Let's talk about Hockey. I know it's July and Hockey is over, but
today there was news that the Chicago Black Hawks picked up Bobby 
"Cementhead" Probert for a cool 6.6 mil over the next 4 yrs.

  I feel that this was a BIG error on the part of the Wings. Probert
was the best enforcer we had, in my opinion.

 The red wings, or ded wings in my vernacular, let many other players
go, and as a result, a few of those teams have gone far. Will Detrot
ever win the Cup? Yzerman is not god, and niether is Essensa.

please, let is speak and argue...

36 responses total.

The talk on A.M. 800 Windsor tonight is that Mr. Probert may have more
immigration troubles coming because of likely legal troubles upcoming
stemming from the motorcycle bang up. Whoever has his contract would be
out Probert in all U.S. games.  This time maybe for good.  Did the Wings
know this when the cut him?   Supposedly his Chicago contract has a good
behavior clause that would excuse the team from obligation in this event.

  I don't have a "grand theory of the world as related to Probert"  but I
do partake of the spectation of the sport of Hoke Hay.

Yeah they will miss the big guy on the ice, but I'd rather be in their 
position than Chicago's. Probie has a serious alcohol problem that the
Wings are tired of putting up with. I think this was a major factor.
His most recent motorcycle accident is solid indication that he backslid
yet again during the off season. I think the Wings cut their losses nicely.

The wings made the right choice by dropping Probie.  He might not even be 
able to play in the NHL next season.

Right now it looks very bad for Mr. Probert's chances to continue
playing. He is also at great risk of being deported so that even if the
NHL let him play, it would only be possible at Canadian venues.

Welll as a hawks fan, i thinks its great that he will be beating up on the
wings rather than the hawks, even though roenick is down the hawks still shut
out the wings tonight 4-0 stick it wings fans.

The wings took a vacation for the last 4-5 games because they had already
locked the points total.  The proof will come in the playoffs, not the
last few meaningless games.  

 I'm kind of imporessed with thier performace of late. Looks to me like thay
could win it, if they don't screw up.

well as my last entry, i will predict that the wings and hawks will meet
because the hawks beat the leafs to go to the semi's.

 I have heard now that the second round will be the San Diego Sharks
vs the Wings. I seem to recall the Sharks giving the Wings a BIG defeat
in the first round last year. I hope that the Wings play better this
time out.

Omni, the Sharks are in San Jose, not San Diego.
<Bruin shows Omni a map of California and sings "Do You Know the Way to
San Jose?">

 And I of all people should know better. There has to be at least 400-500
maps of some sort in this house, including big ones of California.

  Does San Diego have a hockey team? 

  I believe the way to San Jose would be I-5 to the Nimitz Fwy, if I
remember my California geography correctly.

San Diego does indeed have a *minor league* hockey team -- or was that the
one that moved and became the Detroit Vipers???

And only one more game to go for the sharks. The domination in this series
has been quite amazing. I've been enjoying it much, being a true
Wings fan.                         Octopus rules!

10 minutes into the game and it is already 4-0!
..

 Update: Wings sweep the sharks 4-0. Score was 6-2.

Next Game is Thursday night. Bring on the Hawks. Let's see the wings
continue their domination over the hawks from the regular season
(something like 4 out of 5). It will not be as easy as it was during
the regular season, and Yzerman's out for arthroscopic surgery for at 
least 10 days. 

Has anyone been watching the Devils? Brodeur in particular?
I am impressed, and hope he can help them past the very physically
intimidating Flyers. It will be an interesting diversion for when the
Wings and Hawks aren't playing.

 Wings 2, Hawks 1. Linstrom in OT gets a damn fine goal.

 This could actually get me excited. 

 omni sings Good Bye Chicago...

Whoa! Slow down there, Jim. They've got to win three more against a
very fine defensive team. It won't be easy, but I do think they can do it.

Meanwhile the Devils embarrass the Flyers at the Spectrum in game 1
of the East.

 I'm tempted to watch tommorrow's game, but I know if I do, they might lose.

 I promise not to get excited until Chicago is history. 

 I have a feeling it will be the Flyers and the Wings....

I have a feeling the flyers will not survive that far.

Devils embarrass Flyers in game at the spectrum.

