Abel to Yzerman
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It’s Christmas…and It’s Ok To Hate
by IwoCPO on 12/20/07 at 05:05 PM ET
Comments (145)
Updated 2024: Ted Kulfan, former Deep Digging Captain, reports that Chris Chelios did not take the news he’d be staying home tonite well.
“What do you want me to say? I’m happy about it?” said Chelios, who definitely was not happy with the news.
Derek Meech will take Chelios’ spot in the lineup. This is the third time this season that coach Mike Babcock has sat Chelios, 45, for the second of back-to-back games.
“I could play him, but I’ve said from day one, and we’ve had this same conversation all the time, I told him the first half of the year this is going to happen,” Babcock said. “We’re going to need him at the end of the year. He doesn’t like it, but that’s life.”
Sometimes, when I’m kicking the bejesus out of Dive fans, just drilling them day after day because it makes me smile? Well, sometimes, I get sad because Bitter Blues fans think I’ve forgotten them.
That’s not true. It’s not true at all. It’s just that, well, the little Blues have never defeated the Wings in a playoff series so it’s kind of a debate ender, you know?
But there’s an ingredient there that can’t be overlooked. Oh, the Blues fans, they hate them some Wings.
And you know what? I’m not real fond of Blues fans either. That’s the cool thing about me. I make no claims to be mature. In fact, yesterday at my youngest daughter’s school Christmas holiday party? Some (army) idiot was wearing a Blues jersey. Here’s what happened.
Iwo: Blues fan, eh?
Dumbass: Yep
Iwo: We’re kicking your ass tomorrow night.
Dumbass: Oh. Detroit fan.
Iwo: That’s right. Feeling inferior right now aren’t you?
Dumbass: Not really. The Blues are much improved. Love the McDonald trade, Kariya…
Iwo: Yzerman. ‘96.
Dumbass: Oh. That.
There was more, but it’s not as funny as I remembered it to be.
Here’s a nifty little post over at a blog named St. Louis Game Time. You’ll have to click from here because it’s not in my blog roll to the left. It’s in the supersecretbookmarkedblogrollfeaturingbloggerswhohatetheWings. Their Hockeytown hatred would only be rivaled by the Hockey Dumb in Denver if only Denver had more than 13 fans left.
I’m not going to get into the whole “take the Central more seriously” thing. There is zero chance the Wings fall into that trap again. Does that mean they win tonite? Am I predicting that? No. I’m out of the prediction business. But it does mean it’s time for another Sack o’ Mail. That’s right Skippy. Gather the family ‘round because it’s time for some wholesome fun courtesy of the faithful A2Y readers.
The Honorable Denny Wisniewski, Saginaw--Were you one of the bastards who passed out in my tool shed on several occasions in 1986 and 1987? Should we be concerned with the Poultry now that Scott Niedermayer decided to return?
Iwo: No, sir. That wasn’t me. I rarely drank in high school and Saginaw was in a dry county when I lived there. Still is as far as I know. Scott Niedermayer doesn’t necessarily make me any more wary of the Poultry than I was before. Re-phrase: they were very good, despite their early season malaise, before he came back. Now they’re better. I see them as a 2 or 3 seed and our opponent in the WCF.
We’re going to let this serve as the starting point for tonite’s live blog and I’ll update the Sack during the game. It’s a 2030 start so “the letters” I pick may be a little less formal than Denny’s. Stand by.
Updated: 1940 EST. See what happens when games start one hour later than usual? I take ZERO responsibility.
Filed in: | Abel to Yzerman | Permalink
Comments
Holy Shnikees. Dub are you proposing or getting married on Christmas Eve? Either way we’ve GOT to live blog that evolution. We’ll make it an OFFICIAL A2Y EVENT.
Posted by IwoCPO from Washington, DC on 12/20/07 at 05:52 PM ET
Dub: Congratulations! (I think) Does she have a good job so she can support you and the kids? 
Posted by w2w2 on 12/20/07 at 05:59 PM ET
Chief - proposing, on bended knee (in need of arthroscopy.)
An official A2Y event? I like it - and one 30 pack of PBR will secure sole sponsorship and naming rights.
