Abel to Yzerman
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History Beckons
by IwoCPO on 06/09/09 at 05:11 AM ET
Comments (123)
There’s a little, itty bitty, tiny, eentsy frigging weentsy box on a shelf in a room way in the bottom basement of NHL league headquarters.
Is that where Gary Bettman’s spine is kept? No. It’s where the dynasties are stored.
That box is open...Abel and Howe and Lindsay are making room. Trottier, Bossy and Smith are bitching because it’s tight in there already. Scotty Bowman’s smiling because he enjoys any player’s discomfort.
And after tonite? If all goes as Providence has decreed, there’s going to be a little welcoming bash in that tiny little box, down in a place Gary Bettman doesn’t like to talk about, in a dark corner where parity doesn’t exist.
Tonite is for Doug Brown. It’s for Darren McCarty and that cherry-busting burst up the ice in Game 4 in ‘97. It’s for Slava Fetisov and Igor and Kozlov and Feds and Vladdie. The men who could go down as not only “the Russian Five”, but integral members of the Wing Dynasty.
Brendan Shanahan brought starvation to this team. While his Captain delivered the intensity, Shanahan hungered for a Cup. And he delivered. Three times. Tonite could be his.
Larry Murphy left the box, took a pass around center ice, then wheezed his way up the wing and beat who? Was it Kolzig Was it even the Final? I don’t remember. We love him now for different reasons. Good ‘ol Murph. After tonite? Charter member of a Dynasty.
He sat for a while in ‘96 and ‘97. He sat a lot. But Scotty had plans and I guess we all knew that. Mike Vernon wasn’t going to ride pine during a Cup run. Not after kicking Patrick Roy’s arrogant ass at center ice at the Joe. It was destiny then, bitches. 12 years later? He could be forever recognized as a member of something very exclusive.
Dominik Hasek has a fly swatter in his hand. He’s chasing puppies with it through a berry patch on a Czech mountainside. He’s wearing bermuda shorts and a female blouse from his personal clothing line. He’s thinking in Latin but humming “Dancing Queen” in Spanish. Helicopters are chasing him and he’s wearing a football cleat on his left foot. He’s absolutely insane. But tonite? He could be part of this. A dynasty could be his.
There are scores of other guys, bit players and superstars. Brett Hull and Bob Rouse. Aaron Ward and Marty LaPointe. Tonite is for them as much as it is for the Zetterbergs, the Datsyuks and the Osgoods.
Tonite could be theirs. If. If. If. If it happens tonite, and I guarantee nothing...but if it does? An undeniable Dynasty.
Today he’s gonna think about that. Steve Yzerman is going to stop what he’s doing and give it just a minute, maybe less. He’s going to take just a minute and remember that hesitation, unsure of whether to break away from his teammates and skate the Cup by himself...and he’ll recall the thunder as he took it to Mr. I. It started with him. If tonite...happens, he’ll be more than a Wing for life, more than a Conn Smythe winner, more than the greatest Captain in sports history. He’ll be the keeper of a Dynasty.
1 to 12. 1 to history. 1 to a place nobody can ever deny this team.
It’s on. Soon.
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Comments
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Every 30 minutes or so, I emerge, act really preoccupied,and go ask someone a really serious question pertaining to work.
Then I go back in my office and hit the refresh button on this blog.
Oddly enough, that’s been exactly my pattern of behavior at work through nearly the entire playoffs. lol.
Posted by Jennemy of the Skate from putting the b*tches in the box on 06/09/09 at 12:58 PM ET
Just got the latest edition of The Hockey News in the mail, and guess who is on the cover…
Yup, Sid.
Posted by Red Winger from Sault Ste. Marie on 06/09/09 at 01:22 PM ET
Happy Birthday Bella! Hope the Wings give you a very nice present.
Today is my husband’s birthday as well so I am going to be busy all day - thank goodness. I can’t handle sitting around thinking about tonight’s game.
Won’t be here for the LB tonight because we are hitting up the bar. It worked last game. Is it depressing that I am going to be wearing the exact same clothing and shoes that I was in on Saturday night? Nothing is changing. Must go. Stress levels are rising already.
Posted by Aimee in Austin on 06/09/09 at 01:28 PM ET
Oh man…
This video is not available in your country due to copyright restrictions.
Well, it’s the thought that counts, right Gramps?
Posted by AndrewFromAnnArbor from Fortress Europe on 06/09/09 at 12:56 PM ET
It was a Dylan utube of ‘blood in my eyes’
WTF...are you in Beijing this week?
Posted by HockeyTownTodd from upset when blogs dont live up to my expectations on 06/09/09 at 01:41 PM ET
Is it depressing that I am going to be wearing the exact same clothing and shoes that I was in on Saturday night? Nothing is changing. Must go. Stress levels are rising already.
Nope, not depressing at all. In fact, as the number one most superstitious of the 19 (YES I’m claiming it), I’m all for wearing exactly what you wore for Game 5, doing exactly what you did for Game 5 and drinking exactly what you drank for Game 5. Knock on wood.
Posted by Jennemy of the Skate from putting the b*tches in the box on 06/09/09 at 01:43 PM ET
Knock, knock, knockin’ on Stanley’s Door
Posted by pgoody from Findlay, OH on 06/09/09 at 01:53 PM ET
That is Hall of Fame material right there Chief. People in high places give out medals for writing stuff like that.
Posted by UMFan from Colorado on 06/09/09 at 02:03 PM ET
Ok, just read this on Twitter:
mirtle Wait, is he playing? RT @SBJSBD: Judge Baum just excused Com. Bettman from the #Coyotes hearing and wished him luck tonight in Pittsburgh.
