No lucky charm

NHL Referee Kevin Pollock dancing the YMCA

Watching the game was like chewing a baked coffee bean. Or chomping unsweetened chocolate. The final score showed the Sharks ahead 4-3, with a 2-0 lead in the series, but I refuse to believe they've distinguished themselves in any facet other than faceoffs.

The Red Wings lost last night in inglorious fashion. As John pointed out in the previous post, San Jose benefitted from a shocking 10 power plays. Yet, it's not the sheer number that leaves the bitter taste. It was the way the San Jose players were rewarded for embellishing every hit, check, nudge, and push. The worst offender was goalie, Evgeni Nabokov. When Bertuzzi and Abdelkader charged the net, Nabokov crumbled to the ice as if he received a body blow from Clubber Lang. Bertuzzi also received a holding penalty when a Shark player apparently slipped in front of him.

Folks, I make no bones about being a Red Wing fan. No doubt I'm especially angry about these calls going against my team. But as Grissom says on CSI, "I tend not to believe people. People lie. The evidence doesn't lie." The evidence showed a dive-happy Shark team taking full advantage of the gullible referees. And it won them the game. I should say, shamefully won them the game.

The Wings entered the third period with a 3-2 lead. The Bertuzzi "holding" call gave the Sharks a power play. Then Kronwall broke Pavelski's stick - a no-brainer penalty that was deserved. Another 5-on-3 for the Sharks. After a few stops by Howard, the Sharks finally tied it. Minutes later, with the Red Wings pressuring, Lidstrom reached back for a blue-line slap-shot. His stick shattered on contact. The Sharks quickly intercepted the puck and raced down the ice for a 3-on-1. Howard stopped the first shot, and Thornton buried the rebound.

That was the game.

10 power plays and Lidstrom's shattered stick. Hard to feel good about this series. Most of the time, when my team loses -- after the initial disappointment wears off -- I see the game more objectively and appreciate that the better team won. Last season's series against the Penguins was a true heartbreaker. It was a massive blow losing Game 7, but I have to give the Penguins credit. They were the better team. When it mattered most, they took it to the Wings.

Last night was a different story. With twenty minutes - a full period - of power play for the Sharks, the Wings had no chance to win. Not against a top team like the Sharks.

I've railed against the refs often on this blog. If you come here often, you know that I not only accept bitching about the refs, but I encourage it. They may not decide the result, but they do influence it. The refs allowed the diving Sharks to turn a competitive game into a joke. For shame, refs. For shame, Sharks. Soccer players got nothing on you:

Go ahead, complain about the refs

Most sports fans think it's sour grapes to complain about the refs. What about when your team wins? Is it more acceptable to complain? Perhaps, but it's still generally frowned upon. The logic is that referees only impact a game to a small degree. A good team can overcome an opponent and inconsistent refs.

I disagree. In sports like hockey, basketball, football, and soccer, the refs largely influence the outcome. Just last night, with the Red Wings leading 2-0 in the 2nd period, Johan Franzen scored the apparent third goal for the Wings. The goal was immediately waved off by the referee, who claimed Holmstrom interfered with the goalie. Judge for yourself:



There's no doubt that the Wings lose more goals to "goalie interference" than any other team. By far. And it all has to do with Tomas Holmstrom. Opposing coaches must needle the referees all game long. Who can blame them? The tactic works. Granted I'm a homer about Homer, but I still have a difficult time seeing how he does things differently than any other forward. Every team parks a big body in front of the goalie and causes havoc. It's possible that Homer is just better than most. But the refs have it out for him. I'm utterly convinced.

After the disallowed goal, Colorado seemed rejuvenated. They quickly scored twice, tying the game. Thankfully for the Wings, Lidstrom scored the winner in the 3rd. Yet, it's my belief that the disallowed Franzen goal still greatly influenced the game. Falling behind 3-0 is pretty demoralizing. By keeping it 2-0, the crowd roared to life, and the Avs played with more purpose. And the decision to keep the game 2-0 was entirely on the ref's shoulders. If the league opts to give him that kind of power, that's fine. But I reserve the right to complain - guilt-free. They do impact that game. They do influence outcome. They do make mistakes.

