It's time for peeking inside the Great Vine with Jimmy the Great Yacht.
Well, good morning everyone and thank you Sam Sears.
Welcome to peeking inside the Great Vine.
My guest today is a good professor from Brighton, formerly Holton, a long time.
Michigan Tech Professor, Mr. Bill Sproul.
And Thursday to Good Captain, Lou Gamelin will be back with us.
We're going to meet our sponsors, then we'll bring the good professor in.
And our subject today is the NHL training camp.
So when the season opens, and obviously the Red Wings, without their turmoil, they're in.
Bill will discuss how they had training camp.
And one of my favorites, favorite ice rinks, the Polar Arena in the Sioux years, gone by.
Open up some happiness, all your favorite Coke products, local stores and establishments, Coca-Cola of Hancock.
Look sharp, you're all your professional stylist, Brian and Marcel, Brian's Barbershop, Razorback, Drive and Houghton, appointments highly recommended, Watkins, Welcome, 482-820, Portage, Tyrone Otterway, Parallel Avenue, Hancock has a great selection of brand name, Tyrone and Stock, keep your vehicle running smooth.
You're round.
David Dupre, Century 21 North Country Agency, an only official realtor peaking aside the grapevine, he represents Byers and
Sellers can be reached at 281-1846.
for all your boarding, so screen and assesses, team or company, certs, personal, apparel, trophies, banners, everything in between, seat, door, station, home stand, graphics, days, BP, super service, Hancock, Arizona only, full service, gas station, open seven days a week, torn available around the clock, 24, 7, 365.
Dr. Grapp, Olson, Northland Veterinary Clinic, provides quality care for your family.
That's 4-8-2-3-4-100.
The good doctor makes house calls and open to noon on Saturdays.
Cune over, doors are closed.
take the door to distribute it to copper country.
Tim's excavating this.
Get in services, provide all your excavating needs, foundations, and driveways, sewer and water services, license, septic and stower, call 906-370-4307.
Oh, and Sarasen Family Dental, 896 Campus Drive in Hancock, Copper's All, Aspects of Family Dentistry for the entire family.
Houghton Villains Plan, 26, Brickyard Lane behind Q and Automotive, is your local true value franchise.
They've been providing quality building materials to homeowners and contractors.
all over the copper country from the foundation to the rooftop.
If you have problems with spiders, ask me, the mice, all kinds of pesky rodents, contact A-PUS-PES management, 214975.
They'll carry whatever's bugging you.
Next time you head to Packerland, USA, you could see the good Professor Bill Sproul floating around the Lazy River at the Conrad Lodge and Resort, Green Bay, Wisconsin.
They feature daily walk-in water passes, as well are available.
Summer water park hours are still in play.
920-405-8700.
Book your stay at conradlodge.com or ask for Holly Nichols for the larger get-togethers.
High School Football Friday, a feature match.
in UP, Kingsborough taking on CaliMet up at Agassiz 630 pregame on MIX 93 and Lakeland and Hubble Lakes will host North Central, the North Central Jets 1 o'clock pregame on Wimple Radio or on MIX 93 as well.
So a couple high end high school football games this weekend with Jay Condon.
Miss Contact Football is off after a big win this past weekend and overtime 33-32 over Upper Iowa and homecoming football up at Curly Stadium.
again to get professor mr billis bro good morning bill how's it going down in your neck of the woods in a beautiful bright area
another good weekend lots of nfl football and uh... to see what i thought for a little bit about hl training camps and uh... they really start last week so uh... things are i guess winter's coming because uh... and hl training camps have started and hockey season is really just a couple weeks away
and sad news to build on your way to try was officially eliminated from playoff contention
They really faltered down the stretch.
You mentioned NFL football.
The lines are one-in-one.
The Packers are one-in-one.
A lot of injuries this past week in a football game.
Dad knows a Washington.
Elbow was sideways.
Like I said, for years, frail quarterbacks don't last in the NFL.
Caleb Williams at the Bears, a hamstring injury.
That's gonna be, that's not as bad as they thought it was.
But before I get to the training camps, Bill, what's the move down there in Detroit about the Detroit Lions with, again, their Achilles heel to last four or five years has been their defensive backfield.
