Abel to Yzerman
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To All 19 A2Y Readers: Thank You And Farewell
by IwoCPO on 04/01/09 at 06:38 AM ET
Comments (79)
As many of you have pointed out, the writing’s been slow here the last two weeks. I could easily blame that on blogger apathy and an outright disgust with the way our Wings “prepare” themselves for their Cup defense.
But that’s not the case. In reality, I’ve been cutting back the last ten days as I prepare to transition from Kuklas Korner to one of the Detroit dailies where I’ve been hired on to provide a “voice of the fan” outlook on the playoffs, the Wings in the future and the Michigan sports scene in general. Contractually, I can’t reveal which paper I’ll be joining and I can’t post the link here. But I can dole out some details.
Is it a paid position? Yes. It is. I won’t deny that and I won’t deny the fact that the money had a lot to do with this decision. I’ve been blogging for essentially nothing going on three and half years, devoting roughly 60 hours/week to it and when the opportunity arose to make good cash, I couldn’t turn it down. Is it substantial? Not really, but it’s good enough to help me make this decision.
Will the tone of my writing change a bit since I’ll be affiliated with a Detroit paper? It has to, and I believe you all understand that. A2Y was built, largely, on the backs of failing beat writers. In other words, I was disgusted with the coverage the Diggers provided and that was one of the platforms we used to begin this thing. Now? I’ll be working for one of the companies I used to criticize, so blatant slams just won’t make sense. Will I still give it to them when they deserve it? Yes, but subtlety and tact have a place in our conversations too. I just haven’t elected to use those techniques here.
Will A2Y just go away, or will the name follow me to my new gig? Paul and I have been in something of a negotiation phase the last few days, but I’ve always considered “Abel to Yzerman” to be my intellectual property. Quite honestly, that matter is still up in the air. I believe we can reach an amicable conclusion. Either way, I owe Paul Kukla a lot for the opportunity he’s given me here at The Empire.
Will you be blogging or is it going to be a regular column, or what? The paper I’ll be working for made it clear that based on my inexperience in the newspaper business, I will be referred to as a “blogger.” That’s fine with me. I’ve never claimed to be a journalist, only a fan who likes to type about the Wings. They did say that once I’ve been working continuously for six consecutive months, we’ll re-open the conversation as to whether my title will shift from blogger to staff writer. At this point, it doesn’t really matter to me.
Will you have press box, lockerroom, and team access? I’m still going to be writing from home, not from Detroit. So that issue is kind of irrelevant. Plus with the economy the way it is now, the paper can’t afford to fly me in for the playoffs or whatever. I will be driving up to Michigan for a few home games, staying with relatives, paying for my ticket and being given the opportunity to talk to the players after the beat writers have filed their stories. So, that should work out good.
What about the A2Y staples…the glossary, the Live Blogs, the use of the term “bitches”, etc? The glossary’s coming with me, but a scaled down version. There are some things I simply won’t be able to say in a family-oriented publication. “Bitches”? I’m sorry, but that’s gone. The live blogs will be tough. I don’t know the framework of the paper’s web site well enough to be able to say whether it’s possible or not. I’ll let you know by the time the playoffs start.
How long have I been discussing this move with the newspaper and with Paul? With the paper? About six months. They contacted me in November and my original intent was to join them over the summer. But the money factor is such that I’ll make a little more if I switch before the playoffs, so that’s what I’m doing. I told Paul on Monday.
Do you really expect the 19 readers of A2Y to follow you to a Detroit daily? Won’t they view this as a betrayal? What about your fellow Wing bloggers? I don’t really care what fans or bloggers think. I thought I’d made that clear a long time ago.
April Fool’s Day…bitches.
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And in other news today, Khan! has updates from 1 APR practice, sans Hossa:
Update from Wednesday’s practice: Marian Hossa did not skate. Coach Mike Babcock said he was given a day off to freshen up and will play Thursday against St. Louis.
“I just give him a day (off). So he’s had two of the last three days (off),’’ Babcock said, before jokingly adding, “Actually some guys were accusing Hossa of practicing so bad yesterday that he had all three off.
“We understand we got to get going and play way better, and yet I think it’s important to freshen your people up when you get the opportunity, and we took advantage of that.’‘
The Wings are 5-0 vs. St. Louis this season and will try to sweep the season series tomorrow, but this is a different Blues team than they faced earlier in the year. St. Louis has won five in a row heading into tonight’s game against Chicago. The Blues are 13-4-2 in their last 19 games and 23-9-6 since Jan. 1 (52 points in 38 games). By comparison, the Wings are 25-11-4 since Jan. 1 (54 points in 40 games).
The Blues are one of five teams battling for the final two playoff spots in the Western Conference. Goaltender Chris Mason has started 27 straight games heading into tonight’s game in Chicago.
