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Raisin' Kane in Buffalo: What Kind of Guy Hits a Cabbie?

Jay Mariotti — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 21:50:00 EST

Filed under: NHL

So now, as quickly as it takes to make one phone call (wink-wink), the story flip-flops. Turns out the 62-year-old Buffalo taxi driver who allegedly was assaulted by young hockey star Patrick Kane, the homegrown pride of that parochial New York town, suddenly doesn't think it was so awful that Kane and his cousin grabbed his throat, "broke my glasses (and) ripped my clothes." The story has gained nationwide attention because: (a) Kane is known as a baby-faced angel; and (b) the baby-faced angel apparently wasn't happy that the cabbie didn't have 20 cents in change for a $15 fare, which trumps Scottie "No Tippin' " Pippen for lows in penny-pinching.

But now, perhaps swayed by Kane's cult status in Buffalo, Jan Radecki is having second thoughts about authorities pressing felony charges over the beating. His lawyer, Andrew LoTemplo, appeared Monday on WGN-AM in Chicago -- ahem, the flagship radio station of the Blackhawks, Kane's team -- and said the story was "blown out of proportion." Just a day before, Radecki had pleaded for prosecutors to swing the hammer at Kane and his cousin, saying, "What are you doing about it? He's hitting a 60-year-old man."

He added then that James Kane, the cousin, had "sucker-punched" him from the back seat. And that Patrick Kane "punched me in the head. He says, 'You don't know who you're [messing] with! You don't know who you're [messing] with, [expletive]!' And he kept pounding and pounding on me." Yet only hours later, Radecki was ready to make amends and "work things out" with the local hero, according to his lawyer. Hmmmm. Why the remarkable change of heart? Oh, if we're actually believing the story, it's because Radecki locked the doors of the cab on the two Raisin' Kanes, thinking they were local college students who tend not to pay fares, causing cab drivers to lock doors until they do. As spin-control explanations go, I must say that's a first for me, either an example of creative genius or too inane to be dismissed.

"It's a dispute over the cab fee, and, unfortunately, Mr. Radecki didn't recognize Mr. Kane and just thought they were a couple of college kids," said LoTemplo, who added that he wouldn't support a felony charge. "Some of the cab drivers here have a policy of not unlocking the doors until they get paid because they get beat on their fees by the college kids -- and that just kind of blew up."

And that's it? All's forgotten? A civic-friendly lawyer intercedes, someone agrees to send the pummeled cabbie four free tickets to a Blackhawks-Sabres game and a sizable cash settlement, and the brothers are forgiven at face value? Give me a friggin' break. The fact remains that no one is disputing an altercation occurred. Or that the Kanes were picked up by the cabbie at 4 a.m. after spending the night on Chippewa Street, in the middle of the city's nightlife district, though Kane is 20 and not of legal age to drink. So no matter how the story is spun, this still goes down as a public-relations issue for the NHL, the Blackhawks and anybody else banking on Kane's image as a vital part of hockey's future in America. Next Monday, when he is supposed to be attending a U.S. Olympic hockey orientation camp in suburban Chicago, he is due in court in Buffalo. "We are aware of the incident. We don't condone or approve of what has been suggested the facts are. We are looking into it ourselves," NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly said Monday.

Sure, 20-year-olds do very stupid things. But I am not in the business of protecting Patrick Kane. If he is guilty of beating the cab driver, he should deal with the legal consequences as you or I would. And if he demanded 20 cents of change from a $15 fare, when he earned $875,000 last season from the Blackhawks, he should live with the resulting taunts in enemy arenas. Hey, we've all been frustrated by a cab driver a time or two -- the other day, I engaged in an argument with one who didn't know where Wrigley Field was. But did I hit him? Honestly, who hits a cab driver?

And what's wackiest of all is that Kane has shown exemplary character in his two seasons in Chicago, where he was the NHL's much-ballyhooed No. 1 pick in the 2007 draft and the league's Rookie of the Year in 2008. He and the 21-year-old captain, Jonathan Toews, have helped re-ignite a dead franchise in an Original Six city. Just last Thursday, Kane appeared at an event with Buffalo mayor Byron W. Brown announcing fund-raising to improve a hockey rink where he learned to play. He seemed like the perfect role model for a struggling city, a league always trying to forge an identity and a nation that needs more hockey heroes.

"Today is special for me," Kane said at the ceremony. "This is where I grew up playing hockey. This is the first rink I probably skated in when I was 6 years old. The best part is coming back and hanging out with your buddies and your family. I'll tell you one thing: It's a lot of fun playing in the NHL and playing on the ice and playoffs and certain things, and being part of an Original Six organization with the Blackhawks.

Sure, 20-year-olds do very stupid things. But I am not in the business of protecting Patrick Kane."But to come back home and drive in the driveway for the first time for summer, and realize that you have a long time to hang out back home in Buffalo is a great feeling. The best thing about it is my friends treat me like I'm a regular kid. They don't treat me like a celebrity or whatever they might treat me like in Chicago."

Since then, we've learned that Kane loves to party. Which is fine as long as he does so responsibly and realizes he's not an average 20-year-old. Once upon a time, in the same party-happy city, Jeremy Roenick was the late-night king of Chicago. Now retired from the sport after a 20-year career, he offered some insight on ESPN Radio. "I was really surprised, because it's very much out of Patrick's character from what I know of him," Roenick said. "From the times I've talked to him, I know he likes the fast lane. He likes to go out and enjoy himself. That's what all kids should be doing. He should experience a lot of fun things at a young age and live his life as a professional athlete. I was surprised, but then again, kids make mistakes. And sometimes they become better people because of that, and I hope that happens with Pat.

"I mean, it's one thing to realize that there are people out there that are going to take advantage of you. There are going to be people out there that are going to try to make a name for themselves, or at least get money in their own pocket because of fame. And if he doesn't watch his back, and if he doesn't prepare himself for all situations, he's not invincible. I think this is a going to be a very big lesson learned for him."

