The New York Rangers: The Road Back to Playoffs

New York Rangers got Keith Yandle, defenseman Chris Summers and a 2016 fourth-round pick from Arizona Coyotes for Anthony Duclair, John Moore, a 2016 first-round pick and a 2015 second-round pick.

The Eastern Conference is wide open, and the Rangers just went all in on a game-changing trade. The Rangers, have the league’s seventh best goaltending at even strength, and when Henrik Lundqvist returns from injury, that could improve.

​Image Credit: espn.com

Rangers winger Marty St. Louis, a 39-year-old former Cup winner with Tampa Bay who's seen it all, says one of the best things about this Rangers team is "it's always a different guy leading us every night. Six, seven, eight guys are on top of their game and it pulls the whole team through. Then another night, it's six or eight other guys. We knew when Hank went out, we had to collectively pick it up. And that's what we did."

The Rangers were solid defensively, created plenty of scoring chances for themselves and got big saves from Cam Talbot when they needed them. They played with confidence and relief to he trade deadline ending. 

​
​It's a long way to the end of the regular season, let alone to the Stanley Cup finals. But what the Rangers did before Monday's deadline and in the game that followed were more proof that this team believes  it can get back there. It gave the blueshirts the confidence boost they need.

Christine O'Connor

@christineeeeO

The NHL All Star Game and Why It Gets No Attention

Article by: Christine O'Connor 

Twitter: @christineeeeO

Image Credit: nhl.com

The NHL All Star Game happened last weekend. So why didn't we hear about it? Maybe because the media has been completely wrapped in Deflate Gate or what Marshawn Lynch is getting fined for daily.

The NHL All Star game seems to lose more entertainment value and meaning year after year. 

The NHL's All-Star game has had many formats and has grown into a weekend extravaganza without any logic behind the selection of players or teams. Like the All-Star game in other sports, its relevance is up for debate in a long sports calendar. 

The game was once played before the season as a matchup between the previous season's Cup champion and stars from other teams. Now the NHL's All-Star game has been an East-vs.-West game at midseason. Sunday's game at Nationwide Arena, a game between teams whose captains were chosen for being a fan favorite or the face of the team. 

So with the NHL All Star game becoming almost irrelevant and ratings continuing to plummet, why does it still happen yearly (excluding the years when the Winter Olympics take place)? 

It's just business. 

NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman said the weekend's festivities will generate $12 million in visitor spending. Owners love to host the event because they can promote their teams during fan festivals and other related events.

Maybe the NHL can do something make it a little more interesting and bring some more importance to the game like it once had. 

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW: The 1994 Stanley Cup Championship New York Rangers.

Image Credit: NYDailyNew.com

by: Dana P. (E.I.C.)

We are back with yet another EXCLUSIVE interview! We'd first like to thank the very AMAZING staff at MAB Celebrity for letting us be apart of this event. If you love sports, you should definitely check out some of their upcoming shows. We have been attending various MAB shows throughout the years, and we were absolutely honored to have been apart of this historic event!

MAB-Celebrity does public signings throughout the United States, but not to worry. Don't live in the area and need something signed? MAB also does private signings. Check them out here for a list of upcoming private and public signings.

On October 25th, we arrived early and got to meet and greet with some of the 1994 Stanley Cup Championship winners, the New York Rangers.

We also met none other then "The Nature Boy" himself, Ric Flair! Woooooo! Although we were unable to interview Flair, it was great to meet such a humble down to earth guy, who seemed to be in very good spirits and happy to be there. Hulk Hogan also appeared at That 90's Show, however we were also unable to obtain and interview with him. Hogan was in great spirits and seemed very happy to be there.

Please check out our interview below. Jay Wells, Steve Larmer, Joe Kucor and Stephane Matteau, (better known as the Ranger who scored the game winning goal in the 1994 cup) discuss the current state of the Rangers, Madison Square Garden, Anthony Duclair, Gary Bettman and the two lockouts, as well as what it was like winning the 1994 cup and a lot more.

Update on The New York Giants and New York Rangers Courtsey of DOINow.com

This picture has been included to make me laugh and to make my friends to shake their heads!
Thank you for visiting DOInow.com, I appreciate you taking time out to check out my random thoughts and opinions in the sports world. Make sure to check out the archives for columns on Frank Boucher, Anthony Duclair, NY Jets, Carmelo Anthony, A-Roid, The Giants, WWE, The Rangers & more!

