1984Echoes

I guess it's time to watch for draft position if we haven't been already... And... Lotteries suck ass. I hate them.

Yeah... I'm definitely not in the "all our eggs in one basket" camp. We're in the same "let Brad do all the magic he wants to" camp...

If Trump really wants Greenland, he should: 1) Carve out the territory that 95% of Greenlanders currently live in. That is a small strip of southwest coastland from the southern tip, and up about 1/3 of the coast. Call that "Independent Greenland" and they can decide whatever they want. Be a part of Denmark. Be a part of America. Be an independent country. Be a commonwealth similar to Puerto Rico, of EITHER Denmark or America... THEY get to choose. 2) Now, Greenland has a pop. of ~53K, of which ~50K live in this strip of land. Trump could take over the balance of Greenland for "security reasons" (our current military and space bases there...). But he can't just TAKE it. He has to make them "an offer they can't refuse". Think Louisiana Purchase. Or the purchase of Alaska. Just spit-ballin' here: $100 Billion to Denmark. $10 Billion to Independent Greenland? (The purchased portion would be called "State of Greenland" as part of the United States?) 6% royalties for ALL natural resources (at wholesale cost) mined or otherwise, from the State of Greenland for the next 100 years. 4% to Denmark, 2% to Independent Greenland residents? And a promise to develop anything within 10 miles of Independent Greenland (let's say Ports, Shopping Centers, Walmarts, anything) only with their approval. Some distance so they don't feel encroached upon. Also: All residents of "Independent Greenland" have passport/visa-free access to the State of Greenland. But I'm just Manifest Destiny'ing here...

He's been FULL of **** for over 40 years, closing in on 50. I guess MAGA never got that memo. Or they just didn't give a ****... that he's completely full of ****. Or... They really are ****-for-brains. Hmmm... "all of the above"?

Nothing is going to happen to ANY of these guys. Nothing.

Don't we have to let him graduate High School first before we send him off to Grand Rapids?

One last note on Marilyn Manson & The Spooky Kids... I believe Trent Reznor had already gotten ahold of this band by the time I was hearing them in the local clubs. Their early sound sounded a lot like Nine Inch Nails. I was in an "Industrial Dance" phase at the time, slam-dancing and all that. I was big on Nine Inch Nails and Front 242 and Sisters of Mercy and Nitzer Ebb at the time... but I never went all in on the Manson. Went a bit too far for me. Just a little extra commentary...

It takes two to tango. If a deal is there for Brad to do that, without overpaying (I don't remember any overpay that he's done... it seems like it's all been fair value or we got better "trade value" a bit...); then you may be correct. But I also know Brad places different values on guys then the rest of the league... So I don't know if that means he will get that trade up... Or a team who wants a 5th year on a QB (just for the extra year of control) could look to move up to the end of the 1st round. If Brad has a chance to drop to the top of the 2nd and gets a high 3rd with that (not just Tennessee after a QB but also Giants, Browns, Saints, and a couple other teams...). He might take that opportunity. It'll mean that he's eyed a guy that he thinks he can snag at the top of the 2nd. And he has two more players that he is eyeing at the end of the 2nd round/ start of the 3rd that he thinks will fall to that area and he wants them. He's cagey like that. He has a plan seemingly for everything. Even for trading down (Gibbs) and then back up (Campbell) in order to get the guys that he wants. And then did it again trading up for Brian Branch after using the extra pick gained by trading down from #6 to later select Gibbs... (2nd round #34 overall) on LaPorta. Guys... I'm going to just watch this MASTER dance all around the 2025 NFL Draft and see what he comes up with. I'm pretty certain I'll love it. Whatever dance he plays.

How about if we traded ALL of our 2025 draft picks and ended up with two high 2nds, two high 3rds, and two high 4ths? Wouldn't 6 high end (in draft position) picks be perfect for Brad to find exactly what he wants out of this draft? I could care less how we get there. Trade ups or trade downs. I identified 4 key needs this team could use a good player at and I'm sure Brad could come up with two key backups elsewhere to fill those 6 draft picks. I'll take whatever Brad gets out of this draft and expect those players to make an impact on this team. No matter how many there are. No matter in which round they are taken. And even if we don't actually see those 4th round and later players play as they develop and percolate under Campbell and his coaches' tutelage... I'll trust in Holmes' judgement thank you very much.

Haha! That's awesome!

Oh... Gene Loves Jezebel. I remembered. But I think it was two bands that night so now I've got to remember that other band too...

