Nothing Could Be Fina...

Then to cheer for Carolina. Against all my instincts that scream out against the idea of the Stanley Cup ending up in North Carolina and being as used a chaw spittoon I find myself pulling for the gritty Canes to knock off the Wings.

There is just something about that smug "Hockey Town USA" attitude of the Detroit fans that annoys the hell out of me. And that whole octopus thing is tired and played out. Every time some a-hole chucks one on the ice I get to hear Gary Thorne relate the story about the meaning behind it and how its such a tradition and blah, blah, blah. Yes, I know the frickin' history as does every other halfway knowledgeable hockey fan and I don't need to hear it any more. Besides there are now four rounds to the playoffs and you need to win sixteen games to snatch the Cup so until you can find me a sixteen legged mutant octopus (a natural product of evolution according to Mr. Burns) I suggest you use the eight legged ones for Chinese aphrodisiacs and keep them off the ice.

Add to that the the fact that after defeating Colorado it was assumed that the Wings would easily eliminate Carolina and then the debate could begin as to whether they were the greatest team ever. Let's stop this nonsense right here and now. They are not the greatest team ever and aren't even close to it. They might be the most impressive collection of players who once were stars of the game but the vast majority of Detroit's team has seen better days.

Yzerman, Hull, Chelios, Shanahan, and Robitaille are undisputedly some of the best to ever play the game and they all will probably end up in the Hall O' Fame someday. But they are also all well past their prime. Fedorov still has speed and is a tough defensive forward but I would say he too is on the downward slope of his career. Even Hasek who is currently one of the best goalies in the game is not as good as he was three to four years ago when he won the gold with the Czechs and led the Sabres to the Cup Finals. Comparing these Red Wings to the Islander teams of the early 80's, the Oilers of the mid-late 80's, or the Habs of the late 70's? As John Stossel might say, "Give me a break".