119 Predictions Revisited - Part I

The Institution is back!

Let me get this out of the way now and let it be known that I am not leaving the fine Gentlemen over Winging it in Motown.  I will still be doing some writing over there this summer and over the course of next season.  Unless they fire me for writing here instead of over there...which if that's the case...screw you Casey, Graham, and J.J.  I never you liked you guys that much anyway.  Then again, if they don't fire me, ignore everything I just wrote.  Except Casey.  Screw him either way.  

So by now everyone must be wondering why I'm back posting here.  Truth is, I felt like I needed to get back to my blogging roots and fulfill the world's needs of more Brendan Smith love.  This blog has a rich history dating all the way back to July 9, 2010 and the legacy that is the BSI must continue to grow.  

Last offseason, I presented the world with 119 predictions for the 2010-2011 season.  I'll admit right now, I'm just as shocked as you that I didn't get all 119 predictions correct.  Over the course of the summer, I plan to look back on my 119 predictions and reflect and wonder what the hell I was thinking when I made these.  Today is the first installment of this blockbuster summer series.  There is no schedule for when these time capsules of awesomeness will be released.  I will post them when I feel like it throughout the summer.  

Let's get down to business.  Today I look back at the first 14 predictions for the 2010-11 season.

1. Jimmy Howard will not have a sophomore slump.
This one is debatable, but because this is my blog and I make the rules.   His regular season numbers (2.79 GAA, .908 SV%) weren't spectacular, but his 37 wins were second in the league.  Plus, his postseason was outstanding.  I dare you to tell me that this team cannot win a Stanley Cup with Jimmy in net.  He proved his postseason doubters this year.  Jimmy, Pavel, and Nick were easily the three best players in the postseason.

2. Brendan Smith will play at least one game this season.
Sadly, this prediction did not come true.  I did get a chance to see Smith play in Grand Rapids this year though (a 4-3 win over the Marlies.  Smith registered an assist).  I have a feeling this AHL All-Star will be making the big club sooner rather than later i.e. next season.  Thanks Brian!

3. The biggest losing streak the Wings will have all season is three games.
The Wings lost 3-straight games twice this season  Both times at least one of the three losses went to OT/SO.  So the team never went pointless.  Their longest losing streak was 4-straight games (@ANA, @SJ, @PHX, vs LA).  The loss to the Ducks occurred in OT and the loss in Phoenix was in a shootout.

4. Detroit will have four all-stars this season.Nope.  Just one...Captain Nick.  The Perfect Human led Team Lidstrom (second best team name in all of sports behind Red Wings) to a 11-10 victory over Team Staal.  Lidstrom registered an assists in the game and was a plus-7.  Let me say that again...PLUS-7...in a freakin' all-star game where no one plays defense...not even the goalies.  Perfect numbers from TPH.

5. Nick Lidstrom will be a Norris trophy finalist. 
Nailed it.  Lidstrom was 2nd in scoring among all defenseman.  He was third in assists and tied for fourth in goals.      Lidstrom's 62 points was the 6th highest point total in his career.  I personally expect a 7th Norris trophy.  

6. <----- the number of overtime losses for the Wings.
I was off by 4.  The Wings had 10 overtime/shootout losses this season.

7. No playoff series involving Detroit will go seven games.
Yup.  Missed this one too.  I'm glad though, getting this prediction correct would mean that the Wings didn't fight back against the Sharks.  I'll take being wrong here.

8. Abby will win a fight.
Abby won more than one fight...I'm pretty sure.

9. GUEST PREDICTION: Jesse Liebman from Last Call Sports and The Good Old Hockey Show - "Mike Modano will put up 35+ points." 
15 points in 40 games for Modano.  If he doesn't get hurt, I say he hits the 35 point mark.  

10. <----- the number of games the Lions will win......just kidding! I prediction six wins.
Six wins for the Lions...crushed this prediction.  Ladies and gentlemen, expect 9 wins this upcoming season (if no games are missed due to the lockout).

11. I honestly have no idea which Danny Cleary we will see this season, but I hope it's the healthy one that can put up 20 goals. 
68 games?  That's relatively healthy for Buckets.  26 goals?  A career high. Nailed this one.

12. The Wings will win every home opener that they are involved in.
Wings lost 4-1 in the Stars' home opener.  I blame Modano.  Also, just retire Mike.  Don't come back again.  Skate off into the sunset with Willa.  This offseason, I'm Nodano...more like NO-NO-NO-HELL NODANO.

13. Detroit will win the first ever game at the Consol Energy Center.
Wings lost 5-1 and Brooks Orpik can suck it.

14. Hank will continue to shut down Crosby.
He didn't have to because David Steckel took care of Sid for everyone.

So by my count, through 14 predictions, I have a mean record of 4-8-2 (Correct-Incorrect-Push).  Not the best record in the world, but I'm just a slow starter.  I always finish strong.  

14 down.  105 to go.

Let's Go Red Wings.

This isn't goodbye, it's see you later

This is a bit overdue, but the Brendan Smithsonian Institution is now temporarily closed for the season.  It's been great ride writing here since July and I truly appreciate everyone who read my blog.  No worries though, as you all probably know by now, I will be writing over at Winging it in Motown for the foreseeable future.  In my humble opinion, WIIM is one of the premier Red Wings blogs on the internet and it's honor to be able to write for them.  For those of you still hoping to get your Brendan Smith fix, don't worry, Casey interviewed him yesterday and the post is now up at the new digs.  I still plan to follow his season down in Grand Rapids and will have updates at WIIM.  Once again, thank you to everyone who helped me get this blog started.  The playoffs are right around the corner...Cup number 12 is in our sights.

Winging it in Motown

Let's Go Red Wings.

Hey! Look what I can do!

I was checking out A2Y the other day and lo and behold, Malik had posted a bunch of highlight videos from various websites. I noticed the NESN video, decided to take a look, and realized, hey! I edited those highlights and created those fonts! So yeah...check out my work above if you haven't already. I didn't do the editing for the whole video, just the actual game highlights, but I did create the score font and the name fonts for the Naoko and the player sound at the end. I also created the full page graphic at the end entitled "Swept Away."  It was one hell of a enjoyable weekend watching the Wings crush the Bruins and demoralize their fan base.  They might be better at baseball, basketball, and football, but we still own Beantown in hockey.

We're taking on Team Stevie on Thursday.

Brad Stuart days until H2H2 (and he may return Thursday or Friday too).

Get pumped.


UPDATE:

At the pregame meet up in Boston for Red Wings fans, I was interviewed by the Red Wings official Hockeytown Blog about my blog, all blogs, social media and more.  Figured I might as well post this and share in case you haven't seen it.




Let's Go Red Wings.