Red Wings-Positive Playoff Streak Creating Negative Streak??

Sometimes the truth is a tougher pill to swallow, especially for many Wings fans. We have discussed and read articles about this before but now the wings are in the midst of a battle for the last playoff spot yet again. To limp into the playoffs as a low seed and get ousted in the first round will not serve as a victory anymore; even if it is the 25th straight playoff appearance. Cause the newer, more relevant streak after this season may be 4 straight years of 1st round playoff exits...and that'll be what wings fans will begin to remember most!

Right Winger Anthony Mantha (39) Scores what was the wings
game winning goal against the Canadien's last night

Last night, the Red Wings saw a 4-0 lead get squashed to 4-3 against Montreal and hung on until the clock said zero to breathe again. Had they lost last night, their season might've been lost as well. So now we are tied at 85 points with Philadelphia fighting for a measly wild card spot. Staying on this course will get us a dreadful matchup against the Washington Capitals who currently sit at the top of the NHL standings with 109 points! This will not end well for us so wings fans its time to start thinking about the future.

We need to start making better decisions and Holland needs to stop over paying average players and find some corner stones for the franchise. We have overpaid, average, middle-aged players, and then a group of fast, young talented players that still need to earn their contracts, and then our Veterans. As we go into our farewell to the Joe season next year with our sights set on the new arena, Pavel/Zetty and Kronny will be close to done and then what??

Red Wings Head Coach Jeff Blashill

I don't care if Blashill's first season doesn't include a playoff, because I know his success will only increase as we make smarter decisions and move forward. Ending the current longest playoff streak in the NHL at 24 straight appearances will be the shot in the arm that Ken Holland/Wings need to look in the mirror and get to work!  

Then again, I did stay up last night watching my first full Flyers game of the season rooting for an Avalanche team who I dislike (see late 90's) in hopes that the Wings could gain some ground in the standings. I guess its just not that easy to look into the future when you are in the depths of a playoff run!

Enough for now, happy Friday!

#GOWINGS

*Disregard any spelling/grammar errors, this is for fun, wrote this on the fly and didn't spend much time checking grammar*

REFS PUT GAME INTO THEIR OWN HANDS; MAKE IT TOUGH FOR LIONS

The Detroit Lions went into Arizona yesterday against a tough, defensive team who holds the best record in the NFC at 8-1 (now 9-1) and were projected to loss that game. I am okay with the fact the Lions lost being in hostile territory. NOW, all that aside, what upsets me is how the referees put this game into there own hands in three separate occassions which were all HUGE calls.
1) Ebron spot that was marked a yard and a half shy of where he went out of bounds on 3rd down forcing us to punt instead of having first down in the red zone
2) Larry fitzgerald spot that would have given the lions the ball back
3) WORST of all the ball being marked down at the one yard line on the Arizona punt where Jeremy Ross ran it back to mid field. (SEE SI's CHRIS BURKE'S ARTICLE)

Chris Burke wrote: "That's really where this game was won and lost anyway"

The referees clearly making bad decisions yesterday and at times were atrocious calls at the least. The outcome of this game whether the Lions won or lost would have been different had these refs made the right call. NFL needs to look closely at these plays ASAP

http://www.si.com/nfl/2014/11/16/jerome-boger-jeremy-ross-punt-return-lions-cardinals

Detroit Red Wings Season Wrap Up: Finish 39-28-15, Earn 2nd Wild Card Spot

What a season it was for Detroit as they started the year off in October rather than the condensed season last year due to the NHL Lockout.  The Red Wings jumped on the ice looking to keep their streak of 23 straight playoff appearances in tact.  But it wouldn't be an easy task as the list of injuries piled up mid-way through the season and Coach Babcock once again had his work cutout for him for the second straight season full of injuries.

