Red Wings, Game 6

People talk about the recession in Columbus like the worst of it is here. Of course even I have been shocked by the number of shootings, rising crime and homelessness, but if you want to see the pit of recession take a drive through the state up North. Surprisingly beautiful, eerily vacant, most of the population continues life forgotten in the fog as the rest of the country complains about economic troubles because Michigan has been living economic troubles for a long time now. I don’t frankly miss living in Michigan but I do miss the people. There is something about the people there that defies expectations; rugged, determined and practical, I identified with so many of those I met during my time there and I miss the common connection that I had which sometimes I can’t find with people here now.

You’ve heard me talk often about the plight of Detroit, the pit that is Flint, and Michigan, the perfect example of mismanagement and poor government. Rough city, sure it’s the heart of the recession, but Detroit is a city with heart and you can hate the likes of Kid Rock and Eminem for the attitude, but without the attitude who can survive the city? The attitude in this music connects with the people and so the music sells. The city itself exudes this attitude, the determination to fight, the willingness to believe and the effort to rise through the pain and conquer the struggle. And what the city loves most is a team that is the living symbol of this fight. Not that every story in the city is a win (look at the Lions) but at least there’s always the Red Wings. I’ve been a Red Wings fan since my days as a kid in Kalamazoo, but they came to have a special new meaning in the dirty bars of Lansing with people old enough to remember more than just the last couple Stanley Cups. Being a Red Wings fan is like having family at every sports bar in the state of Michigan.

I know firsthand how a successful sports team can energize a state. Growing up in Buckeye nation, I thought I knew the best of school rivalries, and could feel the love of a state for the team, but then I moved to Michigan and was adopted by the community in East Lansing, Michigan. Buckeye vs. Wolverine football might still be the greatest game of the year, highlighting November, but that is when the excitement in Michigan is just starting and Izzo’s Midnight Madness resurrects the faithful for another year where anything is possible just because of work ethic and a coach who never says never. In 2009, all of Michigan was electrified by the team which ran the gauntlet to return home to Detroit and make a run at the national title, a huge lift for the city.

Tonight, in Hockeytown, returns a team who went out to San Jose destined to be eliminated, weakened by injuries and supported by fans that couldn’t help but doubt if the season and Stanley Cup hopes wouldn’t come to a brutal end. It is again the work ethic of a Michigan team which defied expectations and continues to beat the odds. It is this same Michigan team which gives a lift to fans everywhere, and the faithful in Detroit who really need it the most. Wins for the Red Wings are a win for Detroit and everyone agrees that Detroit could use a few more of those right now.

I literally almost broke a lamp in our house for excitement when they scored the winning goal in game 4. During game 5, Amanda made fun of me for how excited I got about the away victory and Howard’s fantastic 39 saves, Zetterberg’s face-off slaughter, Abdelkader’s killer hits, and Datsyuk’s thrilling shots. This has been a great series, and I’m proud to have been a Red Wings and to be one regardless of the results, but really am pushing for one win at a time right now, crawling out of a tight spot in this series. Watch the game and just listen to the crowd; hear them shout with penalties, hear them sing with Journey, and hear them roar at a goal. They believe.