Here’s the lines the Wings practiced with:
Datsyuk-Zetterberg-Holmstrom
Franzen-Filppula-Samuelsson
Hudler-Kopecky (with others rotating in)
Maltby-Draper-ClearyLidstrom-Kronwall
Ericsson-Stuart
Lebda-Chelios
MeechConklin (starting)
OsgoodHossa (day off)
Rafalski (out, groin)
Lilja (out, concussion)
Posted by Jeff OKWingnut from Quest for 12 on 04/01/09 at 12:55 PM ET
Helene St. James, FREEP, also has news from practice, and a few more comments from the Coach:
Update from Joe Louis Arena today: Marian Hossa didn’t practice because “I just gave him a day” off, Mike Babcock said. “Actually some guys were accusing Hoss of practicing so bad yesterday he took all three off. No, I’m just kidding. We were given this opportunity, and we understand we’ve got to get going and playing way better, and yet I think it’s important to freshen your people up when you have the opportunity.”
Nicklas Lidstrom, Pavel Datsyuk and Henrik Zetterberg were back on the ice after having Tuesday off.
The Wings resume playing Thursday when they host the Blues after having had three days between games. The Wings are 5-0 against St. Louis this season, but the Blues have won five straight games and are 7-2-1 over the past 10 games, and are right in the mix for a playoff spot.
“They’re one point out,” Babcock said. “So they’re battling for their playoff life. In saying that, we’re battling to be what we can be. I can’t tell our guys when they come in here tomorrow, guys you’re one point out of the playoffs – they’re not going to believe that. But in saying that, if you don’t play well, pretty soon you’re not playing.
“That’s the beauty of this time of year – you play to play again.”
Hossa’s absence affected Wednesday’s practice lines, but for those keeping track, Zetterberg and Datsyuk and Holmstrom were all back together on the same line. . .
Posted by Jeff OKWingnut from Quest for 12 on 04/01/09 at 12:59 PM ET
I bought it all the way to the last sentence. I’m such a freakin’ moron. Good thing I already knew that…
Posted by BobTheZee on 04/01/09 at 01:09 PM ET
Oh Hell No…well maybe….oh jeebus this can’t be real….“all good things…” fuchfuchfuch….I’m going to hunt that bitch down and sink his boat.
Posted by Osrt on 04/01/09 at 01:13 PM ET
If you were to write about the Wings from a distance while never visiting the Joe to cover the team, wouldn’t you be just another Drew Sharp/Mitch Albom/Deep Digger?
And we KNOW how much you love that group.
Posted by VooX from Behind the Bar in the Hasek Club Car on 04/01/09 at 01:44 PM ET
Good one Chief….though with three kids I must say my radar was up. Oh, they had their fun with the old man this morning. Rest assured they will pay for their “elder abuse”. It’s a game I call “Where’s the X-Box 360?”
In unrelated news .... the Wings have gone almost three straight days without losing a game. (visualize exclamation point here)
Posted by Rumbear from Top O da Hasek, sippin rum & catchin some rays on 04/01/09 at 01:51 PM ET
Well, reading that was two and a half hours out of my life I will never get back. (I didnt play with a helmet on always in case you were wondering)
Posted by Ron Landrus from Toledo on 04/01/09 at 01:53 PM ET
I forgot what day it was as I was up late last night writing a paper on Wolfram von Eschenbach’s Willehalm. So you got me. I’m “gottable.” Not a big deal, i felt good reading April Fool’s so thanks!
But you know who wasn’t fooled by this? Jonny F***ing Ericsson. Just try walking away from A2Y, and check behind your doors when you get home, Jonny just might be waiting there with a trident and shreds of the glossary still stuck to its prongs.
Posted by Sullyosis from A hateful lair in Post Apocalyptic US (or Arizona) on 04/01/09 at 01:55 PM ET
You pissed me off for a few minutes there. The word traitor and sell-out crossed my mind until the bitter end. Well played Chief.
Posted by UMFan from Colorado on 04/01/09 at 02:19 PM ET
The intellectual property line was really what got me. And some how you didn’t make Fox News’ top 10 April Fools day pranks.
Posted by rwingscup19 from Dallas on 04/01/09 at 02:45 PM ET
Oh dear sweet baby Jesus. Why the hell is Chelios in the game line up and Meech in the scratch line up? Uncle Mike, for the love god, my heart can’t take Cheli’s play anymore.
Posted by Alzy from Innisfail, Alberta, Canada on 04/01/09 at 02:51 PM ET
Aww…you freakish sunuvabi….
Hook. Line. Sinker.
First, youtube’s pages were upside down thinking it was due to one of the many April Fool’s Day pranks/viruses and now the Chief’s telling us he’s gone legit.