And let's face it, they were doomed last week no matter who played Buffalo, and Buffalo's season opener up their new stadium was in tough.
And the Lions defense, they gotta tighten up that back end, don't they?
I think some of the excitement is kind of waved after the Buffalo game, but still optimism.
They played the Jets this weekend here in Detroit, so it'll come back.
As you said, the Tigers are done.
This weekend, they're celebrating Brulander and hoping he's going to finally pitch a game this summer.
I'm disappointed he didn't pitch more this year.
Well, I don't know who's disappointed.
I know I'm not, because everybody knew this was just the token signing.
He's been with three, four games in the last three, four years.
He's at the Under the Road.
Neat love story, great way to end your career.
But people who thought he was going to contribute this year, I mean, it was nice.
He gets to go full circle, but people are thinking that he was a commander and be a difference maker.
I mean, that's got a face reality and good for Hall of Famer and good for Detroit to give him a cat.
exit to start second to last game in a season.
Well, Bill Hockey training camp is underway.
Detroit with the interim GM was in Hork Hop.
The Larkin, the dark rainy cloud hangs over the team.
He's still not reporting on specified injury.
But training camp, Bill, Red Wings, especially, I know they used to be at Traverse City for many years.
They pulled the plug on that a couple years ago.
I was unaware, Bill, to you, Tommy, last week that they had training camp at one point.
One of my favorite ice rinks, the Polner and Sue St.
Marie.
Tell us about that little
stint.
uh... the uh... train camps uh... started this uh... last week uh... uh... and the uh... uh... the red rings are back at little feces arena they nearly they've been at uh... trevor city for thirty years but they've returned to their old their old spot uh... uh... home play and really that's the trend now uh... all the uh... teams are back at their home rinks uh... you know they may go out for a day or two someplace but they're back at their home rinks uh...
The rookies and some prospects reported and hit the prospects tournament at Little Caesars last weekend or a couple weekends ago.
Four teams came in, played a few games.
preseason now the uh... actually the first uh... preseason game for the Redlands was last night they played Columbus uh... and another interesting game last night was the uh... craft pockyville game they played in Canada they're not held in the u.s.
anymore remember a few years ago when it was in Calumet but uh...
last night's game was in three rivers, Quebec, Montreal versus Ottawa.
So the training camps are a little different than the old days.
In the old days, the hockey players had second jobs in the off season and the summer was time for rest.
And training camps were just to bring back the old team and have a good time, just kind of getting shape of that.
They were told to bring golf clubs and they reconnect.
They had head games.
But as mentioned, the Red Wings were held their training camp every September since 1997, except for the COVID year, so it's almost 30 years.
But as I said, the Red Wings actually held their training camp in Sioux, Michigan for 11 years.
1948 to 1958 at the Polar Stadium.
The players would stay at the Iroquois Hotel, which since then torn down, is across the street from today's Ojibwe Hotel, right close to the Sue Locks.
The Red Wings, kind of like the Polar Stadium, was a great arena.
It had artificial ice, had pretty good train service to Canada, and at the time there were six teams, and really all the players were from Canada.
That's good hockey fans in, in some Michigan as they still do.
I know you've, uh, the Polar Stadium, great arena.
You know, you've broadcast and visited the Polar many times and a little history.
It opened in 1939 and, uh, had artificial ice, right?
From old me.
It's a major, major renovations a few years ago.
Uh, you probably are aware of his name back there.
Sophie Poehler.
She died in 1938 at 88.
She had a dairy farm.
The family had a dairy farm and property investment in Michigan and Florida, but they had no children.
In her will, she said $70,000 would be given to the city or home for the elderly or a community center.
And the community center ended up being a Poehler Stadium.
As you know, it's the host to Blue Devils.
The two Indians had a senior hockey team in the fifties there.
They had some junior hockey there.
They're still playing some junior hockey in the Northern Ontario League.
And Lake Superior State College played there for 10 years when they started the program in 1966.
I actually was a student at Lake Spear State College in 1966.
When the program started with Ron Mason, I actually worked on a design funny cartoon about the drunken sailor and actually made a paper mache head of the drunken sailor.
that appeared in a few games in that 66-67 season.
