The Official 2011-12 Regular Season Talk Thread

[Kobalt]

Re: The Official 2011-12 Regular Season Talk Thread

OMG, Scott Gomez scored!

Yep, world is coming to an end.

http://didgomezscore.com/

"Watch out Cam Ward, Scott Gomez is coming for you"

[BlueNGold]

Re: The Official 2011-12 Regular Season Talk Thread

HOLY ****! BYFUGLIEN SCORED FROM THE RED LINE TO TIE IT!

[pietasterp]

Re: The Official 2011-12 Regular Season Talk Thread

I don't care about either team but I'm interested in going to the Winter Classic. I cracked up at some of the jokes about how the hotels have already jacked up their prices and now it's going to be cheaper to just buy a house in Detroit. How long of a drive is it between downtown Detroit and The Big House?

Yeah...the flipside of what I said above is that the jokes at Motown's expense also get old quickly (especially when they're mostly from people who have never even been to Detroit...although admittedly, their opinion probably wouldn't change much if they had). Although I understand...easy target. On game day, I would plan on around 45 minutes or so to get from Romulus (where Metro Airport is, not technically in the "D" either) to Ann Arbor, probably just over an hour from Detroit itself. It isn't that far, it's just there's really only one way to get from point A to point B (I-94), and on gameday that route will be ugly. There aren't a whole heck of a lot of hotels in/around Ann Arbor, and those that are will be hyper-price-inflated. There are a bunch of places to stay in the vicinity, though, and in my opinion, you'd rather stay closer to Detroit anyway since the casinos, restaurants, etc. are all there. Ann Arbor is pretty much a straight college town.

The average price of a detached house in Vancouver is over a million. What's the average in Detroit? 100K?

If you're talking about Detroit proper, keep going south...of course, go slightly north to Grosse Pointe, and go north of that number.

The NHL has to put some limits on the ticket buying or else over half of the crowd will be cheering for the Leafs.

I can just about guarantee that won't be the case, ticket limit or not. It's the Red Wings. In metro-Detroit. I would be more concerned that Leafs fans won't be able to get their hands on any at all...

[DrJones]

Re: The Official 2011-12 Regular Season Talk Thread

I can just about guarantee that won't be the case, ticket limit or not. It's the Red Wings. In metro-Detroit. I would be more concerned that Leafs fans won't be able to get their hands on any at all...

I've given Leafs fans a lot of grief over the years, but I never underestimate their power to overpay, especially when they haven't seen a relevant game in years. I expect tickets on the secondary market to average $1000+, and I expect them to be devoured by Ontarians.

[DrJones]

Re: The Official 2011-12 Regular Season Talk Thread

Bieksa tuning up for the glove-throwing accuracy contest in the 2013 Super Skills.

[l3ulvl]

Re: The Official 2011-12 Regular Season Talk Thread

I've given Leafs fans a lot of grief over the years, but I never underestimate their power to overpay, especially when they haven't seen a relevant game in years. I expect tickets on the secondary market to average $1000+, and I expect them to be devoured by Ontarians.

Yeah, just from speaking with my canadian friends, I don't think ticket acquisitions will be a problem lol

[ImTellinTim]

Re: The Official 2011-12 Regular Season Talk Thread

Bieksa tuning up for the glove-throwing accuracy contest in the 2013 Super Skills.

I love the "Yer outta here!" the ref gives him.

Anyway, last night's game was fun for about 20 seconds, then I was quickly more interested in the pizza and beer we were having for a friend's birthday.

[VanCitySportsGuy]

Re: The Official 2011-12 Regular Season Talk Thread

Yeah...the flipside of what I said above is that the jokes at Motown's expense also get old quickly (especially when they're mostly from people who have never even been to Detroit...although admittedly, their opinion probably wouldn't change much if they had). Although I understand...easy target. On game day, I would plan on around 45 minutes or so to get from Romulus (where Metro Airport is, not technically in the "D" either) to Ann Arbor, probably just over an hour from Detroit itself. It isn't that far, it's just there's really only one way to get from point A to point B (I-94), and on gameday that route will be ugly. There aren't a whole heck of a lot of hotels in/around Ann Arbor, and those that are will be hyper-price-inflated. There are a bunch of places to stay in the vicinity, though, and in my opinion, you'd rather stay closer to Detroit anyway since the casinos, restaurants, etc. are all there. Ann Arbor is pretty much a straight college town.

I've never been to Detroit but a friend went to Comerica Park and he said once you walk a few blocks away you start to feel unsafe.

It is sad how Detroit has turned into a punching bag because it use to be one of the biggest cities in terms of population and prominence in the USA.

[pietasterp]

Re: The Official 2011-12 Regular Season Talk Thread

I've given Leafs fans a lot of grief over the years, but I never underestimate their power to overpay, especially when they haven't seen a relevant game in years. I expect tickets on the secondary market to average $1000+, and I expect them to be devoured by Ontarians.

