Yes, no doubt it’s been a long time since I’ve updated here, but with Steve Yzerman being inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame I felt the need to write about not just my favorite player in hockey but in ANY sport.

Anyone that watches sports on a regular basis will always have their favorite teams to root for and players to follow. If they’re lucky they’ll see those favorites achieve great success over a long period of time; it may not always happen because no matter how hard working or honest a player or team may be, no championship is ever guaranteed because of it–as a Detroit Lions fan I’ve seen more than a few that played here that due to circumstances beyond their control never got a taste of a championship game.

For fans of the Detroit Red Wings though, one person became the face of the team pretty much from the time he was drafted all the way back in 1983 up until his last game in the Spring of 2006: Steve Yzerman. You could say either Stevie Y., The Captain, #19 and anyone in Detroit would automatically know just exactly who was being talked about–a humble, hard working, and all around classy human being. A majority of fans grew up while watching his career unfold, myself included; from the tough first few years when the Red Wings were known more as the ‘Dead Things’, when he’d try to outscore the team on his own. Got their first taste of real playoff success in 1987, making it to the Campbell Conference Finals before getting knocked out by Wayne Gretzky and the rest of the Edmonton Oilers juggernaut (that’d be grade school for me). Fast forward to the early and mid-90’s where the Red Wings are now perennial playoff contenders, but just couldn’t put it all together to get those tough 16 wins in the postseason (high school and some college life). The legendary Scotty Bowman, coach of the Red Wings since the start of the 1993 season, convinced Yzerman that for the Red Wings to ultimately make that big leap he’d need to become a two-way player; always known for his offense, The Captain made the adjustment–and since he was The Captain, the team followed. Probably my greatest memory was seeing Stevie lift that Stanley Cup over his head in 1997, a scene only 14 years in the making. Then all of us in Detroit got to see him and the rest of the Red Wings do it again in 1998, and then again in 2002. Until 2002, many of us probably took #19 for granted, just assuming that he’d be around forever…right until the stories of that postseason push for the Cup came about. Turns out Stevie Y. had been playing on one leg throughout the entire playoffs and would need surgery to repair his knee. Then and only then (at 29, I’d been watching him for almost 20 years at that point!) did I start to think, ‘Wow, it’s been fun but we might not have him around to watch much longer.’ But he continued on anyway, right up until that Game 6 first round elimination at the hands of the Edmonton Oilers; at that point I think we all knew that seeing him skate off the ice it’d be the last time. I hoped it wouldn’t be (I’m sure a lot of us in Detroit did), but in late June or early July of 2006 his career as a player was over.

The Red Wings gave Steve Yzerman the highest honor of retiring his number just a few short months later, and then on November 9th, 2009 the NHL inducted The Captain into the Hockey Hall of Fame (along with Brett Hull, Lou Lamoriello, Brian Leetch, and Luc Robataille). It was all well deserved, and as usual the class act we’d all gotten to see in Detroit for years and years was just the same in his induction speech: even though the ceremony was about him and his accomplishments, his speech was about everyone else that helped him get there and helped him stay there.

Now there are a ton of other blogs and articles that have written all about Steve Yzerman, and I’m not ashamed to say better than I am capable of (some I’d recommend are at Kukla’s Corner in a post written by IwoCPO, and also another article written by Christy over at Winging It In Motown). I still felt the need to write about it anyway because, like I said at the beginning, he’s my favorite player in ANY sport. Thank you, #19, for being an absolute joy to watch and cheer for!

So now I turn the question to you:  what’s your favorite Steve Yzerman memory? For that matter, if you weren’t or aren’t a Stevie Y. fan (gasp!), who is your favorite player and what’s your favorite memory of that player?

One win short. Just one.

I think there’s only one of you reading this anyway, and as that person (and now you, should you find yourself here now) already knows, I’ve avoided hitting up any message board I usually frequent the last few days to a.) avoid getting pissed off at any ‘fan’ actually rooting for the Penguins/anyone just looking to poke fun at the Wings’ loss, and 2.) avoid seeing anything that would influence what I thought happened in this series. Seeing your favorite team lose a Game 7 in their own damn building hurts quite a bit, and not just something you can forget about straight away. I’ve thought about this for the last few days, and I’m pretty sure my mourning period has passed. So here it is…

The Wings let this series get away from them, it’s as simple as that. There’s no way anyone can tell me that the Penguins were the better team–they aren’t. What I saw in the last two games of the Cup Finals was what I grew familiar with the Pistons from 2005-2008: the Red Wings didn’t play a full game like everyone had grown accustomed to seeing (and no, I don’t think this team was simply gassed). Had the Wings done what they usually do from Game 1 of these finals, this series is over in 5 games tops. But all too often they sat back (something they also did with alarming regularity throughout the regular season and the earlier rounds of the playoffs, as well). Instead of shooting the puck continuously against rebound machine Marc-Andre Fleury (kid is overrated), they tried to wait for the perfect shot and that allowed the Pens to either block the shot or Fleury to get into position. Things didn’t start happening for the Wings until the last period of games 6 & 7, and you could tell the difference. Yeah, I know this sounds exactly like I’m saying the Pens didn’t win it, the Wings lost it–and that’s exactly what I mean it to say. There’s no way that team is better than the Red Wings.