It's also another tough blow for the Blackhawks, who executed a stunning turnaround as an organization over a blurry two-year period, only to lose their minds with a series of negative and bizarre episodes this offseason. Seems the strength of their front office also is their problem. John McDonough, the p.r. guru behind the Wrigley Field mystique, was hired away from the Cubs as team president by owner Rocky Wirtz, who made every right marketing move after his late father, Bill, had made every self-destructive marketing move for decades. But McDonough is so hard-driving in his zeal to win the team's first Stanley Cup since 1961, he has created a pressure-cooker environment.

Ever hear of any business in 2009 failing to get paperwork out in time because it used snail mail? That was the problem with the Hawks, who didn't send qualifying offers to restricted free agents in time -- what can Brown do for you, guys? -- and cost themselves millions in extra compensation to the players, who all eventually re-signed. That put the team in a salary-cap bind and helped cost general manager Dale Tallon his job, though he drafted Kane and Toews and helped assemble a roster that lost to Detroit in the Western Conference finals last spring. Tallon was replaced by Stan Bowman, son of coaching great Scottie Bowman, who is rumored to mastermind the hockey operation for McDonough and was pushing for his son to ascend to GM all along. It didn't help that Tallon had signed 30-year-old Marian Hossa to a 12-year, $62.8 million deal, though Hossa has a shoulder injury that required surgery and will sideline him for the start of the season. Turns out the huge contract also may lead to a salary-cap violation, all for a player who lost in the Stanley Cup finals the last two seasons for separate organizations.

Suddenly, a team that was ignored in Chicago just a few seasons ago is buzzworthy for all the wrong reasons. Is it any wonder McDonough, hailed as a miracle maker only months before, was booed recently at the team's fan convention? Kane's bust was splashed across the front page of the city's two newspapers Monday, not the way the Blackhawks want to grab attention from the Cubs, White Sox and Jay Cutler.

"I didn't know he was a hockey player," Radecki said of the kid who allegedly beat him. "I heard on the news ... the new hockey rink, they raised a lot of money."

That was the Patrick Kane we thought we knew. In the wee hours of Sunday morning, long past his bedtime, another Patrick Kane reared his ugly head. A public apology would be a good idea, kid.

Raisin' Kane in Buffalo: What Kind of Guy Hits a Cabbie? originally appeared on Jay Mariotti FanHouse on Mon, 10 Aug 2009 21:50:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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'Yinz' Should Admit it: Pittsburgh Rules

Jay Mariotti — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 00:00:00 EST

Filed under: Back Porch, NHL

In Chicago, Milton Bradley further endears himself to Cubdom by flipping a ball into the seats with two out, a farcical sign that 100 years without a World Series title soon will be 101. In Cleveland, the poor people still haven't won a championship in any sport since 1964 and might lose LeBron James to New York, assuming the gulls and midges don't eat him first. In Buffalo, they're not yet over the sting of reaching the Super Bowl four times and losing four times, which still trumps chicken wings as the civic identity.

"That's life," Bradley explained. "These people have high expectations. I have high expectations for myself. I never made a mistake like that (losing track of the outs) in my life. Sue me."

"Something needs to be done," the Indians' Ryan Garko said of the birds and bugs that attack Progressive Field. "There's got to be a way to get rid of them. It's kind of embarrassing. We look like a bunch of kids playing on an abandoned field. It's kind of funny, but kind of not funny."

Across America, sports cities deal with unique forms of futility. How about Atlanta, which has fielded teams in major sports since the 1960s and has one championship to show for it? Or Minneapolis-St. Paul, which has only two since the '70s? Or Kansas City, which hasn't won anything since 1985 and may as well cede from the big time? All of which makes me even more amazed by the performance of the country's most efficient sports town.

Would you believe Pittsburgh as the City of Champions?

Since 1970, when the sports industry began its big boom nationally, a town currently ranked as the 26th television market -- sandwiched by Portland and Salt Lake City -- has won an astounding 11 championships between its three big-league teams. That rates behind only the New York and Los Angeles metro areas, which are represented by multiple teams in some leagues, and Boston, which owns 13 titles in that span among its four franchises. Tucked amid hills and rivers somewhere between Appalachia and the East Coast, Pittsburgh is a small, humble place with its own dialect and idiosyncrasies. When the rest of us say "you guys," folks in western Pennsylvania say "yinz." An Iron City beer is ordered as an "Arn and a shot." Anywhere else in the world, french fries are ordered and eaten separately; in the 'Burgh, the fries are stuffed inside the sandwich with coleslaw and anything else that might be laying around.

Whatever they're eating, it's working. Four months after the Steelers won their second Super Bowl in four years and sixth since the '70s, the Penguins won their third-ever Stanley Cup with one of the epic Game 7 triumphs in NHL history, a toppling of the Detroit Red Wings' dynasty in a hostile Hockeytown environment. Just as the Steelers are in a mode where they can win another championship any given season, the Penguins seem set for years with their young superstars, 21-year-old Sidney Crosby and 22-year-old Evgeni Malkin. There are towns that have waited decades just to get a sniff of a Stanley Cup, Vince Lombardi Trophy or any piece of hardware. Pittsburgh, little Pittsburgh, already is armed with an embarrassment of riches and can anticipate more glory well into the next decade.

Why there? Because it's a town blessed with sound, purposeful leadership, as demanded by hard-working people. Dan Rooney, who inherited the Steelers from his father, sticks by old-school principles and a continuity in coaching -- a formula that works in this century as well as the last. And Mario Lemieux, the cornerstone of Penguins clubs that won two Cups in the early '90s, helped saved hockey in Pittsburgh by the will of his personality and business sense, then completely lucked out and landed the No. 1 pick in the draft the year Crosby was available. With Malkin, the youngest Conn Smythe Trophy winner ever and the league's regular-season scoring champion, the Penguins have the most potent duo in sports for the next, oh, dozen years or so if they can keep both financially happy.

