The season is over, and the offseason plan

The Rangers have been eliminated from the 2013 playoffs by the Boston Bruins in game 5 of their series. After the expectations were cup, there will be major changes, the Rangers will most likely fire head coach John Tortorella and buyout Brad Richards, who they signed in the 2011 offseason on a 9 year, $60 million contract,he is currently in year 2 of that deal. Needless to say he has not been living up to that deal. In my opinion, the Rangers should sign Ryan Clowe to a 2 or 3 year deal, for about 10,000,000 per year. They should also sign Jaromir Jagr to a 1 year deal worth $52,000  or the veterans minimum, and Jarome Inginla, to a $20,000,000 contract, for 3 years. In the draft they should try to pick up Max Domi son of former NHL enforcer Tie Domi. Instead of buying him out the Rangers should trade Brad Richards to (in my crazy completely not true wishful thinking mind) the Colorado Avalanche for Seth Jones, but in reality they should maybe trade him for a 2nd or 3rd round pick and maybe a prospect from somewhere. However, I have now realized the entire article I have been neglecting the salary cap, the Rangers only have $13,555,833 in salary cap space, and after playing around with capgeek’s salary cap calculator the salary cap space is only 7,826,131. That is after I resigned, Carl Hagelin, Mats Zucarello, Ryan Clowe, Derek Stepan, and Ryan Mcdonaugh. I also signed Bobby Ryan, called up JT Miller, Dylan Mcilrath and Ryan Bourque, who is the son of Hall of Famer Ray Bourque. I also traded Aaron Asham and demoted Michael Del Zotto. So after all of that the Rangers would have $9,751,131 in salary cap space. The Rangers NEED to free up more than 9,751,131 in cap space because Henrik Lundqvist, Brian Boyle, Ryan Callahan, Darrell Powe, Michael Del Zotto, Marty Biron, Ryan Bourque, Stu Bickel, Anton Stralman and Dan Girardi are all free agents, and they will all demand top dollar. I think the Rangers can get Lundqvist and Callahan cheap, because they like being rangers and for the better of the team will sign cheap, but Del Zotto is probably going to demand top 5 defensmen money, and so is Dan Girardi, I would be fine with letting Bickel go, but we need Biron. Marty Biron, is a starting NHL goaltender who is just behind one of the best goalies in the NHL. They should resign Bourque too, who will probably ask for a few million dollars, depending on how he plays next year and if he is called up or not etc… As well, Malkin is a free agent and he is going to demand lots of money and the Sedins’ will as well, and Stasny will probably demand upwards of $15,000,000.  I truly believe the Rangers will not win a cup unless something serious happens aka James Dolan sells the team, I understand that will not happen but I would love for it to happen.

Bobby Holik Takes the Time to talk Favorite Moments On and Off the Ice

Bobby Holik Takes the Time to Talk Favorite Moments On and Off the Ice

By Max O’Neill

                  A wish came true when Bobby Holik answered my tweet a while back and agreed to an interview; unfortunately, things came up and we had to wait till April 6^th, 2013. It is safe to say it was well worth the wait. We talked about a range of things for over half an hour, including concussions, stadiums, movies, his favorite memories and players in the league.

            Mr. Holik told me something that was very surprising - he stated that his favorite memory was not winning the Stanley Cup - it was in fact just lacing up the skates with his teammates, grabbing his stick, and jumping on the ice while surrounded by the crowds cheers or jeers.  Since the end of the lockout he has been working with young players in various leagues, such as the Ontario Hockey League (OHL). He told me one player from every team that were the nicest players he had the opportunity to work with: Marian Hossa from the Atlanta Thrashers now Winnipeg Jets, Brian Leetch from the New York Rangers, Patrick Elias, Martin Brodeur and Bruce Driver from the New Jersey Devils, and Ron Francis from the Hartford Whalers. His favorite arenas to play in were both the Montreal Forum and the Bell Centre and Madison Square Garden. He also said he did not like the atmosphere in the Nassau Memorial Coliseum, but who can blame him?

Holik said something that drove home the differences between injury diagnosis while playing back in the 80’s and 90’s and even the early 2000s and playing now; it was that he probably sustained a concussion but did not want to lose his job. So, even if he felt dizzy, he would just man up and keep playing. Thankfully, he did not mention that he still has residual effects from suffering head trauma. However, there are many players in all sports who still do. For me this brings up memories from the summer of 2011 when three enforcers died: Derek “Boogeyman” Boogard, Wade Belak and Rick Rypien. Those three players had a combined 2078 penalty minutes.  Mr. Holik and I both do not like the staged fighting where players ask other players, “Dude you wanna go?” or “Yo, you want to dance?” when they are not actually mad at each other, they just know that it will ignite their teams for a possible comeback and fire up the crowd. He does not believe this kind of staged fighting adds anything to the game.