I am sick of everyone always saying "MONDAY MORNING QUARTERBACK", so for this piece we will go with the silly Tuesday Morning Hangover title, considering it took 18 beers to get through the NY sports events this past Monday night.

The Rangers just wrapped up another home game, with another shoot-out loss this past Monday night. This was going to be a tough test for the Rangers, considering they were missing many starters due to injuries and suspensions, as talked about in my last blog here on DOINow.com.

For a team featuring 7 non-starters (McIlrath, Talbot, Kotska, Malone, Hunwick, Allen, & Mueller), I thought the Rangers played a good game. The Rangers blew several opportunities at the net and there was no puck luck to be found. Poor Rick Nash, a league leader in goal scoring, missed his chance to hit the double digit mark in goals several times in the contest.

The Rangers, taking on the hot St. Louis Blues, were banged up, but I liked what I saw. Both Anthony Duclair and Kevin Hayes, the two young studs of the Rangers, are living up to their billing. Duclair assisted on Chris Kreider's first goal of the game while Hayes continues to create goal scoring opportunities. I am hoping both continue their level of play as I think they have the potential to be the cornerstones of the Blueshirts in seasons to come.

Matt Hunwick, receiving a ton of ice time this season due to the injury of Dan Boyle, continues to impress and plays a solid defensive game. He could be a diamond in the rough for the New York Rangers.

While Conor Allen, who played several games for the Blueshirts last year, had a defensively sound game, he didn't make much noise. His Hartford Wolfpack counterpart, defenseman Dylan McIlrath made his presence felt for the team, for better or worse.

I am a McIlrath fan. I think the Rangers need that goon who can make other teams fear playing dirty or being liberal with their checks. However, McIlrath takes way too many stupid penalties and needs to improve his speed. Whether McIlrath can figure out some discipline and hold his own cleanly remains to be seen. He is obviously nervous playing in the World's Most Famous Arena, but at some point, he needs to be accountable for his actions. Taking penalties, that lead to power-play goals, for the opposition will not be tolerated by Alain Vigneault.

A future Vezina Winner?

With fat cat Henrik Lundqvist getting the day off, rookie Cam Talbot held down the net for the second time this season. Cam Talbot, making nearly 1/20th the salary as the King, gave the Rangers the same result as this past Saturday night - a shootout loss in the third frame. Hank, making $8.5 Million this season compared to Talbot's half a million a year deal doesn't seem much of a deal, does it?

The Rangers, who could use some of Hank's exorbitant contract to sign some defensemen (How bad are Ranger fans missing Anton Stralman right now?) made the best of a bad situation, salvaging a point in last night's contest. However, it looked like the Rangers should've won the game, as they had several opportunities to put the game away in the third period during a scramble to the net and seemed to have a Nash OT goal winner.

Talbot, who this writer thinks is a great piece of talent to a fault, where I have an on-going joke with several friends about his abilities (Cam Talbot is so good that he cured cancer!) , put out a valiant effort, despite playing his second NHL game this season. The defense broke down several times, leading to soft goals for the Blues, but Talbot made incredible saves to keep the Rangers in the contest. Talbot was tested, and despite giving up 3 goals, made an incredible 31 saves.

If there is anything to worry about right now as a Ranger fan, sans the injuries, is the fact that the Rangers are still taking time to figure things out. The injuries are a major factor, but Ranger fans would rather this happen with the majority of the games on the road. The Rangers lead the league in home games played this season and with 10 in the month of November, the Rangers need to pick up two points on their home ice. Getting one-point moral victories in OT is nice on the road, but it is here, at home, that the Rangers need to make some noise. All these home games now, will lead to tough road games later on in the season.

Eli Manning, the man who possesses the worst body language in all of sports.

As much as I love my New York Rangers & New York Yankees, I am also a diehard Giants fan. However, I admit, it's time to throw in the towel. Despite injuries to division rival quarterbacks Tony Romo & Nick Foles, this Giants team will not make the playoffs for one simple reason - they can't defend the pass.

