Wow, what happened to Gretzky?

Posted by Bob in Boulder on 05/12/08 at 11:40 AM ET

He married an egotistical model with failed acting aspirations and became embroiled in betting scandals.  Last anyone heard from him he was growing fat off some team in Arizona.  Might even own a patch of real estate there.  Why do you ask?

I can’t say I diagree with Ted.  Doesn’t even matter if your cargo is a few Wings or not.  Anybody who knowingly takes the lives of others in their hands when they know that they risk those lives by their own impairment of their abilities is human scum.

Posted by AndrewFromAnnArbor from the HQ of WADD (Wingnuts Against Drunk Drivers) on 05/12/08 at 11:49 AM ET

There you are you sniveling little troll; I wish there was way to bitch smack you through the screen.

You’re making fun of Norris caliber defenseman who had his career cut short at the height of his career.Because of a drunk driver no less.Ted’s emotional and his comments reflect that; do you know emotion you little bitch? I’m sure you were crying when they retired Boroque’s jersey, or Floppa came back to rescue your team. 

What next up Bob? Going up to a AIDS victim and calling them a slut?

Ass––and I mean that from the heart you worthless pig.

Posted by Osrt on 05/12/08 at 11:53 AM ET

How funny.  A healthy young man was permanently disabled in a drunk driving accident!  Ha-ha!!!

Oh, Bob...you’re hilarious.

Posted by Baroque from Michigan on 05/12/08 at 11:58 AM ET

osrt.  wow, overreact much?  I was merely pointing out the insanity of calling Konstantinov the greatest hockey player in the world.  You really have a problem with reading comprehension, don’t you?  Please, tell me how I was making light of his condition, the accident, calling AIDS victims sluts, wishing ill-will on innocent children around the world, etc. etc. etc. 

For the record, I thought Konstaninov was a great, great defenseman.  Pound for pound one of the toughest sobs I ever saw.  And what happened to him was tragic.  But read what you will into my initial comment all you want, osrt.  No matter how wrong you may be.  You are sort of entertaining.

Posted by Bob in Boulder on 05/12/08 at 12:00 PM ET

Not too mention what happened to Mnatsakanov and to their families.

Not funny, ever.

Posted by hockeychic from Denver, CO on 05/12/08 at 12:01 PM ET

Gretzky wasn’t the best hockey player in the world in ‘97, even if Vladdy wasn’t either.

Posted by Heaton on 05/12/08 at 12:03 PM ET

People like Boob should be shot.  Or strangled with garrote while missing his frilly little panties.  Like Jon-Benet.

Posted by O-Joe on 05/12/08 at 12:08 PM ET

Fair enough.  His career was winding down at the time with the Rags.  But he still averaged over a point a game.  The best all-around skater at the time may have been Forsberg.  Best all-around player may have been Roy.  But I am biased.  The best team was the Wings.  Sad to say.

Posted by Bob in Boulder on 05/12/08 at 12:10 PM ET

Part of my “overreaction” is just left over energy I have saved just for you since you never returned to A2Y to take your a$$whopping. I’m sure there’s more left in the tank.

I was merely pointing out the insanity of calling Konstantinov the greatest hockey player in the world.

Precisely the problem. It’s an overstatement based on heightened emotions and a desire for retribution, to whatever degree that may be possible. Ted has a history of that. The language is also useful in conveying how good Vladdy was to a jury who may not know anything about Hockey. So, you read Ted’s credentials, then have him say how good Vladdy was; that’s a powerful moment, especially for those who couldn’t care less or know about a +64 season, battles with Lindros, open ice hitting or anything else hockey fans can appreciate.

If you were trying to point out an overstatement, why make a joke about a tragic moment? On a motherf@#!@!@ Red Wing blog?

I just want to make sure you realize how classless you are.

Posted by Osrt on 05/12/08 at 12:11 PM ET

osrt,

The main point I want to make, and I’ll be done here, is that I was in no way whatsoever making a joke about the incident.  None.  And I honestly can’t see how you read that?  Like I said in the follow-up post, Vladdy was a great player and the incident was tragic.  I was actually saddened to hear it, honestly. 

That is it.  You’re a passionate wing fan just like I’m a passionate Av fan.  I will not get personal at all here.  No need to, imo.

Posted by Bob in Boulder on 05/12/08 at 12:18 PM ET

Ahh yes, the gutless Dive troll comes out from under his *#$%@& rock to add his insightful commentary on a subject near and dear to ‘Wings fans.

So I’ll go back to doing what I do with the other retarded Dive “fans” like unhinged lunatic Thhhommmmy - point, laugh and ultimately ignore.

Hope you enjoyed the 4 game manhandling of your beloved Dive.

I know I did, and will again. And again.

Bitch.

