I'm not going to do a huge update today, because quite frankly, nothing is going on. Plus, I'm leaving for vacation in a couple of days, and I'm trying to cram 10 days of worth of work into 2 and a half days of actually being here.
Having said that, I'm working on some new stuff that hopefully you find interesting. A lot of what's coming has to do with my personal experiences as a Red Wing fan, but I don't want to spoil the surprise too much. I hope you'll tune in starting (hopefully) tomorrow for a new series.
I did want to mention that there are some new Red Wing blogs out there that you should be taking the time to check out and read. Brandon asked me whether I was aware of another team that had the number of quality bloggers the Wings do; I can't think of one, and if there is such a team that exists, it probably plays it's home games in some magical world like Narnia or at Hogwarts. If you haven't already, I highly recommend the following new sites:
Etched In Cold - Written by a Marine, Rob's a very passionate fan who wears his heart on his sleeve. He's also got a funny side, as evidenced by his thoughts on how to alleviate the Blackhawks' salary cap problems (hint - been to a good bake sale lately?)
Babcock's Fly Hair - With a name like this, you know you're dealing with a very creative guy. Liam is new to the blogging world, but the few posts that I've seen from him are insightful and funny. I'm really looking forward to seeing what he does with Babcock's press conferences.
Beards of War - I swear, there are some great-named blogs in the Red Wing blogosphere, and this one is a great example. Josh has been going for about a couple of months, and if you're looking for great commentary that will make you laugh, check him out. Be sure to watch the video documenting about the Hawks and their cap issues - it ranks up there with the TTD Minutes.
Brendan Smithsonian Institution - This is the first blog I've ever seen named for a player who is not actually on the team. I've chatted with Jeff on Twitter before, and he's a native of Michigan who has been transplanted to Boston. Like the rest of us out-of-towners, he loves his Wings from afar, and is excited to see his namesake make the team and follow in Lids' footsteps.
These guys are all churning out great stuff, and that's in addition to the numerous quality blogs that are out there already. Truth be told, I feel a little inadequate when I read their posts, because their work is really, really good. It makes me proud to see that our community of fans boasts such intelligent, insightful people, and I look forward to sharing an entire season with all of you.
Update: Apparently I need to proofread this a little better, as in my haste to type everything out, I said that the writer for the Brendan Smithsonian Institution is Josh, when in fact, his name is Jeff. I should have paid more attention since that's his Twitter name.
Graham,
ReplyDeleteFor the sake of simplicity I wanted to comment here on yesterdays post 'Monday Musings' and this one today.
"just not at the expense of players like Darren Helm and Justin Abdelkader. Those 2 guys may not be superstars, but they are quality depth players who have bought into the system in place and will be good for years. They could be big reasons why the Wings have the 3rd and 4th lines that keep them contending for Cups every year."
I totally agree that Helmer and Abby might not be top line players for the Wings, but they're essential to the depth of our team. I read the most ridiculous statement (or suggestion) yesterday here: http://wp.me/pEkMz-iU
I remember you saying that you used to write for this blog, but to say that Helmer is expendable is a very boneheaded opinion in my eyes. He is the fastest skater in the NHL who applies some of the best fore-checking, PK'ing and energy in the game. I will agree that he needs to work on finishing but the kid is still young and it will come together with time. How could anyone be 'ok' with him walking out the door?
On to today's topics:
Very stoked about the new stuff in the coming days! It will be extremely refreshing to read something other than the latest on Modano!
I'll be sure to check these new blogs out and I have no doubt they'll be top notch. Babcock's Fly hair will no doubt be the first stop!
No need to fell 'inadequate' in comparison either; You're posts are also top quality with mixing some damn good humor and referencing in ways that are so freaking unique!
-Brandon
@Rob - ha ha. I had not intended to reference it, but perhaps it came out subconsciously, as that is one hell of a movie.
ReplyDelete@Brandon - I read Joe's piece and I can't say I agree with him either. Cups are won and lost with role/depth players, and the truth is the Wings don't truly know what they have in Helm and Abby yet. There's always the possibility that neither of them developed into anything special - but it's about what they bring right now, which is energy and solid defensive play that is important. Imagine if the Wings had gotten rid of Draper and Maltby to sign an aging FA who was past his prime? I don't think they win Cups.
I'm excited for the new stuff. It came to me late last night as I was having trouble sleeping, and I hope that it creates some nostalgic memories along with some discussion among my readers.
Thank you for the kind words. It is really nice to know that my writing is entertaining people, which is all I really want to do. I'll keep writing if you keep reading!