I knew it was coming. I've seen it up close in my own family. I can tell you from my own experience that knowing it's going to happen doesn't lessen the impact when it happens. I am still haunted by the images burned into my mind of my Mom's last few hours. In an extreme show of courage and strength, she made sure she was on her feet the last time I saw her alive. Roger Neilson's passing has brought back memories I'm never sure how to feel about.

Roger

I met Captain Video once.....well, I didn't exactly meet him as bump into him at Nassau before a Rangers vs. Islanders game in 1990. It was the last game my Dad and I saw together in NY. (We have been to games in Tampa) Captain Video and some others were walking up from ice level as we were headed down to watch warm ups. I said hello but wasn't sure who it was. He gave me a big smile and said hello back. "Um....I think that......". "Yes, that was the coach, you didn't even know it, did you". My Dad loves it when I'm an idiot in public. Hey, I knew he was someone....and I did say hello.

My wife refers to all coaches in any sport as the "worrying guy". That comes from when Roger was behind the bench for us (and my wife, girlfriend then actually watched the games) and she said that he always looked worried. She asked, "Is that his job....to worry ?"

How do you answer that ?...... I said yes.

Here's some links on Roger.

Slam

Sportsnet

Canada.com

Globe and Mail

Rob sent in this link on the Huge One.

Here's the Rangers page as they hype today's draft picks.

----}- Bird

Recent Articles Pond Hockey, The Movie I Made A Birdie

Toby the Great and Other Stories

NHL Tickets NY Rangers Tickets New Jersey Devils Tickets

Web Hockeybird.com