Tiger, Tiger, Tiger...

... what did a little bit of ice do to you? Is it the fact that it's white? I mean seriously.. for a public sports figure to make such an ignorant comment is just ridiculous. If you don't know what Im talking about, you can peep this. Last Monday, Tiger was asked who he thought would win the Stanley Cup... his response : "I don't really care. I don't think anyone watches hockey anymore, do they?"

First off, Hockey may not be as popular in the U.S. as other sports like football or baseball, but this years Stanley Cup ratings show that many people indeed still do watch hockey. NBC had the highest ratings since 2003 for the cup finals this year.

Second, take that sport you call golf and take it to Canada, Europe or Asia and see how many people care. Bet more care about hockey in those places than they do about people hitting a ball with a crooked stick.

Third, as a public sports figure and someone who makes their living off sports, don't you think you should pick your words a little more carefully? No matter if the statement is true or false, you have an image to uphold. And if you don't try to maintain that image by silencing your run-on-mouth, then you are basically giving the sports world a big old middle figure, while patting yourself on the back with the other hand.

Its ok Tiger, the laugh will come when the NHL invited you to a game next year, and you make a public comment apologizing for your remarks.

And thats a wrap!

Well, Im a little late on this one so I apologize for that. As expected, the Rangers were disposed of by the Penguins over the weekend. As disappointing as that was, it capped a good season for the Bullshirts who continue to evolve and improve as a contender in the NHL.

Now, the off season awaits. Which for a hockey fan, can be fairly interesting.

+ First up - Re-signing potential free agents that could become available July 1st during free agent month. Biggest unanswered questions; Jagr, Shanny and Avery. Jagr said he wants to come back.. if he comes back to the NHL. ie- He will test the open market, but probably sign with the Rangers. If thats the case, I expect them to part with Shanny although Im not sure I would endorse that. He may not be a 1st line winger anymore, but a 4th line winger, he could do nicely. And Avery.. goes like this. He is asking too much.. and he needs NYR just as much as they need him. He will not find such success elsewhere. So he will lower is price and re-sign. Now, that leaves a handful of D-men which for sure, some won't be back. But who? Backman, Rosival, Malik and Mara all are up in the air.

+ Then, in the midst of that, there is the Draft on June 20th that, while not as interesting or impactful as the NFL draft, still is worth keeping up with. Lots of young kids could make an impact. Rangers pick 20th.

+ Then there is Free Agent month which spans all of July, starting (obviously) July 1st. Last year, the Rangers added Gomez and Drury and made a huge splash. Look this year for them to make a move for either A- A winger for Gomez. Hossa anyone? B- A power D-man, potentially Brian Campbell. Both could be a stretch, but also could be in the realm of possibility. If the cap exceeds 55Mil, then we have a lot of room to make moves, especially if Jarg or Shanny walk freeing up at least 2-4 mil, and Mara and Malik walk.. freeing up an extra 5 mil of cap space. Should be a fun fun weak, as the first weak is always the best. Hell, the first DAY is the best.

+ Then there is training camp, which doesn't start till Sept, but news of who is invited from the younger group of kids on the Wolfpack will gear up at the end of August. Training camp goes thru Sept, with cuts being made along the way for the final square to begin the season in Oct.

So as you can see, there really is no true long off season in Hockey. And thank god for that. What else do I have to do besides follow this shit :)

End of an Era?

Would be a shame if tonight was the last game for Jagr and Shannahan, although it seems very likely, if not tonight, sometime in the next week unless a comeback of monumental proportions happen. Truth is, they are being beaten by a better team, but don't deserve to go out like this. They played a great Game 3 and the series should be 2-1. But its not, and tonight may be the end of the Rangers season. Put your rally caps on, tonight will be a hot one.

A memory that lasts a lifetime

No, unfortunately I didn't meat Shawn Avery.. but a friend of a friend did. And its worth noting that Avery has so much hate for Martin Brodeur that he mentions him in his autograph. Hate runs deep. Good times!

Other news.. the Rangers best lock it up in Game 3 & 4 vs the Pens. Great showing thus far, with neither team out playing the other. Good ol' hockey that could go either way. Lets hope those games go our way so I can see Crosby try a few more of his Greg Louganis impressions. Have a great Monday ya'll.