As for Brad Stuart, yes, he had a horrible Game 7–but up to that point in the playoffs he’d been absolutely stellar for the Wings, and I really can’t find fault with him overall. Marian Hossa, OTOH–maybe he was pressing too much and he drew a shit draw having to face his former team in the Finals, but the bottom line is he was rather pedestrian throughout the playoffs anyhow. I wouldn’t mind seeing him back in a Red Wings uniform again, but while a couple of months ago I’d say the Wings should do whatever they can to make that happen now I think he can come back for the right price. As for Chris Osgood–wow is pretty much all I can say about his playoff performance. I’m one of Ozzie’s biggest fans but what I saw this postseason was above and beyond anything I could’ve hoped for. The guy was the MVP for the Wings in the playoffs this year.

The future? Still bright in Detroit. A lot of young guys stepped up, and the Wings have a great core. Hopefully this loss reminds them that games are 60 minutes and not 20, and I think they got the message. This is going to be one pissed off Red Wings team next season, and I have no doubt in my mind that this team will get what should’ve been theirs this year: a 12th Stanley Cup Trophy.

Okay, other stuff: I’m now living in Chicago, but for the next two weeks will be working 4-5 day stretches at my old employer back in Detroit (I must’ve been either very understanding of the situation or totally lost my mind when I agreed to this). Crazy I know, but it at least allows me to bank some extra $ on the side–and for some reason I felt I owed them that much even if this situation is largely of their doing. I don’t like leaving any place in a lurch.

I absolutely love it here in this town; I’ve always wanted to get a feel for what it’s like to live in a big city with a pulse. But it would be nice to get a little cooperation from Mother Nature–it seems like every day I’ve been here it’s been overcast and/or rainy. It’s a great, great town (even if I am DEFINITELY NOT a fan of their sports teams–Detroiter ’til I die!). There’s so much to do and see here, and even after all this time visiting my brother and sister over the last three years I know I’ve only scratched the surface. This won’t be a long-term move, but it’s definitely a good stepping stone.

Until next time…

Uh-oh–twice in 24 hours. This could be a trend.

I’m currently in Chicago with the Canucks/Blues game playing in the background, and just chilling out for the moment. Thought I’d throw this out there, since I saw this topic posted at another website I frequent this past week: What songs get stuck in your head once you hear ‘em? Here’s a short list:

A Little Respect by Erasure: You know damn well you know the song, and if not, here’s a clip from Scrubs (one of my favorite shows, although it’s not as funny as it used to be now; this is from the great first season) to remind you…this song really is like a virus.

Hip to Be Square by Huey Lewis & the News: Patrick Bateman from the movie American Psycho says it best: “…a song so catchy, most people probably don’t listen to the lyrics. But they should, because it’s not just about the pleasures of conformity, and the importance of trends, it’s also a personal statement about the band itself. Hey Paul!”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=POl3eD6IJ7A

Bad Day by Daniel Powter: They overplayed the piss out of this song a couple of years ago, and even then it still gets stuck once I hear the first few bars of this song played. I used to love this song, too.

That McDonald’s commercial with the filet-o-fish…hilarious but once I hear it’s there all day… http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6bJOIqVAD-s

April in the D by the Good Luck Joe’s: It’s a local commercial here on FSN-Detroit, and it’s this ad campaign they started last year. It sucks. I thought the song they had last year was awful with this fake Nikki Sixx lookin’ dude trying to sing April in the D all hardcore, but nope–they had to prove me wrong and find a group of douchebags that sound even worse than last year. I’m not posting a link because I don’t want to subject any of you to it, and to be honest I don’t even want to look ‘em up on youtube. I’d rather staple my dick to a corkboard and light it on fire instead of subjecting myself to hearing that crap again (yes, I feel that strongly about it). At least April’s almost over…

Your turn!

A bass with no name...for now

A few posts back I mentioned my bass, many months ago. I bought her back in February, and we get along great…but I still haven’t named her yet–although I’m getting very close to settling on a name. It’s down to Izzy or Stitch. Izzy because…well, there’s a reason for that but I’m not willing to divulge that information yet–and no, it’s no relation to the former GNR bassist (just a coincidence there). Stitch because it’d be named after one of my all-time favorite characters from the movie Lilo & Stitch. Not sure which way I’m leaning right now, and I really don’t know why I’m even infatuated with naming an instrument anyway. Personally I just think it’s a cool thing to do…even if the thought hadn’t even occurred to me until a couple of days ago. My bass is cool, therefore it deserves a name.

