Growing up in Metro Detroit I learned only 2 things are important to my fellow Detroiters…..Cars and Hockey. Now everywhere I go outside of Michigan I have people ask about hockey town. It really is true; Detroit has the leagues greatest fans! The Redwings have created a name for themselves over the years with the Russian 5, the grind line, and oh yea…..making the playoffs every year for the last 2 decades and more!
Now there’s something in the air, something different….it’s playoff season in Detroit. The smell of octopus is in the air and there are playoff beards as far as the eye can see. Other cities do have fans and they are quite festive, but there’s a reason why we’re called hockey town. Detroiters are Bat-shit-crazy for hockey.
We all know this year was a lot closer than any of us wanted it to be, but we’re in a rebuilding phase, we had no training camp this year, and we’ve been chronically plagued with injuries... I’m not making excuses; I’m just stating some facts to support our slight lack of performance this year. I admit to having my doubts, but something in me knew they would find a way to make the playoffs this year, just like the last 20-something before this.
Playoffs is a special time of year. It brings people together at their local watering holes, man caves, and venues alike, it gives us all something to look forward to after a long day of work and something to cheer about, and most of all it brings us all together as fans of the greatest game on earth, hockey. This is what makes us hockey town!
Hockey is truly a great sport. It combines the physicality of hockey, the finesse of basketball, the ability to use your brain like a baseball player, and the ability to hit the puck like a golfer. Those Canadians got something right when it comes to sports. I mean who can ever get enough of that curling, oh and hockey.
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