Abel to Yzerman
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Memo To Everyone Else: You Don’t Want This Team In Your Lives
by IwoCPO on 12/15/09 at 07:57 AM ET
Comments (29)
That phrase is not new to A2Y. In fact, two years ago before we realized Joe Thornton’s deal with Lucifer included perpetual playoff failure, we pointed to the Sharks and shivered.
Well, we’re bringing it back and this time it’s a warning. It’s a warning I guarantee the rest of the West is taking to heart. What started out as an obscene joke played on hockey’s gold standard of an organ-I-zation has turned into more evidence that watering down the Wings is just not in the cards.
Will they win the Cup each season? No. Injuries, officials and a league run by a commissioner with his tongue stuck to a stop sign are just too formidable of a combination to overcome every year.
But the last two months have proven that amazing drafting/scouting, organ-I-zational depth, huge brains in the front office and a coach who has a genius flair for leading young players can ensure the Wings will never again be out of playoff or Cup contention.
You think Chicago’s not terrified? The Wings have lost a frigging Olympic team to injury and the “loaded” Hawks only have a 4 point lead on Detroit. The Hawks are the cool kids’ pick again, and yet they can’t pull away. You think they’re not looking over their shoulder, then whip-lashing to the front where they see the nightmare of a first round matchup with big brother? Grab your Depends, Joel. Keep them handy bitch.
San Jose? Same thing. Todd wants no piece of this Wing team. Why? Because nobody knows The Power of Babcock like Todd McClellan. Nobody. Not the Babcock haters here who think that because they have Center Ice they know more about hockey than him? Will they give him credit for the way this young team is rallying now? Nope. McClellan knows for a fact, because he’s seen it and lived it, why Mike Babcock is the best coach in hockey. He’s seen him develop young players and he knows it’s going on at this very moment in Hockeytown.
San Jose wants no piece of Detroit in the Spring. Nobody with a brain cell wants to see this team after they’ve had to claw all year and after they come to realize that winning dirty is winning the right way. I like Marian Hossa but the Wings are not a Hossa team this year. They’re a Draper team, a team that is remembering what it’s like to grind and irritate. They’re learning it out of necessity but it’s still a gold mine of a lesson.
Nobody wants to see this team. Nobody wants this team in their lives. Because injury leads to injury. One Wing goes down. Mike says suck it up. Excuses are for one trick bitches from the East. Another Wing down? Good. Another opportunity. Again and again and again.
And more proof that it all comes back to Rocky, as it always will. More proof that if you need a life metaphor, you turn to The Stallion.
Down goes Cleary. Down goes Helm. Down goes Ericsson. And they…just…kept…coming.
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Comments
by IwoCPO on 12/15/09 at 07:57 AM ET
“+1” is how I think you bitches say it now.
Posted by RWBill from the Land of 12 in 12. on 12/15/09 at 08:42 AM ET
This year’s wings remind me of the Battle of Thermopole. Grinding like Spartans - it reminds me of another era of Red Wings and makes me happy. If they can jump start the euro-skill line, they’ll be the perfect package.
Posted by redxblack from Akron Ohio on 12/15/09 at 08:47 AM ET
Will they win the Cup each season? No. Injuries, officials and a league run by a commissioner with his tongue stuck to a stop sign are just too formidable of a combination to overcome every year.
Where can I get my tin foil hat?
Posted by Belligerent Burkie from Leafs Nation on 12/15/09 at 08:54 AM ET
Where can I get my tin foil hat?
Posted by Belligerent Burkie from Leafs Nation on 12/15/09 at 08:54 AM ET
You need to get permission from Pension Plan Puppets or Down Goes Brown to post a comment here. JV Leaf bloggers aren’t allowed.
Posted by IwoCPO from Sunny San Diego, bitches on 12/15/09 at 09:00 AM ET
This year’s wings remind me of the Battle of Thermopole. Grinding like Spartans
Except the Spartans lost fewer men at Thermopylae.
Posted by J.J. from Kansas on 12/15/09 at 09:11 AM ET
Chief’s premise is sound, the Wings will be a much better team in the long run, if the Kids can manage to hang on, and stay the hell off the LTIR. Last nights game showed alot of heart, grit, work ethic, and mental toughness. There was a time after Big E hit the ice, the Wings looked like they lost their composure, but they battled and won.
I heard a few snippets of the post-game, with last nights win, the Wings managed to match a season-high three game win streak - - in any other season, the sky would be falling. This season - it is a friggin miracle.
