Good things DO happen to good people. Nearly 20 years after being drafted by the Winnipeg Jets, and nearly 35 years after first lacing up a pair of skates, Grand Haven native Dan Bylsma made his deubt as an NHL “head coach” on Monday.

Bylsma was named the new interim head coach of the defending Eastern Conference Champion Pittsburgh Penguins on Sunday night, after the team fired former head coach Michel Therrien.

I first met Dan shortly after I moved to West Michigan in January of 1996, when HE was first earning a regular spot in the NHL with the Los Angeles Kings.  During his nine seasons with the Kings and Ducks, and in the years since, I have had a chance to interview Dan numerous times.  Whether he was the young kid just trying to make the team or the eventual experienced veteran leading his team to the Stanley Cup Finals, Dan was the same polite, friendly guy.   In fact, whether I met with him in the visitors locker room at the Joe Louis Arena, at his summer home in Grand Haven, in a rehab facility during the off-season, on a golf course at a charity event, or on the visitors bench at the Van Andel Arena, Dan has always been sincere and gracious with his words and time.

Under Bylsma, the AHL’s “baby Pens”, the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, posted a 35-16-3 record this season, and are currently riding an eight game winning streak.   It should be no surprise that a role player and self described “grinder”, who was also an assistant captain in the NHL (and a captain in the IHL), would make it to the top league in the world as a HEAD COACH, less than five years after his retirement as a player. 

Dan will now have 25 games to prove he deserves a chance to return next season and get the Penguins head coaching job on a full time basis.  His new team currently sits at just 27-25-5 on the season and five points OUT of a playoff spot.  Granted, this certainly is NOT the same team, talent wise, that advanced to the Stanley Cup Finals last season, before falling to the Red Wings.  However, with a roster that includes the likes of Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, Jordan Staal, Peter Sykora, Marc-Andre Fleury and Sergei Gonchar, there is enough talent for Dan to get the Pens into the playoffs, and, as we all know, anything can happen from there.  Should he do that, Bylsma will be back next year, and hopefully for many more to come.

Good things DO happen to good people… and Dan Bylsma is certainly, good people.

Larry Figurski

WOOD-TV News/Sports Anchor and Reporter

Grand Rapids Griffins Color Analyst

I had chance during a recent Griffins game to spend some time with Red Wings anthem singer and recording artist Karen Newman.  “It’s been too long since I’ve been here at a Griffins game,” Newman said.  “I’m glad to be back.”

In addition to singing the national anthem prior to Red Wings games and participating in teams community relations events, Newman has produced several of her own C.D’s, has sung backup for major acts including Kid Rock and Bob Segar and the Silver Bullet Band and has put on annual Christmas shows in Detroit for the past eight years.

“I said (to a Griffins employee), why am I not doing my Christmas shows here in Grand Rapids,” Newman said.  “I’m going to explore that.  I’d love to bring my Christmas show (here), it’s a very family friendly show.  There are some great people here, great hockey fans, great music lovers, I need to bring it here.”

While Newman is known best for beautiful voice and well…  beauty…  I found her to be incredibly nice and personable.  She’s also a huge hockey fan.  In fact, growing up in metro Detroit, she became a die hard Red Wings fan well before she joined the team nearly two decades ago.  “I grew up listening to the Red Wings,” Newman said.  “My dad always had the Red Wings on.  I’ve been with the them (the Wings) for 19 seasons.”

After singing the national anthem at a recent Griffins game, Newman joined me for a brief intermission interview on the Griffins radio network to talk about her love of the Red Wings, music, and bringing her Christmas show to Grand Rapids. 

You can find that video of that interview, on line, at www.woodtv.com

See ya at the rink,

Larry Figurski

The American Heart Association is asking everyone in West Michigan to wear at least a touch of red on Friday (February 6th), to draw attention to the fact that heart disease is the number one killer of WOMEN in the United States.  While heart attacks tend to be most commonly associated with men… something I know all too well…  the fact is, that cardiovascular disease kills more than 450,000 American women each year… about one every MINUTE. 

As many of you are well aware, I suffered a sudden, massive heart attack last July.  I was just 43 years old and had no warning signs.  Thanks to some great doctors and nurses, I was lucky enough to survive, what very few do…. what is known in the medical field as a “widow maker”….  for all the obvious reasons.

The fact is, WOMEN are much MORE likely than men, to die from major heart attacks.  According to the American Heart Association, 64 percent of all women who suffer from sudden coronary heart disease have NO warning signs.  There are an estimated 41 million American women currently living with one or more types of cardiovascular disease, many, if not most of whom, have no idea.  Heart disease is not only the number one killer of women in the U.S., but it claims more lives than the next five causes combined, including all forms of cancer. 

If you can, share some of this information with YOUR mother, grandmother, sister, aunt or daughter… and join Emily, Jen, Brett, Terry, me and the rest of the Daybreak crew, by wearing a touch of red on Friday.

We’ll have more on “Go Red For Women” Friday morning on Daybreak, and you can find much more information at www.goredforwomen.org.