Pittsburgh or Bust

Well, I was hoping it wouldn't come to this, but Washington's Failure to get it done tonight vs the Flyers means we are headed to Pittsburgh. There is a part of me that believes the Rangers can win against anyone.. Pittsburgh included. And that this won't be an easy series for either team. There is another part that is scared to play them of course, because Pittsburgh is ultra hot. There are things to look at, things to take into consideration, but in the end, all the stats (Rangers are 5-3-0 vs Pitt this season), numbers (Rangers were unbeaten at home this season vs Pitt, but playoff hockey is a very different game), talking (actually, Geoff and I will not be talking the entire playoff series) and BS (Geoff thinks the Pens will breeze past this round, sadly mistaken. Then again, he has a man purse, so how can you trust him really) only really means so much. The fate rest in each teams hands. Start prepping now, this is going to be a hot one. At least we know it will all be a blast no matter what happens. I love the playoffs!

Mild Heart Attack Averted

Its quite possible I will suffer some sort "attack" during the playoffs due to high blood pressure, over anxiousness, or just a general nail bitting excitement. While my buddy Geoff ate bon bons watching the Pens skate circles around Ottawa, I was jumping, yelling and screaming at the TV for most of the 60 minutes when the Rangers took on the Devils in round one of the Stanly Cup Playoffs.

For anyone that doesn't or hasn't watched a playoff hockey game, they really need to. Its vastly different from the regular season in more ways than one. 1) Experience really does help and until you see a rookie easily and nervously get thrown off his game, you won't understand why. 2) The intensity level is unmatched.. every shift counts, every check finished and every bit of emotion is worn on the players sleeve. 3) The fans are into it from opening face off until the final buzzer.

For much of the first 2 periods in the Rangers Devils game.. it was even matched. Equal hitting, play going back and forth, momentum swinging in both directions - it was a nerve racking experience. Just the kind of hockey that will give me gray hairs. I was on the edge of my seat most of the time, and thats no joke. In the Third thou.. the Rangers turned it on and dominated.. making "Marty the diver" pay for his weak ass mistakes. Backman, Sjostrom and Staal got to experience the joy of the playoff win. Callahan and Dawes got their first NHL playoff goals... which was extra cool for me to see, because although it was an empty neat goal for Dawes.. it was the veteran Shanahan who passed up the empty neater to pass it to Dawes so he could get his first Play off goal. All Class. But the biggest X Factor.. good ol' scottie gomez.. who haunted his ex-team mates by providing 3 Assists during the game. My boy Avery even chipped one in. All in all.. a great night.

Now, if I can just get thru the next game without falling over from the stress of each period... I just may make it to June to see who wins this damn thing. :op

It's Playoff time!

It's playoff time.. and that means one thing.... don't interrupt my games. No phone calls.. no plans.. no working late.. NADA! Rangers could secure home ice over the weekend, but we did secure our spot playing the Devils in our first round match up. My prediction - Rangers is 6.

No. 4 New Jersey Devils vs. No. 5 New York Rangers
Wednesday, April 9, NY Rangers at New Jersey, 7 p.m.
Friday, April 11, NY Rangers at New Jersey, 7 p.m.
Sunday, April 13, New Jersey at NY Rangers, 7 p.m.
Wednesday, April 16, New Jersey at NY Rangers, 7 p.m.
Friday, April, 18, NY Rangers at New Jersey, 7:30 p.m.
Sunday, April 20, New Jersey at NY Rangers, TBD
Tuesday, April 22, NY Rangers at New Jersey, TBD

The Final 10

How important is each goal? The picture says it all-- Excitement and utter disbelief all with two hockey players

Not exactly Final Four time... its better. The last ten hockey games of the regular season. What an exciting time. Teams all within a few points of each other. Loosing or winning the next few can be the difference between gearing up for sold out playoff crowds or penciling in your tee times for the summer.

Right now, the Rangers are in a fight for 6th in the east looking like they will indeed make the playoffs, but by how much can change drastically. New Jersey, who is first in the East, still has not clinched a playoff spot, and in theory, still could not make the playoffs, if you follow numbers that is. They will. But teams like Buffalo, Philly (my new most hated team) and Washington are all on the cusp.

I'm pulling for Washington in the final 8th spot and hoping the Rangers secure 6th gaining a first round match up with the Hurricanes. Pulling for the Pens too but hope they don't have to play the Rangers in the first round, as my friendship with two buddies will no doubt be put on hold if they do. Even if you are not a huge hockey fan, try and catch a game on Verses sometime soon (I think the Rangers play the Flyers this coming Tuesday) and watch the excitement.

