Buffalo Sabers goalie and US Olympic hero Ryan Miller reenacts Caddyshack for ESPN. , Miller has seen the movie over 100 times, and after all the NHL is a sucker for a good video.
Long before Detroit was Hockeytown it was and still is the Motor City, which is why many Detroiters are offended that Detroit Red Wings owner Mike Illitch will be giving away a free Honda Civic at its April 3 home game against the Minnesota Wild.
As owner of both the Red Wings, Detroit Tigers and possibly the Detroit Pistons, Ilitch has done a lot for the city. In 2009, after both GM and Chrsyler were bailed out by Congress, Ilitch did not charge a bankrupt GM for the Comerica Park Fountain sponsorship. Instead, Ilitch put up a sign saying, “The Detroit Tigers Support our Automakers.”
When asked about the fountain, Ilitch said, ” I wanted to help. I kept asking myself, ‘What can I do to help?’ I’ve always viewed GM, Ford and Chrysler as pillars of strength in our community, and I understand the ups and downs that a business must endure. To me, it’s a small way of showing our support and saying thank you for all the times they’ve been there for this community.”
Ilitch’s past support of the US auto industry is why many fans are angry and upset he would choose to give away a Honda instead of one of an American car. The Red Wings released an official statement saying:
“The Detroit Red Wings and National Hockey League both have a long history of working with a wide variety of corporate sponsors, including all of the local automakers. Corporate sponsors add tremendous value to the fan experience and the overall success of the franchise. We have strongly supported the Detroit three automakers over many years and look forward to continuing those relationships.”
I think the best way to sum up my feelings on this is in the words of blogger Itsalwayssunnyindetroit.com, “How much will Honda be kicking in for this new Wings/Pistons super combo arena? I’ll chime in with a guess of zero dollars and zeroty-five cents. This is a farce and a half. But ya know what, this promotion may make me decide to buy a ticket to this game. I hope I do win the car. I’ll gladly accept the keys and then chuck them in the Detroit River. You’ve made a lot of decent decisions, Mr. Ilitch. But this one, this one shouldn’t fly.”
Image via DetroitTigers.com
Erin Andrews is in Ohio for the Ohio State Penn State football game. Last night, the cast of ESPN’s College Game Day took sometime to attend the Columbus Blue Jackets Colorado Avalanche game. Andrews got her start covering hockey for the Tampa Bay Lightning and is a former jersey chaser. In the clip above, Andrews admits she did not know much about hockey when she started covering the sport, but she got a crash course when she began dating former Florida Panthers defenseman Ryan Johnson.
The Blue Jackets lost to the Avs 5-1, and Ohio State beat Penn State 38-14.
Last night, the Columbus Blue Jackets hosted the St. Louis Blues at the Nationwide Arena. It is a common pre-game ritual for hockey players to play a quick game of soccer outside the hallway of the locker room to loosen up before the game. But an altercation occurred when the Blues decided to do it less than 100-feet away from the Blue Jackets locker room.
According to Columbus Dispatch writer Tom Reed, it is an unwritten rule of the NHL for teams to come not within 200-feet of their opponent in the locker room hallway. The Blue’s decision to have their soccer game less than 100-feet from the home team broke that rule. Then, St Louis’ close proximity interfered with R.J Umberger’s pre-game sprints in the hallway. Umberger, who is the Jackets’ alternate captain, ran right through the circle where the soccer game was going on.
Umberger’s interruption caused a verbal altercation between the Blues players and Umberger, with Umberger’s teammates stepping in. The incident escalated so much that arena security stepped it.
It is unclear how many players were involved or how it ended, but the Blue Jackets settled the score on the ice winning the game 8-1.
Of course, in the old NHL players wouldn’t be playing soccer, and any altercation was solved with a bench clearing brawl!
ESPN sideline reporter Samantha Steele is engaged to Minnesota Viking QB Christian Ponder earning her the honor of December 2012 Jersey Chaser of the Month. Share It