No, seriously, what a mess.
Just is case anyone has forgotten, there IS a game tonight. The Edmonton Oilers have been playing well this year, and have the same number of wins as the Rangers (24). Uh oh, was I not supposed to talk about the game? Because just about no one else is.
Forgive me for being sick to my stomach. Did you hear who is going to be at this HOUR LONG ceremony? The entire 1994 team, except for the active players (Leetch, Zubov, Karpovtsev, and Kovalev), Mike Keenan, Neil Smith, Gary Bettman, Glen Sather, Vic Hatfield, some former Ranger captains, Yankee captain Derek Jeter, former Knick Willis Reed, Elvis, Frank Sinatra, and Abraham Lincoln. (OK, I made the last three up.) Gretzky won't be there, and Joe Namath had a prior commitment (no, seriously). They tried to get O.J. Simpson but he had a golf tournament. (OK, I made that one up too.)
In case anyone forgot, there are 20 guys that are going to be dressed in Ranger uniforms that have been playing their asses off for us. In case anyone hasn't noticed, there are two legitimate rookie-of-the-year candidates playing on this team. In case anyone wasn't paying attention, the Flyers won last night and increased their lead in the Atlantic Division to seven. In case you cared, the Devils are tied with Tampa Bay for the last playoff spot, have won their last four games, and are just 10 points behind the Rangers.
I am not going to sit here and gush about Mark Messier again. He deserves the recognition and the adoration from the fans, but this is just over the top. Don't be surprised if someone pulls a hamstring tonight after warming up and having to sit an hour before playing.
Nonetheless, I will be there, and I will be cheering and clapping. And then I will be thanking the hockey gods that this ISN'T the highlight of the season. I will clap loudest when it is all over, so that the New York Rangers can focus on getting to where Mark Messier was not able to get for the final seven years of his career . . . the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
I am just going to post the links to today's articles, because they are abundant and all about the same thing. Oh, and in case it matters to you, Henrik Lundqvist will be starting in goal tonight.
NY POST: Here, here, and here.
NY DAILY NEWS: Here, here, and here.
THE STAR LEDGER: Here and here.
THE JOURNAL NEWS: Here, here, and here.
NY TIMES: Here.
THE HOCKEY RODENT: Here.
We have a thread on the messageboards with pictures and links to all of the stuff from yesterday's press conference and interviews. You can find that here.
So tonight, in case you forgot, it is the Edmonton Oilers at the New York Rangers. The puck drops at . . . oh who the hell knows. Enjoy the, um, stuff.
HDH
Posted by Jim at January 12, 2006 11:34 AMeMail this entry!
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