Bad Moon Rising over Detroit
Posted 4:28 PM ET | Comments 0
Beware, this will mostly just be a rant.
I really now believe that the negativity and gloom that has surrounded Detroit the last couple years has finally started to effect our sports teams. The Lions have always sucked but the Tigers, Pistons, and of course the Red Wings have been relatively dominant teams in their respective leagues. The Pistons fell apart last year by getting rid of players and then collapsing. The Tigers were in first place since May 10th, and 150 games later they lose in the 163rd play-in game and the city is left wondering what is going on. And last season the Wings hold a 2-0 lead in the Stanley Cup Finals only to lose 4 straight against the Pens. And now today, arguably our biggest goal scoring threat is out for 4 months. This is after losing Hossa, Hudler, and Sammy this off-season.
We have been blessed as Wings fans to not suffer many key injuries so I guess we shouldn't act so spoiled. But this season was going to be rough enough with less scoring and a defense that has not been changed from it's poor performance last season. Franzen was a key and many expected he might hit that 40 goal mark this season and he was looking pretty good the first 3 games.
So now what? Change the lines all around, bring Abdelkader back up? I would like to see Val be sent up a line, maybe put Helm as the third line center. How about getting Bert off the top line and putting Hank and Pavs together? It's gotta happen sooner or later because Bert is not a first line forward no matter how much you want to believe he is. Didn't take Calgary long to figure that one out last year so let's not waste time and get it right now.
I can't wait to see what happens next here in Detroit. No jobs, crime is rising, housing is failing at an alarming rate, leaders fumbling in the dark, and the economy is shot. Our sports teams have been the silver lining in this city and if the Red Wings falter we got nothing left. This team is still good, don't get me wrong, but losing Franzen this long makes the margin for error smaller.
I really now believe that the negativity and gloom that has surrounded Detroit the last couple years has finally started to effect our sports teams. The Lions have always sucked but the Tigers, Pistons, and of course the Red Wings have been relatively dominant teams in their respective leagues. The Pistons fell apart last year by getting rid of players and then collapsing. The Tigers were in first place since May 10th, and 150 games later they lose in the 163rd play-in game and the city is left wondering what is going on. And last season the Wings hold a 2-0 lead in the Stanley Cup Finals only to lose 4 straight against the Pens. And now today, arguably our biggest goal scoring threat is out for 4 months. This is after losing Hossa, Hudler, and Sammy this off-season.
We have been blessed as Wings fans to not suffer many key injuries so I guess we shouldn't act so spoiled. But this season was going to be rough enough with less scoring and a defense that has not been changed from it's poor performance last season. Franzen was a key and many expected he might hit that 40 goal mark this season and he was looking pretty good the first 3 games.
So now what? Change the lines all around, bring Abdelkader back up? I would like to see Val be sent up a line, maybe put Helm as the third line center. How about getting Bert off the top line and putting Hank and Pavs together? It's gotta happen sooner or later because Bert is not a first line forward no matter how much you want to believe he is. Didn't take Calgary long to figure that one out last year so let's not waste time and get it right now.
I can't wait to see what happens next here in Detroit. No jobs, crime is rising, housing is failing at an alarming rate, leaders fumbling in the dark, and the economy is shot. Our sports teams have been the silver lining in this city and if the Red Wings falter we got nothing left. This team is still good, don't get me wrong, but losing Franzen this long makes the margin for error smaller.