And lots of concerts at the Polar Stadium over the years, so Gordon Lightwood did some in the late 60s.
Actually, Super Michigan was known in the 50s and 60s as Hockey Town USA, before kind of Detroit is kind of the hockey town.
It was pretty good years for the Red Wings when they were in Sioux, Michigan.
They actually won four Stanley Cups, 1950, 52, 54, and 55, and lost in the finals a couple of times.
Um, and then in 59, they moved their training camp back to Detroit.
Um, and then for a number of years before they moved to Traverse City, they, they had the camps in, you know, they would change around, but they, they were in Portier in one summer.
They were in Kalamazoo, they're in Flint.
Um, they, they were at the Kobo Hall in Detroit.
Uh,
one summer too so it's uh and the the order of the wings at the time was Norris and uh and so the James Norris Center at Lake Spear State University is a complex and the arena is the taffier taffierable arena so it's uh lots of links uh with uh Norris to uh to michigan and soap
kind of an interesting story, but the cutback on the number of preseason games, the new collective bargaining agreement has put in certain restrictions, but this year the Red Wings only play four preseason games, said last night was the first one, and the regular season starts in...
For the Red Wings, on October the 2nd, they're home against the Rangers.
And actually, the NHL starts next Tuesday is when the NHL season actually starts.
So winter is coming.
In the old days, spring training, or the full camps didn't start until mid to late October.
The season was much shorter, but came across fun stuff.
as the recent the old camps and but today the players come in they're pretty good shape they're ready to play there's not many openings on the team and lots of assistance you look back in the early camps when the Red Wings there's only the one coach and they would actually play several preseason games at neutral sites now now most everybody is just playing in the home arena I think there's only a couple of
teams that have got some neutral site games this year.
So the NHL training camp has changed.
It's quite different, Jimmy, but kind of fun stories.
Look back to Sue Michigan and the Polar Stadium.
Well, Bill, you mentioned the Sue Blue Devils.
I know they pull out of the Polar.
I want to say six, seven years ago, they got stuck in some political battle.
Because the Polar, as we know, is city-owned, but the local casino offered to host the Sioux Blue Devils Games, which basically, which is at the time, left.
And the casino offered Sioux High School, I think, $3,000 or $4,000 a year for their sports department if they moved out.
I know that kind of was a little ripple effect, because the city didn't really care for that.
They were one of their bigger vendors, so they were a little bit of both the Polar.
Oh, Bill, just in about a minute or so,
with the NHL post-COVID changing their preseason itinerary is that the main reason the Red Wings pulled out of Traverse City you think or is there some other reason that happened?
I think really what's happening now is that the teams are pretty well set and then they can use all the training facilities at their at their own arena.
And I think that's what's happened to all of them now, is that rather than load everybody up and head off someplace else, they can use all their training facilities, their medical help, equipment stuff, it probably gets down to a cost.
So they don't have to be traveling all over the place and bringing everyone and stay in different spots.
So that, I think that's what's happened.
And we're taking everybody that way now.
The medical and the training facilities available at their own home rinks or or their You know one in there in the same city of right has changed so much now and the red wings have a You know, they've got their practice rink and then the main rink at the little Caesar So it's a pretty impressive facility at the little Caesar for the red wings
And it makes sense to like you mentioned for all the above reasons you got everything right in your back pocket
And although that was a huge loss for the Traverse City economy, they spent two, three weeks there, and I know people just love going from up here.
I know a lot of people go down and just watch that for the diehard Red Wing fans.
But you know, at this day and age, everyone wants to be, and it makes more sense, like you mentioned, even NFL training camps, not long ago, a lot of teams would go to different states and have training camps, but now everything's right in-house.
But things definitely change over the years with
with that whole dynamic.
What do you see in the Red Wing this year, Bill?
Obviously, Goal 10 is still an issue.
Obviously, they didn't... What I've seen, they didn't get much in the free-agent market, the lame duck GM all summer.
Defensively, Cider is a bona fide number one.
I don't know what they have after him.
A lot of Red Wing fans and a lot of hockey people think this franchise is somewhat in turmoil.
Do you agree with those type of people, Bill, or do you see this in a different light?
