Abel to Yzerman
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Just Another Day
by IwoCPO on 04/10/08 at 06:43 AM ET
Comments (18)
Has every year been like this? Every postseason I ask myself that. Was I this pathetically nervous last year? I must have been. Playing Calgary in the first round? All we must have been reading was how the big bad Flames were going to grind the Wings into the ice. Pound them into submission.
I don’t remember any of it.
Posting’s going to be light today. I’m sick to my stomach, ready to launch. I’m not gonna eat a thing. I’ll snap at co-workers, call my wife a few times and pick a fight here and there. There are scores of articles at all the normal places. Started to read a few. Got as far as this line in Wojo’s column (It’s April. He covers the Wings now).
Labels linger. So do awful memories. That series with the Ducks was 2-2, and the Wings led 1-0 in Game 5 with less than a minute remaining. A questionable penalty on Datsyuk led to a late Anaheim goal, and then in overtime, Andreas Lilja committed a huge turnover, leaving Teemu Selanne open for the winning goal.
Motherfu***. We had that series. God, we had it. That motherfu*** of a call on Datsyuk. That fluttering puck, then that kick in the sack of a giveaway. The ferocious comeback in Game 6. Man, I was proud of Zetterberg and Datsyuk. That third period left me doubtless as far as those two are concerned.
And we were the better team. With Schneider and Kronwall? There is no doubt.
I’m just babbling now. Maybe later I’ll have something. Yeah, I will. I have a few things we need to do before the puck drops. Stress train officially opens for business at 1400. That will be my goal. It’s what I need to get through today. Small, attainable goals. So at 1400 we’ll have the Game 1 preview up. I’ve got some ideas you need to read about.
But now? Now’s not a good time. I’m serious. I’ve got nothing for you this morning.
You know what it is? You know what causes this? We, Wing fans, have been called out a bit the last week or so. People like to mention the fact that we’re stressed out. It’s not that we don’t have confidence in our team. That’s not it. It never is. Here’s what is sticking in the pit of your stomach right now: the rock-solid knowledge that if the Wings lose Game 1, you have two days to soil yourselves before Game 2. And if they go down two games? Forget about any normal social or work-related capabilities you may have possessed as late as yesterday.
It’s not the fear of the team losing, it’s the dread of knowing how you react to those losses. Does that makes sense?
Let me make this perfectly clear. I hate the playoffs. If the league went on strike today, I’d be happy. Oh, I’d act all pissed off. But deep down? I’d be relieved.
I’ll be around today. Comment as you see fit. Do what you want. I’m sure you’re all going to be real productive.
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Comments
for once i’m thankful that i’m 5 hours ahead of most of you and i can happily sleep through the game, wake up in the morning and check the score with shaking hands….
it’s not a good feeling for those few seconds, but beats feeling that way for hours
Posted by Pharazon from England on 04/10/08 at 07:21 AM ET
Why do I feel so…fragile? It’s the playoffs, I should be ready to watch them steamroll Bubba. But every year I dream of pre-game Xanax. Yep, can forget productivity today. And can’t watch the majority of the game due to a 3rd grade singing concert/show/thing. Is this a blessing in disguise?? Don’t they know what tonight is??? Wife will appreciate ADHD (Adult Detroit Hockey Disorder) fidgeting in my seat and frequent ESPN.com Blackberry checks. Common Wings, don’t age me this year…
Posted by Ship It from 40 miles from The Joe on 04/10/08 at 07:47 AM ET
God bless my mother-in-law because it’s 14:30 and I’m already drunk. I guess she can sense the stress oozing from my pores. Best thing about this place is the slow, rural internet access, so I can’t hang around with the rest of the Stress Train while we egg each other on and collectively wallow in anxiety, and I can’t read all the idiotic predictions of the Ekspurts. It’s just going to have to wait until I get back to normal life.
William Tell? If he can play decent defense, because that’s all I trust him to do. I don’t want another bust jaw at this time. Hartigan in, Home Keys out. Playoff madness. Freshen my glass.
Pharazon, where are you to be five hours ahead?
Posted by AndrewFromAnnArbor from the wine cellar, surrounded by barrels of fun on 04/10/08 at 08:44 AM ET
“frequent ESPN.com Blackberry checks.”
Go to Yahoo Alerts (alerts.yahoo.com) and you can set it up to text you every time someone scores for either team.
Posted by PaulinMiamiBeach on 04/10/08 at 08:45 AM ET
Hmm, watched the games last night and it just wasn’t the same…all the time, the anxiety in my stomach grew…and the excitement. What I wouldn’t give to be at the Joe tonight in my Winged Wheel gear cheering on the boys. It is the playoffs, nothing better and nothing worse. I’m as ready as I’ll ever be. I set the TiVo this morning just in case I don’t get off work early. It is snowing. Good hockey weather. Is it 5:00 yet?
Posted by hockeychic from Denver, CO on 04/10/08 at 08:47 AM ET
i’m in the UK, where a 7pm game begins at midnight.
Posted by Pharazon from England on 04/10/08 at 08:49 AM ET
Now I’ve got a case of collective anxiety. Repeat, I was fine until I came to this site and read this post. Hope the guys come out with tons of energy tonight. I’m gonna go read a bunch of other anxiety-inducing articles and predictions now.
