they can get foote and we’ll grab feds to complete the circle

Posted by christpuncher from detroit on 02/25/08 at 05:00 PM ET

That is awesome.  Dives Nation is now partying like it’s 1996… which it most definitely is not.

Here’s wishing Floppa good luck and a MacDowney Sandwich in April!

Posted by mudshark from Divetown, Colorado on 02/25/08 at 05:03 PM ET

So, if Colorado manages to squeak into a playoff spot and win a Cup, does that make it illegimate to Forsberg since he wasn’t with the team “wire to wire” as Dater would say?

Have to admit I’m surprised.  I thought his tissue paper ankles weren’t progressing as well as he would have liked.

Posted by Baroque from Michigan on 02/25/08 at 05:04 PM ET

Probably used his soft ankles as an excuse to skip the majority of the season a la S.Neidermeyer of the Schmucks.

The word of the year in the NHL?  “Vacillation.”

Posted by SYF from Las Vegas, NV on 02/25/08 at 05:07 PM ET

Baroque!  I was thinking the same on the “wire to wire” angle...ole Dater is smacking the head and having a Homer Simpson moment!  Doh!

Dive logic...go figure.

Posted by Rumbear from Sandy Eggo on 02/25/08 at 05:32 PM ET

Hmmmm.....

Conspiracy theory thoughts?  Something to stir up interest in a couple of lagging markets?

Posted by Baroque from Michigan on 02/25/08 at 05:48 PM ET

Forsberg can be defeated using the Precious Roy Pirate Cripplers, which will eat at his skate orthotics…

Posted by George James Malik from South Lyon, MI on 02/25/08 at 05:49 PM ET

hey, can you guys post more biased Detroit Red Wings posts while trying to rip on other teams chances to improve?

its small wonder why the biggest names to the right of me in the “SEARCH BY TAGS” names are all red wings. classy site.

Posted by Freddy Krueger's Glove from Milwaukee on 02/25/08 at 06:02 PM ET

Stay Classy, Milwaukee.

Posted by mudshark from Divetown, Colorado on 02/25/08 at 06:12 PM ET

It’s a red wing blog genius.  Now THAT’s classy.

Posted by IwoCPO from Washington, DC on 02/25/08 at 06:21 PM ET

Dear Freddy from Milwaukee,

Let me do this as politely as possible. When you clicked on the link on Kukla’s main page, you came to another blog, a different but connected (linked you might say) blog.

You should look at *this* particular blog’s title, banner, links, and perhaps history of posts before accusing us of bias.

I hope that helps and thanks for reading yet another edition of “You’re on a mother@$%*@# RED WINGS blog.”

Regards,

A2Y Readers

Posted by Osrt on 02/25/08 at 06:23 PM ET

I thought his tissue paper ankles weren’t progressing as well as he would have liked.

Well, gee, Miss B, do you think maybe that’s why he chose the Dive instead of a team who actually had a chance at making the playoffs? I’d say the call from Floppa to his agent went something like this…

Look, the wifey wants me out of the house for two months, but no more than two months. So give my buddies in Denver a call and see how much you can get me. Tell them I promise I’ll play at least 10 games before their season ends. They can even put my jersey in the rafters before the last game and then maybe no one will notice they missed the playoffs...again.

And, Osrt? Freakin’ hilarious!

Posted by OlderThanChelios from Grand Rapids on 02/25/08 at 06:56 PM ET

FORSBERG!!!!!

Not that you Wingnuts care but nothing has been more fun for me today than reading Detroit message boards.  In fact the only thing more fun would be to flip over a car and set it on fire in the middle of that 3rd world country. 

Nothing says respect quite like unprompted jabbing at the poor lowly Avalanche. Thanks!

See you in the playoffs suckers. You had better hope you can manage to duct tape together a defense by then…

Posted by Aaron from The Mountains on 02/25/08 at 07:25 PM ET

hey, can you guys post more biased Detroit Red Wings posts while trying to rip on other teams chances to improve?

Yes. 

It’s early in the week and the guys aren’t warmed up yet.. 

Posted by Baroque from Michigan on 02/25/08 at 07:49 PM ET

Nothing says respect quite like unprompted jabbing at the poor lowly Avalanche.

This statement ignores the fact that there is no such thing as “unprompted” jabbing at the Dives.

Jabbing at Dives is always prompted.  You can thank Mike Keane, Claude Lemieux, and <sniffle, sniffle> Patty Wah for this…

Posted by mudshark from Divetown, Colorado on 02/25/08 at 09:17 PM ET

In fact the only thing more fun would be to flip over a car and set it on fire in the middle of that 3rd world country.

