Exclusive Olympia Club Serves Only Disappointment

Olympia Club Review:

Olympia Club

It was a night of Red Wing first for me and friends, when we found ourselves privileged enough to be dining in the Olympia Club.

The Olympia Club is an exclusive restaurant in the Joe Louis Arena where only season ticket holders are allowed to dine.

My boyfriend happened to score a pass to this exclusive restaurant by winning an auction through work.

When we arrived we entered a rather dim room filled with Wings fans sporting their red and white jerseys.

We were quickly seated and the waitress took our drink order. She gave us a wrist band and explained we were allowed to go through the buffet as many times as we wanted.

Just as soon as she left the table we made our way to the luscious buffet lines. We loaded our plates up with the options of salad, tomato and green beans, tortellini, potatoes, chicken parmesan, and tempura shrimp. There was also a meat station where a butcher was slicing pork tenderloin and a slider station where they were grilling up burgers.

We got back to the table I was surprised to find that my drink hadn’t beaten me there. After we began eating the waitress returned with our drinks. After a few sips of my “captain and coke” I realized that Jack Daniels had made his way into my drink instead of Captain Morgan.

If the waitress would have returned, I would have brought this to her attention. But she seemed lost in the sea of people that were there.

Everything on my plate was cold- the green beans, the potatoes, the tortellini, and the shrimp. I didn’t want to ruin our evening by making a scene so I tried not to complain. I later asked my boyfriend if his food was cold too because he went through a different buffet line. As it turns out the warmest thing he had was his grilled on the spot slider.

With only 15 minutes left before the game started, we returned to the buffet to get desserts. Just as we finished our desserts and the last of our drinks, our waitress returns to ask if we want a round to go up. We took her up on this, but I made sure to tell her I was hoping for “captain and coke” instead of “jack and coke” this time.

Olympia Club

She returned with our new round of drinks, along with the bill, much quicker than the first time.

When we all saw the bill for the first time, we were all pretty speechless. Somehow, the four of us racked up an obnoxious $200 bill. Ironically, the most decent priced thing on the bill was actually our drinks.

The buffet came out to be about $30 per person. None of us even ate $30 worth of food and the quality of the food was certainly not worth the $30. The only thing more ridiculous than the price of a $10 at best buffet, was the unannounced 15% food service charge and the 18% beverage service charge. Oh, and don’t forget the $10 in tax.

If a restaurant is going to charge about $40 dollars per person to eat, the least they can do is serve warm food.

On a personal note, I am assuming that there probably haven’t been many complaints about the quality of food because the people that dine there clearly have no sense in taste.

The experience we had there was certainly not worth the money we wasted and I am still wondering what makes the Olympia Club so exclusive. But I bet that will be the last time we make the mistake of going there again, unless we are eating with the Red Wing’s themselves.

Wine and Dine with the Red Wings!

The Red Wings 11th annual Toast of Hockeytown is a wine-tasting charity event where you are welcome to try wine while chatting with team.

The wine-tasting features over 70 different wines and champagnes from Italy, France, and Spain as well as some domestics.  Accompanied with the wine are several food stations which serve pastas, meats, cheeses, seafood, and desserts.

There will be an opportunity to meet the current players and take pictures with them and get their autographs!

A silent and live auction will also take place during the event to offer guests the opportunity of bidding on sports memorabilia.

The event is scheduled to take place Monday, November 22 at 6 pm at the Joe Louis Arena. Tickets are priced at $200 and all the proceeds benefit the Detroit Red Wings Foundation. There are only 400 tickets available! To purchase tickets please visit the Red Wings website.

Red Wing Fanatic

Red Wing Fanatic: Danielle Floyd

Me: So you wouldn’t mind doing an interview on the Red Wings would you?
Danielle: Of course! This is my favorite subject to talk about.

Me: How long have you been a Red Wings fan?
Danielle: I have been a red wings fan since I was probably 8 years old.

Me: About how many games do you go to a year?
Danielle: I go to somewhere between 5-10 games a year. Just depends on who I know.