Game for the Ages

... and, no, I'm not talking about the Pistons impressive OT win over the Spurs. I'm talking USA hockey - USA vs Canada. The game was true "event" television, though NBC opted to send the game to MSNBC (more on that later).

I heard folks talking about last night's game as early as Thursday. For hockey, that's like Super Bowl-level fervor. Even in Detroit, hockey rarely gets airtime on the radio. If it's not Lions Talk, it's the Tigers (or, specifically, Johnny Damon). If it's not the Tigers, it's Crappy Economy Talk - where folks call in and bitch about the job search. For those outside the D, it really is that depressing. With the craptastic seasons of the Pistons and Wings, Olympic hockey proved a welcome distraction.

These Olympic hockey games are what All-star games should be. Other than the Olympic bottom feeders (Latvia, Germany, Norway), the teams are chock-full of talent. Sweden can field a line of Alfredsson, Franzen, and Forsberg, and then trot out the Sedins and Zetterberg. The Russians have Ovechkin, Malkin, Datsyuk, Kovalchuk, plus blast-from-the-past Fedorov. Canada is a who's-who of NHL stardom, and the teams play with the passion of World Cup soccer.

As for the US team, they have fewer "names" than Russia and Canada, but every player is a top-tier NHLer. As Americans, they're promoted significantly less than their Canadian counterparts. For my money, a dude like Patrick Kane has all the skill and panache of Sidney Crosby but gets a fraction of the pub. And I must be honest, with Crosby on the Canadian team, I have an immediate rooting interest - any team facing Canada. It's my God-given right as a Detroiter to hate the dude and all the NHL cronies that crowned him King of the NHL, despite not even being the best player on his own friggin' team.

Due to hype/promotion/Canadian-cronyism, Canada was a heavy favorite entering the game last night. I was a bit surprised that most announcers felt Canada had any significant advantage. These guys all play in the same league and often on the same team and lines. Two-thirds of the Ducks top line plays for Canada (Getzlaf, Perry), while one-third plays for the US (Bobby Ryan). Yet, when the US won 5-3, ESPN called it a "stunner" and said it was the biggest Olympic hockey upset since the Miracle on Ice. Huh? Did they forget the Czechs incredible run in 1998, besting Canada in the medal round and then Russia for the gold? That run made the Dominator a household name and earned him a Mastercard endorsement!


Bottom line is that I wasn't surprised the US won, nor should any other fan of the league. Honestly, how much better is Canadian Chris Pronger than American Ryan Suter (Predators)? Or Iginla versus Langenbrunner (Devils)? Crosby versus Kane (Blackhawks)? Besides, hockey is ultimately a team sport, and the US played an organized game and had a helluva goaltending performance by Ryan Miller (Buffalo).

The US jumped out to an early lead thanks to a goal by red-hot Brian Rafalski. After Canada tied it, ol' Rafalski powered home another. Another Canadian superstar Dany Heatley tied it 2-2. That score lasted most of the 2nd period, until scrappy Chris Drury (Rangers) put the US ahead again 3-2 after a flurry of activity outside Brodeur's crease.

Entering the 3rd period down a goal, the Canadians felt the mounting pressure. The stadium - a sea of red Canada jerseys - waited anxiously for something special. Yet, Canada's comeback was put on hold as the team took three straight penalties, including a high-sticking by Crosby. The US made them pay on the third penalty, as Rafalski almost tallied his third of the night. His shot ricocheted off Langenbrunner's toe for a 4-2 lead.

Canada pulled out all the stops, trying desperately to come back in front of the home fans. They peppered Ryan Miller with shot-after-shot. It was a blistering display of offense. The US took two penalties, and Sidney Crosby made them pay on the 2nd. He pulled Canada back to within one goal with just over 3 minutes remaining. Canada continued to pressure. Even though they were even-strength, the final minutes looked like a power-play as Canada kept the puck deep in the US zone.

Crosby had a chance to be a hero as he had an open shot near the left circle. He opted to pass to Rick Nash on the opposite side. Nash's angle was too sharp, and his shot flew across the goal line and hit the sprawling Ryan Miller. Miller was diving back into the net and almost inadvertantly pushed the puck into the goal. Yet, yankee d-man, Jack Johnson (LA Kings) somehow cleared the puck from the crease while he was falling on his face!

Canada pulled Brodeur in the final minute. The US cleared the puck, and American Ryan Kesler (who ironically plays for the Canucks) raced down the ice. Kesler somehow beat his man by diving to the puck and pushing it toward the goal. Kesler had no leverage on the sharp-angle shot but somehow scored the empty-netter. The US team erupted and piled on Kesler in front of the now-drunk Canadian fans.

It was a sight to behold.

The most exciting hockey game I'd seen in years, and only one Red Wing was on the ice. The US/Canada game no doubt earned massive ratings for MSNBC. Yet, why wasn't it on NBC? It was the showcase piece of the night, and NBC strangely booted it to their cable affiliate. Heck, it wasn't even on the USA channel!

Is ice dancing really that much more popular? Of course not. The reasons have to be financial. With ice dancing and (tape delay) skiing, NBC can stuff as many commercials as they want into the broadcast. Hockey has fewer breaks in the action. Also, the NHL is NBC's bitch. The league's weak commander-in-chief has allowed NBC to push him around like George McFly. It was less than a year ago that the Stanley Cup playoffs were pushed from evening to an afternoon game to make room for a horse racing pre-race show. Ouch.

This game was yet another missed opportunity. The popularity of Miracle on Ice proves that Americans do care about hockey, at least in the Olympics. This game was incredibly entertaining, and the US won. Americans love winning more than anything. The game could've been an incredible commercial for the NHL. Alas, MSNBC is not typical Sunday night viewing.

Not much cheer over the Holidays

As I watched the Red Wings methodically dismantle the surging Phoenix Coyotes Saturday night, I couldn't help but savor the moment. Both the NHL and NBA seasons are roughly halfway over, and the Detroit teams have struggled. If the seasons ended today, neither the Wings nor the Pistons would make the playoffs. Imagine that... spring is in the air and the only Detroit sports news is Tiger spring training and the Lions draft. It would be enough to make me a golf fan.

Yet, the victory over the Coyotes was reason for optimism. It was the first time this season that the Red Wings looked like their old selves. The Coyotes are currently the 3rd best team in the West, and they had not lost in regulation at home since mid-November. The game was very even at the outset. The Coyotes earned a number of fine scoring opportunities but surprisingly steady Jimmy Howard thwarted every attempt. The Wings were the first to break through late in the 1st. With the top players on the ice (Datsyuk, Bertuzzi, Holmstrom, Lidstrom, Rafalski), the Wings controlled the puck in the Coyotes zone. They cycled the puck around and eventually earned an open shot for Lidstrom. Now, Lidstrom hasn't scored since the Reagan Administration. He has ONE goal on the year! To say he's a bit overdue is like saying China has a bit of a population problem. But Lidstrom still confidently whipped the puck at the net, and Homer redirected it home.

In the 2nd period, the Coyotes equalized thanks to a 2-man advantage. The refs awarded the 2nd penalty after Darren Helm retaliated after a hard check into the boards. Helm took a swing at the player and promptly got whistled. I understand refereeing an NHL game is a difficult job, but I've seen players retaliate millions of times without getting whistled. Why would Helm get a penalty in that situation with his team already down a man? It's like gifting the opposition a goal. We're five years into the "New NHL" and the league still doesn't know what it wants to be. I digress.

With less than a minute to go in the 2nd period, the Wings top line scored again, in similar fashion. Lidstrom send a low, hard shot toward net and Homer redirected it past the goalie. The goal was fine consolation for a hard-working period. Phoenix took a ton of shots, but the scoring chances were starting to pile up in Detroit's favor.

In the 3rd, the Wings took control. The passes were tape-to-tape, and the defense did not take a foolish penalty. A power play afforded the Wings the crucial insurance goal. Bertuzzi - playing better than he has in years - calmly worked the puck around ice. His big body and skilled hands make it extremely tough to push him off the puck. He received a pass from Rafalski and then found an open Datsyuk on the other side of the net. Datsyuk's one-timer beat the goalie for the commanding 3-1 lead. Helm scored an empty-netter for the 4-1 win.

It was truly like old times, and it was hard to believe the Wings played so well with all the injuries. This game was the first of a long road trip, so tougher games loom ahead, but it was an impressive start.

Cold Stones Creamery
Not so impressive was the pathetic Holiday display by the men on the hardcourt. On December 12th, the Pistons beat Golden State at home. Let's take a look at some of the numbers since that win:

Piston's Record: 0-9
Opponent's Win Percentage: 52%
Average margin of loss: 14 points
Average half-time deficit: 9 points
Charlie V's ppg: 8.7
Charlie V's ppg in previous five (all wins): 18
Charlie V's FG%: 31.5
Rip's FG%: 30
Kwame Brown's average minutes: 6
Kwame's average in the previous five games: 14.5

A few days ago, I postulated that the slide was due to fatigue by Stuckey and Big Ben. After watching the debacle against the Bulls - in which both Stuckey and Ben suffered painful ankle sprains - I now believe the problem is much deeper. Both Ben and Stuckey aren't at full strength, and they can't carry the team. Yet, looking at their numbers, they're actually playing at an impressive clip. Defensively, they've dropped off, but, otherwise, Stuckey and Big Ben are part of the solution. It's everyone else that needs to raise their play.

Patrick Hayes postulated two days ago that the Pistons are getting killed by "hustle guys" like David Lee and Joakim Noah. That's a clear indication that the aggressiveness from earlier in the season is no longer there. The Pistons began the year as an exciting, mistake-prone team. They could compete with anybody and played with heart and determination. Big Ben was in line for another All-star game. Somewhere along the way, the team lost heart. They regularly get beat up on the boards and lose loose balls. They're lazy on defense, so they pick up a ton of fouls, and can't consistently run any offensive set. Kuester seemed like a savvy tactician but now his decisions and personnel choices seem odd. Chris Wilcox plays while Kwame sits? Wilcox brings energy, yes, but only on the offensive end. Kwame at least rebounds well and showed solid chemistry with Big Ben.

The team is finally healthy, and they need to right the ship. Tanking the season for a high lottery pick is not the answer.

Lyon gone, perhaps Guillen too

It appears my instincts on Dave Dombrowski are completely incorrect. I thought he'd hold onto Granderson and push to keep Brandon Lyon. Nope. We all know about the Granderson deal, and it was announced yesterday that Lyon signed a 3-year deal with the Astros.

A clever poster on mLive - tigerjohn - commented that, since all these deals are a direct result of the overblown salaries to D-train, Maggs, Nate, and Bonderman, it's like reverse chemo - killing off the healthy cells to keep the disease. Genius.

Now that Lyon is officially gone, will Dombrowski push to keep Rodney? I guess he should. As much as it pained me watching that guy repeatedly walk the bases loaded, he's probably still better than the alternative. Nobody in the Tiger organization is ready to step into the closer's role. The Royals have the best closer in the Central with Joakim Soria, and that dude made just a million bucks last year! Despite spending $40million less than the Tigers, the Royals have a more balanced team. Yet, I shouldn't fault Dombrowski or Ilitch for spending money. They were trying to build a winner and made some poor and unlucky decisions.

The latest rumor is the Tigers are trying to ship Carlos Guillen for Juan Pierre. Pierre is due $18.5M the next two seasons, while Guillen is due even more.

Power Outtage
Mrs. NoFrownMotown and I lost our power last night, so we missed the games. From the score, though, it seems the Wings had a power outtage of a different kind. 42 shots and no goals? 2 shots off the post? And one goal disallowed? It's like Groundhog Day. I read on mLive this morning that the disallowed goal was the team's 4th in 12 games. How many goals from the opposition were waved off in that time? None. What about for the entire season? None. It seems the refs only "intend to call the play dead" when the Wings are trying to score. I'm trying to be objective about this, but the facts make it difficult.

In even worse news, Dan Cleary went down with an undisclosed injury. His status is unknown. I think Joe Kocur just got a call to lace up his skates.