‘Ekspurts’-hilarious.
Posted by AndrewB from TN on 04/10/08 at 08:52 AM ET
hockeychic’s right, nothing worse and nothing better. bittersweet, but way more bitter until the puck drops.
weren’t you guys supposed to get a blizzard today in divetown? maybe you’ll get off work early.
somebody want to check on the chief? i don’t want to read about any police stand-offs in the dc area today.
Posted by AndrewB from TN on 04/10/08 at 08:56 AM ET
Feeling strangley euphoric today; especially after canvassing the news and notes. Since I have incredible selective memory, all I recall from last years playoffs are two main issues: (1) the Wings having no depth, especially on the blueline; and (2) the Wings are too soft to grind it out with the Flame or Poultry.
Well, I happen to think Ken “Boy Genious” Holland, and the rest of the Organization has done a remarkable job addressing those needs.
Wings are deep, really deep. Just look at the lines the Wings practiced with yesterday, and the apparent healthy scratches for tonight:
Datsyuk-Zetterberg-Holmstrom (LETHAL)
Filppula-Franzen-Cleary (Pretty Damned Scary)
Hudler-Draper-Samuelsson (Good +/-)
Drake-Hartigan-Downey (Grind and Hit)
Lidstrom-Rafalski (Move out and shoot)
Kronwall-Stuart (Knock Teeth out)
Lilja-Chelios (STAY AT HOME)
Healthy scratches ...
McCarty
Abdelkader
Helm
Lebda
Meech
Depth and grit. So long as CMOI does a half-way decent job, Wings will cruise past Bubba in 5 games; maybe 6, but only if that damned Ellis stands on his head.
Look at the numbers, especially the G/G and GA/G, over 82 games (a helluva measuring stick):
DET: 3.07 G/G (3rd), 2.18 GA/G (1st), 20.7% PP (3rd), 84.0% PK (8th) 34.4 S/G (1st), SA/G 23.5 (1st).
NSH: 2.77 G/G (12th), 2.73 GA/G (15th), 14.8% PP (27th), 85.4% PK (3rd), 29.6 S/G (12th), SA/G 29.8 (18th).
No stress here, but I’m the eternal optimist. Of course if we happen to lose tonight—I’ll be singing a completely different tune.
Posted by Jeff OKWingnut from Quest for 12 on 04/10/08 at 09:07 AM ET
Yahoo alerts sound good to me. And after years of shouldering the burden of my own personal playoff Stress Train, I’m finding solace in these blogs and responses. I am not alone! Samuelsson is in??
Posted by Ship It from 40 miles from The Joe on 04/10/08 at 09:42 AM ET
Devorski and Leggo are working the game tonight.
I’m pretty damn sure it was that twatwaffle Devorski who made the horrible interference call on Datsyuk in Game 5.
And Leggo is a let-em-play kinda guy who tends to ignore all but the most blatant hooks and holds. That probably benefits Bubba.
Back to the head to pee out some more blood…
Posted by O-Joe on 04/10/08 at 09:47 AM ET
Either Divorski or Donnie Doughnut. Pretty sure it was Divorski.
http://www2.sportsnet.ca/hockey/nhl/scores/20070520/Anh@Det
Posted by O-Joe on 04/10/08 at 09:53 AM ET
The Stress Train is open for business at 1400? Damn… it’s a good thing I’m semi-retired (unemployed) at the moment… otherwise being drunk at 11AM could be a problem. My small, attainable step for today is to greet each passenger on the train in an affable way… before blurting out “We’re all gonna DIE!” if the Wings go down a goal in the first five minutes.
Posted by Mike from La-La Land on 04/10/08 at 10:11 AM ET
Go to Yahoo Alerts (alerts.yahoo.com) and you can set it up to text you every time someone scores for either team.
Thanks Paul. More data…that will surely calm me down…..
Arrrgghhh!
Posted by Rumbear from Top O da Hasek, when in doubt, pinky out on 04/10/08 at 11:31 AM ET
Whoever said BRING IT ON is right. Bring it. Z, Datsyuk, Kronner, Lidstrom. We’re as good as any team in the league. Bring it. Got a work function tonight and my future mother in law comes to town tonight, so game one silliness will be checked a bit. But BRING IT ON. We’re the Detroit Fu$king Red Wings, MotherF$kers. We’re the best hockey club on Earth.
Posted by TDeters on 04/10/08 at 12:05 PM ET
We’re the best hockey club on Earth.
Hey, quit selling the team short! On any planet!!!
Posted by BobTheZee on 04/10/08 at 12:34 PM ET
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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: .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
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My slogan this playoff will be “BRING IT ON!” As part of the Wings faithful true red fan base I know that I am not alone. Gearing up for this time of year in my house is better than any holiday. Now I can pull out my Red Wings Ju-Ju and decorate the house in everything Red Wings. That is how I’ll keep busy until 1400. After that I might have to head to the Hasek Car and relax. Yea right,relax? Anyway,“BRING IT ON!” Lets Go Red Wings!!!!!
Posted by Kate from Pa.-made in Detroit on 04/10/08 at 07:08 AM ET