Is Palin courting the Latino vote?

ps -My favorite part of last night's game was the one I was most dreading - the ceremonial puck drop with Gov. Palin. Traditionally the opposing team's captains meet in center ice for the event/photo op, but in this case our captain Chris Drury had the good sense to bow out practically forcing Alaskan hero Scottie Gomez to take his place. Palin must never have seen Drury pitching the win in the Little League World Series or should would have shown some dissapointment over the switch. As it happens she, daughters Willow and Ruthie - I mean Piper (love that girl) - look like they're meeting Cary Grant. That's some state loyalty! I wish they had employed a split screen of Drury watching the proceedings. I bet his expression was more entertaining than any interview he's ever given. Speaking of interviews, Gomez gives a pretty good one today in the New York Post. It doesn't hurt that this one is written, so we don't have to look at his ever present smirk. I still have trouble embracing Gomez as a Ranger, but I like him better every time he gives more heart and less Devil. Speaking of the Devils, Gomez always shows up well against his former team, I believe to convince us he isn't here as an evil saboteur. I'm still not %100 sure of his loyalty, so he had better show me his A game tomorrow night. I want to believe in you Scottie.

pss- Your Grandma loves you.

4-0 and it sure feels good!

After the Montreal game last year and Game 1 v. Pittsburgh, no lead seems safe, but through some diligent penalty killing and terrific goaltending by the fabulously frosted Vali the Rangers survived the dreaded 4 goal lead last night. My man Zherdev opened up the scoring then the best fourth line ever Freddie-Betts-Orr potted two goals. You know you're having a great night when Betts puts up two points. I say that with love. And we held on with that same line's gritty PK. Love it. Please let the winning continue. No wins for Brodeur on our watch.

164 Points?

I like winning. I like clapping until my hands are red and throbbing. I like men in blue, red and white uniforms. I like raised sticks.

Last night all was good and great at the Garden. There was scoring, fights. Henrik played like a King. I ate and drank too much then came home and did it again to celebrate. Good times.

Thank heaven for hockey season.

Now let's rinse and repeat tonight against the Flyers. Our good guys will be in white. Let's hope they prevail!

Presidents' Trophy here we come!

So yeah, I hope y'all had a great summer. There wasn't much to like or to report about my decimated Rangers, so I said, "Fuck it!" and haven't written in nearly 3 months. Even the start of training camp was too dull to cover. The interviews were unbelievably bland (I'm looking at you Henrik with a sparkle and a wink, which YOU clearly left in Sweden!). The MSG season preview skipped anyone with personality. Sather keeps dangling Shanahan over our heads with the possible promise of someone handsome, charming and angry representing the team. The Rangers couldn't even win a preseason game without J and myself in the audience. Thank god for Europe (the region, not the band). Winning will heal most grievances and we swept our four game trip overseas, so thank you Rangers for pulling it together. Maybe we won't need personality if every postgame is a celebration. It definitely feels good to be at the top of the league even if it's only for a few more days.

The good times started for the Rangers with two exhibition games in Switzerland. I propose that the fabulous showing there was kharmically predestined by Swiss super athlete Roger Federer winning the US Open. Now the two things don't have much to do with each other, but in my sports world July was ruined with Sather's dismissal of my favorite players and Federer's loss at Wimbledon, so obviously I view Roger's dominence at the Open (thanks to me in Arthur Ashe I'm sure) as heralding a positive shift in sports mysticism. I think because I was able to witness Roger kissing the beautiful Open trophy this fall (and perhaps 08-09) will be blessed with all good things. Is this too new agey?

So yeah, Switzerland. After scoring 2 goals in all 6 North American pre-season games and going 1-5, the Rangers rout the Swiss team 8-1. Everyone on the teams scores, it's beautiful. Then the Rangers crush the hopes of Russian champions Metallurg Magnitogorsk by rebounding from 3 zip down to win 4-3 with the beauty Callahan game winner clicking in at 19:39 in the 3rd. The Russians are crying and I'm not sure if it's because they lost out on $100,000 bonuses or because the
KHL (read KGB) plan to hurt their families because they lost!

In a move than can be seen as both classy and dickish, Drury and Gomez decided to let Russian Rangers Zherdev and Kalinen accept this trophy. It's pretty ugly, but it makes a great logo, especially when it used as a Charlie's Angels style wipe during the broadcast. I was just happy to see Zherdev's face because the Rangers hide him away like his lack of English is a major deformity. He's obviously well formed and MSG and the Rangers should know by now that foreigners speaking English poorly is a comic delight and a thrill for fans all over this great nation. Why deny us? I think Zherdev may be my favorite new player aside from Henrik. I'll know for sure when I hear his accent, so get on it John Giannone!

On to Prague. Drury's named captain, and despite his blandness I think he'll make a good one. I'm hoping for great, but we'll see what happens. In my mind I've made him the Atticus Finch of the NHL. I think he's gonna be the a quiet but supportive dad to this team. He's gonna personally teach Zherdev to read, write and speak English, he's gonna convince Dubinsky to abandon his rough trade look (which is somehow worse this season), He's gonna learn Colton Orr scoring touch, and he's gonna keep Redden off the pipe. What a guy- go to it Drury!

We went on to win our first two games that count against Tampa "We'll buy any player available" Bay. The Ace of Base mojo works for fellow Swede Naslund because he scored just moments after "The Sign" shuffled onto my Pod. Thank you Naslund, thank you Pod gods. Henrik played great keeping his GAA nice and low. Thank you Henrik.