Be healthy,

Larry Figurski

What a great show!  I’ve been listening to AC/DC for, dare I say, more than 30 years now, but last night was my first chance to see the legendary rock band live in concert.  Along with, and due to,  WOOD-TV 8 Sports Anchor Jason Terzis, Photographer Larry (L-Dog) Gron, and Engineer Steve Gurd, I walked into the Palace of Auburn Hills with very high expectations.  I was NOT disappointed.

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I even remember smiling and thinking, alright, I guess I’ll pick up a couple of Iceys or candy bars or something for the kids, or something else, I really don’t need.  Now that’s what I call economic stimulus… for both me and the gas station owners.

More importantly, there seemed to be smiles around the pump.  I heard several other people making positive comments, most of them just to themselves, yet out loud.  “Alright, that’s cool,” said one young lady as her car filled at a much cheaper cost than normal.  

A man, standing at his pump, yelled to a woman sitting in the car, “Hey, it actually filled it up, for that, this time.”

Another woman, when receiving her change from the clerk at the counter, said out loud, yet in a very POSITIVE way, “That sure beats filling up for 80 bucks.”  

Let’s hope it stays that way.

Happiness is a wonderful thing… especially at the pump these days.

This may be “Tigers” country, but the WOOD-TV 8 offices/departments each have their share of Cub fans… from Sports Director Jack Doles… to Storm Team 8 Meteorologist Laura Valesquez… to Producer Bill Herbst.  In fact, in the 20-plus years I’ve known Jack (Chicago native), and the 13 years I’ve known Bill, I’ve NEVER met a more diehard Cubs fan, than either of those two.

While none of them would say it before the playoffs, you could tell each was beginning to think, “maybe this IS the year”.  For six months and 162 games, the Cubs proved they were indeed the best team in the National League.  Yet in less than 48 hours, they have many of the Cubbie faithful, and most of the fans of other teams saying, “here we/they go again.”  While neither Jack, Bill nor Laura have given up hope yet, this will be either an incredibly dramatic comeback in route to the Cubs first World Series title in 100 years, or, more than l.ikely,  simply just another meltdown… perhaps one of the biggest and most painful yet.. for a franchise haunted by… depending on who you talk to… bad luck, curses, or just plain chokes.

I’m a Tiger fan, not a Cub fan… but I’ll be pulling for Chicago Saturday night.  Not only for Jack, Bill and Laura’s sake, but for all the faithful, yet never rewarded Cub fans.  Just think… they’ve waited nearly TWICE AS LONG for a championship, as us DETROIT LION fans have.    Then again, they didn’t have to put up with Matt Millen.  I’ll call it a draw.

Go Cubs.

WOOD-TV 8 Sports Office predictions for the upcoming NFL season:

Jack Doles  (5-11)

Larry Figurski (9-7)

                                   Jason Terzis (6-10)

                                   John Richard (7-9)

                                   Ty Hallock (8-8)

What’s yours?

Alright, I admit it, I’m drinking the Lions Kool-Aid… again.  
In the 11 years I’ve known Jason Terzis, the one phrase he’s said to me more often than any other is, “I can’t believe your already/still drinking the Lions Kool-Aid”.   Each season I’m berated and laughed at for my “blind” loyalty to the “worst run franchise in the N.F.L.”, the Detroit Lions.  The fact is, I can’t help it.  I have been a diehard Lions fan ever since my father, a fellow diehard Lion fan, introduced me to the team in the late 1960’s.  

In all honesty, I have been more “hopeful” than “optimistic” in recent years (for all the obvious reasons) but this season I am optimistic again.  While I’m still not a fan of Matt Millen the General Manager, or William Clay Ford Senior the Owner, I believe in Rod (Marinelli).  I believe the running game will succeed (relatively).  I believe the new running philosophy WILL help both the wide receivers, and MORE IMPORTANTLY, the defense.   I believe the SPEED of the defense will help make up for it’s lack of overall talent.  Ultimately, I believe the Lions will have a winning record for the first time this century.  Granted, 9-7 is closer to mediocre than good, but considering they’ve gone 31-81 in the Matt Millen era, it would be a huge step… throw in a couple of breaks or good bounces, and it might even turn into a playoff birth.  There, I said it.

As Jason said live on Sports Overtime this past Sunday…  “Well it looks like someone’s drinking the Honolulu Blue and Silver Kool-Aid again.  Larry Figurski believes the Lions will finish with a winning record this season, at 9-7.  Like Notre Dame fans (with their team) Larry always picks the Lions to finish better than they really do, meaning the Lions will finish worst than 9-7 this season.”

Working in a sports office with a diehard Bears fan (Jack Doles grew up in Chicago) and a Steelers fan (Jason grew up in Connecticut, near New York, but apparently liked the Pittsburgh uniforms) I have taken more than my share of “Lion” grief during the past decade, and may be setting myself up for more.  However, Jason told me recently, that IF the Lions ACTUALLY finish without a losing record this season, he will make a public apology to me and the rest of you Kool-Aid drinkers, LIVE on Sports Overtime at the end of the regular season.   Be sure to roll the DVR’s and TIVOs.