Standard Babcock locked in

It was also a season like no other with the Olympic break which helped some teams relax and recover but it also saw some players like Red Wing Captain, Henrik Zetterberg go down with a herniated disk in February forcing him to make a decision.  Zetty went with getting surgery in his back which would force him out for the rest of the season.  With our Captain out, Magic Man Datsyuk sitting with a knee problem, the Wings were doomed as they had 9 key starters sitting including 5 centers down!  At one point we had 11 players suiting up for the Wings from our great farm system, the Grand Rapids Griffins who had won the Calder Cup last year.  The Red Wing's identity of wily veterans with many years of playoff experience transformed within weeks to a team full of youth, heart, looking to earn their roster spots.  And holy shit did these kids begin to AMAZE!!  Nyquist, Tatar, Jurco, Sheahan, Glendening, the list goes on and these youngsters filled in quit well.  Mucho-Gusto Nyquist ended the season with 28 goals, 48 total points and was the hottest goal scorer in the NHL since January 20th closing out the last few months of the season.

Gustav Nyquist celebrates as he scores against Carolina.

Tatar SAUCE like a bulldog showing his grit and his amazing skill set, scoring huge goals down the stretch playing on the same line with Jurco and Sheahan most the time.  Glendening's strong hitting and bruiser mentality has earned him a 3 year contract extension and is competitive as can be!  These kids from Grand Rapids have not only earned they keep her with the Wings but have made us a young, fast, and hungry bunch and will be our future for many years to come.

Sheahan, Jurco, and Tatar celebrating
“I think we just figured it out and we read off each other well,” Sheahan, the line’s center, said. “We skate a lot. All of us think the game the same; we enjoy playing in the offensive zone and when it comes to playing in the D-zone we’re pretty steady and we get the puck out as quick as we can so we can have some more time in the O-zone.”

Since the end of the Sochi Olympics, Detroit has been playing playoff games night in and night out.  Coach Mike Babcock has done a magnificent job teaching these youngsters how to play smart, with energy and togetherness as they try and claw their way into field of 16.  With the addition of Grosse Pointe Native David Legwand and comeback story Darren Helm, we got a little spark.  At one point we had to win 6 of 10 to get 92 points which what I thought would get us in but with colossal collapse of Toronto, 91 points got us in instead achieving our goal of 23 straight playoff appearances!!

Like last year, we had to go on streaks and win games in bulk to get in and we finished the season hot winning 6 of our last 9 including a season finale 3-0 shutout win over the struggling St. Louis Blues.  With the job that our skipper did, there is NO REASON why Mike Babcock shouldn't win COACH OF THE YEAR with what he has accomplished with so little talent.  He not only got a depleted Wings team into the playoff yet again, but he also coached his second straight Canadian Olympic team to a Gold Medal in Sochi!

Left: Steve Yzerman Right: Coach Mike Babcock

It has been an up and down season full of injuries, constantly fighting and up hill battle to get wins and get into the playoffs.  But our amazing farm system, where we breed players into young stars prevailed with a majority of credit due to Coach Babcock.  With our new youth and identity, Captain's Kronwall and Datysuk, and our Olympic goaltender Jimmy Howard, we are destined once again to make some noise in the Stanley Cup Playoffs and will most definitely be a tough out.  To Boston we go where we will battle our Original Foes in round 1.  Bring on the Bruins baby!!

Until Wednesday my friends…#LGRW!!

MUCHO GUST-O!! NYQUIST SCORES GAME WINNER OVER BOSTON!

MUCHO GUST-O!!! Gustav Nyquist Snipes the game winning goal over top seed in the East Boston Bruins!!

http://www.cbssports.com/nhl/eye-on-hockey/24511727/video-gustav-nyquist-blows-by-zdeno-chara-for-another-goal

These kids from Grand Rapids have been the story of the year and Coach Mike Babcock is finally up for coach of the year consideration.  All three goals last night were from ex grand rapids griffin's (Tatar, Jurco, Nyquist) and it is no mistake or fluke, these kids are the REAL DEAL and watch out because they are young as can be.

Great come from behind victory last night boys and lets keep this momentum going into Friday as we take on Buffalo!!

On another note, lets not forget our Tigers who are now 2-0 with two consecutive walk off hits.  Ian Kinsler was responsible for all of Detroit's runs with a home run and a walk off single in the 10th to beat the Royals 2-1!  What a great day for Detroit Sports!!


#LGRW
#TIGERS

TIGERS ADVANCE TO ALCS ON VERLANDER'S SHOULDERS!