W2 - Thanks - yeah, she does okay and we just started a small soy candle biz. She loves making them and I love telling dirty patchouli-reeking leftys that they’re the most “green” candle they can buy, and that the Goreacle would approve.
Then I go out back, club a seal and burn a pile of styrofoam.
Posted by TeamDub from The gratch. on 12/20/07 at 06:03 PM ET
Which Company is giving rings away in 12 packs?
Posted by HockeyTownTodd from upset when blogs don’t live up to my expectations on 12/20/07 at 06:26 PM ET
Congratulations TD!!!
Hope all the drinking doesn’t give you ED!
Posted by srt on 12/20/07 at 06:31 PM ET
Heh, thanks SRT.
The nice part is that she drinks a wee bit as well, so by the time we hit the sack, 2 minutes seem like 20.
Just for good measure I keep a signed picture of Bob Dole on the bedroom wall.
HTT - got your email, been running and busy today, I’ll try to give you a ring tomorrow.
Oh, and they’re 30 packs - the 12 packs have chintzy charm bracelets.
Posted by TeamDub from The gratch. on 12/20/07 at 06:44 PM ET
If you really want to hear my cheesy plan, she’ll never read this so I can spill the beans.
Posted by TeamDub from The gratch. on 12/20/07 at 06:46 PM ET
Hmm, where’s Baroque - I need a female perspective on said plan.
It might be a great idea, it might be a tad too much cheese. (if there is such a thing, eh Chief?)
Posted by TeamDub from The gratch. on 12/20/07 at 06:47 PM ET
Hey, TD, even though I’m not nearly the regular that you and some of the others are, let me add my congrats… (I’m assuming, of course, that she says yes.) 
I wish the both of you the best — a long and happy life together.
The seal/styrofoam comment is the funniest thing I’ve heard in days. But, unless it’s just for the fun and aroma, you don’t have to burn styrofoam. It’s biodegradable. You just have to be patient.
I most likely will miss out on all the LB frolics again as I’ll be watching a recorded version later. You all have fun. Wings 4, Blues 2.
Posted by BobTheZee on 12/20/07 at 06:55 PM ET
Well thank ya, Bob. If she knows what’s good for her she’ll run like hell.
The seal/foam thing is purely for my enjoyment - the aroma is a bonus.
You should see our “Springtime Aquanet Extravaganza,” during which we indiscriminately empty valu-sized cans of cheap hair spray into the atmosphere just to do our little part.
Posted by TeamDub from The gratch. on 12/20/07 at 06:58 PM ET
TeamDub, congrats and good luck! Let’s hear the plan!
Posted by Gabriel from San Diego, CA on 12/20/07 at 07:09 PM ET
Good Luck Dub, and save the chinzy Charm bracelets for your grandchildren.
Posted by HockeyTownTodd from upset when blogs don’t live up to my expectations on 12/20/07 at 07:09 PM ET
Thanks Gabriel, appreciate it.
The plan in a bit, but first a quick and dirty P-shop for HTT:
Posted by TeamDub from The gratch. on 12/20/07 at 07:25 PM ET
Holy crap…
I weep before the beauty and genius that is TeamDub’s art.
Posted by Gabriel from San Diego, CA on 12/20/07 at 07:28 PM ET
Heh… Art is a bit of a stretch - just a crappy execution of Todd’s idea.
Use it for whatever you want, if you want, HTT.
Posted by TeamDub from The gratch. on 12/20/07 at 07:30 PM ET
Dub, congrats and good luck! Hope everything goes smooth for ya and you get what you want.
Tires make a pretty cool aroma as well. Plus it smokes the hell outta the neighbors!
Hey, roast a live seal over the open flames of burning tires, styrofoam (even those little foam packing peanuts would be cool too) and don’t forget the oil based varnish.
I’ve got some (7)cans of spray on bedliner that the nozzles are clogged up, I’m sure they would be a great addition to your “Springtime Aquanet Extravaganza” if your interested.
Posted by cementslinger from Midland MI on 12/20/07 at 07:36 PM ET
That is terrific DUB, and fast,
Thank you.
IWO: You’ve gottaa move that up to the top.