One of their songs was a cover (I'll remember that too... just give me some time...) and I told him they should include it on whatever album they were going to release because it sounded terrific. I think a Rolling Stones song... but he said "Royalty fees are prohibitive... sorry!" "Crap! But you guys really do sound awesome!!!"

No I don't want to say her name. I would say that she was a good Irish Catholic girl with a bit of a wild streak. We saw the Cult live, and then Marilyn Manson live in a dance club in Ft. Lauderdale and she yells in my ear (it was a bit loud...) "I used to date him." Matter of factly. After I picked my jaw up from the floor (he was already heavily made up and a bit androgenous as was the entire band...); but the music was exceptionally cool (at the time... and very, very, VERY hard-edged...) Talked to him a bit. He came by... a bit weird. Must've been around 1989 or so I think... But my memory is a bit hazy. Saw another live alternative band the following week with Karen and I don't remember the name of the band at the moment but it'll come back to me...

That's funny! I dated Marilyn Manson's ex-girlfriend (not in the same week) when we were in college and before Manson & the Spooky Kids hit the "big time" (for whatever that meant for those guys...).

We picked up Gamel for this instead. I agree with you 100% in what you are saying which is why I had posted that in the first place... Not much different than Moniak except he's 6 years older. I'd have preferred Moniak. But as a stop gap, expendable band aid... it doesn't really matter. They got who they wanted... specifically for this reason.

This administration is defective. Starting at the top.

Nope. Save the free agent dreams, and money, for power forwards... which we are basically devoid of. Call up the kids for defense and see who rises to the top and who gets stuck on the 3rd pairing. Sign a cheap FA (if necessary) for veteran defensive help as the 7th and/or 8th guy, as needed. Maybe even ASP makes it to the 2nd pair with Edvinsson and all of a sudden we may have fixed a crapload of defensive weaknesses. With growing pains included of course. Brendan Shanahan and Tomas Holmstrom FA types... please. Marner would be dreaming. But... Boeser? Or could we figure out a trade for a Mason McTavish or similar...? Just my 2 cents.

I would go get Moniak NOW. LH'er with .866 OPS against RH'ers in 2023 (has EXTREME splits so he sits against LH'ers and Baez can go play CF, at least until Wenceel heals up...); .660 OPS against RH'ers in 2024 (that sucks) but career .710 OPS against RH'ers along with a career OPS+ of 110 against same. He's worth a band aid platoon for a couple months, as a lefty, and I don't care if we turn around and jettison Margot, eating the contract. Moniak is actually a REAL CF'er. Just my 2 cents.

I think CF offers more "diving" opportunities than both LF and RF combined. But that's just a WAG. I think it's the "diving" plays that the team wants Greene to avoid most of all, more than "the Wall". Again... just a WAG.

And I see several "high level" needs for this team where I sorta wish we had (4) 2nd rounders as ATF alluded to: Starting LG. I'm good with Mahogany as RG and Glasgow as top backup for all 3 interior spots. But I think this is a good draft to get a starting LG. So many that would fit right in: Mbow, Ratledge, Savaiinaea, Booker, even Zabel as a Glasgow 2.0. And as the O-Line goes, so goes Goff and our offense. I don't want to take any O-Line need lightly. Starting DT. I think our interior line had as many problems as the Edge after all the injuries, especially after Alim went down. Reader is here for only 1 more year. If Kenneth Grant, who completely dominates the interior and also has some pass-rush ability (not a lot, but just enough... mostly collapsing the pocket...) is there at the #28 reason: Why would Brad Holmes pass on him? Imagine McNeil and Grant dominating every single O-Line...! And yes, a top edge prospect. Can Holmes find some hidden piece of gold in this year's draft that none of us are even considering? In the 2nd or 3rd round? I wouldn't put it past him. Does anyone in here have 100% comfort level with Jamo? I don't. I want a high-end X-Receiver simply to have "one more guy" that Goff can depend on. This could be any round though... 2nd through the 6th, just as a guess. I see 4 high level needs that are just high enough... that I don't want to strip Holmes of multiple picks to go up and get "one guy". If he can do it cheaply (which he's been able to do for the most part...) I'm ok with that. But not if it costs too many other valuable picks. And at the end of the 1st, sometimes there are very unique opportunities to trade down a few spots and gain another high value pick. If the draft falls just right... But I'm fine with whatever Brad does. In Brad Holmes I trust.

