Without a doubt the Russian Five solidified my Red Wings love. Their puck-possession style game really appealed to me. It reminded me of the way the Soviet Olympic teams and the 1980 U.S. team played. Papa Joe Chevalier on his sports talk show likened the Red Wings to the Soviets. He'd play the Empire Strikes Back theme as he talked about them. Yep, the Russian players really hooked me. As a casual NHL fan at the time I probably thought the Wings were the only team to have Russian players.
The start ...
So there I was in Spring 1995 - disillusioned with baseball because of the strike the previous season. I needed another sports fix. Baseball had started back, but I held a grudge.
I was sitting at a sports bar next to an attractive female co-worker with the Stanley Cup Finals on one of the many TVs.
"Who you for?" I asked.
"The Devils. All the way," she said. She was originally from New Jersey.
"What about you?" she asked.
"Probably the Red Wings," I said.
"Why?"
Why? Maybe at the particular time it was the contrarian in me. Maybe I had heard the Wings had a great team that year. Maybe I knew of the Miracle on Ice connection. Maybe it's because they represent the Midwest whereas the Devils were East Coast. Maybe it's because my grandfather, who I never knew, lived in Detroit. Maybe it's because the Wings represent Motown, and I'm a big fan of Motown music. Maybe, on a subliminal level, it was the winged-wheel logo.
Those are as good reasons as any other.
Contrarian theory
It can be in my nature to be contrary. At least from what some friends have said. Contrary to an attractive woman? Not likely, unless I didn't care or tried to be cool.
Great team theory
Though I can be contrary, maybe I tried hopping on the bandwagon that year. I can't recall what game Michelle and I were watching that night, but that would be telling.
Miracle on Ice theory
If I knew that there was a connection to the "Miracle on Ice" game and the Red Wings in Slava Fetisov, then that would have hooked me. I doubt I knew he had played with the Devils earlier that year.
Midwest theory
That's very likely. I have a great love for the Midwest. Not so much for the East Coast.
Grandfather theory
Also likely. Just looking for some kind of connection to root for a team. I had none to New Jersey.
Motown theory
For six years I worked in record store. I love music, and the Motown sound. Bon Jovi, no thanks, but I do like some Bruce Springsteen music. Hmm ... still not on the level that I do Motown.
Winged-wheel theory
This one didn't dawn on me until a few months ago. Maybe it's the similarity between the Indianapolis Motor Speedway logo and the Red Wings logo that worked on me in a subliminal way.
Anyway, who knows? Maybe it was a combination of all of them that night.
I picked Red Wings, and I have stuck with them for the most part.
While I was a Thrashers season ticket holder for three years, 1999 to 2003, I must confess, I cheered for them instead of the Wings in head-to-head match-ups.
At that time, the Thrashers were 1A, the Wings were 1B.
But that was then and this is now, and I won't waiver in my love for the Red Wings again.
So who's your team? And why?
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