Posted by TeamDub from The gratch. on 05/12/08 at 12:39 PM ET

“He was the greatest machine in the world,” Lindsay told the jury of five men and three women. Today, “I see this vegetable and to me it just kind of makes me sick (compared) to what was the greatest hockey player in the world.”

For the record, I thought Konstaninov was a great, great defenseman.  Pound for pound one of the toughest sobs I ever saw.

Posted by Bob in Boulder on 05/12 at 01:00 PM

Ladies and gentlemen, please remember context is key. IMHO, Bob’s description dovetails rather nicely with Mr. Lindsay’s statement.

At the end of the 1996-97 Playoffs, Vladimir Konstantinov appeared to be at the peak of his career. Wayne Gretzky, on the other hand, was on the down slope of his own amazing career...constantly fighting a bad back, bad knees, etc. Further, you have to remember that as a player, Mr. Lindsay also fit Bob’s description as “pound for pound one of the toughest sobs” ever. Given this context, I think it’s rather easy to reconcile the two sides in this little dispute.

After all, it’s not like Mr. Lindsay said Vladdy was the greatest hockey player ever (because we all know that would be Gordie Howe).

Posted by YzermanZetterberg on 05/12/08 at 12:43 PM ET

The main point I want to make, and I’ll be done here…

Traslation:  Before I go back to being a whiny bitch at Mile High Stanley, I’d just like to say…

Posted by O-Joe on 05/12/08 at 12:56 PM ET

Not to mention that Vladdy and Lindsay played a similar game; Lots of physicality with underrated finesse. You can imagine why Lindsay would think so highly of Vladdy.

Posted by Osrt on 05/12/08 at 12:59 PM ET

I probably meant ‘translation’ and ‘Mile High Hockey.’

I think the dork that founded that site initially titled it, Mile High Stanley.

Posted by O-Joe on 05/12/08 at 01:06 PM ET

Hey Bob, Jose Three-or-Four is playing great lately…

try and ban me now you little bitch.  your sandbox your rules, but one man’s sandbox is another man’s outhouse.  watch out for landmines in your pathetic square of the internet.

Posted by VooX on 05/12/08 at 01:27 PM ET

Bob, the bottom line here is that you’re a Douche Canoe.

Posted by Nathan on 05/12/08 at 01:31 PM ET

The point here- and I think Terrible Ted would agree- is that no one ever got to find out how good Vladdie really could have been because Richard Gnida is a worthless piece of shit with no regard for the safety and well-being of his fellow human beings.  He certainly had the makings of another Scott Stevens, but even that comparison might have been a short sale on his potential.  We will never know one way or the other, because his life was utterly destroyed, his career along with it.  SIx years a career does not make.  Lidstrom seems to be peaking the last few years, and what is he, 38?

Posted by mudshark from Divetown, Colorado on 05/12/08 at 02:10 PM ET

And what Nathan said.

Posted by mudshark from Divetown, Colorado on 05/12/08 at 02:11 PM ET

Scott Stevens isn’t an apt comparison. He was among the very best defensive defensemen I’ve ever seen and his hitting ability was second to none- he was in a league with guys like Blake, Robinson, Potvin, and, yes, Konstantinov. Because of his highlight reel hits, Vlady’s offensive skills were often overlooked- offensive skills that Stevens only dreamed of.
While I think the folks suggesting Lindsay was a little overcome with emotion were probably correct (it’s pretty tough not to be when you look at Konstantinov these days), a legitimate argument could be made that he was on the short list of whoever the best player in the world was at the time of the accident, a list that would include Forsberg, Borque (that would be the real Borque that played with the Bruins, not the one who played a half dozen games with the Nordiques), Federov, Lidstrom, and Jagr, among others.
The best all-around player is never a goaltender. Is it oxygen deprivation that makes hockey fans in Colorado the morons they seem to be?

Posted by BobS. on 05/12/08 at 04:53 PM ET

Hey, there can be only one Douche Canoe.  Pierre has earned that nickname. 

Posted by Baroque from Michigan on 05/12/08 at 05:08 PM ET

I didn’t mean to sell Vladdie short.  It’s been a while since he’s been gone.  My point being, that he was on his way to probably winning a Norris or three down the road…

Posted by mudshark from Divetown, Colorado on 05/12/08 at 05:52 PM ET

Lol Bob...you a funny guy.

Patrick Roy being the best player? Before or after he beat up his wife and got stomped in game 7?

Go golf and stop watching hockey, you are clearly delusional. Better yet, call the head office, you have just the skill-set to replace Queenville.

p.s. I passed by that accident on my way home from work....not knowing the occupants of the vehicle, it was a ghastly accident. I remain curious, though, how the limo dealership holds any liability. Seems a bit too Sam Bernstein for my liking. I wonder if Konner can sue Bob from Boulder for libel. Perhaps they could call the REAL DC in as a character witness

/just sayin’
//go Wings!

Posted by Scott H from Kalamazoo on 05/12/08 at 06:41 PM ET