And the crazy thing is, all of this is happening in a town with only 335,000 residents within the city limits and 1.4 million in the market. An estimated 400,000 of those folks were downtown for another victory parade Monday, a celebration that took the same route as the Steelers. They chanted "Let's Go Pens!" and honked horns as the players waved and shot victory salutes.

"Thank you guys," Crosby told the fans. "What can I say? The support you guys have given us, the support you have showed ... You deserve to be called the City of Champions. You deserve the Stanley Cup."

Spoiled? I know I am. Pittsburgh is my hometown, and when I arrived in Chicago and started pounding on the Cubs and White Sox and Bears for not winning titles in a major market, the locals thought I was too rough on their boys. Why was I so discriminating? Maybe because I grew up in a place where Super Bowls and Hall of Famers were commonplace, where Lemieux became a hockey icon and where, until the humiliation of recent years, the Pirates won two World Series and were competitive into the '90s with a pre-steroids Barry Bonds and a scrappy, chain-smoking manager named Jim Leyland. The White Sox finally won in 2005, which brought Chicago its first Series championship in almost 200 collective seasons on both sides of town. But why was one title a big deal when Pittsburgh had won two in eight years?

They are appreciative and sophisticated enough in the 'Burgh not to burn down the town. Shocked as many were that the Penguins stunned the Wings on the road, which ended a six-game win streak for Game 7 home teams in a Cup final, the fans celebrated with beer and much merriment. That is in contrast to Los Angeles, where eight police officers suffered minor injuries in downtown flareups after the Lakers' NBA championship clincher Sunday night in Orlando. They started fires. They threw rocks and bottles at officers. They vandalized stores. In all, 20 were arrested. Given a choice of living in Southern California or Pittsburgh, most would opt for sun, surf and sand over shutdown steel mills. Sounds like Pittsburgh is a better place to raise a family.

In the wake of Friday's changing of the guard, it's a shame the Red Wings tried to spoil the moment by sniping at Crosby. Yes, the captain was late to arrive at the traditional receiving line in which handshakes are exchanged afterward, but did he not have a good excuse? Didn't the league commandeer his services for several immediate TV interviews before pointing Crosby to commissioner Gary Bettman, who handed him the Stanley Cup? Isn't Sid the Kid still just 21 years old? It was as if the Wings, bitter after failing to win their fifth Cup in 13 seasons, needed a target on which to vent. They picked the wrong guy. No one is more humble, more respectful of tradition, than Crosby. He's the boy-next-door who literally still lives in Lemieux's house. If Wings captain Nicklas Lidstrom was waiting for him, he should have asked the league to delay interviews until after all hands were shaken.

"Nick was waiting and waiting, and Crosby didn't come over to shake his hand," Detroit veteran Kris Draper complained. "That's ridiculous, especially as their captain, and make sure you write that I said that."

"I think that's one thing you should do," teammate Henrik Zetterberg added Monday. "I don't know why he didn't do it. It's disrespectful."

"Sidney was probably caught up in the emotions and everything," Lidstrom said. "He'll learn from it."

No, gentlemen, Sidney was preoccupied by protocol, something Lidstrom and the Wings should know all about. The Cup ceremony was old hat to them. It was new to Crosby. The Detroit guys look petty in criticizing him.

"It's the easiest thing in the world to shake hands after you win," said Crosby, denying any bad intentions and pointing out that he did shake hands with goalie Chris Osgood and other Wings players. "I really don't need to talk to anyone from Detroit about it. I made the attempt to go shake hands. I've been on that side of things, too, I know it's not easy, waiting around. I just won the Stanley Cup, and I think I have the right to celebrate with my teammates. On their side of things, I understand if they don't want to wait around.

"I had no intentions of trying to skip guys and not shake their hands. I think that was a pretty unreasonable comment. The guys I shook hands with, they realized I made the attempt. If I could shake half their team's hands, I'm sure the other half wasn't too far behind. I don't know what happened there. I have no regrets."

Nor should he. He is part of a remarkable story in hockey lore, a team left for dead several times in the playoffs and regular season. When general manager Ray Shero found the guts in February to fire coach Michel Therrien, who merely had produced a Stanley Cup finals appearance last season, the Penguins were 27-25-5 and five points shy of the final playoff berth in the Eastern Conference. Shero hired the raw, 38-year-old Dan Bylsma, not far removed from minor-league coaching, and advocated the installation of a more aggressive system that took advantage of Crosby, Malkin and the offensive talent. The result was a radical turnaround of 34-11-4, and wherever Therrien is today, even he must applaud the move.

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Detroit Red Wings captain Nicklas Lidstrom talks to the media before cleaning out his locker at the end of their season at Joe Louis Arena in Detroit, Michigan, on Monday, June 15, 2009. (Julian H. Gonzalez/Detroit Free Press/MCT)

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Detroit Red Wings head coach Mike Babcock answered one last question in the locker room at the end of their season at Joe Louis Arena in Detroit, Michigan, on Monday, June 15, 2009. (Julian H. Gonzalez/Detroit Free Press/MCT)

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Detroit Red Wings captain Nicklas Lidstrom removes his equipment before cleaning out his locker at the end of the Red Wings' season at Joe Louis Arena in Detroit, Michigan, on Monday, June 15, 2009. (Julian H. Gonzalez/Detroit Free Press/MCT)

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Pittsburgh Penguins gather in downtown Pittsburgh during a parade celebrating the NHL hockey team's Stanley Cup win, Monday, June 15, 2009. The Penguins defeated the Detroit Red Wings on Friday night in Game 7. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

Pittsburgh Penguins' Jordan Staal, left center, and teammate Phillipe Boucher, upper left, celebrate with Penguins fans during a parade celebrating the team's Stanley Cup win Monday, June 15, 2009 through downtown Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

Pittsburgh Penguins' Marc-Andre Fleury, left, gets his turn with the Stanley Cup and congratulations from teammate Bill Guerin, right, during a celebration following a parade honoring the NHL hockey team's Stanley Cup win, Monday, June 15, 2009, in Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