Last night's Monday Night Football contest between the red-hot Colts and Giants, was another example of the Giants having no pass defense whatsoever. Just like in the Philly and Dallas game, the Colts were seemingly 38433375734737 out of 38433375734737 on third down whenever they passed the ball. You can say whatever you want about the Giants missing their top two running backs (Wilson & Jennings) and their best receiver (Victor Cruz), but the fact is that the Giants allow more first downs during the opponent's third down than any other team in the league.

Who would've thought, that during week 9, in this year's NFL season, that the Buffalo Bills would have more wins than their "NY" counterparts combined?

The Colts threw the ball 85% of the time and had no issues doing so. The Giants swiss cheese pass defense allowed Andrew Luck to rape them like a drunk sorority girl at Ben Roethlisberger's house. They had 15 days to prepare for this game and instead were embarrassed like sharting yourself at a quiet, but packed funeral.

I can't blame Eli. Despite having the worst body language I've ever seen from an athlete in my fucking life (Check my archives for more on this subject), it's not his fault. You can't win games when the defense is on the field watching the chains move every 120 seconds. It's time to switch defensive coordinators, but at 3-5, in a tough division and with a tough schedule, it's not going to happen until next year.

For more on the article and similar articles to this, visit DOINOW.com

'That 90's Show' Autograph Signing with Hulk Hogan, Ric Flair, The 1994 Stanley Cup Champions & New York Mets Alumni THIS WEEKEND!

Images via mab-celebrity.com

by: Dana P. (E.I.C.)

Attention Northern New Jersey, New York and the tristate area! Calling ALL you sports and wrestling fans out there! This Saturday, at The Hilton Hasbrouck Heights-Meadowlands, address is: 650 Terrace Avenue, Hasbrouck Heights NJ 07604. Former WWE Superstars Hulk Hogan, Ric Flair, and Ken Shamrock will be signing autographs & taking photos with fans! In addition to those 3 cool guys, the card is stacked with various New York Rangers alumni, none other then your 1994 Stanley Cup Champions!

If you love baseball, you also might wanna check out Jim Palmer, & Rollie Fingers (Sunday ONLY), in addition to some of the New York Mets alumni. 

Scheduled to appear are: 

-Joe Kocur

-Stephane Matteau

-Ed Giacomin 

-Ron Duguay 

-Pete Stemkowski

-Cleon Jones

-Jerry Koosman 

and many more! To get ALL the information you're gonna need such as times, the ENTIRE lineup, pricing and more, check out MAB Celebrity here ! 

Did I mention kids 10 and under are FREE? Also I'll be there bright and early Saturday morning, so come say hi! I'll be taking photo ops, free of charge! See you there! 

http://mab-celebrity.com/that-90s-show

NFL, MLB PostSeason, Plus Pre Season NBA & NHL; THE WEEKEND WRAP UP aka PANIC! PANIC! PANIC!

Image Credit: JimFeist.com

by: Sean McCaffrey

Twitter: @NYCTheMiC

BULLSMC@aol.com

In this world we live in, where we can put rocket ships in outer space, perform life changing surgeries and master baking cheese inside the crust of a pizza slice, it still baffles me how we can not create a phone that has a battery life of more than one hour. 

Yesterday, Sunday, October 12th, was a huge sports day for the NY area. Not only did the Giants & Jets play key games, the New York Rangers had their home opener. Carrying over from last season’s unexpected success, where even the most hardcore Ranger fan, like myself, has to admit the team overachieved a bit (Goalie injuries in both the Philly & Montreal series & avoiding the Bruins), the Rangers hosted “RANGERS BLUESHIRT BOULEVARD”. For the event, the Rangers shut down all of 33rd street from 7th to 8th Ave, and had numerous fan activities, live bands on a nice set and was just a great day to bond & enjoy laughs with other Ranger fans. The event started at 12pm and ended an hour before game time, at 6pm. While this was going on the Jets took the field as well.

For Jet fans, and as talked about in previous columns here, at HipHopShortstop.com, the Jets are just a mess. Jets fans have no reason to panic because there are really no expectations. It’s been the same cycle for 45+ years. The only difference between the Jets and a wife is that the Jets will always fuck you. It’s just what Jet fans are used to. How can you panic when you know the Jets will be rolled time and time again?

However, for the NY Giants & The NY Rangers, the two teams with the most success in recent years, as the Giants are the only team in the NFL to have won 2 Superbowls in the last 6+ years and the Rangers fresh off a Stanley Cup appearance, panic has set in. Or at least that’s the feeling I got when I finally got home from the Rangers game on Sunday night.

