NHL Defends Lame Call
NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman knows deep down that he is wrong. He knows his officials are wrong and he knows they made the wrong call while the league handed the Dallas Stars Game 4 of the Western Conference Finals.
Bettman and the NHL slappys are trying to convince us that officials made the right call by disallowing the Wings first goal during a 3-1 loss in Dallas. They admit that Tomas Holmstrom, but are claiming his back side interfered with Stars goalie Marty Turco.
Come on. That is so lame. Who do they think Holmstrom is? Rick Mahorn? Charles Barkley? Jennifer Lopez? Holmstrom might play with his back to the goal, but buddy ain't got back like that. "Based on Holmstrom's positioning, Marty Turco had trouble moving his stick," Bettman said on his radio show.
Whatever.
Normally when fans scream that their team got jobbed and come up with all kinds of conspiracy theories as to why the NFL or NHL do not like Detroit teams I fight you. It is all in your head. This time I cannot.
This is a make up call from Game 1 when the Stars complained that Holmstrom was in the crease during a goal. I've heard of make up calls within minutes of a bad call? But a week?
I know this. The Wings put the puck in the net three times, but were credited with one goal.
The NHL did not want to see two sweeps in the conference finals so it took care of a little dirty work to make sure Pittsburgh and Detroit were extended one more game.
I can be reached at Terry.Foster@detnews.com or 313-222-1494.Wii Home Run Challenge
Join me Friday night (10 p.m.-midnight) at Hamlin Pub in Lake Orion for a Wii home run derby challenge. Whoever hits the most home runs will win prizes from the Detroit Sports Gallery and Tiger tickets.
Hamlin is located at 741 Lapeer Road, just north of the Palace of Auburn Hills. The event is sponsored by 97.1 FM The Ticket. See you there.
A Changing Industry
Let me show my age today. I got a lump in my throat after reading Washington Post columnist Tony Kornheiser accepted a buy out and won't be writing a regular column for his newspaper.
Him stepping away did not get to me. It was Kornheiser saying all he wanted to do when he got into this business was write for a newspaper. I felt the same way when getting into this business 27 years ago. I loved newspapers, the dirty ink and seeing my name printed on hundreds of thousands of papers.
Our industry has changed and it keeps on changing. Today I do very little newspaper work. My three times a week Terry's Town column plays a small part in my life. This web log has been the most read for more than a year here at my new home of detnews.com. In addition I do pod casts and web casts. There is the Valenti and Foster Show on 97.1 FM the Ticket, appearances on Fox 2 and other electronic outlets.
The last time I spoke with Kornheiser was as a guest on his radio show. Of course we see him on ESPN and Monday Night Football and PTI. He still loves newspapers but he is no longer a newspaper man.
When I was a 20 something young lad I told people I was a newspaper man. Now I don't know what I am besides a dinosaur. Guys like Kornheiser and me are among the last generation of true newspaper men.
Pardon the Interruption I got to get ready for my radio show.
I can be reached at Terry.Foster@detnews.com or 313-222-1494. You can listen to the Valenti and Foster Show from 2-6 PM on 97.1 FM the Ticket. I will be appearing tonight at Malarkey's in Southgate (9-11 p.m.) for a Patron Party and will be giving away a trip to Mexico and Las Vegas.Obama Skips Detroit
Did you see that Democratic Presidential candidate Barack Obama made stops in Warren and Grand Rapids on Wednesday.
Did you see where he didn't stop? Obama skipped Detroit where Michigan's most high profile black politician lives. Obama simply cannot afford photo shoots with Detroit's Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick. He is fighting for his job and is a liability right now. It is sad but it is true -- appearing with Kilpatrick does not make good political sense now. He is damaged goods.
Senator John Edwards is not. That is why Obama accepted an endorsement from him a couple hundred miles away in Grand Rapids.
Titans Land Big Man
He might not be good yet. But Jason Bennett sure is big and there is a chance he could become the biggest basketball player in Detroit Titan history. According to rivals.com Bennett will sign to play with the Titans next season.