Ahh, nothing like covert racism coming from Dive fans. Perhaps New Orleans and tsunami ravaged South Asia should be next on your list? Yes, Detroit is a post-industrial wasteland *and* it’s an American city; those two things shouldn’t go together should they?

/end politics

Anyone remember some Dive fans holding up a sign during a playoff game; it read, “Win or *Loose* you still have to live in Detroit.” brilliantistic…

Posted by Osrt on 02/25/08 at 09:50 PM ET

Oddly enough many of the above “witty retorts” were written by actual Wingnuts living in Denver!

Thanks gentlemen for helping out the tax base.

Remember that I-25 can be a real pain during the rush hours the next time you are helping a friend move in from the upper peninsula…

Posted by Aaron from The Mountains on 02/25/08 at 10:38 PM ET

FORSBERG!!!!!

Yep, and this is one Wings’ fan who thinks the reunion is great!  For quite some time I’ve disliked Forsberg and for quite some time I’ve disliked the Avs.  This will make it so much easier to do both!

Posted by BobTheZee on 02/25/08 at 11:31 PM ET

Not that you Wingnuts care but nothing has been more fun for me today than reading Detroit message boards.  In fact the only thing more fun would be to flip over a car and set it on fire in the middle of that 3rd world country.

This is why I have so very little respect for Avs fans, and this is probably why the rivalry is so heated.

I don’t think anybody is denying that Peter Forsberg is a damn good player when he’s healthy, but at this point, his health makes Dominik Hasek look like he’s got a groin of steel.  Will he make an impact?  Of course he will, if he’s healthy.

But no, instead of talking hockey, Avs fans go and trawl (or perhaps “troll") their way through Wings boards, waiting to pounce with that whiny, self-assured but knuckle-dragging hockey witticism that is, “Dur, Detroit is such a horrible place, Denver is Xanadu, and you guys suck for disliking us, because it’s you that sucks!” If it’s not that, it’s some other lovely bit of circular logic that involves the words “Detroit” and “suck” and some thin-skinned fan base’s incessant referencing of--wait for it--the fact that vehicles were burned when the Tigers won the world series in 1984.

Go back to trawling your way through another Wings message board because you represent the dregs of Dive fans--and the dregs of all sports fans, really--who base their entire existence upon expressing their distaste for and superiority over others. 

You might find that for all his snark about the Avs, Bill and the people who’re making fun of your team for the pure enjoyment of it don’t spend their entire day trying to think of a new way to say, “Detroit is a horrible place to live, ha ha!”

Find another reason to live.  Really, it’s okay.  And buy some heels for Peter.  He’ll need ‘em.

Posted by George James Malik from South Lyon, MI on 02/26/08 at 12:29 AM ET

Okay class, ya know what’s even more fun than picking on Detroit message boards? When one can, by putting a premium on the language used, send Wingnuts into a froth on those very same message boards.  This is too easy.

We wanna talka da hockey?  Mmmkay. Here’s a nugget. McCarty or not the Wings, with those keepers and that ancient, and now injured defense couldn’t beat their way out of a wet paper sack.

There are better teams than the Wings gentlemen, San Jose and the Ducks come to mind...and Dallas above them...see, it is easy to inflate a wins category all year when you are playing the likes of the Blues, Hawks and Jackets 8 times each.  What is difficult is to actually translate that cupcake record into the playoffs.  Tell me, since the lockout how many Cups has Detroit won...OH and how many times have they advanced past the first round?

The last time I checked the Wings weren’t exactly bringing anyone on board under the age of 56 that has the potential to make them significantly better. Yet today the Avs did just that. It’s something to think about: A decent young team, playing a solid team game brings on a ringer at the same time their stars are getting back...uh oh…

Oh and again look out in the playoffs.  As Laperierre showed last week, the word is out on Lidstrom.  Hit Swedey and that team goes in the tank.  It isn’t a good idea to run your entire offense and defense through one person all the time...unfortunately Babcock hasn’t figured that out yet…

Posted by Aaron from The Mountains on 02/26/08 at 01:21 AM ET

Educated fellow, Aaron?  Good.  Let’s stop trashing each other’s cities and let’s get down to work pointing out the flaws in what you just wrote, somewhat inconsistent with someone from a fanbase that considers itself knowledgeable:

with those keepers and that ancient, and now injured defense couldn’t beat their way out of a wet paper sack.

Primary reason for making hay while the sun shines, boy.  Build up a big lead, you’ve got a cushion when injuries strike.  If you don’t, you’ll really struggle when Sakic, Smyth, and Stastny go down.  Too bad Quenneville didn’t understand.  That’s why the Wings are still on top of the league despite recent form, while the Avs are in tenth place, outside looking in, with the very real possibility that they’ll be in a repeat race for their playoff lives.