Pittsburgh Penguins fans line the Boulevard of the Allies in downtown Pittsburgh during a parade celebrating the Penguins Stanley Cup win Monday, June 15, 2009. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

Pittsburgh Penguins fans line the Boulevard of the Allies in downtown Pittsburgh during for a parade celebrating the Penguins Stanley Cup win Monday, June 15, 2009. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

Pittsburgh Penguins' Hal Gill, center, holds his daughter Isabella as she pets a police horse following a parade celebrating the team's Stanley Cup win Monday, June 15, 2009, in downtown Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

Pittsburgh Penguins fans line the Boulevard of the Allies in downtown Pittsburgh as Penguins captain Sidney Crosby and goalie Marc-Andre Fleury ride in the back of a truck with the Stanley Cup during a parade celebrating the Penguins' Stanley Cup win, Monday, June 15, 2009. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

"I think the game is meant to be played aggressively and in your face," Bylsma said after becoming the second rookie coach to win the Cup. "When you can dictate the pace of the game and where it's played, you can put teams on their heels. That's a fun way to play, and, I think, the right way to play."

It wouldn't be surprising if both teams returned to the Cup final for the third straight year. Both have to maneuver around a salary cap, but these are clearly the elite organizations in hockey. And they are the very two teams, with the requisite stars, that can attract more than the puckheads. If the NHL remains a niche league, the likes of Crosby, Malkin and Detroit's skilled pack of Euro-matons have caught the attention of the sporting masses. Now all we need is Bettman to seize the opportunity, return the games to ESPN and give his game a chance to finally grow in America, despite financial problems in several Sun Belt cities that never should have had franchises to begin with.

The epicenter of it all is Pittsburgh, always a football town and now a hockey town just a year away from abandoning an igloo-shaped relic for a new arena. It stopped being a good baseball town when the Pirates, despite playing in a beautiful waterfront park, became better known for their fire sales. The latest blunder, which sent All-Star outfielder Nate McLouth to Atlanta in early June, set off a near-mutiny among players and fans. "There ain't a guy in here who ain't [ticked] off about it," first baseman Adam LaRoche said. "They might be trying to hide it or whatever, but, hey, you get a guy [that's] loved by everybody, not just in this clubhouse but in the community, who does everything you could want a guy to do, a perfect guy to be a leader. It's kind of like being with your platoon in a battle, and guys keep dropping around you. You keep hanging on, hanging on, and you've got to figure: How much longer till you sink?"

The Pirates are headed to their 17th consecutive losing season, a dubious major league record. Obviously, they are not part of the City of Champions mantra beyond the tradition of franchise greats such as Roberto Clemente. But why should the locals care when they have the most decorated NFL team of the modern era and a hockey club destined to be remembered the same way?

So many trophies, so little population. Per capita, that makes Pittsburgh the hotbed of American sports.

Who knew?

'Yinz' Should Admit it: Pittsburgh Rules originally appeared on Jay Mariotti FanHouse on Tue, 16 Jun 2009 00:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Premier Dynasty of Era? Red Wings Making Case

Jay Mariotti — Sun, 24 May 2009 20:33:00 EST

Filed under: FanHouse Exclusive, NHL

CHICAGO -- They are a mind-numbing machine, really, almost monotonous in their dominance, discipline and staying power. Sport in the 21st century isn't conducive to a dynasty lasting a dozen years, but the winged-wheel jersey and slimy octopus of the Detroit Red Wings have been lodged in our consciousness since 1997, good for four Stanley Cups and maybe a fifth next month.

Red Wings 6, Blackhawks 1: Recap | Box Score

Is it boring to see them in the conference finals eight times in the last 14 seasons, including the last three? Yeah, I detect a nationwide yawn. A little dull to see the same Euro-procession of Zetterbergs, Franzens, Filppulas and Lidstroms? Yeah, I got a lot more jazzed watching Alex Ovechkin duel Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin. But in the city where the American automobile died, this hockey engine is in position to do more damage than the New England Patriots, San Antonio Spurs and any other team in the same span. I believe we're looking at the premier sports franchise in this country, and if you doubt that, you should have seen how the Wings systematically rubbed out the NHL's darling upstarts, the Chicago Blackhawks, and reduced the restored roar in the United Center to a resigned hush Sunday.

They would have been excused if they'd struggled in Game 4 of the Western Conference finals. Having suffered a bad overtime loss two nights earlier, the Wings were without two of their best players: Nicklas Lidstrom, the six-time Norris Trophy winner, who sat with that uniquely vague hockey injury known simply as "lower body;" and Hart Memorial Trophy candidate Pavel Datsyuk, who has scored only one postseason goal and missed the game with a foot problem. They also were without Kris Draper, meaning coach Mike Babcock had to use replacements who have spent most of the season playing for the Grand Rapids Griffins of the American Hockey League. Meanwhile, the 'Hawks were charged up after a crushing Game 3 hit to the head of their leading playoff scorer, Martin Havlat, by Detroit's Niklas Kronwall. "I thought it was gutless all around," said 'Hawks defenseman Brian Campbell, who is known around the league for his own history of cheap shots.

But it was the Wings who showed up with the energy, speed and savvy, teaching lessons to enemy lads who came out chippy and antagonistic -- and paid for their errant priorities in a wicked 6-1 loss. "We just tried to play with poise. We knew they were coming," said Henrik Zetterberg, who scored twice. "They basically didn't have anything else they could do. I think the refs did a good job and made the right calls. We just pay attention to ourselves and play the way we want. We don't care so much about what they're doing."

