Guest Writer: Dave Distelrath

Thank you to the Toolbox for allowing me to vent. I am sure nobody will read this as it clearly is a brutal article, but ultimately I appreciate the space to talk.
I want to start by saying that I was once one of the biggest and most knowledgeable Detroit Red Wing fans around. I feel this way because I have been lucky enough to have been born into a family that has had season tickets forever. I was in the building when they won the Stanley Cup in 1997, and have been fortunate to attend some of the most memorable moments in the past 15 years. Before they won the Stanley Cup in 1997 I would get so ornery and upset after every playoff loss. I felt as if the world was ending. I would always say that Detroit hockey fans were the best around. Unfortunately I feel that is absolutely no longer the case. I have gone from an avid Red Wing supporter to someone who would rather see them lose in most cases because of a couple of events that have happened the past few years
This all started so innocently on a Saturday July morning in 2003. I was sitting watching Ben Curtis of all people win the British Open golf tournament. I happened to switch over to ESPN News to see the following thing appear on the bottom line “Mighty Ducks of Anaheim sign Sergei Fedorov.” My initial reaction was shock, and disappointment as my favorite athlete ever was moving to another team. Then I thought about it and I really couldn’t blame him. He never got the credit he deserved for helping the team win three championships in seven years. He was always the person who got blamed when they lost, but hardly received any credit when they won. He won two Selke Trophies as the top defensive forward, and the Hart Trophy as the leagues MVP. Was he the only reason the team won? Clearly he was not, but he was a main cog that helped shut down the opponent’s top line, and would come up with a clutch offensive play whenever the team needed it. He is still the only player in NHL history to have 20 points in the playoffs for four straight postseasons. I initially stated that the Mighty Ducks were my new favorite team, but then after some thought I knew I couldn’t switch allegiances because of one player.
Then on December 2nd of 2003, I officially washed my hands of the Detroit Red Wings. That was the day Sergei Fedorov returned for the first time as a member of the Mighty Ducks. Of course I was going to the game, and was going to wear my Fedorov Mighty Ducks Jersey which I just spent $275 bucks on (may have been a mistake, but he is my favorite player). I thought he would get a nice ovation, as a thank you for the three championships he helped win, before the game started or when he took the ice for the first time. Instead every time he touched the puck he was greeted with a chorus of boos. During the game their were three “Fedorov Sucks” Chants. I am not saying people should love the guy. He did leave the team, and had some nights where his effort could be questioned, and they should show loyalty to their own club. However to boo someone that helped your team reach the pinnacle so many times was a low blow. Every time he has returned since, he still receives the same treatment. I think it is an absolutely classless move on the fans part. If he scores, or does something to hurt the Wings fine, go ahead and boo, but to boo just because is absolutely brutal. Red Wing fans should be consistent and boo Martin Lapointe and Slava Kozlov because they left for new teams because of money. However, I believe the fans are too stupid to know who those two are and that they are still in the league or played on the wings.
I should come to realize that Wings fans really have no clue what is going on. This is not “Hockeytown” as many call it. As much as I love the game of hockey it is still probably the third most popular sport in the city. When the Wings sucked in the 80’s they had to give away cars just to have some people go to the games. When the Wings get knocked out of the playoffs, nobody watches to see who actually wins the Stanley Cup. Nobody watches the NHL when its on if the Wings are not playing, hence the strike from last year, which I’m sure some “hockey fans” did not even realize took place. Compare that to the Lions who unfortunately have been struggling, yet still manage to sell out every game, and people watch the NFL even when the Lions are not playing. Same for the Pistons, people still go and will watch the NBA even if the home team is not playing. Wings fan reached a new low with me last night. Of course they booed Fedorov every time he touched the puck. I was expecting that so I wasn’t shocked. However, the Wings were beating the Columbus Blue Jackets, 3-0 with 11 minutes to go. The BJs somehow managed to score four straight goals and take the lead. They then took a shot from center ice, that Chris Osgood saved, and these “great” fans gave him a sarcastic cheer. Osgood had absolutely no chance on the goals, as his defense hung him out to dry. However, red wing fan does not realize that and takes it out on the easy scapegoat. These were then the same fans who were chanting “Ozzy, Ozzy” seconds later after he made a great save. Red wings fans need to learn to be consistent and “loyal” to their team. However, they have no clue how to do that, because most of them are just fair-weather fans and have little to no hockey knowledge, and follow the trend of what the person next to them is doing or saying. The Red Wing organization is known to have lot of class and tradition, that is true as the team they put together each year is in contention for the Stanley Cup. However, the fan base they have collected is far from it, and is like an expansion team with no knowledge or passion for this great sport. You go to a game and the only time there is any noise is if a goal is scored, a fight is happening, or the sign on the jumbotron says “Make some noise.” I will take the experience I get at Ford Field and the Palace any day of the week, as the fans are into the game, for the most part respectful and knowledgeable, and the stadiums are nice and clean. As the playoffs are approaching and the Wings will inevitably get bounced I wonder if the fans will even care, and who they will blame this year now that Sergei Fedorov and Curtis Joseph are no longer members of this team.