San Jose and the Ducks come to mind...and Dallas above them

In the standings, perhaps.  But this is the cap era.  No team has sufficient depth to cope with significant injuries, and should any of those teams suffer the kind of bad luck we’ve had, they won’t be better teams for long.  Fully healthy, we can compete with any of them.  Check our record against them earlier in the season, when healthy.

it is easy to inflate a wins category

Again, you’d be well-served to check our record.  Just barely squeaking by .500 in our own division, while our record against your rugged and tough Northwest division?  Beaten in regulation all of ONCE-- and it took injuries to all our top four defensemen and starting goalie to do that.  Oldest argument out there about the Wings’ stellar regular-season record-- but this year it ain’t true.  And before you rip on the Wings for their sorry record against the Central, here’s some numbers for you: 7-12-1.  The Avs’ record against the Central.  Excluding the Wings, on whom you’ve failed to score a goal in the last three games, that’s still a sorry record below .500.  Our run into the playoffs is laden with Central teams, so at least we have a shot at redemption.

Tell me, since the lockout how many Cups has Detroit won

Zero.  And the Avs?  How about any of the traditional pre-lockout powerhouses?

OH and how many times have they advanced past the first round?

One more time than the Avs.  But of course we didn’t miss the playoffs last year, so had one more chance at getting past the first round.  And took it.

solid team game brings on a ringer at the same time their stars are getting back

If you honestly believe Forsberg is back in shape and playing his game to even 50% of what he once was, you’re dumber than you seem.  It’s fairly obvious that this is a return to retire with the team he started his career with.  Nothing more, and don’t think he’ll add anything significant or be the game-breaker he used to be.  As for the great solid team?  You might have wanted to address your defensive and goaltending needs last offseason.  Instead you picked up Ryan Smyth and a defenseman who currently has the worst plus-minus rating on the team.

the word is out on Lidstrom

Why do you think McCarty’s just been signed?

Hit Swedey and that team goes in the tank

Again, like the team was doing great when it was already down two top-four defensemen.  The team doesn’t run through one defenseman, despite what you seem to think.  Ever heard of Rafalski?  Kronwall?  Try taking two guys of that caliber out of any lineup and see what happens to them.

All I’m saying here is pay attention, buddy.  It helps to make you seem less like an idiot who just stepped off the boat.

Lastly, you might want to check the locations of most of the regular contributors.  If you do, you’ll probably find that they’re not regular contributors to the Colorado tax coffers, nor are they all rushing to move out there.  If you left your precious mountains, you might find-- surprise surprise-- there are other nice places in the world to live besides Denver.

Well, I’m done ‘frothing.’ Reply if you really want to.  I’m pretty sure I won’t read it.

Posted by AndrewFromAnnArbor from strangely, not Denver or anywhere nearby... on 02/26/08 at 03:50 AM ET

It’s early in the week and the guys aren’t warmed up yet.

Except for George and Andrew. 

Posted by Baroque from Michigan on 02/26/08 at 04:26 AM ET

Hell, Aaron lost all credibility with me when he didn’t know his freeways from the back of the source of his hockey knowledge…

Posted by George James Malik from South Lyon, MI on 02/26/08 at 05:14 AM ET

I’m curious as to how if the way to beat the Wings is just to hit Lidstrom that somehow no one figured that out during his career.  He’s not exactly a hotshot rookie - there’s been plenty of time to put such a diabolically simple plan into practice.

Aside from the injuries, I’m not sure why Colorado signed Forsberg at all.  With Stastny, Sakic, and Smythe returning from injuries it isn’t as though the team is hurting for offense, I would think.  Forsberg might not cost much, and he might help sell tickets to some fans who recognize his name if nothing else, but he seems somewhat superfluous.  Goaltending improvement is tricky, but defensive depth might have been a better option.  I’m not sure adding a gimpy forward really improves the team much - although it will be more obvious once the man is actually skating.

Posted by Baroque from Michigan on 02/26/08 at 05:32 AM ET

Except for George and Andrew.

You know it, sister.  It’s always a good time for a right Donnybrook!

Regarding Lidstrom, I’m with you on that.  In order to injure him you first have to hit him...and with the possible exception of Datsyuk, he’s the best on the team at avoiding hits.  The only reason ‘Lappy’ (gawd, why do I feel so dirty?) got him was because he made a (very rare) mistake.

Posted by AndrewFromAnnArbor from the parking lot, shirtless and drunk and aggressiv on 02/26/08 at 05:41 AM ET