lordstanley

Completely different 2nd period for the Wings than the other night. 3-0 with 7 minutes to go in 2nd.

If the Lions win and a pumped up Campbell slaps Shanahan on the back after a quick handshake, will Shanahan go off on him and chase after him?

That's like how during papal elections, any Catholic baptized male is eligible. When Francis goes, I could try to make a social media effort to get a few write-in votes for Harbaugh.

Who the hell is Brogan Rafferty? Sounds more like a Toronto law firm.

I don’t think hiring Moore means committing to a decade. I’d give him a 3 year contract and start giving him a hard evaluation by the end of year 2. Michigan would still be a top destination in a national coaching search 2-3 years from now, if necessary.

Right. Who thinks he would have left the NFL in the first place for any school other than Michigan? I don't, not even if Notre Dame or Georgia or USC had come calling 9 years ago.

Here it is ... https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/39380148/sources-jim-harbaugh-accepts-head-coaching-job-chargers LOS ANGELES -- Jim Harbaugh is leaving the Michigan Wolverines to accept the head coaching job with the Los Angeles Chargers, sources told ESPN's Adam Schefter on Wednesday.

And this may just as grimy, if true.

If that happens and the Lions win, then MIke Tirico will put an asterisk on it.

Is there also an unwritten code against deliberately trying to disguise which lineman is reporting, so as to confuse the opposing team? Or is that just gamesmanship?

It’s a major life change for Harbaugh and his family. Moving across the country, new job, saying goodbye to friends. It’s been 2 weeks. He has done nothing wrong. There’s no great time to leave a program. If this goes on beyond the weekend and Michigan allows that, then maybe that’s a difference story. This is moving quickly.

In the big picture, the disappointing seasons so far by Kaspar and Edvinsson could have big implications. The idea of last summer's signings was to buy some time until the young uns were ready. Not for this year to be the ceiling.

2nd period from hell. 5-2 Stars.

Wings lead Dallas 2-1 after 1. Nice recovery after early penalty trouble.

More on the Al Sobotka firing, remember that? Personally, I think firing after 50 years was harsh, even if probably legal to do so. Could have asked him to resign with a year's severance. He was 67, no one's entitled to a job for life anyways. https://www.freep.com/story/sports/nhl/red-wings/2024/01/19/al-sobotka-red-wings-zamboni-driver-fired-details/72163904007/ ============================================ One day after he was fired for peeing in a drain at work, former Detroit Red Wings Zamboni driver Al Sobotka texted the most powerful man at the company and begged for a second chance. "Chris, I'm sure you heard that I was terminated," Sobotka texted Christopher Ilitch, president and CEO of the Detroit Red Wings and its massive parent company, Ilitch Holdings. "I don't think I deserve it. After 50 seasons of hard work, countless hours, holidays, missing out with the family ... I would hope you had it in your heart for another chance." "I would love to go (out) on my own and retire. I have much respect for you and your family ... I'm begging you, this is killing me." Ilitch never responded. Zamboni driver Al Sobotka swings an octopus after retrieving from the ice in the third period of the Nearly two years after the abrupt firing of Detroit's beloved Zamboni driver and octopus twirler, new details have emerged about what went on behind closed doors before and after the Red Wings axed the celebrated 68-year-old Sobotka. He sued over his firing — and consequently planted a bull's-eye on the inner workings of the city's billion-dollar entertainment empire. ==================================

Ahh .. we knew it was just a matter of time before we'd know the names. As for Corey Perry, he has signed with the Oilers. Turns out he made a pass at NBC employee at a Hawks function and that was what ended it there.

I don't get people griping about Harbaugh taking too long to decide. It has been 2 weeks since the national championship game, 10 days since the rally & parade. He's negotiating a life-changing move and the Chargers are about to commit to tens of millions of dollars. I've seen secretarial hires in small businesses drag out longer. Sounds like this will get done by the weekend at the latest, maybe as soon as tomorrow, and that's pretty much lightning fast, IMO.

And I want the coaching staff to realize they got away with a break, can't rely on any unwritten code, and correct it so that going forward they snap the ball at the last second until it is mathematically impossible for there to be time for another play. Surely of all the staff a team has on the sidelines and in the booth, there should be one who is feeding real-time information about time management.

