I fear

that the Wings have stoked the flames of the optimists coming into the game against the Hawks on Saturday. Such positive emotions are like spitting into the wind. It always comes back to get you. As the Wings enter game 2 things could not be worse. There are those that will tell you that pessimism is nothing but a lot of bull. They are playing with fire and will bear the brunt of the disappointment later. A daley dose of pessimism will help avoid disappointment later. Conventional wisdom would have you believing that the Wings will dominate their divison, towering over the likes of Chicago. As the season goes South, the pessimists will soldier on while the optimists nervously chomp on a stick of Wrigley's. By Valentines Day, the massacre should be finished and the Wings hopes dashed. By that time they will be languishing in last place. The Wings best chance would be to sign Steve Bartman to play goal, as he is the only sure way to stop a Chicago team. The time to prepare is now. Doom is lurking around the corner.