Of all the frigging teams…"
--In The Cheap Seats
"It's just a shame that the most classless, uneducated, lowbrow fanbase in the league gets this sweep. Red Wing fans don't deserve their team."
--Thhom
"I really don’t care what fans or bloggers think."
--Drew Sharp
"Why is it you Detroit fans are still so classless when you have such a classy hockey team, with such a professional GM and gentlemen players? I understand that the author of this blog is a manner-less cad, but the rest of you should be better."
--A2Y Fan, Jeff Beaumont
"Have you ever *read* A2Y? Its the most opinionated, juvenile stuff i've read."
--Paul Nicholson
"I actually like the Detroit team and have a sh&% load of respect for them, but their fans are the biggest douches next to Canadians."
--KStewy, PensBlog Commenter
"Just when it looks like we have bottomed out, the 19 hit a new low."
-A2Y legend, Hockeytown Todd
"And for the record, I don't hate the Red Wings, I hate their fans."
--Douche Bag at Puck Daddy who isn't Wyshynski
"You’re nothing but a douchebag ****, c3po. Go f**k yourself, and learn something about hockey in the process. Nothing ruins my day more than seeing your byline on the kk page."
--Hector, A2Y fan, statesman, Pittsburgh Chapter of Jonas Brothers Fan Club President
"I can just imagine the kindergarten teacher’s reaction when the tyke blurts out 'Mommy says Gary Bettman is a f*cking f*ckface! He wants to give ‘Rosby the bad touch.' ”
--Bella, of the 19
"A2Y is what other blog sites aspire to be when they fail to grow up: intelligent immaturity for the juvenile genius set”
--Captain Dennis Polonich, of the 19
