Holding Up the Fort

Since Christine is firmly within the loving bosom of her family in rural Tennessee ….okay, that sounds bad. Start over.

Since Christine is spending the holidays with her affectionate yet always appropriate family in a state far away, and has no access to this week’s games except through text messages and unreliable internet feeds, it falls to me to keep up with the blog. I, for those of you who do not know (and that’s pretty much all of you), am Christine’s roommate Hannah. I grew up in Michigan , and cut my teeth on the Red Wings (they were the Dead Wings back then – and now I have to go outside, turn around three times and spit to avoid the wrath of the hockey gods). Before me, and the 2008 playoffs, Christine had never watched a professional hockey game. The obsession that spawned this blog is, therefore, all my fault.

You’re welcome.

Anyway, I simply don’t have the memory to recap the weekend’s games the way she does, so my version of the post game roundup is going to be much shorter than you’re used to. Ready?

Saturday – we lost, not too badly, to Dallas . It sucked.
Sunday – we lost, very, very badly, to Chicago . It sucked out loud.

I could say more, but that’s really what matters, isn’t it? Now I am not a Negative Nancy by nature, and I truly believe our team can turn this season around. Indeed, I’m always reminding Christine (gently, so as not to draw the wrath often direction at the television screen upon my own head), of the following:

1. It’s only December – there are plenty of points still up for grabs
2. We’re down EIGHT starting players, most of whom will be back in January, all of whom should be back after the Olympic break, and our spring should look vastly different from our autumn/winter
3. Shared adversity strengthens a team

It’s number three that I think is most important. The hell hole we’re in right now with injuries has gotten to the point where I no longer think it’s insane to wonder if we’ve been cursed by some voodoo witch hired by Gary Bettman (that was for you, Christine), and it’s been nothing short of awful. But I’ve seen something start to happen in the last few weeks. Yes, I see frustration and despair on the faces of players and coaches alike, but I also see something starting to shine through it: determination. There’s a lot of talent, drive, skill, and heart on this team, and if all my years as a Red Wings fan have taught me anything, it’s that this organization, these players, they will not go gentle into that good night. And we, their fans, must back them up - we must, if you will, rage against the dying of the light.

Christine’s going to remind me I said that (and mock me for quoting Dylan Thomas) the next time I tell her to calm down as she’s "raging" at our television set. But that’s okay – she has what all devout followers must: a fierce dedication to her team, the passion to root them on, and the love that is tested but will stand during these trying times.

She also has a truly excellent repertoire of curses, and those always come in handy.