Hockeybird.com: Which Jersey to Choose?

Like underwear worn too long, it creeps up on you ... it being
this Rangers team.

And yes, the booing at the home opener was probably not appropriate,
though you won't find me faulting the reaction other than the
pass to Messier and the scapegoat robe given to Lindros.

And yes, I'm not throwing in the towel on this season after the
disappointing beginning.

But here's where 'it' hit me - I went to buy a Rangers jersey this
past week and decided that there was not one player on the team
whose name I wanted to select.

Bure. Had he been healthy, Pavel would have been the choice. He was
meant to be a Ranger, and embodied excitement. Now he's merely a
Russian with bad teeth.

Holik. Last season, he would've been the choice because I thought
he was the cure for the team's malaise. Now, I don't want to be
saddled with the team's financial anchor in the new cba years.

Lindros. IMO, the Garden booing was wrong, as Lindros put
forward an encouraging pre-season. But a divorce seems inevitable
after the season so a jersey isn't in the cards.

Carter. Anson Carter? Might as well be Nell Carter in that jersey.
And at least "Give me a break" would be a good team theme.

Messier. Smirk ... chuckle ... chortle, cackle, and guffaw.
BTW, the Post reports Messier is nursing an undisclosed injury ...
surprise, surprise.

Nedved. Good player, hustles, and hangs out on the Upper West
Side. But I wouldn't get his jersey. Come to think of it, I don't
think I've seen any fans with his jersey.

Dunham. Thought about it, but the cops began eyeing me for suspected
drug paraphenelia, so I backed off.

Kovalev. Almost. But Kovalev hasn't done diddly in a Ranger sweater
for too long - he needs to produce again at MSG before I spend the
bucks for a #27.

There was a time when I was eager and proud to wear the jerseys
of certain Ranger players.

Shane Churla, a player who went at Grimson with a fractured orbital
bone. Now that's a warrior.

Dan Cloutier. The only Ranger who ever beat the crap out of Marius
Czerkawski, and that was before the cheap shot on Kloucek.

But until they make it to the show, it looks like my money will
collect interest in my savings account.

Damn, no love for Lundmark.

Actually though, he's still got that 'trade-bait' look about him, doesn't he? I don't want to believe it, and I still have faith that he'll morph into a very good top six forward. But he does feel a little impermenant.

Posted by: Kubera55 on October 19, 2003 12:28 PM

Gabe heres what you do. I took one of my older CCM replica jerseys from before the marketing and 3rd jersey craze of the late 90's and before this season started lettered it in my favorite Ranger player, his name...WHO CARES! Thats right who cares! As a gesture from a disgruntled Ranger fan who is just sick of the nonsense and excuses made by the Rangers the previous six seasons I lettered it in that. I encourage more fans to do the same! WHO CARES if it says Pat Lafontaine? WHO cares if it says Eric Lindros? WHO CARES if it says Brian Leetch? WHO CARES if it says Wayne Gretzky? WHO CARES if it says Holik? It doesn't matter because in 6 years not on of those players has been in that sweater in a postseason game, not a single one! Why represent futility? Show off your anger, not your desire to keep representing these underachieving multi millionaires. Guys like Madden, Gomez, Elias, Broduer even those despised by myself deserve to be put on sweaters, they deserve it because they overachive and play hard together for the symbol on the front.

And when you put WHO CARES on your jersey it can be used for many things. Put a little message under it for each game. It's perfect!!! lol

I was at the home opener and it will be only the only game me for a few months since I smartened up and decided not to give Cablevision more of my hard earned dollars and did not renew my mini season plan. Why so I can fight horrible rush hour traffic to pick up train in Hoboken to have the game already started a half hour too early, and by the time my seat is occupied my team down 2-0?

Posted by: Jim on October 20, 2003 12:00 PM