Get Your Red On? Well, It’s Been a While, But It Is Nearly April . . .
I saw the slogan “Get Your Red On” today while heading home. It was an advertisement at a Metro station for the Washington Nationals, who I gather (from blog outrage and playoff absences) stink even more than the Detroit Tigers. Hard to believe for someone who saw the Tigers decline from 1985 until the early aughts, but I suppose it’s true, given that Detroit made it to the World Series in 2006.
However, I recognized the slogan not because I am a budding Nationals fan, but because the Detroit Red Wings used that same slogan for the 2001 Stanley Cup Playoffs adverts. It also reminded me that I had the slogans for years past in my Toronto inbox (Cup years in bold):
94: Paint the Town Red (Duh if you don’t get this)
95: A Call to Arms (Mascot for the Wings is Al the Octopus)
96: I Want Stanley (We really, really did—go to hell, Colorado Avs)
97: Get Up! (Hey, weak, but they won the Cup, right?)
98: Raise Your Hands (Ditto—by the way, SWEEP, Washington Caps!)
99: Are You Ready? (I think my sister pointed out that McBane from The Simpsons says this at one point in the series; however, the Wings were asking us if we wanted a three-peat—we said yes and we didn’t get it)
00: Bring It On Home (Tried, didn’t work)
01: Get Your Red On (Always, Wingies—Nationals, you cannot hold a candle to them; unfortunately for you, you’re in baseball, so you’re automatically yawn-worthy)
02: Let ‘Em See Red (Playing Carolina in the Finals really created a blur of red, but the northerners rightfully triumphed)
03: Red Storm Rising (Lame)
04: Turn on the Red Light (Also lame)
05: No Slogan — DAMN LOCKOUT!
06: Bring It! (Um . . . yeah)
Wow, the slogans just keep on getting worse since the 2002 Cup. However, I particularly remember 1996 and 2003—2003 had an awful, awful song attached to it, which I think was performed by Darren McCarty (then a forward for the Red Wings and the man who scored the Cup-winning goal against the Philadelphia Flyers in 1997) and his band. Of course, 1996 had the “I Want Stanley” song which horrified Canadians—what the hell were these Americans doing, referring to the Cup as just “Stanley”?
With the playoffs upcoming and the Wings going, once again, to the playoffs, it’s almost time for a new slogan to be released. Hopefully they won’t have to crib off of another sports team to find something that rallies the fan base. Unlike one team I know.
And yes, I will get my red on soon. However, I am hoping that I’ll only need my red through June.
Also, remember how “Get Your Red On” was made into a country song performed by Mickey Redmond? We deserved to lose if only for that.
I’m still waiting for them to use “The Red Scare” as a slogan, though that might not fly over too well with so many Russians on the team.
I forgot! “Hey! Get your red on, it’s playoff time again . . .” Yeah, now I remember that—that song was bad.
I doubt they’ll use “The Red Scare”, but I’d have a hard time stifling giggles if they did. ;)
So this doesn’t relate at all to your post other than it is about the Red Wings, do you by chance know where I may find the songs from the ’97-’98 season? You know:
It was a night in Detroit….
The stars were gleaming, I had the radio on….
Hey mathgeek:
Nope, can’t say I can find them online; dorkus might have the tape floating around somewhere, but they’re not selling them anymore. Man, those were great songs, weren’t they?
Someone mentioned to me that they loved Olaf Kolzig. What popped into my head? “Ollie the Goalie (dumb, dumb, dumb, stupid as Roy) will visit Hockeytown tonight . . .”