What a fantastic outing by Justin Verlander last night! On a night where we needed JV to come through AGAIN, he was simply sensational on the mound! Once he realized his no hitter was done you could see the mindset completely change to lets win this game. Immediately after letting up Oakland's first hit, Verlander had asked for the ball back immediately by repeatedly saying "Come on, come on" meaning give me that ball and let me take us to the ALCS! And that is where we are once again for the second straight year!

Cabrera finally coming through with a huge homerun. Probably the second biggest homerun of the series outside of Peralta's in Game 4. If came seconds after the mindless TBS announcers said Cabrera didnt have the legs to power out homeruns right now....HAHA what a CHUMP! Way to make him and the Oakland A's pay Miggy. 

MVP's of the series: 1. Victor Martinez 2. Jhonny Peralta 3. Justin Verlander/Max Scherzer. 4. The HAKA VICTORY DANCE (In case you missed the Hawaiian victory dance here it is:
http://wapc.mlb.com/play/?content_id=31121679&partnerId=as_mlb_20131011_12998704&topic_id=62343546
Tigers Win ALDS!

On a side note, we are finally done with TBS and on to FOX. Yes many find Joe Buck boring but lets face it...those TBS announcers were complete garbage! All baseball fans of our generation know you grew up listening to sound of Joe Buck's voice and that his voice purely meant we are in October and playoff baseball is ON!

See ya Saturday Boston! LETS GO TIGERS!!

Lions Opener and Mich vs. ND: quick weekend wrap up

What an amazing football weekend for the state of Michigan!!  Wolverines taking care of business against the Irish Saturday night, under the lights, on the national spotlight...way to go blue!!  Devin Gardner played superb minus a hiccup in our own endzone throwing pics.  Great win and we should now cruise into 5/6-0 in the next 4 games.
Lions, Lions, Lions, you made me rip my hair out and put enough wear and tear on my body for a full season as a fan.  We denied ourselves at least 21 pts in the first half with fumbled snaps, terrible penalties (SUH!) and missed opportunities.  Yet we still be the Vikings in a game with NFC North implications.
REG-GIE, REG-GIE, REG-GIE!!!! What a game by Reggie Bush in his Lions game 1 debut with  4 rec's for 100 yds TD and 91 rush yards as well!  Stafford and the offense looked in sync as he slung the ball a ton like normal and passed for 357 yds.
After all of our mistakes, we still pulled out the win and are 1-0 in the division baby!!
Great weekend and more to come!!!

MICHIGAN vs NOTRE DAME...Enough Said!!!

Today marks the last time that Michigan and Notre Dame will meet on the football field.  This historic rivalry dates back to 1887 as these two most winningest football programs (Michigan #1 and ND #3) have met 40 times.  When Michigan and ND meet you better be glued to the screen until the last second because 5 of the last 7 games have been decided by 7 points or less.  In 2011, The Big House hosted a night game for the first time in its 84 year history....

In 2009, Tate Forcier threw a touchdown pass with 11 seconds left to beat the Irish in another thriller.  

This game has meant so much to these amazing programs over the years and many stars have played in this matchup.  ND's coach Brian Kelly down played this rivalry and then realized how terrible he sounded and revised his statement.  Anyone who is a fan of college football will be watching this game tonight.  ESPN College Gameday has been to Ann Arbor 6 times for this game which states the importance of this game to the National audience.

I apologize to the fans looking for a last second finish on a touchdown pass because this one will be a beat down by my Wolverines.  We have just about cleared out all of the Rich Rod players and have finally gotten back to pro-style offense with Devin Gardner leading the ship.  Michigan has won 6 of last 7 games vs ND at the Big House and Brady Hoke is undefeated at home over his 1st two seasons so I am looking forward to the Wolverines dominating tonight under the lights!!

A big matchup will be in the trenches with Michigan's offensive line defending against ND's defensive line.  If Taylor Lewan and company can give my man Gardner some time to throw the ball, I don't see Michigan having any issues tonight.  Also, tonight will be a coming out party for RB Derrick Green even though he is the backup to Fitz Touissaint.

It's gonna be a SEA OF MAIZE tonight at the BIG HOUSE under the LIGHTS!!!  Let's send these little Irish Lep's home and cap off this historic rivalry with a confident win tonight boys....

LETS GO BLUE!!!