9501120448
DETROIT FREE PRESS
950330
Thursday, March 30, 1995
METRO FINAL
1C
Photo Color MARY SCHROEDER
:
Scotty Bowman: He has a point.
MITCH ALBOM
Copyright (c) 1995, Detroit Free Press
WINGS' FOLLOWERS SHOULD LIGHTEN UP
Tweeeeeeeet!
All right, everybody -- out of the pool!
I'm talking about the naysayers, groan-masters, worrywarts and talk-show
junkies who can't stop nitpicking about the Red Wings, only the best team in
town.
"Oh, woe is us!" they cry. "Our defense needs help. . . . Oh, woe is us!
Our stars are getting walloped! . . . Oh, woe is us, no Probie, no Probie. . .
. "
In the immortal words of The Pretenders: Stop your sobbing.
And lighten up. The Red Wings have won three times as many games as they've
lost, they have the best record in their conference, they lead the league in
crucial categories, and if you travel around the country, people raise their
eyebrows and say, "Whew, Detroit, they're awesome." Yet all you hear around
here is how this team isn't tough enough.
What are we, New York?
Hold still while I take your wallet. Then you'll really have something to
complain about.
"We're a different team than last year," says Shawn Burr. "It's like people
here want a race car that goes super fast, but they want it to be safe and
get great gas mileage. No one team does everything."
Exactly. And I don't know about you, but with a football team that is
losing its players, a baseball team that can't name its players, and a
basketball team that has won six games on the road all season -- and the
season ends next month -- well, I have no complaints with a pro team in first
place.
None whatsoever.
Here. Let me drive your car into a wall. Then you'll really have something
to complain about.
Let us count our blessings
The other night, Scotty Bowman went ballistic when a reporter asked a Red
Wing a question that had already been asked of the coach. Now, I have seen
Scotty mad. It is not pretty. You keep waiting for steam to come out of his
ears and his head to pop off his shoulders.
Still, Bowman had a point. He yelled about reporters "always trying to
stick the knife in." That's OK for turkey breasts and birthday cakes, but not
for first-place hockey teams.
So let me pull the knife out. One complaint at a time:
1) The Wings are soft, and they're getting pounded.
Yeah, yeah. And Michael Jordan can't shoot anymore. The fact is, this town
got spoiled when Bob Probert went skating around with blood dripping from his
nose. Someone else's blood.
But the fact is, the Wings play better without Probert and his Freddy
Krueger approach. And goons are useless in the playoffs. Don't worry about
Steve Yzerman or Sergei Fedorov. They're not made of tissue paper.
"They can take a hit," says Darren McCarty, who delivers a few of his own.
"It's good to be tough, but you want to be tough and win.
"These days, we'll take a hit and let the other team take a penalty. Then
we'll score on the power play. That's how you win."
Right. So what if the Wings are less fearsome than in years past? Fear
didn't get them past the first round of the playoffs, did it?
2) We miss Probie!
Yeah? So does Chicago, and it's paying him.
3) Sergei Fedorov isn't scoring like last year.
Maybe he doesn't have to. "This is a different system we're playing,"
Fedorov says. "We're winning a lot of games, 3-2 and 2-1. People don't
understand that. I am a team player."
Besides, do you think he has forgotten how to score?
4) But Sergei hasn't been the same since he got bopped in the head last
year.
Yeah? What's your excuse?
5) Steve Yzerman is in a scoring drought.
Statistically, yes. But, as Yzerman says, "Except for a few games, I've
been pleased with the way I've played. This team doesn't need me to score
every game like it once did."
Or, as Bowman says: "A lot of people don't see the things Steve is doing
now defensively. I'm happy with how he's played."
Yzerman: "We're winning, the players are in good moods, the coaches are in
good moods."
If they're not bothered, why should we be?
6) They have to get a defenseman, they have to get a defenseman, they have
t--
SHUT UP! Is there any team out there that doesn't need something? Sure,
the Wings could use a big, tough defenseman with great skills. And I could use
a Cadillac. But have you checked the Wings' goals-against? It's the best in
the NHL. The best!
Obviously something's working.
In fact, a lot of things are working. And here are some old favorite
complaints we suddenly don't hear: 1) The Wings have no goaltending! 2) The
Wings don't seem to be following Bowman. 3) Paul Coffey, when's he gonna start
scoring? 4) The Wings aren't a great road team.
Wake up. Life is good. The fact is, fans here -- and media -- fall into a
rut. Lions fans always expect the worst. Tigers fans are foolishly optimistic.
Michigan fans never expect to beat Notre Dame.
And Wings fans fear the worst.
"At least give us the benefit of the doubt," says Coffey. "If we screw up
in the playoffs, then I understand. But we're in first place."
Listen. How's this? I say right here the Wings will make the Stanley Cup
finals. In fact, I guarantee it.
If I'm wrong, you can all be mad at me.
If I'm right, I sic Bowman on you.