I also love how much I’ve learned in regards to playing it the last few months; terms like arpeggio and walking bass lines that were foreign to me months ago are secondhand to me now. Learned quite a few songs as well, and have even started to improvise grooves occasionally. Good times. Anyway, that’s all I wanted to say for now.

This is something I actually started over at http://blindsideblitz.com in my blog there a few weeks ago, and I just have a feeling that all two (or less) of you that read this might enjoy it too…anyway, read on.

After watching the movie “High Fidelity” again a few nights ago, I decided to reread the book…and still love it. Since I know everyone in some form or another still does them, I’m throwing out my own for discussion. Agree, disagree, fine by me. Here are some of the lists I’ve come up with so far…

If a movie were made about me, these are the Top Five Songs I’d want the movie to open with:

1. Average White Band – Pick Up the Pieces: It really doesn’t get much better than this. Opening credits with this song rolling in the background? Too damn cool.

2. Foo Fighters – Cold Day in the Sun: This would just be fitting.

3. Fatboy Slim – Right Here, Right Now: For a song like this, the movie would have to be a little bit more action packed…maybe more of an ER in the early years kind of thing.

4. KT Tunstall – Hopeless: Upbeat, but also fitting…maybe.

5. John Mayer – My Stupid Mouth: The movie could play out like one of those Hugh Grant romantic comedies with this one.

up next, here’s a list that I was sure that phenom would jump all over…WAS sure.

Top 5 songs I’d want played if I were an MLB player coming up to bat list.

1. Dave Matthews Band – The Best of What’s Around: Because the pitcher, fans, and everyone else need to know that I’m parking the ball in the rightfield seats when I step up to the plate.

2. Tomoyasu Hotei – Battle Without Honor and Humanity: Because I think any player of Asian descent has to have this song played at least once.

3. Chevelle – An Evening With El Diablo: Song is awesome.

4. Notorious B.I.G. – Hypnotize: Great beat.

5. Tool – Jambi: Just because it’d be cool to hear Tool at a ballpark just once.

More lists to come…as I come up with them. The only problem is I’ll think of a topic, fire off a top 5…and then never write it down and forget about it all together. I need to work on that.

That number ring any bells? You’ll find out soon enough…

After watching Michigan State and UCLA play one helluva college basketball game for the middle of November (the #1 team in the country, losing most of the game to #11 MSU, came back and won 68-63–they didn’t even lead in the game until there was 30 seconds left), I was still wide awake. Since I wasn’t in the mood to play Guitar Hero III or NCAA 08, and figuring out how to make a Genesis emulator work with your PC was too much to try to figure out at 1230 in the morning, I decided to go old school.

Yep, I hooked up the ol’ NES.

Having not played the thing in years, I was a little concerned that it wouldn’t work anymore. Those concerns easily went away after I popped in Tetris, when after doing the usual tricks to get the cartridge to work on came the familiar music from [i]The Nutcracker[/i]. I originally put this game in first because I wanted to hear the music that Cal’s band used a few weeks ago (I put the video in my youtube thread, check it out), but realized that music was from the GameBoy version. Oops–still played it for a good 20 minutes.

Next? Super Mario Bros. I was never really good at that game. Still suck at it.

Next? Tecmo Bowl. You know it–played three games of that bad boy…and still want to play more. I forgot how dominating Bo Jackson truly was in this game–there’s only one designed play for him and he busts tackles like no one’s business. Cleveland, Dallas, and Indy all felt my wrath early this morning. No stat keeping and this game was still as fun as I remember it being…and I think it’s funny that the current Lions GM was a linebacker for LA back when this game was made. I think he got more picks in the three games I played than he ever got in his career.

Ninja Gaiden followed, and I honestly have no idea how the hell I beat that game all those years ago without any saves.

Lastly was Mike Tyson’s Punch-Out!!, still my all-time favorite game from the NES (that code ring a bell now?). Surprisingly I beat Tyson on my first try at him (only needed 5000 points to get a decision, I always remembered), and got that mark with about 10 seconds to spare in the last round. Then I played from the beginning and made a fairly decent run before sleep finally decided to bless me for the night.

After the last few weeks–natch, months–of what seemed like pure hell, it was good to go back way old school and just play for fun. Crazy what used to entertain us back in the day…today I think it’s gonna be Ice Hockey, Blades of Steel, Double Dribble, and Contra (anyone remember how that code went?).