Dubinsky, Redden and Gomez chipped in with the other goals. Notice his teammates avert their eyes from Gomer's face. He can perform, but jeesh he's no looker!

The team's looking solid despite a surplus of forwards (note to Sather: Please don't dump Freddie! We love him). Onto the home opener against Chicago. J and I will be in the house. I'm hoping to stay at the top of league for as long as we can manage - shooting for April, hoping for June. Let's go Rangers!

Aloha Aloha!

Yes, Ted Nolan has been fired from the Isles. Maybe he didn't think DiPietro's wife was good enough for him. Wait is DiP even married? Maybe that was the problem.

Also Hollweg was shipped off to Toronto. They like to play dirty, so his tendency to charge players into the boards will be fostered rather than discouraged up there. Let's just say I won't miss him too much, but I'm not looking forward to playing against him either. I'm a little worried that there's a Rangers conspiracy against asthma sufferers and that Hollweg's buddy in weezing, Blair Betts, is next on the chopping block. With the signing of Dan Fritsche there's a serious surplus of centers and it would break my heart a little to see Betts cut loose from the team. I can't account for it, I just love him.

Make Room for Shanny!

With the burning loss of Avery, Tyuts, Straka and our beloved Jagr, I'm having trouble wrapping my head and heart around the new team. As it stands we're grazing the top of the cap, but I pray they find some green for Shanahan. I need me just one of my favorite guys (save Henrik and Freddie). Naslund seems sweet, but I don't know him. There's no way he has the charming menace of Shanny. Just make it happen Sather. Move Hollweg, whatever you have to do.

True Blue to Hash Tan

What's this team gonna look like? Sather is draining every bit of color from my Rangers. I mean Henrik's handsome but he's not exactly known for his post-game quips. I'm really gonna miss Avery and Tyuts like a mo' fo'. You know Tyutin had a little cry yesterday like he did after losing to Buffalo and I love him for it. I wish I could have a for real fantasy team of all my favorite Ranger players since I've been following the Blueshirts. Who wouldn't want to see Sandy McCarthy and Sean Avery on the same team?

All I can say is thank God for Marat Safin!

very expensive agency

I can't say if Sather made the right moves on the first day of free agency. Did he get the best price for the best players? I have no idea, but I do know he scored the single hottest player available on the market, Wade Redden. I expect nothing less. I've been pining for Mr. Redden to join my Blueshirts since I first saw him, so I'm happy enough with his 6.5 million pricetag. Now if only Sather can work some magic to retain the very attractive trio of Jagr, Avery and Shanahan I'll be very happy. I know that's a little unrealistic, but he's gotta try for all three because the locker room will be a very somber place without them. Redden's almost as quiet as Drury and Gomez is no spokesman. Maybe Freddie will give all the interviews.

new boys

So I watched many hours of the NHL draft this weekend, and it was an even more fruitless endeavor than usual. My central scouting report generally consists of, "Hey that kid is cute, let's pick him," but this year I couldn't even tell how foxy our picks were because apart from the first round they never showed them. Bettman's already trying to pretend the Rangers don't exist by banishing coverage of them on the NHL channel! They were not seen, not covered, hardly mentioned. Fuck off back to your PT Cruiser dealership Bettman.
Actually I did research some of these prospects and was disheartened to lose out on Kyle Beach, who went to the Blackhawks with the 11th pick. I had heard this before, but the talking heads kept taunting me by constantly describing him as a 6'3" cross between Shanahan and Avery which roughly translates into dreamboat. At least he's in the western conference and will probably get the opportunity to play next year.
Not only do we not have the new Avery, we may not have the real Avery. It's looking like he won't be donning a blueshirt next season and every report breaks my heart. Luckily I can medicate my pain this summer with MVP - He Shoots, She Scores, my new favorite show. Turns out "Who Taught You to Live Like That?" penned by the excellent Jay Ferguson of Sloan is actually the theme song. Then one of the storylines involves the very cute captain of the team trying to romance a bumbling virgin. Wait a minute, did I write this show? Admittedly MVP is a pretty poor soap opera, but not bad enough for me to stop watching. My favorite story line is the team slut/asshole who tapes his numerous sexual encounters and keeps them in his TV cabinet. Thanks to Jane's keen eye it turns out Damon has a few surprises in his tape collection including a Rico AND a Sidney!!! Very funny stuff. But Mr. Sather, you know I have it in me to enjoy MVP and a resigning of Avery, Jagr and Shanahan in the next week.

He's shoots. We score!

So tonight is the US premiere of the nighttime soap opera MVP on Soapnet. It's already been cancelled in Canada, but that will not deter me from enjoying the stuffing out of it. As if they hadn't already drawn me in with locker room intrigue, they used a Sloan song in one of the promos. Hopefully I'll be seeing Sloan in person at 11pm when it premieres, but I'm all over this ASAP.

Also here's a couple of quick links for fun articles:
Larry Brooks sounds off on NHL Refs, Sidney Crosby and Canada's self-love in last Sunday's column: http:www.nypost.com/seven/06152008/sports/nhl_o_pen_to_criticism__too_115521.htm

The Onion has this gem:
http://www.theonion.com/content/news/chris_osgood_gets_to_third_base

And lastly Sean Avery leaves us with the tastiest vision this June in People magazine:
http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20207539,00.html
What are the chances that Sather will let Avery select the first draft pick tomorrow night? In a speedo maybe, a Rangers speedo of course.