detroit

New Sports Thought Thursday Blog Good Bye Coach Babcock! Welcome Jeff Blashill!

In this Sports Thought Thursday Blog, we are going to do a follow-up to a blog post that I wrote a few weeks ago.  I am talking about end of era in Detroit.  I just want to thank Mike Babcock for his years in Detroit.  It was a great run for a great coach.  I wish him the best of luck in Toronto.  Let us get into this new coach.

Closing, We all saw this coming as soon as Mike said he was going to the Maple Leafs.  The Red Wings have already invested in Jeff Blashill.  Last year, Red Wings gave Jeff a huge contract to keep him with the Grand Rapids.  I believe it made him highest paid minor league head coach. There was several teams asking about him to coach their teams.  The Red Wings said no to every team.  It will never come out until everyone is retired but I believe that the Red Wings did not want Mike back.  They wanted to bring up Jeff to take over this young team.  The young players on this team were raised by Jeff.  I believe this is a good move for the Red Wings.  I believe we will start to see free agents finally come back to Detroit.  We have a really good young team and the future is pretty bright.  I cannot wait for next season.  I just want to wish Jeff Blashill and the Detroit Red Wings the best of luck!   I love the move and the new theories and voice.

Cheers!

Bill DJ Weiser

Email: djweiser16@gmail.com

Twitter:  @djweiser

Instagram:  @djweiser13

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New Sports Thought Thursday Blog End Of An Era In Detroit

In this sports blog, we are going to get into a thought that might be happening in Detroit.  The future of the Red Wings is coming true in this off-season.  The questions that need to be answered are:

  • Who is going to be in goal next season?

It is that famous thing in Detroit. The back up goalie is better than the starter. However, it may be in this case, Petr Mrazek has out played Jimmy Howard. Many fans and media believes Howard is hurt. After, a game seven loss, you would have heard of who was hurt and not. Nothing came out on Howard. Howard has issues being health since signing his latest contract. Howard has a huge contract with a ton of money left on it. I do not think Red Wings will not be able to move him. Ken Holland, who was former NHL goalie and current General Manager, has a huge duty to find away to move. I believe he can do. I believe Petr Mrazek will be your starting goalie next season.

  • Will the Defense Line be improved?

This team has been missing all star and all around defense men since Lindstrom retired. I am hoping there will be that Dman on free agent market. I do not know if there is one there or in our farm system.

  • Who will be the head coach next season?

This is a huge debate.  The Wings just gave Mike Babcock permission to explore other opportunities.  If he signs with another team, the Red Wings will receive a 3rd pick within the next three years.  Mike just finished coaching his tenth year with the Red Wings.  Many fans around the Detroitland area and around the country believe it is time for a change.  The saying in professional sports a coach and team should part ways by the tenth year.  I am not saying I want Mike gone.  I want him to stay.  He is the best coach in the league.  The Red Wings want him to stay and they made it clean to him.  They have offer him two contracts in a week. Let us lay some facts on the table about Mike and his time with the Red Wings.  He has only won one cup with the Wings and he should have won two.  The last three season the Red Wings has been booted out of the first round of the playoffs.  Scotty Bowman was with the Red Wings for nine years and won three cups with them.   Scotty record was 410 – 193 with the Red Wings.  Mike has a record of 458 – 223 with the Wings.  I get it.  These are two different eras of hockey.  It is hard to believe from 15 years ago but it is true.  Salary Cap has something to do with it.  The Red Wings are building on the fly the last two years.   Ken and Mike have been building a team here.  I do not know what Mike is looking for as far as his job.  Is it more power?  Money?  Whatever, it is.  Red Wings fans are going to see the same face or someone new next season.  I know we have a nice young core of kids that are going to be pretty good.

Closing, I am glad that I do not need to make these painful decision.  I believe if the Red Wings solve their goalie issue.  Meaning who is going to be the starter and do something with the other guy.  Maybe that player will bring back some help on the defense.  Maybe, it is time to look at some of these young players to bring back that defense men that this team is lacking.  I believe we will have a pretty big trade or signing on the defense this off season.  I also believe we will see some big moves from the Red Wings.  If Mike Babcock leaves, maybe, Wings will bring up the highest paid minor league coach. This is same coach that developed all these kids. I cannot wait for next season to send Joe Louis Arena into the sunset.  Go Wings!  Thanks again for a great season.  Drink it!  Enjoy it!  Metal it!  \m/

Cheers!

Bill DJ Weiser

Email:  djweiser16@gmail.com

Twitter:  @djweiser

Instagram:  djweiser13

New Unknown Music Thursday Blog Ass Kick Ass Kick Ass

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In this Unknown Music Thursday Blog, we are going to get into a local Detroit base hard rock band.  The band was started around 2010 with Brian Thomas, who is the lead vocals of Halloween.  I am talking about Halloween not Helloween.  Halloween is hard rock and metal group based in Detroit in the 1970’s to now.  There is not much history on this band.  They are having fun with this band and trying not to take it too serious.  The band on their Facebook page says anyone from the 1970’s hard rock to today’s metal will like their band.  Let us get into the music.

