Hello Again, and Goodbye

This is what it’s all about, gang.  We’re back in the saddle, back in the Press Box and, as there is of course NO CHEERING in the Press Box, we just watched in silent wonder  as Miguel Cabrera blasted a home run with a man on and a man out in the bottom of the 9th to tie this here ballgame against the lowly Baltimore Orioles and so, just when it looked like Detroit might blow a game to the worst team in baseball (the Orioles came into play tonight at 25-57), Miggy hits a bomb and we’re into the 10th.  All in all, very exciting stuff.

A note on the passing of Bob Probert yesterday of an apparent heart attack at 45.  I talked to a lot of guys who played against Probie and they all said the same thing: When he was coming to get you, be it in the corner or in the middle of the ice, his eyes were as cold and as dead and as utterly lacking in emotion as a shark’s.  These men—paid to be brave for a living—were scared witless by this.  The thing is, whenever I saw those eyes they were either twinkling with joy after a win or flashing anger after a loss or belying the embarrassment he felt as a result of his latest off-ice transgression of which, to be sure, there were many.  Too many.  But Probie always treated me great and as I wrote yesterday--and as I believe to be true--even on a team with a player as great as Steve Yzerman, Bob Probert was, here in Detroit, the most popular Red Wing.  Hands down.  This town loved the guy.  I will share with you something someone who knew Bob Probert way, way better than I had to say about him after I mentioned that even now I can see Probie in my minds’ eye, grinning that missing-his-front-teeth grin of his.  Just a kid goofing around in The Room:

Rich, I hear and feel ya..he'd be grinning a couple tooth missing smile and just let out.."ahah, what's up Rich man?!" never expecting an answer or a smile...but always getting the latter. A gentle giant, a monumental friend and teammate, and a tortured but beautiful soul. Let any man judge him that walked his shoes..no one ever has.

The death of Bob Probert has hit me hard.  Just as the death of another Red Wing, Willie Huber hit me hard when he passed away at 52 a week to the day before Probert died.  God bless them both.

Johnny Damon just hit it out.  A two-run blast to right to win this one for Detroit 7-5 in 11.  A great ballgame on a not-so-great night.