Those crazy Ontarians...tell them there's an OHL team in Plymouth, MI not 25 minutes from Ann Arbor. Maybe it can divert their attention. But I still say, an event like this in metro-Detroit, no way it isn't at least 75% Wings fans. The Final Four at Ford Field was like 85% MSU fans (at least), and metro-Detroit isn't even Spartan territory (definitely pro-UM). And that was a Final Four that had UNC (very devoted faithful), West Virginia as a first-time participant (props to their crowd....VERY vocal minority - "Let's go Mountaineers! Let's go drink some beers!"), and Villanova. But, I guess if they're willing to over-pay as much as you say, it would be hard to turn down a quick grand for most metro-Detroiters...

VanCity - I wasn't directing my previous comment at you. I was just shouting at the - whatchamacallit, Interwebs - in general. There's no question if you go to Motown, try to have a friend or someone that knows the area. It can be a great place to hang out and have fun, but it isn't like a lot of (nicer) cities where you can not know what you're doing and wander around and still have a good time. You definitely need to know where to go / avoid, because the hype is (sadly) fairly accurate. The city is run-down and large swaths of it are unsafe. That's just a fact. It ain't no Vancouver for sure. At the risk of alienating my provincial friends on the eastern half (Ontarians, Québécois), for my money Vancouver is the nicest city in Canada...definitely in the conversation for nicest in North America. I love how fresh the seafood is there; even the cheap sushi joints have top-flight stuff.

[DJ]

Re: The Official 2011-12 Regular Season Talk Thread

Military Appreciation Night at the Pepsi Center for the Hurricanes-Avs game. The Avs will be wearing Camo unis during warm-ups (I wish they were wearing them during the game as well) and those will be signed and then auctioned off. Other items will also be up for auction.

I wish I could go, but I have to work tonight. I hope the Avs can build on the momentum from Tuesday.

[DrJones]

Re: The Official 2011-12 Regular Season Talk Thread

Those crazy Ontarians...tell them there's an OHL team in Plymouth, MI not 25 minutes from Ann Arbor. Maybe it can divert their attention. But I still say, an event like this in metro-Detroit, no way it isn't at least 75% Wings fans. The Final Four at Ford Field was like 85% MSU fans (at least), and metro-Detroit isn't even Spartan territory (definitely pro-UM). And that was a Final Four that had UNC (very devoted faithful), West Virginia as a first-time participant (props to their crowd....VERY vocal minority - "Let's go Mountaineers! Let's go drink some beers!"), and Villanova. But, I guess if they're willing to over-pay as much as you say, it would be hard to turn down a quick grand for most metro-Detroiters...

Hey, you may well be right. But I will be absolutely stunned if there aren't at least 40% Leafs fans in the stands. Average ticket prices (face value) for Leafs games are 3x that of Wings games. Local TV ratings for the Leafs are 5x that of the Wings. And they've stunk forever. I have a ton of respect for the Wings and Detroit, but UNC, WV, and Villanova aren't right next door to metro-Detroit. Ontario is. Leafs fans will view this as a home game.

[DrJones]

Re: The Official 2011-12 Regular Season Talk Thread

VanCity - I wasn't directing my previous comment at you. I was just shouting at the - whatchamacallit, Interwebs - in general. There's no question if you go to Motown, try to have a friend or someone that knows the area. It can be a great place to hang out and have fun, but it isn't like a lot of (nicer) cities where you can not know what you're doing and wander around and still have a good time. You definitely need to know where to go / avoid, because the hype is (sadly) fairly accurate. The city is run-down and large swaths of it are unsafe. That's just a fact. It ain't no Vancouver for sure. At the risk of alienating my provincial friends on the eastern half (Ontarians, Québécois), for my money Vancouver is the nicest city in Canada...definitely in the conversation for nicest in North America. I love how fresh the seafood is there; even the cheap sushi joints have top-flight stuff.

Vancouver's definitely the place to go for high-quality cheap sushi. Everything else is too damned expensive, though.

Detroit is one of the few major American cities I've never visited. I'd love to see Wings and Tigers home games someday. However, I'm holding out for the completion of the Robocop statue before I go.

[pietasterp]

Re: The Official 2011-12 Regular Season Talk Thread

Maybe I'll be surprised...as Doc said, people always underestimate the Leafs' fans desire to over-pay. Toronto is a 4+ hour drive away from D-town, but I guess nothing gets in the way of rabid fans...

It's been a while since I've been to Van-City, but I have heard prices have sky-rocketed in the last 5-10 years. Too bad, but I guess success has its price.

You may be waiting awhile for the Robocop statue...I seriously doubt that Detroit wants to memorialize a movie about a Detroit so disastrously overrun by crime that it requires a cyborg killing machine to clean up the streets...although, sadly, if the city did enact a plan like that, it wouldn't even be in the top 10 worst decisions by the city this decade...

Of course, if the 'Nucks are playing the Wings in, say, the Western Finals, you can't convince me you wouldn't be googling airfare to DTW...

[Psyblast]

Re: The Official 2011-12 Regular Season Talk Thread

NINETEEN in a row at the Joe...

[TheMatrix31]

Re: The Official 2011-12 Regular Season Talk Thread

2 points for the Sabres. Tie it up with 38 seconds left in regulation, Vanek blows a potential game-winner as time expires in OT, but whatever.

Hope this isn't too little too late, but I'm afraid it might be. I'll take the strong finish, however.