Latest NHL Images

The Chicago Blackhawks' Duncan Keith, left, and Detroit Red Wings' Johan Franzen dive for the puck during first period action in Game 4 of the NHL Western Conference Finals at the United Center in Chicago, Illinois, Sunday, May 24, 2009. The Red Wings defeated the Blackhawks, 6-1. (Andre J. Jackson/Detroit Free Press/MCT)

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CHICAGO - MAY 24: Ben Eager #55 of the Chicago Blackhawks is ejected from the game after he was called for a ten minute misconduct in the second period against the Detroit Red Wings during Game Four of the Western Conference Championship Round of the 2009 Stanley Cup Playoffs on May 24, 2009 at the United Center in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Jim Prisching/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Ben Eager

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CHICAGO - MAY 24: (L-R) Jonathan Toews #19, Adam Burish #37, Dustin Byfuflien #33, head coach Joel Quenneville, Kris Versteeg #32 and Patrick SHarp #10 of the Chicago Blackhawks look on from the bench dejected late in the game against the Detroit Red Wings during Game Four of the Western Conference Championship Round of the 2009 Stanley Cup Playoffs on May 24, 2009 at the United Center in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Jim Prisching/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Jonathan Toews;Joel Quenneville;Kris Versteeg;Patrick Sharp;Dustin Byfuflien;Adam Burish

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Chicago Blackhawks' Troy Brouwer, right, and Detroit Red Wings' Justin Abdelkader watch the puck after during the first period of Game 4 of the NHL hockey Western Conference finals Sunday, May 24, 2009 in Chicago. The Red wings won 6-1.(AP Photo/Paul Beaty)

The Detroit Red Wings' Marian Hossa celebrates his breakaway goal against the Chicago Blackhawks during the first period of Game 4 of the NHL Western Conference Finals at the United Center in Chicago, Illinois, Sunday, May 24, 2009. The Red Wings defeated the Blackhawks, 6-1. (Julian H. Gonzalez/Detroit Free Press/MCT)

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Detroit Red Wings Marian Hossa,left, and Jonathan Ericsson celebrate after Hossa scored on a breakaway against the Chicago Blackhawks in the first period of Game 4 of the NHL Western Conference Finals at the United Center in Chicago, Illinois, Sunday, May 24, 2009. The Red Wings defeated the Blackhawks, 6-1. (Julian H. Gonzalez/Detroit Free Press/MCT)

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CHICAGO - MAY 24: A dejected fan of the Chicago Blackhawks looks on against the Detroit Red Wings during Game Four of the Western Conference Championship Round of the 2009 Stanley Cup Playoffs on May 24, 2009 at the United Center in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Jim Prisching/Getty Images)

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CHICAGO - MAY 24: Chris Chelios #24 (C) he Detroit Red Wings celebrates with his teammates after their 6-1 win against the Chicago Blackhawks during Game Four of the Western Conference Championship Round of the 2009 Stanley Cup Playoffs on May 24, 2009 at the United Center in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Jim Prisching/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Chris Chelios

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The Detroit Red Wings' Marian Hossa (81) celebrates a goal against Chicago Blackhawks goalie Cristobal Huet during second period action in Game 4 of the NHL Western Conference Finals at the United Center in Chicago, Illinois, Sunday, May 24, 2009. The Red Wings defeated the Blackhawks, 6-1. (Andre J. Jackson/Detroit Free Press/MCT)

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Chicago Blackhawks goalie Cristobal Huet gives up a goal scored by the Detroit Red Wings' Johan Franzen during first period action in Game 4 of the NHL Western Conference Finals at the United Center in Chicago, Illinois, Sunday, May 24, 2009. The Red Wings defeated the Blackhawks, 6-1. (Andre J. Jackson/Detroit Free Press/MCT)

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'Hawks coach Joel Quenneville wasn't so fond of the officiating, delivering a postgame rant that sounded more like whiny sour grapes and utter frustration than anything rational. At the end of the first period, Chicago's Matt Walker was whistled for roughing Darren Helm during a tussle. The penalty left the 'Hawks short-handed at the start of the second period, and Filppula took advantage with a power-play goal a minute and 13 seconds later that gave Detroit a 3-0 lead.

"I think we witnessed the worst call in the history of sports," Quenneville barked. "They ruined a good hockey game, and they absolutely destroyed what was going on on the ice. We tried to find a way to fight through it. That call, I've never seen anything like it."

He also moped about not getting a couple of other calls when the real issue was his substitute goaltender, Cristobal Huet, who wound up being yanked after allowing four goals on Detroit's first 17 shots. Huet had replaced Nikolai Khabibulin, who was out with -- all together now -- a lower-body situation, and Huet was replaced with 15:55 left in the second period by Corey Crawford, who allowed another goal before Huet returned for the third period. Yes, Chicago has a goaltending problem, which Quenneville realizes but didn't want to address because there's still at least one more game.

Look, Joel, if we're going to discuss the history of sports, let's talk about the Red Wings and their place in it. It's a system that started when Scotty Bowman, now with the 'Hawks in an administrative role, was coaching the Wings in the mid-90s. With owner Mike Ilitch never afraid to spend megabucks, the Wings bought the best talent. But even when the league has had salary-cap restrictions, they've still won because of their scouting and philosophy. The system centers on sacrificing one's self for the greater good, with veterans leading by example and teaching the Hockeytown way and tradition to younger players. They've been the one Original Six franchise that has boomed consistently for two decades, and though the city of Detroit has fallen into despair, the Wings remain a prime destination for elite free agents, including Marian Hossa.

Last summer, Hossa left the Penguins to sign a one-year contract with the Wings. If he keeps performing as he did Sunday, he could be the tipping point in the Pittsburgh rematch. Chicago's best chance to win and tie the series came on a power play eight minutes into the first period, when the puck got past Detroit goalie Chris Osgood and rested tantalizingly about two inches from the goal line as a couple of seconds ticked by. As we've seen through the years, the crisis was averted when a Detroit defenseman flicked the puck away from danger, and seconds later, Hossa took a sweet pass from Valtteri Filppula and scored his first of two goals. To follow a close call with a short-handed goal is vintage Wings. It explains why they now lead the series 3-1, with a chance to close out the 'Hawks on Wednesday night in Joe Louis Arena. Assuming they do that, they'll likely meet Sidney Crosby and the Pittsburgh Penguins in a rematch of last year's Stanley Cup finals, with the Wings trying to become the first team to repeat as Cup champions since their double in 1997 and 1998.