Because there's a lot of conflicting reports.
What actually is going on inside that room?
It's really tough with this Dylan Larkin situation and how all that ended up.
And then either we're getting promoted or whatever you call it.
Yeah.
A lot of unknowns and say they didn't pick up much in the
free agent stuff.
Their Grand Rapids team has played well, so maybe they get a few guys to move up from Grand Rapids and fit in, but it's hard to say.
I see hockey news has got them going to be tough for the Red Wings to make playoffs this year, but you never know.
The puck does funny things in the game, and the season goes on.
Somebody else may jump up and things just fall into place.
So the NHL now is so many changes and free agency and the compact schedule and it's hard to say who makes the playoffs and who doesn't.
Well Bill, that's for sure.
There's usually one or two uninvited guests in the usual suspects like Sean Beligian would say and I know a lot of pre-nausicators have the right finish in the bottom league.
But again, the whole season ago, and every now and again, sometimes people surprise us.
Well, Bill, we're up against it.
We'll get you back next Tuesday.
I'm sure you're going to have some more neat history for us, correct?
We'll find out some for us, Jimmy.
We've got some good stories.
I just uncovered players that headed the side between baseball and hockey.
And they
went for baseball.
So we've got a couple of good stories on that, Joe.
the end of the baseball season.
It's kind of a good story to share with you next week.
Well, perfect.
Then we'll get our baseball picks coming up too.
I'm going as a play officer about a week and a half away.
Well, Bill, thanks a million as usual.
Been very fun and informative.
I know a lot.
I love hearing stories about the Polar Arena.
That's one of my favorite venues.
Obviously that concessions down in the basement.
That's what was going in there alone.
Bill attacking next Tuesday.
Sound good?
That sounds good, Jimmy.
You have a great week.
Enjoy the Copper Country.
Winter's starting to get ready for winter up there.
Oh yeah, we can see signs right in our own backyards right now.
We'll be back this Thursday.
Captain Lew, Captain Lew Gamer will join us.
Lew will have his usual light-hearted perspective in the sports world.
We're going to send it back to Sam in the morning.
Thanks, Sam.
It's time for peeking inside the Great Vine with Jimmy the Great Yacht.
Well, good morning everyone and thank you Sam Sears.
Welcome to peeking inside the Great Vine.
My guest today is a good professor from Brighton, formerly Holton, a long time.
Michigan Tech Professor, Mr. Bill Sproul.
And Thursday to Good Captain, Lou Gamelin will be back with us.
We're going to meet our sponsors, then we'll bring the good professor in.
And our subject today is the NHL training camp.
So when the season opens, and obviously the Red Wings, without their turmoil, they're in.
Bill will discuss how they had training camp.
And one of my favorites, favorite ice rinks, the Polar Arena in the Sioux years, gone by.
Open up some happiness, all your favorite Coke products, local stores and establishments, Coca-Cola of Hancock.
Look sharp, you're all your professional stylist, Brian and Marcel, Brian's Barbershop, Razorback, Drive and Houghton, appointments highly recommended, Watkins, Welcome, 482-820, Portage, Tyrone Otterway, Parallel Avenue, Hancock has a great selection of brand name, Tyrone and Stock, keep your vehicle running smooth.
You're round.
David Dupre, Century 21 North Country Agency, an only official realtor peaking aside the grapevine, he represents Byers and
Sellers can be reached at 281-1846.
for all your boarding, so screen and assesses, team or company, certs, personal, apparel, trophies, banners, everything in between, seat, door, station, home stand, graphics, days, BP, super service, Hancock, Arizona only, full service, gas station, open seven days a week, torn available around the clock, 24, 7, 365.
Dr. Grapp, Olson, Northland Veterinary Clinic, provides quality care for your family.
That's 4-8-2-3-4-100.
The good doctor makes house calls and open to noon on Saturdays.
Cune over, doors are closed.
take the door to distribute it to copper country.
Tim's excavating this.
Get in services, provide all your excavating needs, foundations, and driveways, sewer and water services, license, septic and stower, call 906-370-4307.
Oh, and Sarasen Family Dental, 896 Campus Drive in Hancock, Copper's All, Aspects of Family Dentistry for the entire family.