Go for it. I bought my non-refundable air ticket last Wednesday (Campbell's gambling approach has inspired me, lol, plus it was only $275) and then Sunday night I bought a 200-level endzone seat for $650 TM-listed + $100 taxes/fees = $750. I think ticket prices have peaked, they've softened a bit since Sunday night and will some more, IMO. Flying in Sunday morning direct 2h20min flight from Vancouver, then back Monday morning. Staying Sunday night in an airport hotel, for approx. $175. Add some incidentals like transport to/from the airport and the stadium and should still be under $1,500. Not cheap, but acceptable. At this stage of my life (56 years old, our only child leaving home in the fall), it's how I prefer to spend money, as opposed say to a weekend in Vegas or days around a pool in Mexico. This is the 3rd time I've done something like this from Vancouver for Detroit sports. First was Game 4 of the ALDS in '06, went with my dad. Second, described above, was Wings Game 5 SCF '08. Still two of the most memorable experiences of my life, certainly of sports-related experiences at least. I go in expecting the Lions to lose. But I was so intrigued earlier in the season seeing Lions fans celebrating post-game together down near the sidelines in Tampa and Los Angeles among others. Imagine Sunday if the Lions pull off the upset, Niners fans go home, the stadium empties out, but say 1,000 Lions fans in blue are at the railing high-fiving Lions players like the Kenny Rogers-led scene in '06. Priceless.

Ha, I was there too! The ticket price wasn't bad, I think I got it for just under $200 five minutes after they went on sale. Flew in from Vancouver. Stayed at my parent's in Sarnia for a night. Went with my brother, my brother's wife who has since passed away, and an uncle who used to take me to Tigers and Wings games when i was kid. Knew the stars would really have to align again to get the chance to see the Cup presented to my team in person, especially with them. As you'll recall, the Wings totally dominated the 3rd period, up to and well past the go ahead goal midway through the 3rd. I think the Penguins went 10+ minutes without a shot. Ozzie looked headed for a Conn Smythe. And then Franzen just couldn't clear it and Ozzie left a bit of space on the ice between his pad and the post. Was a long flight back to Vancouver the next morning. Shows how spoiled I guess we were as Wings fans that a week later I was still really bummed because even though the Wings had won a 4th Cup they hadn't won it with me in the building, lol. Don't regret for a second making the trip though.

I most remember when Roy was coaching in the QMJHL and he threw one of his teenaged players under the bus at a Memorial Cup press conference. EDIT: Found the link. From 2006. I was a bit off, it was an opposing player not a player on his own team. Still ... https://firstdownsportspodcast.com/2020/03/06/the-most-hated-man-in-moncton-wildcats-history-the-return-of-patrick-roy/ https://bleacherreport.com/articles/56655-patrick-roy-aint-no-saint EDIT Part II: Nope, it was also against one of his own players. https://torontosun.com/2014/04/21/patrick-roy-is-one-of-the-worst-people-ive-met-former-goalie “Congratulations to Patrick Roy one more time! What a class act. I’m capable of accepting blame when the hat fits… “But to denigrate and attack me publicly for three years in addition to intimidating and humiliating (me). I’m ending my silence!” “Patrick Roy intimidated me verbally day after day. Never came to help me. By far and away one of the worst people I’ve ever met.” Domingue played for Roy two years ago during their major collapse in the QJMHL playoffs against Avs’ rookie phenom Nathan MacKinnon and the Halifax Mooseheads. Roy’s Remparts were up 3-0 in the series when MacKinnon, in his rookie season with the Mooseheads at the time, helped lead a historic comeback to win the series in seven games. Roy was asked about MacKinnon’s performance in that series the day before his NHL coaching debut on April 16. He didn’t hold anything back when reporters asked if the collapse had to do with the dominant play of MacKinnon or just bad coaching. “Can I say bad goaltending?” Roy joked at the time. It appears Domingue, a Phoenix Coyotes prospect, wasn’t laughing with Patrick. “I have a lot of respect for what he accomplished as a goaltender. But nobody knows what I lived through. Good luck to the Avalanche in the playoffs!” Domingue tweeted later on. Peter Delmas, who also played with Domingue under Roy, supported his former goaltender. “Can definitely back you up here Lou, not an easy task playing for Pat as a goalie,” he tweeted to Domingue.

Maybe if for some reason this year is a "one and done" event for the Lions and they go back to sucking (I don't think they will but let's just say for the sake of argument), 25 years from now the next generation will look back at the Lions' 2023 season/2024 post-season and suspect it was a hoax. AI-generated? Paid actors on the field with 60,000 extras in the stands? In some ways the Lions making the Super Bowl sounds as remarkable as man landing on the moon.

By a Vancouver Island tv station: