Detroit Red Wings Stanley Cup Progress Chart has Moved

It can now be found at my new Detroit Red Wings blog, with other information and articles.

Mitch Albom Shoots One Between The Pipes

9 times out of 10, I cannot stand Mitch Albom.  I think he's generally an overrated hack who's actually built a literary career writing books like Tuesdays with Morrie, et. al. that are tantamount to the Simpsons episode which spoofed human interest broadcasting, ending each news story with "and this...is one of Bart's People.  I'm Bart Simpson."  His writing is often so sugary it's like he writes every story while drinking a maple syrup smoothie at Waffle House.  (For you yankees, that's a southern version of Tim Ho's with ugly waitresses and food that truckers have to think hard before eating and not think about again if they want to keep it down)

I'm not kidding.  I could go on for days about how much Albom's irritates me.  I've actually considered writing (i.e. programming) a Mitch Albom Writing Kit that can help you write stories just like him.  How hard could it be?  You pick a phrase and say it 20 times through a story for impact.  For example:

Jimmy John blabb blah blah blah blah...

But he wouldn't quit.

The world was against Jimmy and 2 more paragraphs of stuff.

But he wouldn't quit.

 

You get the idea.

AAAANYWAY, my Ritalin is finally kicking in so I can stop ranting now.  He wrote a great and well-deserved piece on Chris "Doogie" Osgood, Red Wing Goalie.  It's a good read.

And so he is back to his pretty damn good -- back to where he belongs, Detroit, where he says he will live for the rest of his life.

When they yell players' names at hockey games, it can be a fad, a spontaneous eruption. When they yell "Ozzie" at Joe Louis Arena, it's more like a career cheer, a hometown familiarity, the thing he has wanted more than anything else: to be a key part of this franchise, to hopefully retire in this jersey.

Seven years ago, when the Wings let him go, this is what he told me, before hanging up the phone:

"Make sure nobody takes my number."

The amazing rebirth of Red Wings goaltender Chris Osgood | Freep.com | Detroit Free Press

Too cute for Daddy's own good.

 

And yes, those cheeks are very kissable.  :)