"The big thing here today was, as people leave your lineup, you're very conscious of the fact you'd better not play catchup," said Babcock, who didn't know about Lidstrom's absence until he received a call while riding a cab to the arena. "I told the guys that I thought we showed we're a great team. Great teams find a way to overcome anything. I said, 'Let's find a way to dig out of it.' People talk about skill, but at this time of the year, it's all about will, determination and execution."

"We were missing key players on our team. We had to step up," said Hossa who also has struggled to score in the postseason. "I knew I just had to drive to the net more, be more dangerous, be a little more physical. I told myself to play more relaxed and with my instinct."

Regardless of whether you think the Kronwall hit was dirty -- Havlat's head was down, and NBC's Mike Milbury was among those calling it a good, clean hockey play, if also a bit wicked -- the 'Hawks showed their inexperience in allowing it to bother them. Of all people, Campbell demanded a suspension for Kronwall, the same Campbell who leveled Philadelphia's R.J. Umberger in the 2006 playoffs with one of the dirtiest hits imaginable. "It's a head shot," Campbell said. "Or it's just an illegal hit all around. Hit with your shoulder, that's how you're supposed to hit, and finish guys. We've talked about it as a league and as players. I'm on the competition committee, so we've talked about it. We did a league-wide vote, the players want it stopped; they want the fines and suspensions to be there. I don't know what the percentage was, at least 70 percent of players that wanted it addressed with a stiffer penalty. But it keeps happening."

Replied Babcock: "I thought it was a great hockey hit. So far from being gutless, it's not even funny. He did it right. He didn't leave his feet. The puck was right in between the guy's feet. I mean, no way."

The league stood by its officials and didn't issue a suspension. If commish Gary Bettman and the boys are interested in protecting the head and brain, yes, there should have been a suspension. Havlat played Sunday and was among those looking for retaliation at times. The tactics were ill-advised, clouding the 'Hawks' focus in the defining game of the series. Of the 231 teams that have fallen behind 3-1 in an NHL playoff series, only 21 have come back to win. The 'Hawks won't be the 22nd.

That isn't to say they haven't been overly impressive in the big picture. if you want a blueprint on how to resurrect a dead sports franchise, the 'Hawks have provided a masterpiece. Two years ago, when Old Man Bill Wirtz was running the franchise into the ground, the team sold only 3,400 season tickets yet continued the dumbest marketing practice in the history of sports -- no home games on TV -- because Wirtz was protecting the season-ticket holders. Not until Wirtz died could his son, Rocky, save hockey in a major market. He immediately arranged for home telecasts, then hired John McDonough to be president -- the same marketing guru who created the mystique of Wrigley Field as a global shrine and fun zone. In the same time frame, general manager Dale Tallon drafted Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews, who have become instant cornerstones for the franchise. The 'Hawks will win a Stanley Cup soon, maybe next year, and they deserve some sort of prize for what Forbes.com calls "the greatest sport-business turnaround ever."

But for now, they must wait and walk the gauntlet. The Red Wings won't relinquish what is theirs until another team is legitimately better. Chicago is not better, and, in all likelihood, Pittsburgh is not better.

"Let's not get carried away here," Babcock warned.

Sorry, I can't help it. This is the best ongoing dynasty in sports. And it's time we appreciate the winged wheel and what it defines, even if the octopus thing is kind of dopey and sick.

Premier Dynasty of Era? Red Wings Making Case originally appeared on Jay Mariotti FanHouse on Sun, 24 May 2009 20:33:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ovechkin, Sid the Kid Give NHL New Life

Jay Mariotti — Sun, 10 May 2009 21:52:00 EST

Filed under: FanHouse Exclusive, NHL

WASHINGTON -- There are times, when the house lights are down and the Verizon Center is bathed in red, that Alex Ovechkin seems like much more than a rock star and Charles Barkley's choice as the best athlete in sports (remember, LeBron James and the Chuckster are feuding). Really, it's the closest thing I've seen in an arena to a cult revival, with heavy-metal riffs tearing through the lubed-up, raucous crowd and "ROCK THE RED" stenciled menacingly on the ice.

Imagine Vladimir Lenin and Joseph Stalin rising from their graves to see a Russian hockey star, in the cradle of American freedom, rocking the red to the worship of thousands. Ovechkin has that effect on people, and if you haven't seen him in person, do yourself a favor and pay the money to watch him rip the quickest, hardest shot in the game past baffled goaltenders and then, like a human pinball, skate in a mad rush to the nearest sideboard so he can leap, crash into the glass and chest-butt the red-clad fans. He dyed his hair red for the playoffs, though it's hard to tell on his dark-haired mop with bangs that hang into his eyes. When Capitals fans chant "Hey, you suck!" at Sidney Crosby and the Pittsburgh Penguins to the beat of "Rock 'N Roll Part II," Ovechkin smiles and chants along as any 23-year-old would. Know another superstar who hangs his team's car flags on his Mercedes? Or gets a death threat from a Pennsylvania teenager on a computer?

He is precisely what sports needs amid a recession, baseball's endless steroids scandals and the NBA's latest officiating debacles: an electric, dynamic, fan-embracing whirl who scraps with opponents, scores with his strength as much as speed and gives the NHL -- a league with an ongoing identity problem and dubious television deal -- its first transcendent, for-the-masses icon since Wayne Gretzky. I'm not saying Ovechkin can save the league from its niche-sport status. Nor am I saying he's God and can lead the Capitals to the Eastern Conference finals without much support, a major problem as they head to Pittsburgh for Monday's Game 6 down 3-2. The only thing that can quiet the downtown D.C. din is a stunning loss, and on Saturday, two more Ovechkin goals -- his ninth and 10th of the playoffs, including a game-tying rocket with 4:08 left in regulation -- were wasted in overtime when Capitals defenseman Tom Poti deflected a puck into his own net and gave the Penguins a 4-3 victory. Only minutes earlier, Washington's David Steckel botched an opportunity to win it, sending shivers through Capitals fans who sense their team, for the third time since 1992, could be blowing a 2-0 lead and losing a series to Pittsburgh.