Bennett stands 7-foot-3 and considered putting his name in the NBA draft but changed his mind and might be Detroit bound. He is a strong defender who plays with his back to the basket. He remains a developing player and must work on finishing better and improving his intensity on the court.
He played one season at Kansas State and started nine games before transferring to Tallahassee CC in Florida. He would have two years of eligibility left and is ranked as the 47th best JUCO player and second best center.
Also former Central Michigan University coach Jay Smith and Saginaw High Coach Lou Dawkins are being considered for Assistant jobs under head coach Ray McCallum.
James' Mom Broke the Code
It must be tough at times being a parent watching your son and daughter play, even if your son is super star LeBron James.
His mother Gloria broke the code. She screamed at Paul Pierce after a hard foul on James during the Cleveland Cavaliers 88-77 victory over Boston Monday night in Cleveland. She got in Pierce's face and James got in hers because he did not want her kicked out of the game.
"All I could think about at that point was the commissioner doesn't care if it's your mother," said James. "I can't afford for that to be my mom's last [game]. I probably used language I shouldn't have used. Thank God it wasn't Mother's Day."
Young James did the right thing, even if it was dogging his own mother. She is emotional and he did not want an ugly incident. However, this should be a lesson for all parents. You can scream and cheer, twist and shout. But you cannot get involved with the game even if you think someone attempted to harm your child. That's the code.
I can be reached at Terry.Foster@detnews.com or 313-222-1494.
Help From a Good Livonia Coach
There were no smiles. There was no celebration. After Celine's soccer team's nail biting 4-3 victory in Sunday's age group finals my child was shivering and in tears.
They played a tough game in the cold, rain and wind Sunday and she said she was frozen stiff and could not walk the 250 yards to the car. I had folding chairs in one hand, her bag in the other and planned on carrying her to the car. Her teeth chattered and her legs were stiff as boards.
I thought for a moment to tell her to toughen it up and walk with me. But she really appeared in pain and said she got blasted in the face by a ball near the end of the game.
So I dumped the chairs and carried her stiff body in my arms. She'd never felt so heavy and near the end of my journey I was giving out. I needed a break but she told me she really needed some warmth. so I continued.
But there came a point where I could go on no longer. I just needed 30 seconds of rest. I fell to one knee, still holding her when my good Samaritan appeared from nowhere. He identified himself as coach Derek Verant. And he coached the Livonia Meteors against Celine's team the Bloomfield Force. He knew how tough the conditions were and offered to carry Celine to the car.
I said it was OK, that I would make it. I thank him for ignoring me. He picked Celine up and carried her the final few yards to the car. We shook hands and parted ways. He doesn't know how grateful I am for the help.
I don't know this man but I do know he has good in his heart and I am glad our paths crossed. The only thing I can offer is that if he is ever short a player Celine said she'd be happy to help out.
Pistons Prince Can't Be Shipped
I've never understood the desire for many in this town to get rid of Tayshaun Prince. The only thing the guy makes is big plays. He did it again during the Pistons 90-89 victor over the Orlando Magic -- a win that gave the Pistons a 3-1 lead in this best of seven series. One more win and the Pistons are in their sixth straight Eastern Conference Finals.
Prince (17 points, five rebounds and five assists) hit the game-winning shot and then was asked to guard Hedo Turkoglu who attempted the game-winning shot for the Magic. Prince has been one of the top two or three playoff player again.
He is inconsistent. His defense is slightly overrated but the guy produces. The Pistons need him badly. Coach Flip Saunders is the second straight coach who can't take this guy off the court yet when I do my radio show on 97.1 FM people call in wanting to ship him out of town.
What they see is a guy who usually doesn't do much when Chauncey Billups and Rip Hamilton are on fire. He is also the fourth option behind Rasheed Wallace. But when someone is off, suddenly Prince is on. The other thing they don't consider is for all his talents, Prince does not complain about not getting the ball.
The NBA is an ego league and guys feel they are entitled to their shots. Prince instead keeps the peace and does his piece to make the Pistons a better team.
