April 30, 2008 10:40 PM

Wings over Cherry Creek

I don't report too many celebrity sightings at bars, restaurants or night clubs. Guess I'm more of a shopping mall-barber shop-ATM machine celeb sightings kind of guy.

But Wednesday night I had a first-hand encounter with the Detroit Red Wings. Apparently they're lodging in Cherry Creek. Coaches dined in a private room at Prime 121 restaurant across from the J.W. Marriott hotel.

Meanwhile, the players gathered at Elway's restaurant. I know they were Red Wings players because I stopped to speak to Darren McCarty. We chatted for a couple of minutes -- and not much at all about the series with the Avalanche.

We talked more about the NFL draft than anything. Being a Detroit guy (well, he plays in Detroit, but was born in Burnaby, B.C. -- Joe Sakic's hometown) McCarty brought up the first pick in the draft -- University of Michigan tackle Jake Long. Then we talked about the size of Long, and the size of NFL offensive and defensive linemen in general.

McCarty made me laugh when he said hockey players have a "fear" of seeing football linemen on skates one day. Then I told him that I have much respect for hockey players because of their ability to skate in "bursts" -- on the ice flying at how-many-miles per hour, off the ice for a blow, back on the ice at full speed . . . for at least 60 minutes a game.

During the time McCarty and I talked, his teammate, Jiri Hudler, kept an eye on me. Hudler is a native of the Czech Republic, so maybe he wasn't understanding a word of the conversation.

Or maybe Hudler was checking me out, to make sure I did nothing to jinx the Red Wings.

You know, sprinkle a little bad luck salt on the steak, or a little not-feel-so-good pepper on the salad and -- poof -- the Avalanche win Game 4.

Well, that's not how I roll. But hey, Avs Fan -- maybe a simple handshake was enough to put a hex on the Red Wings for at least one game.

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