Me: You must have a favorite Red Wing since you’ve been watching so long, who would you say is your favorite?
Danielle: My favorite Red Wing is Chris Osgood. However, if I can have multiple answers, I pick Osgood, Filppula, Kronwall, Lidstrom, Modano, Zetterberg in that order.

Me: Would you say you are a religious Wings fan?
Danielle: I would for sure call myself a religious Wings fan, especially with all my game day superstitions.

Me: What superstitions do you have? Are they for the regular season or playoffs?
Danielle: No big superstitions for the regular season. But for the playoffs.. I wear the same outfit every playoff game day: my green Red Wings shirt, jeans, and my goalie charm bracelet. My nails also have to be painted red. More recently, I have to change my Facebook status the morning of the game to support the Wings. If I go to the bar, I can't sit at the bar to watch the game (this rule only applies if Kiel is working). I also have to put the Red Wings flag up on my car.

Me: What is your favorite Red Wing moment?
Danielle: I have a few favorite Red Wings moments... if you want more than one I am more than happy to tell them to you... but I guess if we're talking about games, I'd have to say watching them win the cup. Especially the year after Vladdy was in the car accident and the Wings put the Stanley Cup in his lap. My favorite non-game moment was Osgood blowing me a kiss at one of the parades.

Datsyuk Dangle Dangle’s Himself to 200th Career Goal

Pavel Datsyuk

The number 2 must be Pavel Datsyuk’s lucky number since in the second game of the season in the second period, he scored his second goal. But this was no ordinary goal, it was Datsyuk’s 200th career goal. To make it more special, it was scored against the 2010 Stanley Cup Champions, the Chicago Blackhawks.

Datsyuk averages 30 goals a season and is one of the top high scorers for the Red Wings.Paired with Henrik Zetterberg, they are known as the “Euro Twins” and are of the deadliest duos in the NHL. Hopefully for the Wings sake, Datsyuk will continue to ‘dangle dangle’ his way into more wins, crushing more milestones along the way.

Congratulations Datsyuk on your 200th career goal!

Don't Say Farewell To Maltby Just Yet

Kirk Maltby

Kirk Maltby became the next Red Wing to go from being a part of the team to being a part of the office.

Maltby has been with the Red Wings since 1996 after playing two years for the Edmonton Oilers. During his time with the Wings, Maltby has won 4 Stanley Cups including the infamous back to back 1997 and 1998, then again in 2002 and 2008.

This past Tuesday, Maltby announced his retirement from the Wings after a long deliberation on whether to step down and play for the Grand Rapids Griffins or to retire and become a scout for the office. Becoming a scout should be a perfect fit for Maltby since he has been playing for the Wings for so long, he should know exactly what they’re looking for.

So Maltby fans, shed no tears he really didn’t go anywhere.

Wings Roast the Ducks

Saying the Wings started their season opener with a bang would be an understatement.

Overall there were 4 Red Wing goals, 3 major fights, and 70 penalty minutes!

Five minutes into the first period, Johan Franzen and Mike Modano scored goals within 24 seconds of each other for the Wings. Bobby Ryan got the first penalty of the night for the Ducks for high sticking. This put the Wings on their first power play but to no prevail.

Just over five minutes into the second period, Pavel Datsyuk scored the third goal for the Wings. The first of three major fights broke out with seven minutes left in the period. A total of 24 penalty minutes were given out. Andy Sutton received two minutes for roughing Ruslan Salei and Corey Perry got a ten minute misconduct for the Ducks. In return, Salei got a two minute penalty for roughing Sutton and Tomas Holmstrom got a ten minute misconduct for the Wings.

With three minutes left of the period, Dan Cleary made a questionable goal that was reviewed because the net came off. After much careful consideration, Cleary was awarded the goal assisted by Datsyuk making the score 4-0.

