I have no idea why, but ESPN sent me this photo of Barry Melrose and the Most Interesting Man in the World. ——————————————— Forty-five days until Opening Night. 45: Bob Gibson, who was the freakin’ man. The man. 45: Jody Shelley. 45: Mark Freer, who I believe was wearing that… Read More →
The League That Ate Itself As a huge hockey fan, July 1 is an oasis. Hockey hype in the middle of baseball season. Cool thoughts on a hot day. In the past, especially for NYR fans, it has been a very important day. Since the days of Neil Smith, the… Read More →
I’m not going to go on and on about a topic that was discussed yesterday: That the Rangers will trot out another “third jersey” which would make this one their sixth or seventh or eighth jersey, actually. I’ve lost count. If it’s going to be a throwback, that’s fine and… Read More →
Goin’ golfin’ but I’ll be around for most of the next two weeks, and with more time to hang out here at RR since I won’t have to do any other work … Hah! I have scheduled a few guest bloggers to fill in some holes. Youse who are guesting,... Read More →
Forty nine days until Opening Night. 49: Ron Guidry. His 25-3 season (all three losses to pitchers named Mike; can you name them?) was one of the best pitching seasons I’ve ever seen, along with Bob Gibson’s and Dwight Gooden’s. Any others, besides all the San Francisco 49ers? ——————————————————— We… Read More →
No, that’s not some version of Sam I am. I was at a football practice yesterday and randomly bumped into the real Blogfather, or the Grandblogfather, of this blog: The great Sam Weinman and his boy Charlie. He told me of some great news. That Pat’s Hubba Hubba is still… Read More →
Been a long week for me. How about you? There are 51 days remaining until Opening Night. 51: Bernie Williams. 51: Dick Butkus. 51: Randy Johnson. ———————————————————————— Meanwhile, this is the shortest haircut I’ve had in 51 years, since my parents used to scalp us with a buzz trimmer then… Read More →
At this Research Camp the NHL is running this week, there’s talk about how to reduce the number of games decided by that silly skills competition that knocked your boys out of the playoffs last spring. Here’s a story from Yahoo.com. ————————————————————————- Fifty-two days left until Opening Night. 52: Dustin… Read More →
First, 53 days remaining until Opening Night. 53: Don Drysdale. ——————————————————————————- Got this from Steiner Sports: MESSIER, LEMIEUX, HOWE, LEETCH, GRAVES, HULL AND MORE TO APPEAR AT IONA COLLEGE’S MULCAHY GYM SATURDAY, SEPT. 25TH AT 10 AM FOR STEINERFEST IV: HOCKEY GREATS HOCKEY HEROES AND LEGENDS TO SIGN AUTOGRAPHS, MEET… Read More →
Fifty-four days left until Opening Night in Buffalo. 54: Goose Gossage. —————————————————————- Hey, Boneheads, I’ve got more vacation coming starting Aug. 23, next Monday. I’m going to be around and will post from time to time. But if anybody wants to do a guest post, here’s another chance to do… Read More →
Aw, I don’t know what to say anymore. This is about as slow a time as there is for hockey watchers. Oooh, Oooh, did the Leafs trade Kaberle? This is what passes for big news in the middle of August. On the positive side, 55 days remain until the opener… Read More →
Fifty-six days until Opening Night in Buffalo. (You ready, Sally?!) I’m not going to give you the obvious 56 … who last I checked is still in a world of trouble, and who once tried to fight a colleague of mine, Ernie Palladino, who maybe stands 5-foot-5. No, my 56… Read More →
Fifty-seven days until Opening Night in Buffalo. I’ll let you guys figure out which athletes wore No. 57 … I think Steve Howe did for the Yankees. Anybody else? Otherwise, I can only think of Heinz 57. Hope to have a hockey thought at some point today, but not betting… Read More →
Here’s a game some of used to play in the pressbox … only we did it at the end of non-playoff seasons, not before a season. There are 58 days remaining until opening night (Oct. 9 in Buffalo). Each day try to come up with a well-known athlete who wore… Read More →
Over at MSG.com, Stan Fischler has the first of a two-part interview with the Rangers coach, John Tortorella. Other than that, I’ve got nothing except a lot of work piled on the plate today. Hope to stop back later on.
Hockey, hockey, hockey. While watching three different sporting events yesterday, I was reminded of this fine game on ice. First, during Golf Channel’s pre-PGA Championship press conferences I heard Sam Weinman asking questions at Whistling Straits in Wisconsin. Just hearing his voice got me thinking about the good old days… Read More →
Now what happens after the arbitration-upheld rejection of the Ilya Kovalchuk contract? Does anybody really think the NHL will go after the contracts of Chris Pronger, Marian Hossa, Roberto Luongo and Marc Savard, as some have suggested. Would the league have the guts to un-do a contract under which a… Read More →
According to my buddy Tom Gulitti’s twitter, the arbitrator has ruled in favor of the league in the Ilya Kovalchuk case. In other words, his contract has been rejected and he’s an unrestricted free agent again. Thoughts? ———————————————————— Here’s the NHL’s reaction: DEPUTY COMMISSIONER BILL DALY STATEMENT REGARDING DECISION BY… Read More →
Well, today there’s the Ilya Kovalchuk decision, we think. Or everybody thinks. It will be very, very interesting going forward if the arbitrator rules that the NHL was just to nullify the Devils’ clever, but apparently legal, contract. If so, then what happens? Does L.A. suddenly get involved again? The… Read More →
It’s really getting slow now, isn’t it? It’s the annual calm before the training camp storms. A few days ago, the Rangers’ web site had this interview with Marian Gaborik, who discussed the new players the Rangers have acquired, including former Minnesota teammates Todd White and Derek Boogaard. In the… Read More →