Playing for the New York Rangers and the New Jersey Devils on both sides of the Hudson River Rivalry was something Holik enjoyed immensely. Probably because of the hatred between the two side’s fans and that sometimes the games have playoff implications. He thought that all of the trades at the 2013 trade deadline added veteran depth and he liked the Jaromir Jagr to Boston trade. He also said it is too early to know which trade was the best and helped out the teams the most.

He is a big war history buff, so his favorite movies are military history movies. He has seen Argo and Zero Dark Thirty recently. He also said that becoming an American citizen was a great experience. He said that at first when he was retired he still looked at the game as a player, but he has developed his view into looking at it like a broadcaster. Overall, I think he is a very nice man and I am thankful that he let me interview him to get some experience under my belt.

Sports matter little

There are certain times in life when sports are trumped by things in the outside world whether they be natural disaster or an act of terror like yesterday. It is ironic then that a horrible act of terror occured at a sporting event, a celebrated one at that too. So, when i heard about the bombings I, to be honest did not understand the severity of it and just sort of said whatever, I have homework to do, I will pay attention to it later. Well, it is later and i thank g-d do not know anybody in Boston, and the stories are just gruesomer by the minute! I have been to Boston once with my camp, Camp Mah Kee Nack and it was a lot of fun, very nice city and to think that, it will forever be changed is crazy.  We as a nation have to come together and find out all the facts, rebuild and TRY to live normally again. It was the first time in my life that i turned on ESPN and Mike and Mike were talking about that rather than anything else. I was very young when 9/11 happened but i believe is similar in the fact that there was a ton of injuries and (knock on wood) only a few deaths. One of the people who died was named Martin Richard, this kid was 8 years old, in third grade, as a 9th grader i realize that was a long time ago, this kid could've been the greatest baseball player of all time or find a cure for cancer!!! He was doing the most innocent thing imaginable eating an ice cream cone!!!!!!!! This was a senseless act of violence on for many the happiest days in their lives conquering 26 miles, it is defintely something i cant do!! But instead because some Anti-American decided to drop bombs everywhere is ruined and it is a fact that you never get over the death of a child, so i hope that haunts whoever did this' dreams forever! We all have our speculations about who did it, neo-nazi, muslims, etc.. but right now we know nothing so unless you are family/friends with the person who did it or is the person who did it please do not speculate!! It will just make things worse. If you have any info please call 1-800-CALLFBI (225-5324) or for the police department 617.343.4200.

Rangers 0-2-0 Start to the 2013 NHL season

By: Max O'Neill

The Rangers have started the 2013 shortened season 0-2-0. The Rangers did not fare well during the last lockout shortned season; in that season the Rangers lost in the second round. That statistic does not mean anything, however, this team is a cup favorite, but right now they look like they need work. Starting goaltender Henrik Lundqvist has given up seven goals in two games. He gave up three in the first game and four in the second, before getting subbed out for backup goalie, Marty Biron. During the offseason the Rangers aquired Rick Nash from the Columbus Blue Jackets. After that aquisition the Rangers were imediatly crowned cup favorites because experts thought he was the scoring prowess the Rangers needed. The team looks discombobulated at times and awkward. The one bright light in the last two games is that the team looked better in the third period of  Sunday's game. Rangers fans  hope that the Rangers, who play next on Wensday, will end January on a five game winning streak, which would mean they ended January 5-2-0. The boys in blue will be fine if they do that. There are 47 games left, and as any sports fan knows, anything can happen once playoffs start. In order for the Rangers, to live up to expectations Henrik Lundqvist needs to return to his Vesnia form, not the form he currently is in. The Kings proved last year that a team does not need to be the number one seed to win the cup; so if the Rangers do not get it, they will be fine. The Rangers will, hopefully, finish the year as the three seed and  have a 28-15-5 record.