I should mention I got home an hour earlier than I expected, due to Hank laying a big fart & questionable officiating, so it was time for me to head to the LIRR after the second period. If the Rangers were in such a fan friendly mood, as evident by their “BLUESHIRT BLVD”, they should’ve gave a refund to every fan that attended last night’s crapfest. But we’re fans, win or lose, and you take the good with the bad.

Due to my phone battery lasting as long as a Walker extra on “The Walking Dead”, I couldn’t keep up with live play-by-play and fan reaction on social media at the game in between periods. To note, it’s amazing that no matter where we go in life, whether it’s a bar, restaurant, a bathroom, or where ever, our first thought is “WHERE ARE THE MOTHER FUCKING OUTLETS?” We live in a world where we crave and need to steal electricity where ever we are. Our precious phones consume our lives, and you are probably nodding your head, as you read this column on your phone.

My rant on these watt sucking contraptions aside, when I finally got home & rushed to my nearest outlet, I caught up on all the Giants & Ranger fan reaction. Being a diehard fan of both teams, and perhaps borderline obsessed, I read countless articles and fan comments on social media as the Eagles were blowing away the Giants.

Image Credit: NYDailyNews.com

It was nothing but doom and gloom, but fans of both squads need to remember several things. Going to the hockey first, the Rangers never have hot starts. Last year they were 3-7. The Rangers are also missing their starting center in Derek Stepan, their biggest free agent of the off-season, defensemen Dan Boyle & the straw that stirs the drink of the Rangers, Mats Zuccarello, was held out due to his physical play the night before. Being 1-2 is not the end of the world. You play 82 games.

What is cause for concern is how Henrik Lundqvist’s game has been exposed in recent games. No doubt about it, when it’s all said and done, King Henry or Hank, as he’s called by True Blue fans, is going to the Hockey Hall of Fame. He’s a great goalie. He’s just not the best goalie. Hank has had the fortune of having dedicated shotblockers (especially in the Coach Tort years) & superior defensemen, with the likes of McDonagh, Girardi & Staal. I am one of the Ranger fans that believe Jonathan Quick just flat outplayed him in the Stanley Cup. Hank is known to give up leads time and time again. In crunch time, I would rather Rask from Boston or Quick as my netminder.

That being said, hockey fans need to realize that the goaltending isn’t as elite as it was in previous generations, where defense was a strength. The NHL is always trying to increase scoring. The game gets harder and harder for goalies. This will always be the way, as high scoring games is how NHL executives think they can convert casual and new fans to their product. 

For the Ranger fans going crazy right now, relax. It’s only 3 games. The NHL is all about just making the playoffs, because once you’re in, anything can happen. Just look at the LA Kings two cup runs. Let the injuries, lines gelling and time pass, and you will see, the Rangers will be a top 3 seed.

Moving along to the NY Giants. The NY Giants talked more shit than any other game they’ve ever played, and in return, got a nice big heaping pile of crow to eat for their efforts. I can’t imagine how red Couglin’s face was during his closed doors meeting with the players after that pile of shit. This was the ugliest Giants game in a while, but the Giants are known for this. In recent Superbowl years, they’ve had piss-poor starts, only to make Tom Brady cry at the end of the season.

The old adage in football is “ANY GIVEN SUNDAY”. And it’s true. How many times have we seen under dogs win? Anything can happen. Just this past week alone, the mighty Steelers got rolled by the lowly Browns while the Cowboys, primed for their usual December collapse, handed the Superbowl defending champions, the Seattle Seahawks, a rare home loss.

Image Credit: Matt Rourke; Associated Press

Things aren’t looking good in Giants land, especially in the wake of Victor Cruz’s potential season-ending injury, but it’s hard to forget that last year, the Giants started 0-6 and if they could’ve beat Dallas in the latter weeks of the season, they could’ve potentially won the division. Up next on the docket, those same Dallas Cowboys.

For the Giants, you have to hope that this Philly ass raping, a raping that looked like it came straight out of “OZ”, is the raping they need to wake the fuck up. However, I do believe Eli Manning needs to be bitch-slapped unmercifully every time he does that stupid shoulder shrug or throws his hands up in the air after every bad play. But he has two Superbowl rings, which is 2 more than the Eagles have, so who am I to question his methods?

