Just how many banners are hanging in Joe Louis Arena?
I can not be sure, but my guesstimate is 47, representing Stanley Cup Championships (11), Conference Championships (6), Divisional Championships (18), President’s Trophy for best regular season record (6) and retired numbers (6).
The number is certainly higher than my guesstimate as the Red Wings hang very old banners which highlight the best regular season record (prior to the awarding of the President’s Trophy which began in 1985) and the old playoff divisional championship banners.
Detroit came up short this spring, as we all painfully remember, losing in the seventh game at home to Pittsburgh. Unlike last year, there will not be a big ceremony when the Central Division and the Western Conference championship banners are raised.
During the playoffs, I began to think about all of those banners hanging high above the players and fans at the “Joe.” I think sometimes it is easy to dismiss the success the Red Wings have had since the early 1990’s. If they get deep into the playoffs–well they are supposed to. If they go out in the first round–heads have to roll, even though no one has had the success of the Red Wings in professional sports during that same time.
I have wanted to create just the right sports blog/website for a long time now. Most people who know me know that my first loves are football and baseball and may be surprised that I picked hockey as my theme, but why should I not dedicate my site, which will deal largely with the topic I know best, Detroit sports, to the most successful team from my hometown?
Even though I have not been a resident of Michigan in over a year, I will always follow my hometown teams wherever life takes me. So that is where the idea for jlabanners.com came from: To celebrate the best while highlighting the rest! My goal for this blog will be to write original articles about sports, both Detroit and nationwide, and have guest bloggers come aboard to cover our teams’ immediate rivals from all across the nation.
I will also post links to articles from other sources, such as the Detroit Free Press, Detroit News and other sports sites, I feel will interest my readers and briefly comment on them. My readers may also have to indulge me as I may delve into news topics every so often to stay the well-rounded individual that I am (yes you may laugh now!)
Most of all, my biggest goal is to have fun and I hope you’ll come along for the ride with me!