The NHL Lockout is a very complex and upsetting thing. The major players are Gary Bettman, Bill Daly, Donald Fehr and the players. This lockout is the leagues third under Gary Bettman. Donald Fehr is known for being the MLB PA, players association, head when the MLB lost an entire season in 1994-95. There has been much uproar with social media sites blowing up over this lockout. There is a ton of memes and parody's of songs on YouTube about the lockout. I think somebody, a fan should some how get into the negotiations and  tell the two sides the truth, that they are fighting over  money when they already make a ton of money while some fans can't even make ends meet. I think the players are also in the wrong because they are supposed to be playing for the love of the game not the money. This lockout is tremendously hurting the buisness that get a lot of buisness on game nights near the arenas. This is just adding to the bigger problem in sports today, last year, the NBA and NFL both locked out it's players. In 2004, the last NHL lockout, the entire season was canceled. The 2004 lockout was a major step back for the league because the NHL was at it's peak the New York Rangers were a good team, so they generated a lot of money in a big market and then when the lockout happened a lot of fans lost interest. As well, after the lockout the NY Rangers were a terrible team. Last year, the NY Rangers were also a very good team, the Rangers got within two games of the Stanley Cup Finals, the championship. This season also might end some legends careers, it might end Teemu Selanne of the Anaheim Ducks, Jaromir Jagr of the Dallas Stars and Martin Brodeur ( I would be happy about this) of the New Jersey Devils' careers. I do not understand why the NHL is not urging to get a deal done because one of their superstars, money makers, Alex Ovechkin said that he would stay in his home country Russia if the NHL does not get a deal done. One parody on YouTube  that i like suggested a "Fan Lockout:"  meaning when they get a deal done, for two weeks after the deal is done not wear any NHL paraphernalia, and not buy tickets or anything. The reasoning is if they don't have any money to fight over they cant fight. The link for that will be provided at the bottom of the article. A recent devlopment was that Gary Bettman suggested a two week moratorium, or break from negotiations, that was ripped tremendously by players. Brad Richards of the New York Rangers even going as far as to say "(I'm) very frustrated. I didn't expect for it to go this long. I don't think there's any need for it to be this long. We've been going for a while and then for Gary to come up with a comment about another two weeks off, is mind-boggling, to be honest with you". He also said, "I don't know what good that's going to do, I don't know what the tactic is. We want to get to the table; we feel we're close. ... We've indicated to them in the last meeting and ... it seems like they don't want to listen to that. They want to create this other view that we're so far apart." Players are keeping busy in a plethora of ways. For example, Alex Ovechkin is playing for Dynamo Moscow of the KHL. The KHL is getting a majority of the NHL players because, it is Russia's version of the NHL. Brad Richards and a lot of other players kept busy a few weeks ago by playing in "Operation Hat Trick." "Operation Hat Trick" was a special charity game benifiting victims of Hurricane Sandy. The likes of Brad Richards, Henrik Lundqvist, Aaron Asham, Martin Brodeur, Scott Hartnell, Steven Stamkos and more played in this game in Atlantic City. Overall, I am very sceptical of the likelyhood of a season happening.

Religion in Sports


I do not know why but in Spanish today I was bored and i randomly thought about how i could write a great article on religion in sports. Well, with the explanation out of the way here it goes! I think religion will always be associated with sports. In Sports you constantly hear things about religion.  In Sports people constantly say Football's a religion in this town!".  I do not know if this only me or other people have it but i take pride in the Jewish athletes and their success. Ryan Braun is one of my favorite players in the MLB for the sole reason he's Jewish. When he was proven not guilty of taking steroids i was really happy because that was a successful Jewish athlete that  "beat the system". Forgive the non politically correctness of that statement. Tim Tebow is by far the most famous athlete to be very religious.  He is pictured above praying before a game, better known as "Tebowing". One famous religious line that was spun for sports purposes was the line in the beginning of the Torah/Bible "In the beginning". That line was changed to "In the Big Inning". That was refferenced twice that i have seen in pop culture, "The Yankles" and "Jews and Baseball: A True American Love Story". That is the only times i have ever seen a religious line twisted in pop culture.   I think Sports need religion and Religion needs sports. Religion will always be part of sports.

Notre Dame Football 2012

At the beginning of the year Notre Dame was getting called out even before the season began. They were getting called out because they had one of the toughest schedules in the country. They had to go to a tough stadium in Michigan State, in week 3 then in week 4 come home for a tough Michigan team that has beat them every year since 2009. Next they have a bye week before they play the Miami Hurricanes in a neutral site game(Chicago). After that they play Stanford, at Oklahoma, at BC, and to end the season in  California against rival USC. I however, have faith in my team every year and we won the 1st game of the season 50-10 vs. Navy in Dublin, Ireland. Then, in week 2 we beat Purdue 20-17 behind the game winning drive from veteran QB Tommy Reese. In week 3 we beat Michigan State in a hostile enviorment, 20-3. That game was a big win for Manti Te'o, an All American linebacker, because the during the week leading up to the game his grandma and girlfriend both died less than 24 hours apart.  Last week, we beat rival Michigan 13-6. In that game the Irish defense and captain Manti Te'o forced Denard Robinson to 4 interceptions and 1 fumble. As i mentioned before we have a much needed bye week this week in which Manti Te'o is going to go home and be with his family. I think we could battle through and beat Miami next week to improve to 5-0 and maybe 5th in the AP polls. I think we will end the season with a BCS bowl, mabye the Sugar or Rose Bowl.