Hockeybird.com: Dressed for success?

First things first, the Rangers lost to the Blue Jackets by a score of 3-2 last night, both Ranger goals coming late in the 3rd period. Lindros scored on a penalty shot and got into a fight within a minute and a half at the very end of the game. That minute and a half was probably more active than his last nine months of hockey combined.

And while I'm sure everyone knows this already, in the off-chance you've been hot air ballooning around the world and just got back today, the Rangers play the same Blue Jackets at MSG tonight and the game will be televised on the MSG Network. Pre-season or not, I know where I'll be at 7 o'clock. I'll also have a report card after the game, which will probably be both late and sloppy. It's pre-season for me, too.

Now, "dressed for success," you ask? According to Uncle Larry at the Post, Glen Sather has instituted a dress code for the team, as well as some other rules concerning their off-ice behavior and grooming. Oh, I like the idea, but I still can't help but snicker about it. "That's what they were missing these last six seasons! Ties!" Seriously though, it does seem like a good enough idea. For a team who's number one enemy has been their own lack of discipline, why not structure an atmosphere that will reinforce the idea of discipline off the ice as well? I just hope that if the Rangers get off to a slow start, Sather doesn't start sending players to their rooms without dinner.

The Star-Ledger talks about the tough choices the Rangers will have to make soon, specifically concerning rookies Dominic Moore and Juris Stals, both of whom were in the lineup last night.

Last but never least, The Rodent has a pair of quick ones for you - one on last night's Columbus radio broadcast and the other on the Isles instituting the trap. I agree about the Columbus radio broadcast, it was nigh impossible to know what was going on based on the play-by-play announcer's descriptions.

this bothers me a bit: I can remember when we had nedved, dvorak and hlavac on a line together a few years back, and they were our best line. Part of the reason for that being that they communicated so well with one another; IN CZECH. I don't know, don't get me wrong, I agree english should be the primary language used; afterall they ARE the NEW YORK Rangers; but I just don't see how having the opportunity to communicate to your teamates in your own language is considered to be such a problem.
~Sara

Posted by: sara on September 25, 2003 06:02 AM

If anything the English only rule on the ice bothers me since it goes back to the days of Campbell and the perception that players like Luc had about there being possibly some prejudice against the non-English speaking players.

It also leads to a question about the possibility that there are cliques on the team. If they think making it a rule that one has to speak English would stop those cliques then I believe that is a mistake since if anything I think the possibility exists that it will divide the team further into groups of those who speak english and those who don't.

I would rather see rules addressing work ethic and on ice accountability than how nice a player is groomed

Posted by: Jess on September 25, 2003 02:23 PM

Holik, Nedved, Ruchinsky, Hlavac and Petro all speak Czech. That's almost a quarter of the team. I can perfectly understand why Slats enacted an English only rule. If everyone is capable of communicating in English, then they should do so. Language can fractionalize a group of people worse than anything. They need to all be on the same page. Who gives a rat's ass if I a guy wears a tie or not. Clean cut and well groomed present's a business like image. Tie's are not necessary.

Posted by: mhurley on September 25, 2003 06:26 PM

OK HERE GOES:
Sara doesn't mind the tie rule. In fact, I think I speak in behalf of all women everywhere when I say there's nothing wrong with a man in a suit......the fact that he's tall and athletic in a suit is only a bonus....NOT complaining.....

Posted by: sara on September 27, 2003 01:42 AM