Kudos to Uncle Mike - - and a begrudging kudo to McCrimmon, the D and the PK are really coming around - - now, about that PP?
Happy Birthday, Bitch.
And if you ever type something to the effect of:
“. . . just know that Helm is down and we’re numb to it. You weren’t surprised when you read it and you won’t be surprised tomorrow when it’s Hank or Homer. Oh yeah. I did it. STFU. Don’t tell me I’ve jinxed anything because we’re already jinxed.
You will consign the entire Griff’s roster to DET, and I will personally see to it that Santa dumps and endloader of coal down your friggin chimney - EGAD.
Posted by Jeff OKWingnut from Quest for 12 on 12/15/09 at 09:12 AM ET
Shoot us all we want, we won’t fauxing stop.
Posted by Guilherme from Brazsil on 12/15/09 at 09:18 AM ET
Shoot us all we want, we won’t fauxing stop. Fail.
Or shoot us all you want, we won’t stop anyway.
Posted by Guilherme from Brazsil on 12/15/09 at 09:22 AM ET
Bad photoshop gone worst. Close tags, you idiot.
Posted by Guilherme from Brazsil on 12/15/09 at 09:23 AM ET
It’s times like these you learn to live again
It’s times like these you give and give again
It’s times like these you learn to love again
It’s times like these time and time again
Posted by WingsFanInBeanLand from Lidstrom's head telling him 1 more year on 12/15/09 at 09:23 AM ET
You need to get permission from Pension Plan Puppets or Down Goes Brown to post a comment here. JV Leaf bloggers aren’t allowed.
Muffin. Afraid of outside opinions? Or still pissed at Puck Daddy for the original(?) comment?
Posted by Belligerent Burkie from Leafs Nation on 12/15/09 at 09:27 AM ET
the creator has a master plan
name of a song I listened to,while reading this
whatever it is,its for this team to know,and for others to witness its conclusion
I mean,
LGRW
Posted by Edillac from jesenice,europe on 12/15/09 at 09:28 AM ET
Muffin. Afraid of outside opinions? Or still pissed at Puck Daddy for the original(?) comment?
Posted by Belligerent Burkie from Leafs Nation on 12/15/09 at 09:27 AM ET
Yeah, terrified of outside opinions. Please stop. Leaf fans and bloggers who post once per month scare the shit out of us.
Posted by IwoCPO from Sunny San Diego, bitches on 12/15/09 at 09:28 AM ET
Thermopylae, I understand. Rocky and Apollo, too. “Muffin”? WTF?
Oh, and great post, Sailor. Happy birthday.
Posted by Bella on 12/15/09 at 09:38 AM ET
Good post birthday boy.
Can’t help but wonder what you’d have posted had we not won tho’....
Posted by MOWingsfan19 on 12/15/09 at 09:46 AM ET
i think i’m gonna watch that clip everyday till june.
Posted by Twig in Houston from Houston, TX on 12/15/09 at 09:48 AM ET
Can’t help but wonder what you’d have posted had we not won tho’....
Posted by MOWingsfan19 on 12/15/09 at 09:46 AM ET
yeah…that answer would be “nothing.” new here?
Posted by IwoCPO from Sunny San Diego, bitches on 12/15/09 at 09:52 AM ET
Trust me when I say the Sharks won’t win the Stanley Cup, not with Todd coaching and Wilson running the song and dance show. Todd has no clue what defense means and he changes players on lines like most people change socks. Todd is in way over his head.
As for Mr. Wilson, Mr. Wilson loves players from Ottawa and from the provence of Ontario, Canada. While that may not be a bad thing. Mr. Wilson has proven time and again that he doesn’t understand the phyiscal aspects of the game. He doesn’t like tough players. He traded anyone with toughness away, and kept guys like Jody Shelley, who pretends to be tough, but in reality is just a big p**** who gets beat up more times then not. Mr. Wilson does not understand it takes toughness to win the cup, and he would rather have a bunch of nice guys, and nice people on his team.
The funniest thing about Mr. Wilson though is that he doesn’t even have the ability to spot a good defenseman, instead using his old pal system (see Trent Yawney, Rob Blake) instead of using his own vision. When it comes to finding defenseman Mr. Wilson looks for guys he’s either played with, or guys that come from Ontario, regardless of their ability. What’s amazing is the Mr. Wilson cannot overcome his own basis in order for the team to be able to improve and win. It’s more about winning nice then winning it all.
Posted by FireTodd on 12/15/09 at 09:58 AM ET
Chief, I consider the Babcock haters “called out”.