"First shift, Stecks missed an empty net," Ovechkin groaned. "I said, 'Jesus, where is our luck?' The puck was bouncing, and next they got a power play and scored a goal."

Alex Ovechkin Photos

MONTREAL - JANUARY 24: Eastern Conference All-Star Alex Ovechkin of the Washington Capitals competes in the 'Scotiabank NHL Fan Fav Breakaway Challenge' during the Honda NHL Superskills competition as part of the 2009 NHL All-Star weekend on January 24, 2009 at the Bell Centre in Montreal, Canada. (Photo by Dave Sandford/Getty Images)

Dave Sandford, Getty Images

WASHINGTON - MARCH 27: Alex Ovechkin #8 of the Washington Capitals celebrates his first period goal against the Tampa Bay Lightning on March 27, 2009 at the Verizon Center in Washington, D.C. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)

Bruce Bennett, Getty Images

WASHINGTON - MARCH 27: Alex Ovechkin #8 of the Washington Capitals checks Matt Smaby #32 of the Tampa Bay Lightning into the boards during a NHL hockey game on March 27, 2009 at the Verizon Center in Washington, DC. (Photo by Mitchell Layton/NHLI via Getty Images)

Mitchell Layton, NHLI / Getty Images

RALEIGH, NC - MARCH 21:Alexander Ovechkin #8 of the Washington Capitals skates hard for position during a NHL game against the Carolina Hurricanes on March 21, 2009 at RBC Center in Raleigh, North Carolina. (Photo by Gregg Forwerck/NHLI via Getty Images)

Gregg Forwerck, NHLI / Getty Images

PHILADELPHIA - MARCH 12: Alex Ovechkin #8 of the Washington Capitals skates in towards the crease against Danny Briere #48 and Martin Biron #43 of the Philadelphia Flyers on March 12, 2009 at the Wachovia Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Len Redkoles/NHLI via Getty Images)

Len Redkoles, NHLI / Getty Images

PHILADELPHIA - MARCH 12: A young male fan holds up a sign for Alex Ovechkin during the pregame warm ups at a NHL game between the Philadelphia Flyers and the Washington Capitals on March 12, 2009 at the Wachovia Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Len Redkoles/NHLI via Getty Images)

Len Redkoles, NHLI / Getty Images

BOSTON - FEBRUARY 28: Alex Ovechkin #8 of the Washington Capitals during warm-up against the Boston Bruins at the TD Banknorth Garden on February 28, 2009 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Steve Babineau/NHLI via Getty Images)

Steve Babineau, NHLI / Getty Images

SUNRISE, FL - FEBRUARY 15: Alex Ovechkin #8 of the Washington Capitals sits on the bench during a break in the action against the Florida Panthers at the Bank Atlantic Center on February 15, 2009 in Sunrise, Florida. (Photo by Eliot J. Schechter/NHLI via Getty Images)

Eliot J. Schechter, NHLI / Getty Images

NEWARK, NJ - FEBRUARY 03: Alex Ovechkin #8 of the Washington Capitals skates against the New Jersey Devils at the Prudential Center on February 3, 2009 in Newark, New Jersey. The Capitals defeated the Devils 5-2. (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images)

Jim McIsaac, Getty Images

MONTREAL - JANUARY 24: Alex Ovechkin #8 of the Washington Capitals skates during the Honda NHL Superskills competition as part of the 2009 NHL All-Star weekend on January 24, 2009 at the Bell Centre in Montreal, Canada. (Photo by Mike Stobe/Getty Images)

Mike Stobe, Getty Images

The series has wowed the hockey crowd with can't-miss entertainment featuring the sport's two biggest names. Crosby, 21, is the polar opposite of Ovechkin as a personality, the antithesis of flash and flamboyance, a down-to-earth young man who still lives at the home of Penguins legend/owner Mario Lemieux and has criticized Ovechkin for his post-goal celebrations. They aren't particularly fond of each other, a rarity in a sports world where megastars usually are mutual admirers. And Crosby did himself no favors during an epic game by both players last week. After both delivered hat tricks -- "Sick game. Sick goals by me and him," O.V. said -- Sid The Kid wasn't happy that Washington fans were following tradition and throwing piles of hats on the ice. "People kept throwing hats. I was asking if [the referee] could make an announcement to ask them to stop," he said. "I mean, the first wave came and then I think they were all pretty much picked up, and then more started coming. So for us, we wanted to make sure we kept kind of moving and kept the game going to try to get back in it."

But what they do have in common is their unique place in time, their strong relevance in hockey history. Maybe they aren't the next Magic Johnson and Larry Bird, who raised the level of NBA prominence and prosperity in the 1980s. But in a hockey context, Ovechkin and Crosby are luring more eyeballs back to a sport that went flat among the American masses for 20 years.

"It's a war. It's a pretty cool war," Ovechkin said. "I think it's good for fans to see great players play against each other and two great teams play against each other. It's an interesting time, it's an interesting game. It's unbelievable to see how fans react, how fans go crazy."

"There has been a buildup, and I'm sure this is entertaining for people to watch," Crosby said. "But as a player, I still want to win."

Crosby probably will win this series and the chance to advance to his second straight Stanley Cup finals, possibly a rematch with Detroit. Simply, he has more help around him, including the NHL's regular-season scoring leader, Evgeni Malkin, whose pass to Crosby led to the winning goal that bounced off Poti past goalie Simeon Varlamov. "These games come down to mistakes and bounces," Crosby said. "And we got a good bounce there on the last goal."