A Classic Idea

Well, New Years Day brought about the return of the outdoor hockey game, know as the Winter Classic. The last one, which was held in Canada a few years back; billed as the Heritage Classic, was a success and was received fairly well by hockey fans. So this year, they decided to convert Ralph Wilson Stadium in Buffalo into an outdoor hockey rink so that the Pittsburgh Penguins and Buffalo Sabers could do battle in front of 71,000 thousand people.

The Positive
The game came and went and in my option, it was a fantastic showing. The success, and what I believe to be the key success, is the fact that having an game like this is a great thing for the sport of hockey, especially in the United States. People both in the arena and on TV, were exposed to hockey like never before. This can only be a plus for a game who's viewer ship is among the lowest of the big sports (IE- Football, Basketball and Baseball). And to have Sidney Crosby, the new face of the NHL, in the game AND score the game winner in a shoot out, was a plus as well. It challenges college football bowl games, sure, but competition is good right? The atmosphere was truly incredible yesterday. Hearing 71,000+ on their feet cheering, braving the weather and elements to watch hockey, was amazing. People tuning in can hear that and see that, and to some extent, feel it. Hell, I don't particularly like either of these teams enough to root for them and I watched the whole game and was genuinely excited when Crosby scored and the Pens won. It did gain the highest ratings on any hockey game since 1996, which is pretty damn impressive for an experiment.

The Negative
The conditions on the ice were less than favorable. Pucks would not move nearly as fast on the ice surface that was getting covered by snow during the game. And we are talking serious Buffalo snow too. Passes were intercepted, if they made it at all and shots didn't have any mustard behind them. Even Crosby's game winner looked like it disappeared into the snow before it reappeared in the net. Also, one of the key things about hockey and why it draws many fans, is its speed. That was lost yesterday when not only the above mention was happening, but also they had to stop often to resurface the ice halfway thru the periods (something not normally done in hockey) and also to re-patch holes in the ice. This disrupted the flow of the game, and the players mentality to really get into the game. The intermission announcers; Costas and Milbury were awful and I dreaded every time they came on.

The Verdict
The game of hockey needs a game like this once a year, if for nothing else than a marketing and new fan interest standpoint. The passion, the excitement, the speed, the thrill of the game.. it all gets presented live to millions, some of whom would otherwise not watch hockey. If yesterday afternoon gain a handful of fans, it was worth it. Yeah, there are the counterpoints of the possibility of injury due to weather and ice conditions. But hell, this is a sport where fighting is encouraged. There is the counterpoint of the weather itself and what if it got so bad they couldn't play. Or shoudl this game even count in the standings seeing as its so different from a regular game. But when the Buffalo coach, who lost mind you, says "The hell with the cynics" after the game, that shows you that passion and excitement win and in the end even the players don't really mind. One ESPN writer brought up the notion of replacing the All Star Game with the Winter Classic. Also a good option to consider and something they may be able to tack on to all star weekend. But either way, I hope they bring this game back year after year on New Years Day. It can only be positive press and coverage for the NHL and expand the fan base and popularity in the United States.

---> View more photos <----

Well Well Well.. ya douche

So if you have actually read anything Ive written on this blog about hockey, you know I have a huge problem with Scott Niedermayer of the Anaheim Mighty Ducks. This dick lick can't make up his mind whether or not he wants to play hockey this year, or retire. So now its about 1/3 thru the season and tanto here decides he wants to play again. Really happy for the guy on Defense that has worked hard to be on the team this year until some old man decides he wants to come back and play and that poor guy has to sit on the bench. Lucky the Rangers don't get out there to Cali more often or Avery and Orr woudl put a beating on this clown. Hope you break your leg * waves *

If a photo could say it all

Excitement of scoring, combined the aggravation of being score upon. Good times!

And today's "F You ya douche" award goes to.....

.... Scott Niedermayer of the Anaheim Ducks. For those that don't know.. Scotty won a cup last year with the Ducks, his brother was on the team with him. His contract is up. Great way to go out on top, although he is only 34. So in the off season, he said he needs some time to decide whether or not to play. Thats all well and good, I'm with you there champ. Enjoy drinking wine out of the cup when you get possession for 24 hours. Have a fun summer off.