Posted by MarkK from Maryland on 12/15/09 at 09:59 AM ET
Great post boss…..Babbelcock is a master at keeping the static noise at bay while focusing on the target. Windage & elevation…............
What else did ya get for your birthday?!!
Posted by Rumbear from Top O da Hasek, when in doubt, pinky out on 12/15/09 at 10:03 AM ET
Despite my earlier misgivings i’m starting to warm to this season, don’t get me wrong there is still an awful lot of pain ahead (not to mention injuries) but there is something almost rewarding about having to fight so damn hard just to make the post deason. It seems the entire team has taken up the challenge and said “bring it on bitches, we may be outnumbered but we’ll never be outgunned!!!” and that kind of attitude is exactly what we need!
Oh and Happy Birthday Chief 21 again????
Posted by Better_Than_Life from UK on 12/15/09 at 10:20 AM ET
Trial by fire is great and all, and this team will be a monster come spring, but at some point it’s just going to be to much. Damnit, that pisses me off. Full credit to Babs for keeping this thing together as long as it has.
BeanLand, nicely done with the Foo Fighters up there too.
Posted by Nate A from Detroit-ish on 12/15/09 at 10:51 AM ET
Happy birthday Chief, but I still reserve the right to piss and moan after the next three-game losing streak shows yet more inconsistent play.
Hey FireTodd, please do. Wouldn’t mind having him back, coaching our PP. Or we can swap for McCrimmon. Interested?
Grinding like Spartans
Look up the Spartan ‘Sacred Band’ and you’ll realize that has a double meaning. And by that I don’t mean MSU.
Posted by AndrewFromAnnArbor from Fortress Europe on 12/15/09 at 11:33 AM ET
“Any questions?”
(Chief, since today is the actual date of your birth, Happy Birthday.)
(And wishing you many more.)
Posted by stonehands-78 from the beginning ... a WingsFan, on 12/15/09 at 01:22 PM ET
This year’s wings remind me of the Battle of Thermopole. Grinding like Spartans
Except the Spartans lost fewer men at Thermopylae.
Posted by J.J. from Kansas on 12/15/09 at 09:11 AM ET
Geez you guys…
Themopylae is *not* a good thing. Every one of the Spartans, Thespians, and other assorted Greeks that stayed died. One of the 2 Spartan kings died. The Greeks lost Athens and it was burned, and its citizens fled to refuge in the West.
The loss for the Spartans was irreplaceable, since their hoplites didn’t just grow on trees and they were basically inbreeding to some extent at that point. That and the Peloponesian Wars were the beginning of the end…
It’s a very, very bad example… it’s an infinitely-fascinating topic because not only did the land battle happen, but a sea battle as well where tthe same sort o fthing happened, and then later at Salamis the Greeks basically “Thermopylaed” the Persians on the water (who apparently weren’t quick learners) yet again. But a very bad thing to want to imitate.
I’m an ancient military history buff, but I want nothing to do with Thermopylae and my Red Wings.
Look up the Spartan ‘Sacred Band’ and you’ll realize that has a double meaning. And by that I don’t mean MSU.
Posted by AndrewFromAnnArbor from Fortress Europe on 12/15/09 at 11:33 AM ET
The Sacred Band (the original one) was Theban, not Spartan. I guess that’s what an Ann Arbor education gets you nowadays? 
Phillip and Alexander were the ones that quite truly killed the Sacred Band at Charonea (actually Alexander himself cut them down with his cavalry). The Carthaginians later also employed a Sacred Band also, intended as an elite unit but that never really panned out as one, as it was destroyed and reformed several times IIRC.
I guess it could be worse though. You could be the Ottawa Senators (named for Roman senators, one of whom is on their logo) and hire someone to imitate an ancient Greek hoplite in an elaborate pregame ceremony nobody understands trying to piggyback off the success of “300”.
Posted by Primis on 12/15/09 at 01:53 PM ET
As a Pens fan, I can assure you that if you claw your way out of this (which it seems you have) then you are going to be a crazy scary team come spring. We don’t win the cup last year without the hard times through the regular season. We coasted to the finals in 08 and you guys stomped us. The best teams tend to get there through adversity. Good luck. I’m hoping for a round three.
Posted by Cooke Monster from Pittsburgh on 12/15/09 at 02:06 PM ET
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C’mon Chief, your rapid fire threads are forcing me to copy and paste myself.
Posted by RWBill from the Land of 12 in 12. on 12/15/09 at 08:39 AM ET