Hello NY and everywhere else, I'm Bird and you're in the Birdcage. I wish to take you back to even before the season began......
The long lockout had taken quite a toll on fans of the NHL. Personally, I was a bit stressed out. The bickering in the press from both sides was enough to make any fan sick. We had the false hope of an agreement to save the season to slap us in the face as well. Finally, we did get an agreement and the season for '05-'06 was on.
I decided that since the Rangers would be playing more kids that I should relax and accept the fact we'd lose more often than we'd win. I mean, Kevin Weekes was not a number one 'tender in my book and you didn't really expect Lundqvist to be a number one in his first ever NHL season. Hell....it was his first ever time in North America as a keeper. Add to that several players who on paper didn't seem to add up to much. So I settled in for a nice long massage.
I refer to this season as a massage because right from the opening game I had a feeling of calm, of stress relief. Like a master masseuse, the NY Rangers did things that just made you feel good. When Malik scored in the shootout with "The Move" it was like that adjustment made to your back that relieves the pressure. Ahhhhhhh. That felt good.
A win over Ottawa followed by back to back wins over the Leafs just before the Olympic break allowed me to feel that I was in the hands of some Zen master healer. I hadn't felt that good about the Rangers since they raised the banner in '95. I was experiencing the worlds greatest massage.
During the Olympics we had a few scares. A few injuries to our key guys and Henke getting blown out in his first game. However, he was able to backstop his team to a gold medal and our Czech contingent while disappointed came home intact. The first game back was a whopper of a win over the Flyers and the Zen like feeling returned. Ohmmmmmmm.
Like the crash of '29 the NY Rangers ended the season in a freefall not seen many times. Still, they ended the season with a shot at winning the Division in the last regular season game. Not bad for a team expected to loose everything but a lottery draft pick.
You don't need me to tell you what's occurred in the first three playoff games for the NY Rangers in almost a decade. With one more game at MSG and elimination staring us in the face I have but one question......
Where the hell is my happy ending?
C'mon guys, it's not like I don't deserve it. I said nice things all year. I didn't panic when you lost a few. I paid the money....and when you took it there was that wink, wink. So send in Greta and give us Ranger fans a happy ending. We won't call the cops, I promise.
Just one win on Saturday is all I ask. The faithfull at MSG deserve it too. I'll even clean up myself.
----}- Bird
Posted by Bird at April 28, 2006 09:49 AMeMail this entry!
|
Recent Articles
|
|
|