Wow....

[lithera]

Don't be sad it's over -- be happy it happened.

In the past few days, since the official word came of the buyout and as the status of my contract teetered, the reality that I'm not going to be a Red Wing anymore has set in, and I've taken some time to reflect.

I don't know if it's maturity ('cause if you know me, that's never been an issue) or the painstaking reality of the past 12 months without hockey. Either way, I'm saddened to leave an organization in a place where I've grown up, raised a family, been part of a first-class and first-rate team, won three Stanley Cups and achieved great personal success.

But looking back, what I really feel is gratitude -- thankful for the opportunity to realize a childhood dream to play for my childhood team. Grateful to Mr. and Mrs. Ilitch and their entire family for letting this boy become a man and always treating my family as one of their own. Grateful to the entire Red Wing organization from Ken Holland and his staff, to John Hahn and Anne Marie Krappmann in the PR department for their ever tireless effort. Grateful to Piet Van Zant and Paul Boyer for patching me up and getting me back out on the ice. Grateful for the support and memories from everyone at the Joe whom I will miss seeing daily, and thankful to the media for not only their endless support of myself but in the way they've always supported the McCarty Cancer Foundation and my band Grinder.

What will I miss most about playing hockey in Detroit? That's simple. The fans. From the day-to-day coffee stop or gas station conversation to the people who say hello on the street or ask for an autograph at the checkout, there are no greater fans than those in Detroit.

These are the great things about my time as a Red Wing that I will always remember no matter where I go. Thank you to all of you. But please don't shed a tear 'cause it's over -- crack a smile 'cause it happened, and no one can ever take that away. I'll always be a Red Wing at heart, and Detroit will always be my home.

Much love to you all,

Darren McCarty, Red Wings No. 25

Shanny accepted his offer today. It was rumored that he mght be going to Boston. Stevie Y has an offer out to him and he has until Sunday to accept it. It's rumored he might just do it Saturday at the Entry Draft.

And yes. I think there will be a lot of hockey stuff here in the next bit.

For thsoe who read this for entertainment stuff.... Next season on Smallville will have one new villain who is being played by James Marsters. And there will be a cameo by a blonde guy who swims /really/ well. Ummmm. What else... Oh. Lost starts up again on September 21st.

There isn't too much out there at the moment.

Comments

[technis.livejournal.com]

Hehe!

He'll be great, I reckon, lots of fun.

[lithera.livejournal.com]

It will get me to watch at least the first few episodes, I think. Lost has me totally hooked, though.

[technis.livejournal.com]

The first season of that is about to start here, the adverts for it are excellent. What's it actually about?

[lithera.livejournal.com]

Lost? Well... At the end of the first season I'm no longer sure and that's why the series is excellent. It's about a plane that crashes in the South Pacific and then... things start to get weird.