Posted by HockeyTownTodd from upset when blogs don’t live up to my expectations on 12/20/07 at 07:37 PM ET
Live Blog weddings, orginal art and hockey....does this blog have it all or what?!
Congrats Dub! ...and if that is the date ya eliminated that pesky problem of remembering the “anniversary” every year! Sheer brilliance!!
Posted by Rumbear from Sandy Eggo on 12/20/07 at 07:41 PM ET
Gramps: Done.
And as I told Dub, we’re going to break new ground on Monday. As Hasek would say, “we’re going to live blog that biotch!”. The event not the future Mrs. Team Dub.
Posted by IwoCPO from Washington, DC on 12/20/07 at 07:44 PM ET
CONGRATULATIONS TeamDub!
(And the puking is normal.)
Trust me, if she’s willing to stick with you, it doesn’t matter how silly and cheesy your proposal is. Prepare for tears - and a lot of them - even if she isn’t normally much of a crier.
My brother-in-law was pretty romantic - although he did have to send my sister out on a mock errand to prepare for it.
Posted by Baroque from Michigan on 12/20/07 at 08:07 PM ET
Anyone know where I can access a live feed? Aside from radio…
Matt...where are you?
DUB: It’s beautiful, like the reflection of burning tires in the tears of a baby seal. Small suggestion: I’d like to see a bit more dive jersey and less Garcia cleavage; is that possible?
Posted by srt on 12/20/07 at 08:08 PM ET
Well thank ya, Bob. If she knows what’s good for her she’ll run like hell.
Oh, and don’t bet on it. If you’ve already been together for a while, she’s lost all sense already.
Posted by Baroque from Michigan on 12/20/07 at 08:09 PM ET
Thanks everyone, having some technical diffulties here - my router is dying slowly but surely.
Back in a few with more pics.
Posted by TeamDub from The gratch. on 12/20/07 at 08:14 PM ET
... and as we all know, diffulties are way, way worse than difficulties.
*hic*
Posted by TeamDub from The gratch. on 12/20/07 at 08:15 PM ET
Congratulations TD—Best of Luck to the both of You!!!
Posted by Jeff OKWingnut from Hockey Netherworld on 12/20/07 at 08:16 PM ET
Ironic that on a post with a title that includes the phrase “It’s Ok to Hate” the first comment is about a planned Christmas Eve wedding proposal.
Posted by Baroque from Michigan on 12/20/07 at 08:20 PM ET
Okie nut!
Thanks man, appreciate it - I’ve managed to escape the steely grasp of the M word for 37 years, I guess it’s time to succumb.
Cheese plan with pic goodness in a few.
Posted by TeamDub from The gratch. on 12/20/07 at 08:21 PM ET
Heh, my first thought too, Baroque - prompted me to start yapping aboot it.
Sorry to derail the live blog, I’m really excited.
Posted by TeamDub from The gratch. on 12/20/07 at 08:22 PM ET
Not John Kelly.... Ugh.
Thanks once again, Mr. Bettman… This has got to be your fault somehow…
Posted by mudshark from Denver, CO on 12/20/07 at 08:31 PM ET
Okay, so about a year after we started dating, I took her down to North Carolina to meet my Dad.
Now, she hadn’t been on any sort of vacation for a long time, so we crammed a lot into a week. One of our little excursions was to a emerald mine where you could keep whatever you found. It was mildly amusing, but we really didn’t find anything of any kind of value, but we found a few neat things including a pretty good sized quartz crystal.
She was absolutely convinced it was a diamond, despite me insisting it wasn’t.
It wasn’t.
However, I slipped it into my pocket and held on to it.
So, I decide it’s time to ask this poor woman to stick with me for friggin’ eternity, so I had the goofy little quartz crystal put into a setting.
I’m going to ask her with the “fake” ring, which she will still love, then, after things settle down, I’m going to bust out the real deal and tell her that this one will probably hold up a bit better.
I’ll leave it to the brain trust here to determine which is which.
I’m leaving out some of the cheesier planned words, just because I don’t want to start balling like Manny Legace.
Posted by TeamDub from The gratch. on 12/20/07 at 08:31 PM ET
TD, no worries. Wasn’t Chief looking for a way to spice up the LB a week or so ago? What better way than for us to savour and feed your anxiety?
