Hot Wings

As usual, the turnout of the ever-faithful Detroit sports fans was jawdropping. But at this year's Red Wings Stanley Cup parade, I was most struck by the players who seemed completely (and so very sincerely) overwhelmed by the crowds that greeted them. Almost to a man, the Wings became a little emotional as I asked them one by one what they thought when they turned the corner at the Hockeytown Cafe and looked down Woodward Avenue. Kris Draper told me he couldn't believe it but that it seemed to him an even larger gathering than the one in 2002. Nick Kronwall told me that the veteran Cup players had told him what to expect but that it was so much better than he could've imagined. And Chris Osgood, who came into the playoffs with a good chance at not seeing one minute of playing time, became glassy-eyed while talking about it. And, as if to return the favor, stood in the hot sun for more than an hour after the rally had ended signing autographs for a steady line of fans.
Hockeytown is well intact.
(PS - Hats off to Dominik Hasek. One of the greatest goalies of his generation proved he could be as classy out of the net as in it. He retires after graciously urging Osgood on as his replacement during the cup run.)
-Devin