Now leading 2-0 in games, the Devils come home to Brendan Byrne Arena.
The Wings are leading 2-0 too, but they won those two at home and now
have to go to the chicago Center

 If the Wings win this Cup, I don't want to hear anyone whining about a
shortened season, and all that crap. I firmly believe that the Wings
would be in the EXACT SAME position if they would have played a full season.

  If they win it, it's because they have earned it.

Well, I'm not whining. I actually agree with you, but in past years when
the Wings have had a good team, they always seemed to manage to peak just
*before* the playoffs. This is non-optimal.

This year, they are peaking now, which is ideal. Does the shortened season
have a role in this? It's hard to say.

Update: Devils fall, still lead their series with Philly 2-1.
It looks like that series has some kind of home ice disadvantage :-)

  I'm sort of hoping that it will be the Devils and the Wings. I have
a bad feeling about Eric Lindross. A very bad feeling.

The wings were very flat in game four. Now lead 3-1.
I hope that was a fluke.

I'd rather see them play Philadelphia, despite Lindross.
I have a very bad feeling about Brodeur.

First they have to win one more against Chicago.

The Wings defeated the Hawks 2-1 in the 2nd overtime.  It's the 2nd time
they did that in the series, and the 2nd time that Belfour let in a soft
goal to lose it after stoning the Wings for 4 periods.  That makes Detroit
8-0 at home in the playoffs.

The home ice disadvantage continues in the east as the Devils get a goal
with 45 seconds left in the 3rd period to go up 3 games to 2 over the
Flyers.  Game 6 will be Tuesday at NJ.  The Wings can use the extra rest,
while watching/scouting their eventual opponents.  The finals begin Saturday
at the Joe regardless of the outcome/#-games in the east.

Stay tuned, ye of tentacled wings!  :-)

Good analysis. The goal to win game 5, the series, and the Campbell Cup
was scored by Vyacheslav Koslov. It wasn't all that soft. He made a really
good move to beat the defneseman and get the shot off. The shot was hard and
went through the 5-hole. Admittedly, Belfour had stopped most like that
and some much tougher ones (like Fedorov's shot in the 2nd period, a real
game highlight for the hawks).

By contrast the goal by Konstantinov to win game 3 in the second overtime 
was from the blue line and a soft shot. It was a much softer goal (imo).

Now they get to rest. They need that a lot. Whoever wins the other series
will be tough. Philly very physical, and Lindross is their best player.
New Jersey has a defense nearly as good as Chicago's, and a goalie who is
(on most days) better that Belfour. I don't think he'll play any
better than Belfour played tonight though.

I would expect a high-scoring series against the flyers, but a low-scoring
one if they play the Devils. I'm pulling for the Devils.

Only 4 tentacles left on the octopus.

  And with 5 games remaining, the tentacles are still there. 

   I don't mean to jinx them or anything, but THEY ARE DONE! no way will they
win it, not with the way the Devils seem to be dominating. Maybe next year??

Not only that, but there are reports that the New Jersey Devils may be moving
to Nashville, Tennessee, in 1995-96.  Would this be the first defending major
professional sports champion to move to another city the following year? 
Also, the "Devils" name would not go well in predominantly Southern Baptist
Tennessee (home of the Scopes "Monkey Trial").

That trial was Darwinism in reverse - Clarence Darrow really made a monkey
out of William Jennings Bryan!  Oh, oh, I believe we're drifting.  Back to
hockey, folks.

Maybe we'll discuss hockey again next year.

Oh yes, the old "Wait until next year" trick.

It'll take that long before I'm ready to deal with it.

  I think that the Wings did an excellent job and even though they didn't
win the Cup,they proved to the world that they were a better team this
year, and hopefully next year will be better.

  Steve. get your chin off the floor

Jim, I know you're right, but I applied a great deal of psychic energy
to the wings all year, and it is just going to take some time to
recharge my batteries.

Just a Devils fan dropping in by telnet to bring you up to date. The Devils
have announced their intent to terminate their lease with the NJ Sports & Expo
Authority after the 96-97 season. This gives all parties the time to litigate
and/or negotiate. The fan reaction at the victory celebration tmrw will be
interesting to observe. BTW, I'm also a UM grad so now it's on from Go Devils
to Go Blue..

does anyone come here?..wow..

Last year's Wings item doesn't attract comments much any more.
It's just as well. You can relive the disappointment in this past year's item.

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