Thanks for making me laugh, Sir.
Happy April Fool’s Day.
[It’s also my Grandfather’s Birthday today. I really and truly miss him.]
Posted by SYF from a "Bron-Y-Aur Stomp" on 04/01/09 at 02:55 PM ET
You @$%#ing heartless bastard.
I suspected at the point where you mentioned “tact,” but wondered just because you really do deserve to get paid for your work. The newpapers are in so much trouble they can’t afford you - and they certainly don’t deserve to have you inflicted on them.
(I mean, haven’t they suffered enough? They wouldn’t have a chance!) 
I forgot the date because I’ve been writing up my March reports, so I didn’t even realize it was April.
Posted by Baroque from Michigan on 04/01/09 at 03:15 PM ET
I was on my toes for this one! Last year’s, with Babcock quitting due to being forced to play McCarty really got me badly. I was so frickin angry with the organ-I-zation…
It’s great to know the Hasek is still on track, at least for the foreseeable future (hopefully all the way to #12).
Posted by lilja4ever on 04/01/09 at 03:36 PM ET
Had me all the way until the end. Well done!!!!
Go Wings!!!!!!!!!
Posted by MSUMorty on 04/01/09 at 04:37 PM ET
Shit the bed, that was awesome.
I really started to freak out that I would have to actually read one of the dailies to get my wings news from now on.
Posted by John from Pittsburgh, PA (Wings fan for life!) on 04/01/09 at 05:02 PM ET
Imagine Chief’s blog at a major newspaper:
“Hi-diddly-Ho Neighborinos! Glad-diddly-ad-diddly to be conversing with you tonight, my dear friends. Golly!”
Posted by RWBill from the Land of 12 in 12. on 04/01/09 at 06:48 PM ET
Gabe, to quote the Black Eyed Peas, “Whacha gonna do with all that breast, all that breast inside that shirt.”
” I’m gonna g- g- get you drunk. Get you love-drunk off these humps.”
Posted by RWBill from the Land of 12 in 12. on 04/01/09 at 07:01 PM ET
You had me all the way to the end when you quoted Sharp. You bastard.
Posted by monkey from here to Timbuktu on 04/01/09 at 07:09 PM ET
Gabe, to quote the Black Eyed Peas,
RWBill, I’m so bitterly disappointed in you. I would have put good money down that the next post I saw from you would have been accompanied by the following avatar:
And Chief? Look at that picture that RWBill posted again. I want you to look deep into Carrie Milbanks’ eyes and know that she’s judging you. She doesn’t find your tomfoolery at all amusing.
Posted by Gabriel from San Diego, CA on 04/01/09 at 07:54 PM ET
UVM’s in the Frozen Four (invisible exclamation point). Furthest my alma mater has been since the St. Louis, Perrin & Tim Thomas days & first appearance there in a long time, well since I was in college in 95-96 anyway. . #1 BU against #10 UVM…. GO CATS GO…. GO CATS GO (invisible exclamation point).
Posted by MOWingsfan19 on 04/01/09 at 09:16 PM ET
Gabe,
She winked at me.
I swear.
Jeebus, I just went through this with RW and that little blond.
Posted by Rumbear from Top O da Hasek, sippin rum & catchin some rays on 04/01/09 at 11:01 PM ET
MO, what’s a Catamount?
Is that anything like a Henway?
Posted by Rumbear from Top O da Hasek, sippin rum & catchin some rays on 04/01/09 at 11:07 PM ET
I’ll tee it up for you Rumbear. What’s a Henway?
Actually that was pulled on me 30 years ago when my better half and I were crossing into California from Oregon and had to stop for one of those inspection stations. The guy asked about any fruit or vegetables we were bringing in. He told us they were looking for Henways. And, of course we asked, “What’s a Henway?”.
Posted by calquake on 04/02/09 at 12:39 AM ET
I hope someone sees this…..last post on April Fools day, this is a DANGLE DANGLE move as translated into Swedish.
Posted by The Hurricane on 04/02/09 at 01:03 AM ET
well done
Posted by Gunnar from Grand Rapids on 04/02/09 at 05:23 AM ET
Chief, you’re probably the only one who’ll read this by now, but you had me hook line & sinker. When I went back and re-read it after I knew it was a fake…I appreciated the sarcasm all that much more. Glad yer stickin’ around.
Posted by AndrewFromAnnArbor from Fortress Europe on 04/03/09 at 03:44 AM ET
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Well played sir.
I was going to go onto one of your liveblogs and start using the Glossary terms anyways, just to give it the A2Y feel.
I haven’t been had like that in a quite a few years.
Posted by Alzy from Innisfail, Alberta, Canada on 04/01/09 at 12:50 PM ET