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Gimmicks
Friday, June 14, 2002
It wasn't that I am a fan, but I cried last night after the Detroit Red Wings won the Stanley Cup. It wasn't that the victory was hard fought, the Wings deserved it, Detroit IS Hockeytown, yada-yada, etc.
I was the ONLY person in the crowded house to remember (and point out) that it was EXACTLY 5 years to the day, within hours, that the infamous Red Wing accident happened in Birmingham, just 6 days after they won the Stanley Cup for the first time in 42 years. WOW, did the room become momentarily quiet after that sobering reminder! Shock registered on more than a few faces, then the catastrophic incident was discussed.
And, last night, Vladimir Konstantinov, who suffered a severe closed-head injury in that one-car crash instantly ending his magnificent hockey career, was brought onto the ice with his old team during the celebration. His picture was taken along with the winning team, his hand holding onto the cup (his finger is in front of his face.) It really said a lot. Sure, the Wings positioned him in similar '98 winning team photo when they took the cup again, but it was still so fresh and expected. To do it last night, with the irony of the anniversary overlooked by the announcers, was, to say the least, AWESOME!
I don't know why exactly that accident affected me so much. I wasn't a Wings or hockey fan. Was it the fact that we owned limousines when I was growing up? Was it the fact that it happened on Woodward? Was it the fact that it was my parents wedding anniversary? I don't know. The Princess Diana tragedy had not yet happened, iCan had not been founded, so I cannot credit those, either.
Admittedly, I have never been a hockey fan (did I mention that?), but I can remember exactly where I was when I first heard about The Accident. Karina and I had just picked up Cody for the weekend and the three of us were on our way home. I was driving on I-75, it was announced on the radio (injuries not yet reported) and I just thought, "Oh, NO!" C'mon, they had just won the Stanley Cup championship (which was just a blip on my radar screen), it was supposed to be a time of celebration, not misfortune!
The kind of dedication and remembrance the Wings displayed last night was more poignant than I have ever seen with ANY type of professional team, no matter what the sport.
I wasn't looked at oddly for my tears, in fact, it wouldn't shock me if a few others were equally affected. Scotty Bowman, Steve Yzerman, Vladimir Konstantinov, Gordy Howe, the Wings and their fans, remember their team.
I still maintain that I am not a hockey fan. Maybe not, I was told last night, but I definitely AM a Wings TEAM fan. Sunshine - Walking on Sunshine -
6/14/2002 06:30:00 AM