Track List:

Sabbwacwij

The song starts out with a nice piano music.  I love the guitar playing that echoes the piano music.  I love the guitar work on the main part of the song.  There is a nice pace to this song.  I love the screaming from the lead singer before he sings the main part of the song.  There is some good music and lyrics.  There is a well placed and good guitar solo towards the middle of the song.  I love how they used the back up vocals towards the end of the song.

The Machine

I love the drumming at the beginning of “The Machine.”  The simple but perfect guitar and bass riff.  I love how they shaped the music around the lyrics.  I love the lyrics.  There is some well placed sound effects.  This song sounds like something that Anvil would have written as far as music and lyrics wise.  I love the guitar break towards the middle of the song.  I love the ending.

I’ve Always Hated You

I love the speed on this song.  The drumming is insane.  I love how they let the bass player free and he dances around.  I love the lyrics.  There is some really good music on this song.  I love the guitar solo at end of the song.  This is classic speed metal song.

Marching On

There is a killer guitar riff.  I love the drums.   There is some killer metal music on this song.  There is some nice acoustic guitar work during the versus.  Ass has written some awesome music on this track.  I love how they build up to the guitar solo towards the end of the song.  They know how to use the back up vocals.

Falling Angel

There is a pretty good guitar riff at the beginning.  The singing is solid with some great lyrics.  I love the groove and pace on this song.  The drummer is really good along with the bass player.  Ass has a great rhythm selection and that is key to a successful band.    I love the guitar playing on this song.

The Running Of The Bull

Hola! I love the start of this song.  There is some nice acoustic guitar and a nice dancing bass playing.  There is some nice music on this song.  It is Mexican Metal music.  This is a pretty fun song.  Si!  The singer has written some great lyrics and the singer is a pretty solid.  There is a nice guitar solo towards the end of the song.

I Am A Warrior

I love the guitar playing on this song.  There is some nice lyrics and singing from the lead singer.  I love the drumming and bass playing.  I love the groove on this song.  There is a guitar solo that is well placed half way point of the song.  I feel they need to turn up the lead singer on this song.  He just seems like he is singing in the background along with the rest of the band.

Line Up:

  • Brian Thomas – Lead Vocals And Bullhorn
  • Chris Taylor – Bass And Back Up Vocals
  • T.J. – Lead Guitars And Back Up Vocals
  • Foot – Drums And Back Up Vocals
  • Brandon Richardson – Guitars And Back Up Vocals

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website:  Facebook Page

Twitter:  No Twitter account

In closing, this record was passed to me by a friend and co-worker, who is Ed Harker.  We love our music and we are always trading and leaning out our music.  He told me to check out this band for two reason.  One I am from the Detroit area and two this is some good metal music.  I have to say I was pretty impressed.  I know Brian’s singing from his Helloween years.  I have a few of their records.  I love the pace of all these songs.  They know slow but their fast is over the top good.  The lyrics are funny but really good.  Brian’s singing is really good and strong.  The guitar playing is really good.  The drumming and bass playing is awesome. I will be looking for this band when I come back to visit Michigan.  Go get some Ass!  Drink it!  Enjoy it!  Metal it!  \m/

New Blog Nicklas Lidstrom Retirement NHL

In this blog, we are going to talk about one of my favorite players, who is Nicklas Lidstrom, from the Detroit Red Wings.  He retires from the NHL with 20 years of playing the game.  Being a very late draft pick by the Wings and then turning into one of the greatest players in the game while adding to the rich history to Red Wings.  He is a four-time Stanley Cup and seven time Norris winner, which three were in a row. He also won Conn Smythe, which is MVP in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. It is rare to see a player play for only one team.

Career Stats (Yahoo Sports Canada):

Year      GP   G      A      Pts  +/-  PIM Hits BkS PPG PPA SHG SHA GW SOG Pct

Career 1564 264 878 1142 450 514 146  253    132   458 10     30     35 3875  .068

This future Hall of Framer was drafted by the Detroit Red Wings in the 1989 in the Round 3rd, which was 53rd overall. Yet he was not a physical defense men.  He is the smartest hockey player that I have ever saw without and with the puck.  His plus/minus is 450 and only had one year where he was -2, which was 2010-2011.  His highest plus/minus year was in 1993-1994, which was +43.  I get it he played on some really good teams during his career, however most Hall of Fame careers has some lowest in the early and some very highs at the end.  Red Wings in the 1990s were coming off years of bad hockey in the 1980s and they were building their team through the draft just like most smart teams in any sports.

In closing, I am not much of a number guy for any sports.  They do tell a story but I just love watching the sport and the player.  I love seeing what the player does without and with the puck or ball.  I have to say Nicklas Lidstrom was a most interesting player to watch.  He was always doing something on the ice to get the Red Wings in a better situation.  He did his job very well and made it look too easy.  Another fact that came out of his retirement, this will be first time in 30 years we Red Wings Fans and NHL fans will see a Detroit Red Wings team without Yzerman and Lidstrom on it.  Wings will never be able to replace him like they cannot replace a Steve Y, however, the Wings future is very bright.  To finally close, it was honor to watch Nicklas Lidstrom grow into one of the greatest players in the game.  I am glad I lived in this era of NHL hockey to see it.  Good Luck #5 and Thank you for all the awesome memories!  Enjoy it! Drink it! Metal it! \m/

Cheers!

Bill DJ Weiser

Email: djweiser13@comcast.net

Twitter: @djweiser