Calm down Giant fans, we’re in for a roller coaster. We have seen glimpses of greatness and know that this team can win on any given day. We’ve seen it before. Never doubt Tom Coughlin, a rare breed who despite his old age, always changes & adapts to the times. I would never bet against him. A win against Dallas, and everyone is puffing out their chests again. But, don’t forget, one win or one loss doesn’t define one team.

Image Credit: Brian Monzo/WFAN

QUICK NOTES:
- Happy to see the Alex Rodriguez of the NY Rangers, Rick Nash, starting off strong. People forget he was out 6 weeks and had post-concussionsymptoms last year. This is his first true healthy season with the blueshirts. It’s time to live up to that contract. So far, he’s been the player we all thought he would be.

- Anthony Duclair, who I wrote a piece about on here, at HipHopShortstop.com, has played 3 excellent games, already notching two assists. I’ve seen the kid play 4 times live. I think he’s the real deal. Let’s hope he continues at this level and isn’t a flash in the pan. The Rangers need to get young, and could use a legit bonafide young blood superstar. The second coming of Manny Maholtra would be a travesty.

- Poor, poor, poor Don Mattingly. The guy can’t catch a break. I must wonder if it rains where ever he goes too. He will probably lose his job over this latest collapse. Despite having the highest payroll in all of MLB, his teams can’t get into the World Series. This latest playoff blunder shouldn’t rest squarely on his shoulders, as his bullpen was terrible & his offense let him down, but it’s just business to fire a manager after a letdown like the Dodgers had.

- Who would’ve thought that the St. Louis Cardinals & The San Francisco Giants would be the most successful franchises in all of baseball in recent years? I think whoever comes out of this series wins the whole thing. Both fanbases are loyal too, so it’s hard to root against them, as a fan with no bias either way. They have built top-flight organizations. Maybe the lowly Mets should take notes.

- It’s time for Odel Beckham Jr. to break out. This injury to Cruz could make Beckham, well, the next Victor Cruz.

- The whole Forg1ve3 and Re2pect stuff needs to stop. It’s already jumping the shark. People are using it for everything. Just stop. Enough. Let Jeter have his thing and stop bastardizing and trivializing it.

- Kevin Durant could be out 6-8 weeks. I wonder how many times in Oklahoma, the front office just keeps banging their heads over letting James Harden walk for nothing.

Aaaaaaaand, that’s a wrap.
Feedback, comments, questions, hate mail can all go to:
Sean McCaffrey
BULLSMC@aol.com
@NYCTHEMIC
HipHopShortstop.com

How Anthony Duclair Can Change Hockey

Image Credit: Anthony J. Causi; nypost.com

What a crazy headline. Perhaps I’m baiting you to read this, because talk about hyping up a guy who hasn’t even played one second in the NHL yet. Over the course of sports history, there have been more Ryan Leaf’s than Peyton Manning’s. The emotion of being excited in sheer ecstasy, while cheering our favorite teams and athletes on, is why we are fans. If things work out right, Anthony Duclair is about to gain a huge fanbase soon.

If you’re not familiar, Anthony Duclair is a 19 year old kid out of Montreal, Canada that was drafted 80th overall in the 2013 NHL draft by an original 6 team, the New York Rangers. I can spare you the several paragraphs of what it means to play in NY, the sports capital of the world & where the media is at its most intense.

Duclair, playing for the Rangers affiliate, the Quebec Remparts, of the QMJHL, scored a hefty 50 goals last year and was named a First Team All-Star at only 18 years old. To put it in perspective, Duclair was born when Derek Jeter was taking his first at bat, in August of 1995. 

Duclair has excited Ranger fans this preseason, scoring a goal in nearly every game he played and bringing a sense of vigor, unbridled enthusiasm and energy, to what has been an elder statesmen team. 

Will Duclair be the next Rangers mega-star, akin to Henrik Lundqvist, Brian Leetch, Rod Gilbert, Andy Bathgate, Frank Boucher, etc? Only time will tell. However, if he can be as good as the hype and if his play carries over from what Ranger fans have seen already from his junior hockey & preseason games, the NHL may be on the receiving end of a huge financial & exposure boom.