An astounding 12 penalties were given out in the third period and not a single goal was scored. Ryan Getzlaf got called for a slashing penalty on Henrik  Zetterberg. Zetterberg’s retaliation earned him a two minute roughing penalty. The second massive fight broke out between Datsyuk and Perry resulting in five minute fighting majors for both of them. Although the fight cost Datsyuk the Lady Byng trophy, he earned himself a Gordie Howe hat trick which consists of one goal, one assist, and one fight.

George Parros picked up two penalties: a ten minute misconduct and a two minute roughing penalty for trying to provoke a fight with Cleary. Holmstrom was next to take a two minute time out in the penalty box for hooking.

The third major final erupted between Brad Stuart and Sheldon Brookbank which also ended with in five minute fighting majors for both of them. At the same time, Boddy Ryan racked up two more penalty minutes for the Ducks for interference. This resulted in a 5-on-3 power play for the Wings.

Only seconds later did the Ducks get called again for another two minutes for having too many men on the ice, extending the Wings power play. The last penalty was called on Paul Mara for hooking bringing the total penalty minutes in the game to 70.

The horn sounded the end of the game leaving the score Red Wings 4 – Ducks 0. This is the first shutout of the season and Jimmy Howard’s fourth career shutout.

Did the Wings roast the Ducks or did they really roast themselves?

The next game is Saturday, October 9^th, away against the Chicago Blackhawks!

Quote of the game: “He will hop on the rebound.” – Ken Daniels

Preseason Highlights

If you missed out on the Wing’s preseason, here is your chance to catch up!

Detroit Red Wings Preseason Stats:

9.22.10 Wings Vs Penguins
L    1-5
9.24.10 Wings Vs Blackhawks
W    3-2
9.25.10 Wings Vs Blackhawks
L      2-4
9.26.10 Wings Vs Rangers
W    5-3
9.29.10 Wings Vs Rangers
L   1-5
10.1.10 Wings Vs Mapleleafs
W     7-3
10.2.10 Wings Vs Mapleleafs
L     2-4
10.3.10 Wings Vs Penguins
L    2-5

Overall Record:
3 Wins and 5 Losses

The Red Wings kick off their regular season this Friday, October 8th against the Anaheim Ducks!!!

Another Year of Broken Wings?

The Red Wings haven’t even made it through the preseason before incurring multiple injuries.

First on the casualty list is Kris Draper, a Wings veteran who suffered from a groin injury during training camp in Traverse City. Draper’s injury isn’t severe but is enough to keep him off the ice temporarily. He has been regularly seeing the Red Wing’s athletic therapist who determined it was only a contact injury. But Draper isn’t taking any chances getting back on the ice until he is sure that his health and skating is where he wants it to be.

Jiri Hudler was the next fallen Wing who bruised his left foot in the last scrimmage match at training camp when he used his foot to block a shot. Hudler’s x-rays showed no fracture and he was listed as day-to-day. His injury caused him to miss the preseason opener against Pittsburgh, but he has since returned.

While Hudler returned for the pre-season opener, two of his fellow Wing-mates, Johan Franzen and Derek Meech, sustained injuries. While chasing the puck down, Franzen took a knee-on-knee hit with a Pittsburgh defensemen. Although the hit could have caused a serious injury, it was a charley horse that was Franzen’s major complaint. Franzen returned back to the ice for yesterday’s game.

Also injured during the Wing’s pre-season opener was Derek Meech. Meech suffered a concussion in the first period of the game. He has since been determined to be indefinitely out for the season and released on waivers.

Practice yesterday morning got the better of Mike Modano who left early with some concern of tightness in his groin. Modano is expected to play in tomorrow’s game against Toronto.

Goalie Chris Osgood added his name to the injury list this past Saturday in a game against Chicago. Osgood endured a charley horse that has kept him off the ice. He is also expected to return tomorrow.

The freshest injury belongs to Patrick Eaves. He hurt his ankle during practice yesterday morning and was supposed to be re-evaluated earlier today.

That’s a total of 7 Red Wings to be injured before the regular season has even started. Is anyone else having a bad case of déjà vu?