Well, if I wasn’t completely stressed out already, I certainly am now.
Posted by Jennemy of the Skate from putting the b*tches in the box on 06/09/09 at 02:22 PM ET
Fredrick Olausson, Chief!
Seeing unlikely Wings OT heroes is just as thrilling as seeing the Wings superstars get the GWGs, too, you know?
Anyone else feel like this series is long voer due for an OT?
Posted by pgoody from Findlay, OH on 06/09/09 at 11:45 AM ET
Oh FFS...was that really friggin’ necessary? Thanks. Now I gots to steal several Jameson’s from VooX’s secret stash behind the cold, dank corners of the Hasek. Hossa? You’re due, big man. Get it fast. Get it often. Get ‘er done.
Posted by SYF from Las Vegas, NV on 06/09/09 at 02:28 PM ET
With poetry like that Chief, you could do color commentary.
Posted by rwingscup19 from Dallas on 06/09/09 at 02:53 PM ET
And not the color commentary that Chris Rock does, but the kind that Mick does.
Posted by rwingscup19 from Dallas on 06/09/09 at 02:54 PM ET
I love my new Red Wing diet, I can’t *#$%@& eat a thing.
Posted by Since71 from Bucharest, Romania on 06/09/09 at 03:18 PM ET
as the number one most superstitious of the 19
I’m freakin’ out right now because I can’t find the exact t-shirt I wore under my black Wings practice jersey, the exact same outfit from Game Five.
We watch the game at the bar at my brother’s house. Each person has a designated spot. On the bar, each person has a designated tile in which their drink of choice sits. Like a wild pack of famished animals, each tile is guarded ferociously, and rookies that have come down for a game have been known not to come back, after the verbal beating they took for setting their drink on a wrong tile.
I drink out of either an Yzerman or Lidstrom glass. This is determined by gut feeling, and while not foolproof, it is known to have around a 78% success rate.
Talking about anything but hockey during the game has led to permanent banishment.
Poker during intermissions, so we don’t have to listen to that crap.
Been going like this since the 2002 Cup, every playoff game.
Posted by Red Winger from Sault Ste. Marie on 06/09/09 at 03:25 PM ET
WTF...are you in Beijing this week?
Nah, at home. That’s YouTube for ya. Still miss the blog, but thanks for the Dylan.
Setanta Sports apparently is going bust tonight or this week, and since they carry ESPN America, I may not get the game on television tonight if they pull the plug. It’s a bit too late to realign my dish and try to pick up a different satellite, and it looks like the pay site is playing up: “We’re currently experiencing a minor issue! Refresh the page within the next 60 seconds to get rid of this message.!” Alpha Tango has the game listed, but they’re not always dependable. Anyone got any other ideas?
I may be brief in the liveblog if I can’t get anything.
Posted by AndrewFromAnnArbor from Fortress Europe on 06/09/09 at 03:47 PM ET
“We’re currently experiencing a minor issue! Refresh the page within the next 60 seconds to get rid of this message.!”
Seen that many times, they’re always back on track before the puck drop.
Rest easy...Stop trying until game time....
Jameson’s or Bushmill’s helps.
Posted by HockeyTownTodd from upset when blogs dont live up to my expectations on 06/09/09 at 04:04 PM ET
Red Winger - I totally understand. I’m the same way. It makes me IMPOSSIBLE to be around when the game is on. Well, that and the excessive stream of obscenities yelled at the teevee. Thankfully my guy understands and fully supports it.
Here’s hoping you find your shirt. Did you lose it in the poker game? lol.
Posted by Jennemy of the Skate from putting the b*tches in the box on 06/09/09 at 04:17 PM ET
Did you lose it in the poker game? lol.
Reminds me of a movie with David Spade where he’s playing poker with some old women & one of the women says “I’ll bet my shirt and raise you your shorts”.... Spade burps out “Lady, you couldn’t raise my shorts with a crane”.
Posted by MOWingsfan19 on 06/09/09 at 04:35 PM ET
If you weren’t a Red Wings fan I’d tell you to shut your whore mouth and go back to whore island. So feel lucky!
There’s a Whore Island? What?? Why doesn’t anybody tell me these things?
And in other catchings up…
Happy Birthday Bella!
Best wishes to Kate.
Jen, if you do freelance, drop me a note, we get overwhelmed from time to time. (And Dub, if Jen doesn’t take you up on the gig, let me know, I can help.)
And Jen, you’re right, there’s no shame in sippy cups. I was drinking from one last year about this time because I was seriously worried about throwing my glass. I’ve since matured. (Right.)
Ha! My mailman just walked by and yelled “Go Red Wings!” Awesome.
Posted by Gabriel from San Diego, CA on 06/09/09 at 04:36 PM ET
Gabe - I’m at overwhelmed stage right now. But I will keep you in mind. For some reason the email console on your profile page isn’t working. Can you PM me?
Posted by Jennemy of the Skate from putting the b*tches in the box on 06/09/09 at 04:49 PM ET
... tick ... tick ... tick ...
Posted by stonehands-78 from the beginning ... a WingsFan, on 06/09/09 at 05:00 PM ET
(In my best whiny little brat in the back seat of the station wagon voice) Is it game time yet?
Posted by CaptainDennisPolonich from Sunny SoCal on 06/09/09 at 05:00 PM ET
For those not frequenting the GDT, a Plymouth baby’s first words were “Ozzie, Ozzie”
http://www.hometownlife.com/article/20090609/NEWS15/90609019
Posted by CaptainDennisPolonich from Sunny SoCal on 06/09/09 at 05:01 PM ET
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Posted by Red Winger from Sault Ste. Marie on 06/09/09 at 12:57 PM ET