We're not sure the Red Wings will keep advancing in this years playoffs, but we can expect an honest effort from this team night in and night out. 

This team is younger than people realize with more than 30% of its players contributing in its first playoff run.  Do you think guys like Jakub Kindl, Brendan Smith, Gustav Nyquist or Joakim Andersson looked out of place?  Did you worry the game seven situation would be too big of a moment for them to handle? THEY were the poised players in Anaheim.  While the Ducks were getting frustrated and gripping the stick tighter, the Wings young guns, as well as Zetterberg and Datsyuk, were playing "their game" and playing with the needed desperation to advance.  Those traits are usually learned through tough lessons in a series, usually met with heartache disappointment.  Instead, this younger group followed its leaders and caught on quick enough to win a game 7 in foreign territory. 

The game seven win was the Red Wings 14th all time (14-9), more than any franchise in NHL history.  They did it behind clutch saves from Jimmy Howard, who never seems to panic.  They did it behind two of the best two-way players in the world in Henrik Zetterberg and Pavel Datsyuk; and they did it with an underrated head coach in Mike Babcock.  Babcock clearly out-coached his counter part, Bruce Boudreau, even though the Ducks head coach had the last change by being at home.  Babcock switched his top two lines enough to create an advantage up front, while still getting his top defensive pairing against Anaheim's most skilled forwards. 

How great has this year's playoff been?  Sixteen games have needed overtime - the most ever in the opening round (most overtime games needed in a single playoff season was last year with 16) - and the West has the 1-5-6-7 seeds remaining.  The East has the 1 & 7 at the time of this writing and the five and six could advance with road wins tonight.  It's incredibly unpredictable with the champions of the Northwest (Vancouver), Pacific (Anaheim) and Northeast (Montreal) all bounced in round one.   

The Red Wings, by knocking off the Ducks, now advance to faceoff against the #1 overall seed Chicago, and if you choose to count Detroit out right away then you do so at your own public peril.  The Wings were swept in the season series, but three were decided by a goal and two went to overtime.  Often times these series come down to matchups and though the Hawks defense moves the puck better and is a little deeper, I wouldn't count this Detroit team out, not with its veteran leadership, it's unabated youth, or it's sage coaching.

Not that the Lions have to, but one could understand why they should apologize for drafting some of the players they have recently.  Too many times we've been talking about those players for their actions off the field rather than their accomplishments on it.  The latest involved a current member of the franchise and another who used to be part of that Allen Park fraternity, but was told he was no longer wanted, yet he won't go away. 

First is Ronnell Lewis, the fourth round pick out of Oklahoma a year ago, who was supposed to come in and compete for playing time at the defensive end position or at least be a difference-maker on special teams.  He did neither. Instead, he played in just 8 games; took just one defensive snap and made just two tackles. 

He did, however, make headlines this off-season for getting into a bar fight in Oklahoma and was tasered twice by police.  He, like many young players today, could have stood defiant and stayed mad at the world, failing to acknowledge his mistakes, but he didn't.  Lewis owned up to his immaturity and stupidity.  When he returned to the Lions practice facility, he sought out general manager Martin Mayhew and apologized.  He tweeted to the Lions fan base this, "Just want to say sorry to everyone for letting y'all dwn with my dumb mistakes hope everyone can forgive me n if not I understand."  He would also stand before his team mates and apologize.  That's how you take steps toward winning over an organization, members of the locker room and a fan base. 

Then there is Titus Young.  A promising former second round pick, who fooled so many with his early charm, smile and politeness.  After sucker punching Louie Delmas, lining up in the wrong spot, swearing at his quarterback and wide receivers coach and walking out of film sessions, Young was released.  Instead of taking a cue in humility, he backed up his insubordination with inflammatory tweets, never admitted to his mistakes and never apologized to members of the Lions. More than one player told me last year, "all Titus had to do was tell us he was sorry and we would have been there for him.  We would have accepted him back. Instead he was a jackass, so screw him." Since being released by the Lions, he signed with the Rams, but was waived within days, and late last week was arrested twice in a 15-hour span.

Young could still be part of this team or the NFL had he learned from his mistakes; had he learned humility and won the trust back of those who were there for support.  Instead, Young refuses to accept blame.  I don't think Titus Young is stupid.  I think he needs professional and clinical help and I believe he is incredibly stubborn.  It's too bad he didn't learn from a situation like Ronnell Lewis.  If he had then he might still be catching passes in the NFL and doing public appearances.  Instead, he's making appearances in court and hoping to pass breathalizers.  It would be sad if it weren't so common.  

Copyright 2013 The Associated Press.

[PODCAST] Lions Draft Flops -- Shep talks about the draft picks by the Detroit Lions that turned into flops, and their bad luck with injured players.

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