I wish you the best and am prepared to give you several “what not to dos”. (My proposal to my wife was elaborately planned and an absolute, unmitigated disaster.)
Posted by Gabriel from San Diego, CA on 12/20/07 at 08:34 PM ET
Dub, Larry Murphy’s doing color on HDNet. I’ll bet he can give you some pearls of wisdom if you still need a little help.
Posted by IwoCPO from Washington, DC on 12/20/07 at 08:35 PM ET
Gabriel - consider it fed.
I asked her Dad (and Mom) and they said they’d beat her if she said no.
Which I like.
Heh.
Posted by TeamDub from The gratch. on 12/20/07 at 08:37 PM ET
Chief -
Enh, I wanna watch Versus to see if I can activate any pearls of wisdom from Chris Lidstrom.
Posted by TeamDub from The gratch. on 12/20/07 at 08:38 PM ET
Just caught your last post. I’m duly impressed...and just to check, I showed my wife and she got that far away look before hitting me in the arm. Which, you know, is a really good sign for you.
Posted by Gabriel from San Diego, CA on 12/20/07 at 08:39 PM ET
G -
Heh, I’ll take that as a good sign.
Unfortunately good signs aren’t edible, ‘cause now I can’t afford to buy a sick monkey breakfast.
Posted by TeamDub from The gratch. on 12/20/07 at 08:40 PM ET
Good story, Dub, be ready for the tear flowage!
Posted by cementslinger from Midland MI on 12/20/07 at 08:40 PM ET
Thanks ‘Slinger -
I’m just afraid she’ll cry too…
Posted by TeamDub from The gratch. on 12/20/07 at 08:41 PM ET
I’m going to start crying if the Wings don’t pick up their game. The Blues showed up to play....
Posted by Gabriel from San Diego, CA on 12/20/07 at 08:43 PM ET
Absolutely beautiful.
Too complicated and it looks like a bloody gaudy cocktail ring.
And I like the joke ring first - a very nice touch, because it shows that you were considering the possibility for a while and the things you did together were important to you.
Grab a few boxes of tissues this weekend and stash them just in case.
Posted by Baroque from Michigan on 12/20/07 at 08:44 PM ET
Blues look excited. This might be one of those “withstand the first ten minutes” games.
Posted by IwoCPO from Washington, DC on 12/20/07 at 08:44 PM ET
Looking like playoff hockey. The Wings can’t possibly keep up this pace for 3 periods after playing last night.
Posted by HockeyTownTodd from upset when blogs don’t live up to my expectations on 12/20/07 at 08:45 PM ET
Thanks Baroque, that’s what I was hoping for.
I know this damn Italian blood won’t let me escape tearless - I’m kind of a wuss like that.
Thanks again, I feel much better… sort of.
8 )
Posted by TeamDub from The gratch. on 12/20/07 at 08:45 PM ET
Nice, retribution play by Kronwall. I miss the days of the Dive.
Posted by Gabriel from San Diego, CA on 12/20/07 at 08:46 PM ET
Holy Moses - I may have to change plans and ask for Ozzie’s hand - wowza!
Posted by TeamDub from The gratch. on 12/20/07 at 08:46 PM ET
(My proposal to my wife was elaborately planned and an absolute, unmitigated disaster.)
And yet it worked, didn’t it?
Posted by Baroque from Michigan on 12/20/07 at 08:46 PM ET
Dub: The plan is great and thoughtful. The ring is classy.
Just let us know the “yes” moment and we will all join you crying. This is a team man…
Posted by srt on 12/20/07 at 08:48 PM ET
How the hell did that suicidal bastard make THAT save?
Posted by IwoCPO from Washington, DC on 12/20/07 at 08:48 PM ET
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Head to Hockeytown
Blogs the Chief Likes
Evenin’ Chief.
Makin’ the woman an honest one on Christmas eve - if she agrees to board this crazy train for good.
The ring arrived today and I’ve only puked 7 times.
Drinking with the cousin will commence shortly, perhaps some ghetto-fabulous garage video inbound.
Posted by TeamDub from The gratch. on 12/20/07 at 05:45 PM ET