It is no secret that the NHL is considered the fourth most major sport, and in some places the fifth. (NFL, MLB, NBA, NCAA Football, NHL.) Many sports media outlets barely give it a byline. It took the Rangers to make the Stanley Cup for New York’s number 1 sports media figure & the icon of all sports radio, Mike Francesa to even talk hockey. Hockey has done itself no favors with the lockouts & a poor commissioner, but I have addressed that already in a previous article, here at HipHopShortStop.com.

So why do I think a 19 year old kid from Canada can become the sports number 1 megastar? It’s not because he’s another Canadian player in the league. It’s not even because he’s a French-Canadian. Simply, he’s a black French-Canadian. For the NHL, this black kid from Canada can become green real fast. 

Image Credit: Bruce Bennett; BlueShirtBanter.com

The NHL is predominately a white mans sport, full of Europeans, Canadians and Russians. It has a miniscule black fan base scattered across the country. Hockey just lends itself better to Caucasians because in some countries, it is the only sport they have. In America, we have many options and for parents trying to make ends meet, hockey is a very expensive sport to have your child play, with the costs of equipment, rink time, traveling, etc. Anyone can pick up a basketball, football or a glove. It’s not the same for hockey.

Hockey has had black stars over the years, but never has there been a black superstar playing in a major market in America. For the NHL to have a potential one in New York City, this can be the time to get African-Americans into the sport.

Nationality & supporting your own has always been a huge and important issue to people. I mean, just look at the Olympics, that’s what it’s all about, people competing and cheering on their own. There is a reason why blacks voted more in the history of the country when Obama ran. They voted for Obama in record numbers, just because he was black and not because of any political party devotion. I mean, do you know any black people who cared about golf until Tiger Woods took over? It is the same principle of Dominicans supporting their Dominican players in the MLB. Japanese people flocking to the MLB over players like Matsui, Ichiro, Tanaka, Nomo, etc. Remember Linsanity? And before him Yao Ming? Linsanity took over the NBA and was all over the media for a month until the Knicks foolishly let him go. Yao Ming generated the NBA billions of dollars in China with TV deals, marketing, etc. If Duclair can be as good in the NHL as he has been everywhere else, he can possibly create a surge of a whole new fan base, the African American market. 

Image Credit: ThePinkPuck.com

When Sidney Crosby was about to enter the NHL draft, the hype was all over the place. Except for injuries and choking in the playoffs, he has lived up to expectations. The NHL even protects their golden goose through officiating. Rules were changed to help increase scoring to help Crosby. However, Crosby, while a league star, never was able to brand himself and the sport in a way a Derek Jeter, a Michael Jordan or a Peyton Manning did, despite being the best. However, Duclair doesn’t have to be the best. He just needs to perform at a high level.

The NHL needs to try to increase scoring. If a 19 year old kid, can take the league by fire & he’s black, the NHL will get new eyeballs watching them. Especially in NY. With the baseball teams done & not great to be begin with, the Same Old Jets, the terrible Knicks, all NY fans have left are the NY Giants. But what about day-to-day? That is where Duclair can make his case.

I am putting way too much pressure on Duclair. We’ve had the Great White Hope in the NBA, but can the Fresh Prince of Duclair be the black jeebus of the NHL? For hockey’s sake, I hope so. For the Ranger fan in me, I fucking hope so! I am not trying to overhype the guy and saying he’ll be the next Gretzky, but there is a ton of potential in the kid and he can potentially draw the NHL tons of money. Sure it means that means the NHL can raise ticket prices even more, but it’s good for the sports overall exposure.

Black or white, Duclair is a good hockey player. I hope he becomes a megastar with that blueshirt on. Facing facts and reality, if Duclair surpasses expectations, we might see more hockey jerseys in the streets. The NBA has cornered the African-American market, changed their marketing to embrace it and has made billions off of it. They might have to start sharing the pie one day.

Anthony Duclair, being already affectionately named The Duke by Ranger fans, (Shirts are already being made by WeBleedBlue.com, soon to be copied by knockoff WeBleedBlue.comscab sites), can always wind up being chronically injured, involved in an NFL type scandal, or just being a bust. I’m excited as a Ranger fan. He hasn’t even played one game yet, and I already have him as the black Gordie Howe. I do not mean to cast insane pressure or speak in hyperbole. I am pointing out that we may not be too far off from a black-golden period for the NHL.