Ovechkin wasn't as polite. In fact, he made a promise to Washington fans. "They winning right now, but it's not over yet," he said. "If somebody think it's over, it's not over. We lost and we're disappointed, but we're gonna come back here for Game 7."

He wasn't finished. "If we play the same way how we played the first two periods [on Saturday], we're gonna win this series," he declared.

His brashness breathes life into a sport with too many nice, affable guys who are bad quotes -- like, say, Crosby. Of all people to rip Ovechkin's post-goal celebrations as extravagant, how about broadcaster Don Cherry, he of the gaudy attire and motor mouth? "Over the top," said Cherry, "like those goofy soccer guys jumping up and down." Puh-lease. The last thing hockey needs is another boring superstar. I wish there were 10 Ovechkins, but for those of us who would love to love hockey, at least there is one who will be around the next dozen years.

Admittedly, I had a grand, desperate plan to save the NHL that didn't involve him or Crosby. It would revolve around those spectacularly warm-and-fuzzy outdoor classics on New Year's Day -- when the season seems to begin and end with one afternoon of mainstream hype -- and we'd simply schedule them all year long and forget about the league's actual 30 arenas. If Chicago could host a game at the Frozen Confines of Wrigley Field, the creative possibilities were boundless. Los Angeles? Venice Beach. Dallas? On the grassy knoll. Arizona? A rink suspended over the Grand Canyon. Florida? The Everglades. New York? Yankee Stadium, assuming fans aren't locked out holding $1,200 tickets. New Jersey? Bada Bing Club. Colorado? Red Rocks. Minnesota? On one of the 10,000 lakes. Atlanta? Augusta National. Columbus? The Horseshoe. Detroit? The Big House. Carolina? Dean Dome. Boston? On the dirty water. Montreal? Any strip club. Buffalo? Anchor Bar parking lot. Nashville? Grand Ole Opry house.

D.C.? Where do you think?

But then, an amazing thing happened down the street from President Obama's backyard. The two best players in the game collided in a playoff series and turned hockey into a national happening again. "It's why 'they' are 'they,' why Crosby and Alex are who they are," Capitals coach Bruce Boudreau said. "When you build up the hype of superstars playing against each other, and then the superstars play like superstars, it's a neat thing."

And well worth your time, whether you're a puckhead or a hater.

Latest NHL Images

As fans react, Carolina Hurricanes' Tuomo Ruutu, of Finland, is dumped by Boston Bruins' Chuck Kobasew during the second period of Game 5 of an NHL Eastern Conference semifinal hockey series in Boston on unday, May 10, 2009. (AP Photo/Winslow Townson)

BOSTON - MAY 10: Zdeno Chara #33 of the Boston Bruins celebrates a goal against the Carolina Hurricanes during Game Five of the Eastern Conference Semifinal round of the 2009 Stanley Cup Playoffs at the TD Banknorth Garden on May 10, 2009 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Brian Babineau/NHLI via Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Zdeno Chara

NHLI via Getty Images

BOSTON - MAY 10: Patrice Bergeron #37 of the Boston Bruins checks Tuomo Ruutu #15 of the Carolina Hurricanes during Game Five of the Eastern Conference Semifinal round of the 2009 Stanley Cup Playoffs at the TD Banknorth Garden on May 10, 2009 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Steve Babineau/NHLI via Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Patrice Bergeron;Tuomo Ruttu

NHLI via Getty Images

BOSTON - MAY 10: The Boston Bruins and the Carolina Hurricanes during Game Five of the Eastern Conference Semifinal round of the 2009 Stanley Cup Playoffs at the TD Banknorth Garden on May 10, 2009 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Steve Babineau/NHLI via Getty Images)

NHLI via Getty Images

BOSTON - MAY 10: Milan Lucic #17 of the Boston Bruins watches the loose puck against Cam Ward #30 of the Carolina Hurricanes during Game Five of the Eastern Conference Semifinal round of the 2009 Stanley Cup Playoffs at the TD Banknorth Garden on May 10, 2009 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Steve Babineau/NHLI via Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Milan Lucic;Cam Ward

NHLI via Getty Images

BOSTON - MAY 10: Zdeno Chara #33 and Marc Savard #91 of the Boston Bruins celebrate a goal against the Carolina Hurricanes during Game Five of the Eastern Conference Semifinal round of the 2009 Stanley Cup Playoffs at the TD Banknorth Garden on May 10, 2009 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Steve Babineau/NHLI via Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Zdeno Chara;Marc Savard

NHLI via Getty Images

BOSTON - MAY 10: Cam Ward #30 of the Carolina Hurricanes watches the loose puck against Byron Bitz #61 of the Boston Bruins during Game Five of the Eastern Conference Semifinal round of the 2009 Stanley Cup Playoffs at the TD Banknorth Garden on May 10, 2009 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Steve Babineau/NHLI via Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Cam Ward;Byron Bitz

NHLI via Getty Images

BOSTON - MAY 10: The Boston Bruins celebrate a goal against the Carolina Hurricanes during Game Five of the Eastern Conference Semifinal round of the 2009 Stanley Cup Playoffs at the TD Banknorth Garden on May 10, 2009 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Steve Babineau/NHLI via Getty Images)

NHLI via Getty Images

BOSTON - MAY 10: Zdeno Chara #33 of the Boston Bruins lays on the ice after being hit on the ankle by a stick from the Carolina Hurricanes during Game Five of the Eastern Conference Semifinal round of the 2009 Stanley Cup Playoffs at the TD Banknorth Garden on May 10, 2009 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Brian Babineau/NHLI via Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Zdeno Chara

NHLI via Getty Images

Boston Bruins' Zdeno Chara of Slovakia goes grimaces on the ice after being injured during the second period of Game 5 of an NHL Eastern Conference semifinal hockey series against the Carolina Hurricanes in Boston on Sunday, May 10, 2009. (AP Photo/Winslow Townson)

Ovechkin, Sid the Kid Give NHL New Life originally appeared on Jay Mariotti FanHouse on Sun, 10 May 2009 21:52:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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