As for the Pistons, Stuckey came close to a triple-double and hit a game-winning shot. Patrick Hayes offers his always-excellent analysis here.

Tidbits

A rep from the NHL admitted a mistake was made on the Brad May non-goal. With the way this season shakes out, let's hope that Dallas loss doesn't matter. I'm pleased the NHL came clean. They usually back their refs all the way to absurdity.

Rare Lions Segment
Apparently the fans agree with my pledge to stop going to games. For the third time this season, the Lions will be blacked-out in Detroit. Fans are not supporting this 1-8 (1-7? Does it matter?) team. That's good. The only way to implement change is to hit Mr. Ford in the wallet.

My dream scenario is that the Fords sell or move the Lions to a different city. Detroiters would go ballistic for a few years, as this is a football town first and foremost. But, the city could certainly earn an expansion team in a few years. How great would it be to have a different NFL team in Detroit?

Baseball
Free agency is officially under way. No news yet. I still believe that the Edwin Jackson and Granderson trade rumors are completely baseless. They don't make sense from a cost-cutting perspective. Don't be surprised to see Miguel Cabrera shipped away. With his salary and brushes with the law, he seems a more likely candidate. And he had an awesome offensive season to boot. He would leave a massive hole in the lineup, but the trade wouldn't alienate fans.

Hoops, Hockey, and a dash of Soccer

Pistons
More of the same for our beloved Pistons last night against Portland. For most of the game, they looked overmatched. Falling behind by a significant margin (20), the Pistons surged back to make it interesting, but it was not enough. This is the same formula for non-success they followed in away games against Toronto, Orlando, LA, and now Portland. They actually fell behind late in Washington but pulled it out thanks to Will Bynum.

The effort that was so evident against Dallas was nowhere to be seen. Perhaps the consecutive losses is taking its toll. Perhaps they're just not good enough. During the first half, it seemed that Portland was toying with the Pistons. They scored at will. The Pistons had no answer for the inside strength of Pryzbilla nor the inside/outside games of Rudy Fernandez, Brandon Roy, and Piston-killer Lamarcus Aldridge. On the offensive end, Charlie V picked up three early fouls and was a non-factor in the 1st. His absence was apparent, as the Pistons had no offensive options down low. The brunt of the scoring fell on the guards. Stuckey tried to force the issue by repeatedly driving the lane, but his 6-21 shooting illustrates the lack of effectiveness. Stuckey, no doubt feeling the heat of Will Bynum breathing down his neck, is not working as a point guard. He and his teammates totaled 13 assists on the night, compared to 25 for the Trailblazers.

Bynum apparently turned his ankle against the Lakers the night before and was not able to provide much offense off the bench. In fact, he did little more than turn the ball over (4) - in a crucial stretch in the 2nd quarter when Portland seized control of the game. Compounding matters was the uneven play of Jonas Jerebko. The dude just looked completely overwhelmed much of the first half. Like Bynum, Jerebko turned it over 4 times, which is a tad shocking considering how rarely he touches the ball on the offensive end. Yet, right when I'm about to write him off as a pretty crappy player, he scores on a nice back-door cut and makes a steal on the other end. If I wasn't emotionally invested in this team, I'd say Jerebko has potential. As it stands, I still want Tayshaun back.

These games against the elite Western conference squads illustrate how far behind the Pistons truly are. They can barely compete. I mentioned a few days ago that it's difficult to figure out where Rip and Tay fit in this squad, but they clearly need all the help they can get. Neither Stuckey nor Ben Gordon had it going last night (10-33 combined). Perhaps Rip's calming influence would've helped. Tough to say... but they clearly need something. Rip and Tay aren't nearly as expendable as they looked a few days ago. And Coach Q-ster is in a bind with regard to Big Ben Wallace. When he leaves the game, the other teams invariably catch fire. His defensive presence makes that much of a difference. Even during a night when the Pistons were completely dominated, Ben's +/- was a meager -3. Maxiell, often Ben's replacement, was -14. But Big Ben is 35. He can't play 40 minutes/game. It's on the bench to be more effective. To date, only Kwame has shown any defensive aptitude among the big men.