Houghton Villains Plan, 26, Brickyard Lane behind Q and Automotive, is your local true value franchise.
They've been providing quality building materials to homeowners and contractors.
all over the copper country from the foundation to the rooftop.
If you have problems with spiders, ask me, the mice, all kinds of pesky rodents, contact A-PUS-PES management, 214975.
They'll carry whatever's bugging you.
Next time you head to Packerland, USA, you could see the good Professor Bill Sproul floating around the Lazy River at the Conrad Lodge and Resort, Green Bay, Wisconsin.
They feature daily walk-in water passes, as well are available.
Summer water park hours are still in play.
920-405-8700.
Book your stay at conradlodge.com or ask for Holly Nichols for the larger get-togethers.
High School Football Friday, a feature match.
in UP, Kingsborough taking on CaliMet up at Agassiz 630 pregame on MIX 93 and Lakeland and Hubble Lakes will host North Central, the North Central Jets 1 o'clock pregame on Wimple Radio or on MIX 93 as well.
So a couple high end high school football games this weekend with Jay Condon.
Miss Contact Football is off after a big win this past weekend and overtime 33-32 over Upper Iowa and homecoming football up at Curly Stadium.
again to get professor mr billis bro good morning bill how's it going down in your neck of the woods in a beautiful bright area
another good weekend lots of nfl football and uh... to see what i thought for a little bit about hl training camps and uh... they really start last week so uh... things are i guess winter's coming because uh... and hl training camps have started and hockey season is really just a couple weeks away
and sad news to build on your way to try was officially eliminated from playoff contention
They really faltered down the stretch.
You mentioned NFL football.
The lines are one-in-one.
The Packers are one-in-one.
A lot of injuries this past week in a football game.
Dad knows a Washington.
Elbow was sideways.
Like I said, for years, frail quarterbacks don't last in the NFL.
Caleb Williams at the Bears, a hamstring injury.
That's gonna be, that's not as bad as they thought it was.
But before I get to the training camps, Bill, what's the move down there in Detroit about the Detroit Lions with, again, their Achilles heel to last four or five years has been their defensive backfield.
And let's face it, they were doomed last week no matter who played Buffalo, and Buffalo's season opener up their new stadium was in tough.
And the Lions defense, they gotta tighten up that back end, don't they?
I think some of the excitement is kind of waved after the Buffalo game, but still optimism.
They played the Jets this weekend here in Detroit, so it'll come back.
As you said, the Tigers are done.
This weekend, they're celebrating Brulander and hoping he's going to finally pitch a game this summer.
I'm disappointed he didn't pitch more this year.
Well, I don't know who's disappointed.
I know I'm not, because everybody knew this was just the token signing.
He's been with three, four games in the last three, four years.
He's at the Under the Road.
Neat love story, great way to end your career.
But people who thought he was going to contribute this year, I mean, it was nice.
He gets to go full circle, but people are thinking that he was a commander and be a difference maker.
I mean, that's got a face reality and good for Hall of Famer and good for Detroit to give him a cat.
exit to start second to last game in a season.
Well, Bill Hockey training camp is underway.
Detroit with the interim GM was in Hork Hop.
The Larkin, the dark rainy cloud hangs over the team.
He's still not reporting on specified injury.
But training camp, Bill, Red Wings, especially, I know they used to be at Traverse City for many years.
They pulled the plug on that a couple years ago.
I was unaware, Bill, to you, Tommy, last week that they had training camp at one point.
One of my favorite ice rinks, the Polner and Sue St.
Marie.
Tell us about that little
stint.
uh... the uh... train camps uh... started this uh... last week uh... uh... and the uh... uh... the red rings are back at little feces arena they nearly they've been at uh... trevor city for thirty years but they've returned to their old their old spot uh... uh... home play and really that's the trend now uh... all the uh... teams are back at their home rinks uh... you know they may go out for a day or two someplace but they're back at their home rinks uh...
The rookies and some prospects reported and hit the prospects tournament at Little Caesars last weekend or a couple weekends ago.