So this brings us to the start of training camp, in which he did not attend, as he was still making up his mind whether he still wants to play. Fast forward a few weeks to the start of the season, to which he was still making up his mind. Thats where I draw the line. I don't know about you, but If I was someone else on the Duck's, especially a rookie or a 2nd /3rd year player, I would be annoyed as hell. Here is a guy, who can't decide if he wants to play, asking the team to wait for his decision while he makes up his damn mind. Listen, shit or get off the pot, either you play or you don't, its that simple. But don't leave the team hanging while you attend parent teach conferences deciding if you are going to lace up the skates for one more year. You had 3 months during the off season to do that.

Now either 1 of 2 things will happen.
1- He doesn't come back, in which case the team will move on, as they already have as a fall back. He goes out on Top, although IMO a bit on the lame side as it took him way too long to decide.

2- He decides to come back, in which case, someone is getting less ice team because of it and pissing some people off, because again, he took too long to make up his mind in the first place.

So this brings us to today, in which case he has started practicing with the Ducks, while still... wait for it... MAKING UP HIS MIND! Listen, I understand its tough deciding if you want to stay at home with the fam and count your money, or count our money while you're playing for the team again. But don't come back (while the Duck's are sucking BTW.. coincidence? ) and give some half ass hope you may return. Do the right thing pal.. you went out in a blaze of glory.. now let the rooks have a chance. Taking as long as you have to decide if you still have the passion to play shows me that its best if your apply your "passion"towards purchasing some season tickets and chilling from the sidelines. Thanks for the memories, ya douche.

Thats what the F$#$K Im talking about!

So, for all the doubters about the High priced Rangers in their first few games of the season, lets just recap last night shall we?

+ Avery fought 54 seconds into the game. Thats the way you show the Flyers that this is OUR yard! View the Pic

+ In the five wins on the home stand, Henrik Lundqvist has allowed two goals. He has four shutouts in 14 games.

+ The PK has squashed 22 straight power-plays, including the No. 3-ranked Flyers three times last night.

+ Jaromir Jagr was a question mark till game time, but bounced back with a laser of a shot for a goal and an assist.

+ Jagr has five multiple-point games and 13 points.

+ Shanahan has 3 goals and two assists in the last four games.

+ Gomez had an assist and has a three-game scoring streak.

Next up... the Islanders Tonight! I love Hockey on HD!

Way to get one boys!

On Monday, after getting a couple of teeth knocked out by an errant puck, Jagr netted the winner in the Rangers' 3-1 victory over the Lightning at Madison Square Garden. He didn't even miss a shift. Bloody lip and all. My new hero Nigel Dawes also scored yet another goal and everyone played solid!

Afterward, the toothless wonder joked: "Halloween is coming up, so I won't need a mask."

Now if I can just get into my job today like Im getting into hockey.. it will be a win for everyone ;)

Why Brendan Shanahan is the man..

Ive said it before, and Ill say it again... this guy might be 38, but he is a hell of a hockey player and a great leader!

"There's no quit in this room. Our determination to turn this around is not wavering at all. This is a good group.

"So I'd say to our fans, 'Have faith in us. Stick with us. We're going to battle our way through this, and we're going to make you proud of us.' "

Read the Full article here (don't worry, its short)

Thanks for letting me down guys!

Sure enough, the first Ranger game I watch or attend, they lose to a winless Thrashers. Great Third period action, but by then, it was too late. Oh, well, at least there are 75 games left to redeem ourselves.

And the Season begins

Hockey season that is. I was away on my Honeymoon when the official kick off happened, but seeing as I have not be able to watch my team, the New York Rangers in action yet, tonight it Unofficially, officially kicks off for me. I enjoy the hell out of hockey. I played for 11 years back in NY and seriously am considering trying to get my fat, lazy, out of shape ass out there again. By thats a topic for another day.

Watching hockey in Atlanta is always interesting. We have a lot of new fans here, which is ok with me as anytime the hockey audience grows, I'm on board with it. However, I would be lying if I didn't say it's absolutely hilarious to hear they way some of them talk about hockey. Me and 2 other friends have partial season tickets for the Thrashers and hearing people around us refer to hockey players by their first name; "Go Greg!", or explaining to each other "Icing", or my favorite "Shoot the puck!". Yeah, thanks for that pearl of wisdom Bo...go back to playing your Xbox.. and poorly at that.

Now, if the Rangers can just get their top lines to gel, we might be in for a great season ahead of us. And with no less than 3 attempts to have Comcast hook up the Center Ice package, Ill be able to watch all the games. Now thats "Icing" on the cake.