Next up is Phoenix. Doesn't get any easier. With such a brutal stretch ahead, these guys could fall five or six games under .500 by December. I hate to be a pessimist, but they're playing a string of elite teams. They'll have to overachieve just to keep it competitive.

Wings
Just a real bad night for Jonathan Ericsson. And the refs. Much of the night, the Stars and the Wings played to a stalemate. While Dallas carried the play throughout much of the 1st and 2nd, the Wings still had their share of opportunities. In the first period, the Wings were about to kill off a Dallas power-play, when Dallas made one final push in to the zone. Brad Richards made a nifty move around Ericksson to get slightly behind the defense. He skated toward the end line and passed the puck toward the net. A sprawling Ericksson, desperate to recover, tried to block the pass. Ericksson succeeded in blocking the pass, but his deflection ended up in the back of the net.

Dallas scored a 2nd goal in the next period, but the Wings pulled one back on an awesome shot by red-hot Zetterberg. Down a goal in the third period, the Wings pressed hard. On a bizarre play with about seven minutes left, Brad May sent a backhanded shot toward the net. The Dallas goalie appeared to struggle with the puck and then the ref blew the play dead.

May shouted, "That's a goal! That's a goal!" but the flashing light never went off. On the replay, it was clear that May's shot actually did cross the line. Somehow the puck snuck inside the near post, and the Dallas goalie, Alex Auld, did his best to inconspicuously slide the puck back in play. Yet, the replay was obvious. The puck ended up in the goal. The refs were about to restart play when the replay official halted play. The refs conferred for a few minutes, as FSD's color analyst Mickey Redmond was about to have a heart attack. He did not understand what was taking so long. Clearly the video confirmed it was a goal. Then the refs made their announcement - no goal.

Why? Apparently, one of the refs "intended" to blow his whistle, stopping play, before the goal. Yet, May's shot came in the heat of the action. There was no actual reason to stop the play. This wasn't a goal mouth scramble with ten guys flailing at the puck. This was a simple shot by Brad May during the run of play. Watch the absurdity:



Folks, this makes no sense. The ref said "The whistle was blown to kill the play." Huh? When? Why? Why have replay when they choose to ignore it? Another blow to the NHL's credibility.

So, the Wings were still down 2-1. Ericksson then took a penalty, and the friggin' Stars scored of course. Lifeless, the Wings challenged little after that. Argh.

A pretty tough sports night for Detroit fans.

Soccer
Which brings me to soccer. Without going into much detail, the US played a friendly against Denmark yesterday. It was the final day of World Cup qualifying, with actual heated matches around the world. The US game was a mere blip on the radar. But, for folks like me, it held some interest. Both teams were missing key players (Donovan, Dempsey, Howard, Onyewu, Davies), but Denmark had the clear advantage early. They dominated possession and muffed a beautiful chance to score in the first few minutes. Seldom-used Jeff Cunningham of the US actually put the US on top in the 26th minute. Capitalizing on a poor Denmark clearance, Cunningham whipped a shot in from about 20 yards out. It beat the keeper near post for an improbably 1-0 US lead.

In the 2nd half, Denmark took control. Beating up on poor defending by Frankie Hejduk, Jon Spector, and Mike Bradley, Denmark finished with a commanding 3-1 win. It was downright ugly.

After the game, Alexi Lalas said that, with a full squad, the US is a truly dangerous team. Yet, without some key components, they have major problems. No depth. And this really isn't the fault of Bob Bradley. The guy has trotted out tons of players throughout his tenure. The problem is that the talent isn't there. Who can step in for Donovan? Onyewu? Cherundolo even? This team has glaring holes.

Barring a miracle recovery, Charlie Davies will not play in the World Cup, and Onyewu is also a question mark. Those two players are key cogs to the US team. Just taking those two out poses a massive problem. There's no other way to put it... injuries may have already killed the US's chances. Bradley has to find either some replacements or implement a new style of play. This late in the game, I don't see that happening. True, in sports, the unexpected happens all the time. I just wish they didn't have to always rely on lady luck.