Four teams came in, played a few games.
preseason now the uh... actually the first uh... preseason game for the Redlands was last night they played Columbus uh... and another interesting game last night was the uh... craft pockyville game they played in Canada they're not held in the u.s.
anymore remember a few years ago when it was in Calumet but uh...
last night's game was in three rivers, Quebec, Montreal versus Ottawa.
So the training camps are a little different than the old days.
In the old days, the hockey players had second jobs in the off season and the summer was time for rest.
And training camps were just to bring back the old team and have a good time, just kind of getting shape of that.
They were told to bring golf clubs and they reconnect.
They had head games.
But as mentioned, the Red Wings were held their training camp every September since 1997, except for the COVID year, so it's almost 30 years.
But as I said, the Red Wings actually held their training camp in Sioux, Michigan for 11 years.
1948 to 1958 at the Polar Stadium.
The players would stay at the Iroquois Hotel, which since then torn down, is across the street from today's Ojibwe Hotel, right close to the Sue Locks.
The Red Wings, kind of like the Polar Stadium, was a great arena.
It had artificial ice, had pretty good train service to Canada, and at the time there were six teams, and really all the players were from Canada.
That's good hockey fans in, in some Michigan as they still do.
I know you've, uh, the Polar Stadium, great arena.
You know, you've broadcast and visited the Polar many times and a little history.
It opened in 1939 and, uh, had artificial ice, right?
From old me.
It's a major, major renovations a few years ago.
Uh, you probably are aware of his name back there.
Sophie Poehler.
She died in 1938 at 88.
She had a dairy farm.
The family had a dairy farm and property investment in Michigan and Florida, but they had no children.
In her will, she said $70,000 would be given to the city or home for the elderly or a community center.
And the community center ended up being a Poehler Stadium.
As you know, it's the host to Blue Devils.
The two Indians had a senior hockey team in the fifties there.
They had some junior hockey there.
They're still playing some junior hockey in the Northern Ontario League.
And Lake Superior State College played there for 10 years when they started the program in 1966.
I actually was a student at Lake Spear State College in 1966.
When the program started with Ron Mason, I actually worked on a design funny cartoon about the drunken sailor and actually made a paper mache head of the drunken sailor.
that appeared in a few games in that 66-67 season.
And lots of concerts at the Polar Stadium over the years, so Gordon Lightwood did some in the late 60s.
Actually, Super Michigan was known in the 50s and 60s as Hockey Town USA, before kind of Detroit is kind of the hockey town.
It was pretty good years for the Red Wings when they were in Sioux, Michigan.
They actually won four Stanley Cups, 1950, 52, 54, and 55, and lost in the finals a couple of times.
Um, and then in 59, they moved their training camp back to Detroit.
Um, and then for a number of years before they moved to Traverse City, they, they had the camps in, you know, they would change around, but they, they were in Portier in one summer.
They were in Kalamazoo, they're in Flint.
Um, they, they were at the Kobo Hall in Detroit.
Uh,
one summer too so it's uh and the the order of the wings at the time was Norris and uh and so the James Norris Center at Lake Spear State University is a complex and the arena is the taffier taffierable arena so it's uh lots of links uh with uh Norris to uh to michigan and soap
kind of an interesting story, but the cutback on the number of preseason games, the new collective bargaining agreement has put in certain restrictions, but this year the Red Wings only play four preseason games, said last night was the first one, and the regular season starts in...
For the Red Wings, on October the 2nd, they're home against the Rangers.
And actually, the NHL starts next Tuesday is when the NHL season actually starts.
So winter is coming.
In the old days, spring training, or the full camps didn't start until mid to late October.
The season was much shorter, but came across fun stuff.
as the recent the old camps and but today the players come in they're pretty good shape they're ready to play there's not many openings on the team and lots of assistance you look back in the early camps when the Red Wings there's only the one coach and they would actually play several preseason games at neutral sites now now most everybody is just playing in the home arena I think there's only a couple of
teams that have got some neutral site games this year.
So the NHL training camp has changed.
It's quite different, Jimmy, but kind of fun stories.
Look back to Sue Michigan and the Polar Stadium.
Well, Bill, you mentioned the Sue Blue Devils.
I know they pull out of the Polar.
I want to say six, seven years ago, they got stuck in some political battle.
