Eulogy for a Team

Last night, my beloved Red Wings lost game 7 of the Stanley Cup finals to that team from Pittsburgh. I responded by getting horribly drunk with my friend and fellow Michigander Mike Sikkema, who, to make matters worse, will be moving back to Michigan soon.

Anyway, in the interest of starting the healing process and getting this awful feeling off my chest, I wanted to write a few words about the team I’ve known and loved for so long.

I’m proud of this team. Not many hockey clubs manage to win the Stanley Cup one year and make it back to the finals, let alone win it (the Wings were the last team to do it, in 97-98). Over the past two seasons, in the playoffs, the Red Wings have had home ice advantage in every series. In every series, they’ve won the first game on home ice — and in every series except against Anaheim, they’ve won the first two games (although I’m a bit fuzzy on the opening round win against Nashville last season). That means they’ve been fantastic at taking control of series, guarding home ice, and finishing opponents off.

In fact, going back to 2007, the Red Wings were seconds away from being up 3 games to 2 in the conference finals against Anaheim. I believe they would have finished that series and won the Cup that year as well, had they not allowed a very late goal to tie it. Thanks to my buddy Carl, I got to attend this year’s game 5 against Anaheim back in May. It was a dream of mine to see this amazing team in person, since I know, from having attended so many hockey games over the years, that there’s so much you miss when you watch it on TV.

The Red Wings played a fantastic game. The speed of the team and their incredible passing and puck control were a joy to watch. It was especially thrilling to see the quickness and wizardry of Pavel Datysuk, weaving between players, hustling to back-check, and making crisp passes to open teammates. They won 4-1, and it really could have been more lopsided than that.

After that game and that series, I began to believe they really could win another Cup. Indeed, if they had continued to play as tough and fast as they did in that game, they would have. But I think the physical and mental intensity of that series — along with the injuries to key players like Lidstrom and Datysuk — really took its toll heading into the finals. I felt that the longer the series went on, the more it would favor the Red Wings, as they got their legs back and realized how close they were to the end. But it didn’t happen. This is not to take anything away from Pittsburgh, who played a good game 6 and basically a perfect game 7. We just didn’t have enough left in the tank.

So, it’s a summer of bitter disappointment and waiting. Every time something like this happens, I resolve to wean myself off of sports, tone down my passion, and just try not to let it bother me so much. But that’s tough to do. From having been a fan all my life, I know that the more you put into rooting for your team, the more you get to enjoy the victories. You get to experience the way a team can bring a community together — can, indeed, reflect a community, its values and foibles and personality. You get to feel like a part of the team. You get to really know them, to really know the sport, to understand the character of different players and how they respond to pressure situations. None of that happens if you remain detached and aloof.

When they win, it’s a relief and a release and something to savor for years to come. When they lose, it’s devastating. But that’s life and that’s sports. Between moving back to this part of the country, going to a playoff game, and generally getting sucked in and involved with this team, I’m in deeper with them than I probably have been with any team in my adult life. Ah well. Time to pick up the pieces and move on and forget about it as best I can —- till next year…