I can be reached at Terry.Foster@detnews.com or 313-222-1494. The Valenti and Foster Show will broadcast live from the Post Bar across from The Palace before Game 5 on Tuesday.
Red Wings Fans Should Not be Questioned
Let's give Free Press columnist Mitch Albom this much credit. He struck a chord in our community with a column questioning why people did not sell out Joe Louis Arena for the first game of the Western Conference Finals against the Dallas Stars.
Unfortunately it struck a chord because his words were based being out of touch of what is actually happening in this city. This is not the time to question fans about their loyalty to a team. This is not the time to criticize them for not filling Joe Louis Arena or chastise them for not being loyal to the Wings.
It is too simple to say the economy is struggling in the state of Michigan. It goes much deeper than that. Thousands of people are in pain. You got to get out and talk to people to understand what is going on around here.
Let me give you some real life stories of folks I've run into in just the last three months.
*** I spoke to some fans in a down river bar who used to attend 20 games a year. They were laid off by Ford Motor Company and they not only cannot justify going to Wings games, but they've even cut down the number of times they watch games at a local sports bar.
*** I spoke to an upset waitress in a bar because she was not needed for her shift. She said she needed tip money because her infant son only had six diapers to last him the next couple of days. She refused my offers for diaper money.
*** I know of at least a dozen young people under the age of 25, including our former next door neighbor Julie, who left the state for jobs in other places. They complained that they could not get the jobs they wanted here.
*** Two sets of our friends left companies that went bankrupt. Travel teams in soccer, baseball and hockey complained that their numbers are down.
There are more stories but you get the picture.
My wife Abs and I enjoy going to concerts and plays at the Fox Theater and some of the smaller venues around Detroit. I can safely say I have not been to a sold out concert or play in more than three years. That is not to say these places do not sell out. I just have not been to any of them.
As the price of food sky rockets because of high fuel prices there are more people just trying to hang on rather than hang out.
People are finding cheaper ways to entertain themselves. They watch games at sports bars or at home. Sometimes it is tough to justify a $200 evening to watch a game live when bills are due and junior needs a pair of new shoes or a pack of diapers.
There is also this question. If an organization like the Wings was not totally loyal to the fans then why should fans be blindly loyal to them? The Wings made a huge mistake when they lowered payroll by 50 percent following the lockout but did not lower season ticket prices and offered fans Joe Bucks instead.
They are making amends now with new marketing and by lower tickets prices, but the fan base still remembers that blunder.
People are still going out and enjoying Tigers baseball and other things. But folks are now forced to pick and chose more. I am fortunate in that I have two jobs. Yet I sure hate going to the gas pump and paying nearly $4 a gallon. If it is rough for me to fill that pump I can just imagine what it is like for some of you.
This is not the time to question your loyalty. Detroit is filled with great fans who love their teams more than they deserve sometimes. They want to support their athletes and teams. Many just can't at this time. Many are down and they are in pain. This is not the time to punch them in the gut. You guys deserve better.
I can be reached at Terry.Foster@detnews.com or 313-222-1494.
Opposing Goalies Seeing Stars
DETROIT -- Dallas stars goalie Marty Turco looked normal again. A few days after the magic of Game 6 in the Western Conference Finals against San Jose, Turco returned to the guy who cannot win at Joe Louis Arena.
He fought the puck and lost the battle to the Red Wings 4-1 in the opening game of the Western Conference Finals. He was no match for the team that is not only chasing goalies but is seriously chasing another Stanley Cup. Dare I say the Wings should win the Cup, although I suspect a young and strong and feisty Pittsburgh Penguins team will stand in the way.
Does talk of the Wings being the favorites make you nervous? Well it should. It seems that whenever there is a clear path to the Cup, some goalie stands in the way. It certainly does not look like that will be the case this time. The Wings are no longer in the business of making stars out of goalies. Instead goalies are seeing stars as puck after puck rushes past them.
This is a team with a few less stars than in the past that is mauling the NHL. And they are using a simple formula. The Mule scores the goals and Ozzie stops them.
I sure smell an upcoming parade around here.