I bid good luck to Anthony Duclair. Playing in the biggest sports market, for an original 6 team fresh off a Cup run at only 19 years old is a rough & difficult task. As a Rangers fan, I hope he kicks ass and takes not only the Calder award, but the Hart award too. 

Keep your eyes open people, we might not be too far off from young people & black people trading in their Lebron James & Kevin Durant jerseys for the Rangers #63 jersey.

The old joke used to be, “Do you know why black people hate hockey? Because the only thing black in hockey is the puck & that gets slapped around.” Hopefully the new joke will be, “You don’t watch hockey, why, because you need your athletes to have rap sheets?”

Sign me up for the Duclair fan train. First stop, right above Penn Station, the next, only time will tell.

LETS GO RANGERS!

Sean McCaffrey
BULLSMC@aol.com
HipHopShortStop.com

Will The NHL Lose The Younger Generation in NY?

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Women In Sports; Why They Are One Of The Best Assets To Sports.

Image Credit: The Queen of Baseball

Sometimes in sports, it seems that negativity on a certain topic is so overwhelming that as sports fans we in the general public lose sight of all the amazing reasons why we love sports. Sports are fun, they’re entertaining, they’re a magical release from the rigmarole that is our every day lives. We all enjoy sports, we meaning men and women. And this week with all the extra curricular shenanigans that has been brewing in the sports world, I think that sometimes the sporting public forgets how amazing and important women are to the sporting landscape on so may different levels. Women rock, and sports has proven that women are just as spectacular and important to the landscape of sports as men are. And it’s time we sit back and appreciate why women in sports is such a phenomenal thing. Because it’s not applauded enough, and it should be.

Whatever We Can Do, They Can Do…And Maybe Better…

Physically men have the edge over women and I don’t think that’s something that needs to be debated or is even important. Physicality is where the difference ends. Women are skilled at any and everything they put their mind to and sports is no different. The best example of this is in soccer. I know I know, America doesn’t really care about soccer. Well I do, and so do many other Americans; as well as the entire rest of the planet. Soccer is an amazing sport and it’s safe to say that the greatest American soccer player of all-time is Mia Hamm, a woman. Hamm was so good at her craft that she wowed men and women across the globe for years with her skills. Hamm and the US Women’s soccer team reached the peak of their dominance by winning the 1999 World-Cup with a this penalty kick by Brandi Chastain leading to her awesome shirt waving celebration. 

Image Credit: www.bleacherreport.com

Between Hamm, Chastain, and the rest of the USWNT, America and the world were fully aware of what women are capable…Greatness. But it’s not only in soccer. Basketball has always been where so many talented women flourish. If you get a chance, watch the YouTube videos of NBA legend Reggie Miller talking about his sister the legendary female basketball player Sheryl Miller. Miller was lights out during her days as a player and her, Sheryl Swoops, Cynthia Cooper, Tamika Catchings and Rebecca Lobo paved the way for the new generation of young stars like Britteny Griner, Elena Delle Donne and Skylar Diggins. The WNBA may not get the respect or coverage it truly deserves, but that doesn’t make the athletes any less fantastic. From legendary Track & Field legends like Florence Griffith “Flo Jo” Joyner, and Jackie Joyner Kersee, to young softball phenom Mo’ne Davis, women can shine just as much as men. Even the greatest of all-time boxer Muhammad Ali has a daughter that was the greatest at her craft as well in Laila Ali. And let's not get started on the tennis greats from Steffi Graf and Martina Navratilova to the Williams sisters because that's an entire article itself. 

Even on the sidelines Pat Summit has proven that women can do basically anything men can do; and maybe better.

Sports Need Women’s Points Of Views More Than Ever…

Image Credit: Gatoradebaths.blogspot.com

We all know what women can do on the field/court/track, etc. It’s some of the amazing work women have been doing off the field that makes women in sports so important. For too long there was only one point of view, the male point of view. Now, there are some incredible sports writers and analyst across the globe that are absolutely must reads. Women like Michelle Beadle and Jemele Hill and Josina Anderson have all paved the way for female journalist. But for me, the best one ever has to be Jackie McMullen from Boston. She is an absolute Rock Star in my eyes and she’s one of the best sports journalists on Earth, period. Whenever she writes a piece or appears on a program I make sure to tune in even though I despise Boston sports. But it’s not only McMullen that’s raising the bar for journalist of both genders. During the entire Donald Sterling fiasco it was Romana Shelburne of ESPN L.A. that was on top of the story every step of the way. Her reporting on Sterling was first-rate and she was the envy of sports journalist everywhere during that time. We need female point of views in sports and every woman I’ve mentioned, and all the ones who I didn’t mention, are helping with the process. Where a man will see something in black and white, a woman will show us all the gray area and give us a different perspective. Or, they’ll enhance the perspective we’ve already had. It’s awesome. Thank the heavens for women journalist in sports.

