Wings win second straight game
The Detroit Red Wings have finally decided that it’s cool to win again as they defeated the St. Louis Blues last night, 4-1 (click the link for my game recap). It was their second straight victory, the first of which since winning their first three games in February (and then consequently losing the rest except for one against Colorado).
I thought it was an enjoyable game, particularly with the hostility that seemed to crop up towards the end of the game. We even got to see Brian Rafalski wrestle Jeff Woywitka to the ground with less than a minute left. Woywitka had hit Tomas Kopecky, who wasn’t by the puck, at center ice. Rafalski apparently did not like what he saw and decided to do something about it. I found it quite entertaining to watch Rafalski go at it. I mean, it’s Rafalski!
It’s amazing how much of an impact Niklas Kronwall and Brian Rafalski have on this team. To see them both back now, it’s quite impressive at how much quicker the puck moves and how those two can get the puck to the net creating better scoring opportunities for the forwards. Now I can’t wait to see Nicklas Lidstrom return on Sunday.
I usually don’t like to talk about what goes on at work because I want to make sure my work stays separate from my blog, but I figure that this is fair game and shouldn’t cause any problems. I actually had the chance to briefly talk with the Blues assistant coach Brad Shaw on our way to the press box before the game. Apparently, the Blues have a unique system where one of the assistant coaches sits in the press box. For example, Shaw was in the press box for the first period and then was down on the bench during the second and third periods. I believe Ray Bennett, the other assistant coach, was going to be up in the press box for the remaining two periods. Crazy, huh?
Then, I had the opportunity to chat with the Blues radio play-by-play announcer Chris Kerber, who was very pleasant to talk to. He is one of the loudest announcers I have heard this season (the visiting radio booth is right next to where I sit in the press box) and he does so because he likes getting feedback from the fans sitting below him. They actually have a microphone taped to the wall to pick up crowd noise. So when he said something like “the Blues are bound to score off one of these bounces” and a fan yelled back, “no they aren’t”, the microphone picked up that exchange and it apparently adds more to the call of the game.
Just thought those were two interesting tidbits I would share with you all since I thought they were more of the public knowledge type of information.
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6 Responses to “Wings win second straight game”
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March 6th, 2008 at 11:04 pm
It’s been a few years since I’ve been up on the press box level (I would do stats for ESPN). Refresh my memory: where do the visiting radio guys sit? Over by Budd? Or is it near the entrance side of the box?
March 6th, 2008 at 11:31 pm
Does the Wings org. know about your blog, and if so can you
tell us, when you started your job, did they request you not blog about what goes on when you are working at the Joe?
March 6th, 2008 at 11:58 pm
Joe- The visiting radio guys are to the left of the FSN booth (if you are looking at the ice), which is almost right at center ice. The PR mini section is to the left of the visiting radio so we have a great view of the action.
Steve- BTJ was on my resume when I applied for the internship so they know about my blog. They never asked about it during the interview and have never talked to me about it. Since I want to keep blogging (because the ads are my only source of income as a college student) and I want to be a Wings intern for another year, I determined it would be smartest for me to keep the two separate (ie. I only blog about things that can be found in a newspaper and not what I learn at work). But no, the Wings did not tell me to not blog about behind the scenes stuff, I just figured it’d be best for my future in sports PR to not do so.
March 7th, 2008 at 10:59 am
It is my understanding that most hockey teams no matter what level switch their asst. coaches between the bench and press box. Michigan hockey does it as well. Bottom of Box D @ yost.
March 9th, 2008 at 8:10 pm
Christy: that sounds like where I would sit for the ESPN games (basically wherever the PR staff could find an open seat; and on one occasion, I had to move after setting up shop). A couple of times I’d actually get to stand in the booth, which was tres cool. I’ll say this: For all the charms of JLA (and I think it has a few), I don’t think anyone will miss the press box and its one bathroom. I have no idea if it’s changed, but I remember on one occasion when they had a PR intern standing by the door during the intermissions, making sure the broadcast crews had priority during them. That’d irk the writers!
March 9th, 2008 at 9:53 pm
Jordan- Hmm. Interesting to know UM does it too. Are you going to the CCHA tourney at the Joe in a couple weekends?
The Blues asst coach said it was unusual. But what do I know. All I know is the Wings do not do it and I had never heard of it before so I thought it was cool.
Joe- Fortunately no intern has that job currently. But yes, there is still just one bathroom for the entire press box. And I personally want a new arena- the press box, in particular, is crap which makes sense when they forgot to include one until after the arena was built (or towards the end of building it) and so they just squeezed it in…