Archive for June, 2009
When cars collide
Monday, June 22nd, 2009
On Thursday I was involved in my first car accident (while I was the driver that is). I will no longer be able to boast that I’ve never been in one. I used to pride myself on that, not even as much as a little fender bender before Thursday.
My nephew Sloane was with me. I had just gotten back from taking photos at the Binder Park Zoo in Battle Creek and picked up 9-year old Sloane to take back to the Upper Peninsula with me so he could stay with my parents for a week.
I was leaving work from Seymour Street in Lansing and drove 1.3 miles. After the construction zone I had merged all the way into the left lane on Saginaw (a 4-lane one-way street) headed eastbound. I was ready to start the 400 mile trip to Marquette.
A white two-door car was in front of me on the lane to my direct right. Out of the blue he tried to cut over two lanes at once, as he tried to make a left hand turn at Mahlon Street. Cutting over two lanes at once he never looked and the front right corner of my 1998 Escort Wagon went square into his driver’s door.
I was driving about 40 mph.
My car stopped in the middle of Mahlon Street. His car shot up onto the sidewalk.
I’m proud of my instinct. First I made sure to see that Sloane was okay and started dialing 911 immediately. He was fine. I was fine. They had to remove that door of the other guys car to get him out and hauled him to the hospital. My guess would be a couple broken ribs at worst.
My only concern was Sloane. I was terribly frustrated not because of the accident, but because Sloane was in my car. The last time I had a kid in my car while I was driving was probably three years ago. So why does my first accident have to happen when I finally have a child in my car? Big props to Sloane for staying so calm and patient. He’s a trooper, not to mention an 8 hour drive back to the Upper Peninsula following it. Hopefully he wasn’t too terrified and hopefully his mother won’t hate me too much.
After seeing the damage on the other guy’s car I was scared to look behind me at my own car. I couldn’t believe what I saw, how minimal the damage was. No extra squeaks, rattles, or anything. Only aesthetics. The only minor thing was being able to open the hood, but that was taken care of at home.
Well, car accidents happen. I hope the other guy is alright too. Thankfully I’m a very calm guy and keep my cool. Was mostly frustrating just because I was starting a 400-mile trek to the U.P. But I still made it.
Quite the week it was.
Why the Red Wings will be the 2009 Stanley Cup Champions
Tuesday, June 2nd, 2009
In the next week or so the Detroit Red Wings will repeat as Stanley Cup Champions. Although the Red Wings are up two games to none just as they were last year at this time, that really has nothing to do with the basis of my argument. My argument has to do with what you hear in the media, from the announcers, and the makeup of the two teams.
The Pittsburgh Penguins are talented, no doubt. But from the start of the playoffs until the finals all of the talk has centered around two plays, Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin. That’s all. Crosby this, Malkin, it’s all you ever here. At the end of the day they don’t have depth. The Penguins are as dependent on Malkin and Crosby as the Cleveland Cavaliers are on Lebron James.
Down in Detroit it is a completely different story. The Red Wings have outscored the Penguins 6-2 in the first two games of the finals. Not one of those six goals has come from Datsyuk, Hossa, Zetterberg, or Lidstrom. Datsyuk, a nominee for the Hart Trophy MVP award, hasn’t even played. The goals have come from Filppula, Ericsson, Abdelkader (2), Stuart, and Franzen With the exception of Franzen none of those players are typical goal scorers.
Datsyuk has received some criticism this post season for his lack of offensive production. But that’s what makes the Red Wings so great in everyone of their championship runs. When a star player is out or on a cold streak there is always someone else who is on a hot streak. It doesn’t matter who. The Red Wings don’t get 100-point seasons from players due to their depth. Everyone has a role, it’s not just one guy.
For that reason the Red Wings will have their 5th Stanley Cup Championship in 12 seasons in the next week.
You know I love my hockey! Stanley Cup Finals season is my favorite season of the year, especially when the Red Wings are involved. Go Wings!
P.S. Not only is Osgood going to be a Hall of Fame inductee, I’m starting to make the argument that he should have his number retired.