Because the Polar, as we know, is city-owned, but the local casino offered to host the Sioux Blue Devils Games, which basically, which is at the time, left.
And the casino offered Sioux High School, I think, $3,000 or $4,000 a year for their sports department if they moved out.
I know that kind of was a little ripple effect, because the city didn't really care for that.
They were one of their bigger vendors, so they were a little bit of both the Polar.
Oh, Bill, just in about a minute or so,
with the NHL post-COVID changing their preseason itinerary is that the main reason the Red Wings pulled out of Traverse City you think or is there some other reason that happened?
I think really what's happening now is that the teams are pretty well set and then they can use all the training facilities at their at their own arena.
And I think that's what's happened to all of them now, is that rather than load everybody up and head off someplace else, they can use all their training facilities, their medical help, equipment stuff, it probably gets down to a cost.
So they don't have to be traveling all over the place and bringing everyone and stay in different spots.
So that, I think that's what's happened.
And we're taking everybody that way now.
The medical and the training facilities available at their own home rinks or or their You know one in there in the same city of right has changed so much now and the red wings have a You know, they've got their practice rink and then the main rink at the little Caesar So it's a pretty impressive facility at the little Caesar for the red wings
And it makes sense to like you mentioned for all the above reasons you got everything right in your back pocket
And although that was a huge loss for the Traverse City economy, they spent two, three weeks there, and I know people just love going from up here.
I know a lot of people go down and just watch that for the diehard Red Wing fans.
But you know, at this day and age, everyone wants to be, and it makes more sense, like you mentioned, even NFL training camps, not long ago, a lot of teams would go to different states and have training camps, but now everything's right in-house.
But things definitely change over the years with
with that whole dynamic.
What do you see in the Red Wing this year, Bill?
Obviously, Goal 10 is still an issue.
Obviously, they didn't... What I've seen, they didn't get much in the free-agent market, the lame duck GM all summer.
Defensively, Cider is a bona fide number one.
I don't know what they have after him.
A lot of Red Wing fans and a lot of hockey people think this franchise is somewhat in turmoil.
Do you agree with those type of people, Bill, or do you see this in a different light?
Because there's a lot of conflicting reports.
What actually is going on inside that room?
It's really tough with this Dylan Larkin situation and how all that ended up.
And then either we're getting promoted or whatever you call it.
Yeah.
A lot of unknowns and say they didn't pick up much in the
free agent stuff.
Their Grand Rapids team has played well, so maybe they get a few guys to move up from Grand Rapids and fit in, but it's hard to say.
I see hockey news has got them going to be tough for the Red Wings to make playoffs this year, but you never know.
The puck does funny things in the game, and the season goes on.
Somebody else may jump up and things just fall into place.
So the NHL now is so many changes and free agency and the compact schedule and it's hard to say who makes the playoffs and who doesn't.
Well Bill, that's for sure.
There's usually one or two uninvited guests in the usual suspects like Sean Beligian would say and I know a lot of pre-nausicators have the right finish in the bottom league.
But again, the whole season ago, and every now and again, sometimes people surprise us.
Well, Bill, we're up against it.
We'll get you back next Tuesday.
I'm sure you're going to have some more neat history for us, correct?
We'll find out some for us, Jimmy.
We've got some good stories.
I just uncovered players that headed the side between baseball and hockey.
And they
went for baseball.
So we've got a couple of good stories on that, Joe.
the end of the baseball season.
It's kind of a good story to share with you next week.
Well, perfect.
Then we'll get our baseball picks coming up too.
I'm going as a play officer about a week and a half away.
Well, Bill, thanks a million as usual.
Been very fun and informative.
I know a lot.
I love hearing stories about the Polar Arena.
That's one of my favorite venues.
Obviously that concessions down in the basement.
That's what was going in there alone.
Bill attacking next Tuesday.
Sound good?
That sounds good, Jimmy.
You have a great week.
Enjoy the Copper Country.
Winter's starting to get ready for winter up there.
Oh yeah, we can see signs right in our own backyards right now.
We'll be back this Thursday.
Captain Lew, Captain Lew Gamer will join us.
Lew will have his usual light-hearted perspective in the sports world.
We're going to send it back to Sam in the morning.
Thanks, Sam.