They need to make better choices this offseason. I don't want to say it's make-or-break... it's not, IMO. But they need to broom as much detritus as they possibly can off this roster. And add playoff-worthy toughness and skill wherever they can. And kids. i know these guys are young... but they have to add them to the Wings roster and let them go through their growing pains or else this team will NEVER grow. Stevie Y is STUCK in the philosophy of having vets on the roster and making the kids "earn" their way into the NHL. In a way, I do support that theory. But it's time to give the kids some push, into the NHL. That means Holl, Petry, and Gustafsson have no business on the Wings 2024-25 roster. And even if there are growing pains... it means putting Buium, Tuomisto, and Wallinder into the Wings blue line mix. And with ASP at Grand Rapids... ANY falter means he gets a quick call-up (I know you want ASP on the Wings' Opening Day roster buddha... I just don't think that will happen. He'll start in GR... but get some Detroit time, even if it's only 10 games. IMO). We do NOT need any other blue line "VETERANS" other than Chiarot & Seider. They need to lead the way, when it comes to blue line leadership. Heck, even Edvinsson and Johansson qualify there. Lyon is UFA this summer. But the team needs to keep only 1 of Talbot or Mrazek and call up Cossa. Is Augustine signed this year and placed at GR? Fill in with a couple AAAA vets at GR in case there's a need but it's time to get off the "barely adequate but mostly crappy" vet goalies that they keep signing. Stevie swung and missed, multiple times here. Change gears Steve. (Not an order... just a request.) Danielson needs to start on the opening day roster. But here's our greatest weakness. No high-end forwards ready to be called up. Too many undersized, maybe/ sorta skilled forwards... I'm just guessing... but Kane might move on or retire after this year. I know we love Cat's sniping... but if there were an opportunity to get bigger, stronger... I wouldn't pass it up. Berggren is redundant and not what is needed right now. Which still means, no matter which direction is chosen, that either we don't have enough offense, or we don't have enough playoff toughness/size/skill. Or both. Conundrum. How do we fix this last issue? It's a necessary fix, and Steve has to figure it out this summer. Please.

Mojo... I think a lot of your answers were not correct. Supplying alternative views: Keith back to 2nd? Mojo correct, Torres not going to move. BUT: In the Tigers game of musical chairs: It would be easy to see a multi-position swap where Torres is PH for and Keith moves over to 2B. Javy more 3rd than SS/ Ibanez plays where? I think these two are related. And also related to your first question. Ibanez still has one option left. I think he's playing at Toledo to start the year. It is immaterial whether Baez plays more 3B or SS. The KEY issue here is that Baez CAN play 3B, and SS, and 2B. Maybe even some OF? Which means if you have McKinstry (LH'ed) and a RH'ed McKinstry (Baez), then a 3rd utility IF'er (Ibanez) is not needed. It opens up a possible spot for BOTH Malloy and Tork. I'm not guaranteeing Ibanez starts in Toledo. But he's in HUGE danger right now. IMO. Sadly, Baez is probably not worth more than that right now... Backup IF'er. But he's a sunk cost and if he still has a terrific glove and can find some of his lost pop (in his bat), he's slightly better than Ibanez. Not by much... but it is what it is. I think Ibanez starts in Toledo for these reasons. And Baez may play a bunch of SS, a bunch of 3B, and a smattering of 2B and/or the OF. It won't matter. He's just a utility guy now. But I'm just guessing. The little of Keith I've seen at 1st he looks fine. Not Gold Glove... but no worse than Tork at 1st. I don't know if Tork can get his 1B job back, But I would say this: Torres is signed for only 1 year. Are we going to offer him a few more years? An extension? If not, if we let him walk as a free agent: AND Tork shows he still has some staying power/ MLB bat/ AND he dedicates himself in the field... maybe he has a shot at getting 1B back in 2026, moving Keith over to 2B. But I don't think that will happen this year. But... we'll see how the season plays out. Centerfield? No, no trade. Just get me by guys (band aids) until Meadows gets back. I don't know where he's at in his rehab... but I thought he was making good progress...? Early May-ish I think... but I'm guessing? Bondo's changeup? You didn't get the memo? He's MASTERED it!!! Wait until you see him throw it!!! (But don't hold your breath!)

That would be hilarious!

I'd be very surprised if they DID otherwise. It won't be the non-rate-change that is important... What will be important is what they SAY...

Will make for a fun, and interesting year. Especially if the Tigers can get into the playoffs again.