Sunday, March 21, 2010
Wings & NHL Beat Writer
Chris McCosky is entering his first season as The News' Detroit Red Wings beat writer and columnist. He has been covering sports - prep, college and pros - in Michigan since 1980, and formerly covered the Detroit Pistons for 18 years.
A graduate of Eastern Michigan University (B.S., 1980), McCosky became associate sports editor of the Muskegon Chronicle in 1987, but soon after joined the Ann Arbor News. He covered the University of Michigan football and basketball programs from 1988 through 1992. In that time, he covered two Rose Bowls, the Wolverines' NCAA title run in basketball in 1989 and, in 1990, he broke the news of football coach Bo Schembechler's retirement.
McCosky lives in the Livonia and is the proud father of three kids - Ryan, 22, finishing his degree at Concordia University in Ann Arbor, where he played baseball for two seasons and is now an assistant coach; Rory, 19, a talented musician (his band is called Not Quite Porn) and a sophomore at Central Michigan University; and Molly, 17, a senior at Hopkins High School and planning to attend Eastern Michigan following graduation.
He can be reached at cmccosky@detnews.com.
The five most spectacular events I've covered:
- 1. The Pistons' championship run in 2004.
- 2. The brawl at The Palace in November 2004. I was right in the middle of it. I even tried to stop Jamaal Tinsely from going into the stands. He went through my grasp like water.
- 3. The Michigan basketball team's title run in 1989. Glen Rice's torrid shooting throughout the tournament is still one of the best individual performances I've witnessed.
- 4. The Tigers-Blue Jays series at the end of the 1987 season where the Tigers had to win all four games to make the playoffs and they did.
- 5. Each Rose Bowl, all the NBA Finals that Michael Jordan competed in and the 2006 ALCS and World Series.
More in the Wings Blog
Eaves, Cleary out
The Wings are down two forwards tonight. Patrick Eaves is still a little groggy from his collision with Edmonton's Aaron Johnson Friday and Danny Cleary tweaked his … Continued
In the blogs ...
Lions Blog
John Niyo: The Lions have agreed to terms on a one-year contract with free agent linebacker Landon Johnson, according to his agent, Andy Simms.
The 6-foot-2, 232-pound outside … Continued
Going Home
Michael Happy: Thanks to all who showed up for last night's Holy Name reunion and, in advance, for your continued support at Fletcher Field over the summer.
God bless! -- Michael … Continued
Autos Blog
Neil Winton: After Elizabeth Taylor and Zsa Zsa Gabor had been married about three times each, you could probably have predicted that these were projects destined to … Continued
Most Popular
- Without old zip, Dontrelle Willis appears headed for release
- Jahvid Best might fill Lions' need for big-play running back
- Daughter hopes body in river isn't Grosse Pointe Woods woman's
- GM sues Ohio company for rare 'Vette replicas
- Wings 4, Canucks 3 (OT): Detroit back in 8th playoff spot
- Draft could be Pistons' one shining moment in sad season
- Stupak vote key in health care overhaul
- Suddenly, Spartans have a special opportunity in NCAAs
- Fire destroys Highland Park flower shop
- Night game was good start, but there's more work to do at U-M
Sponsored by
It's time to bury NHL's gimmicky, stale shootouts
These three-point games (two points for a win, one point for losing in overtime or shootout) are a farce anyway. Not only does it water down regular-season victories, it messes up the bookkeeping. - 03/20/2010
Thankfully, GMs shot down dopey idea for pre-playoff tournament
The proposal by Islanders owner Charles Wang was to have the teams that finish eight through 15 in each conference play a week-long tournament to decide the eighth-place finisher. Never mind that 82-game regular season -- that was just a prelim. - 03/13/2010
Mike Babcock's biggest worry now has to be Wings' goalies
The gap between the Wings and the top teams in the Western Conference isn't as wide as the standings suggest. But Babcock has bigger concerns than the Sharks and Blackhawks: What will he do if Jimmy Howard falters? - 03/06/2010
Andreas Lilja eager to get physical again for Wings
"I don't want to talk to you guys (media) at all," he growled after the morning skate. For the first time in 366 days, Lilja finally had a game face on. - 03/02/2010
NHL can't cherry pick when it participates in Olympics
They don't get to pick and chose which years they want to compete. How arrogant for the NHL to say, "OK, guys, here's the deal -- we will participate only when the Olympics are held on our continent. Cool?" - 02/27/2010
Wings will let Kirk Maltby work out his own exit strategy
The Wings are going to let Maltby work out his exit strategy on his own terms. Maybe he has shoulder surgery and retires. Maybe he tries to play another year and retire with Kris Draper. - 02/13/2010
Scouts invade JLA; is Wings' trade in the works?
Ken Holland could move one of his higher-paid players, like Jason Williams. Williams' cap hit is $1.5 million. He's going to be an unrestricted free agent after this season, too. - 02/11/2010
Andreas Lilja might be Red Wings' ace in the hole
A week ago, the talk was, "What are the Wings going to do if Lilja comes back?" Meaning, how are they going to fit his $1.2 million salary under the cap. Now, they should be saying, "What are they going to do if Lilja can't come back?" - 02/06/2010
Wings shun rest for hard skate
After playing four games in 5 1/2 days and flying clear across the country to play another back-to-back set the Red Wings had a nice leisurely day off Monday, right? - 02/02/2010
Chris McCosky: Tough decisions looming for Red Wings GM Ken Holland
Holland has difficult calls to make soon, with Johan Franzen and Andreas Lilja soon to be coming back from injuries. He will be tested again this offseason, too, as 14 players are in the final year of their contracts and are set to become free agents. - 01/30/2010
Don't be surprised if Wings get rid of Ville Leino
I have a hunch that between now and the March 3 trade deadline, barring more injuries, Leino is going to be moved either by trade (for draft picks) or by being plucked off the waiver wire. - 01/23/2010
Pavel Datsyuk's production will rise with Wings
It would be unfair to judge Datsyuk solely on his offense. He's long been one of the premier defensive forwards in the game, leading the league in takeaways again. - 01/21/2010