Women Just Make Sports More Fun…

Let me take you back to May 6^th 2014 on the day NBA MVP Kevin Durant gave his acceptance speech. Durant gave a great speech then capped it off at the end with talking about how amazing his mother was and how pivotal she was to all the success he’s had in his career. Durant was not only speaking of himself but for all the men on Earth that has had a mother, grandmother, sister, Aunt, friend, wife, fiancé, or girlfriend support them at every step of the journey. I know on a personal level my three brothers and I would never have accomplished anything without our goddess mother behind us. It wouldn’t have been possible. From sports to academics our mother was there. And from listening to Durant’s speech, to listening to other athletes in general talking about the strong women in their lives that encouraged them to do great things in sports, women have always been in the fabric of sports greatness. From the women who watch sports just because they love seeing their team win, to women who aren’t even into sports but are willing to learn because of their significant others, they’re are all great. Women make sports fun and insightful and all the other adjectives that you can think of.

So fellas, do yourselves a favor, embrace women in sports. They aren’t going anywhere and thank God for that. And ladies, keep breaking down barriers and smashing through glass ceilings and saving some idiot men from themselves. Women in sports are here to stay, and I couldn’t be happier about it. 

by Frantz Paul

Edited by: Dana Pellotta 

Owner/Editor in Cheif

The Dire State of New York Sports

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New York, New York, big city of dreams. The city I call home, and the city I love more than any other I’ve had the pleasure of going to. One thing about this city that never ceases to amaze me is the love its inhabitants have for their sports teams. New Yorkers love their sports and they are not afraid to tell you about it. The city and surrounding tri-state area of New Jersey and Connecticut will root for their teams through the darkest times and brightest hour because in the end, sports is life. Sports are in the fabric of the people in this city and that will never change. Unfortunately for sports fans of New York Teams, winning is not something that has become synonymous with the greatest city on Earth. It’s to the point where the city’s sports scene has become somewhat of a laughing stock on the national level, and it’s embarrassing to watch. What’s happened to New York sports and what can possibly be done to fix it?

Management Is A Lost Art In The Big Apple…

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There are 8 professional sports teams in New York City or in the surrounding areas of Long Island and New Jersey. But for arguments sake, let’s just say NYC has 8 sports teams. The Rangers, the Islanders, the Jets, the Giants, the Knicks the Nets, the Yankees and the Mets. Before we continue, let’s do a little math. From 2001 to 2013 there was the opportunity for 96 championships to be won between all 8 teams. Out of 96 opportunities, New York City claimed just 3 titles. The New York Giants in 2007 and 2011, and the New York Yankees in 2009; that’s it. Meanwhile in Boston, the sports town New Yorkers hate the most next to Philadelphia, their four sports teams won 8 championships. They have half the teams but almost triple the championships. But why? New York has money, the prestige, the fans, and everything else Boston has. The difference between the two cities is how the teams are run and by whom.

The only organization that I can truly look at and say they’ve had a good plan on how to get things done would be the Giants. The Giants aren’t a franchise that’s concerned about winning the back-pages of New York papers. Year after year New York media and even some fans always call for Tom Coughlin’s head coach. And twice Coughlin has gone on to stop the New England Patriots from adding to their Boston sports titles while adding to New York’s. Imagine had the Patriots won at least one of the match-ups between the Giants. Boston would have quadrupled the amount of trophies NYC had with half the teams. But the Giants window seems to have closed and the era of Eli Manning as star quarterback and Tom Coughlin as two-time winning head coach seem to be over. Other than the Giants every other front office has been pretty much inept. The Yankees have one ring in the last 12 years, but their process of just over-paying past their prime players as not bore any fruit. The Mets owners have seemed clueless since the last time the Mets went to the World Series in 2000 where they lost to the Yankees. The Nets just got to the city but between Mikhail Prokhorov using the Nets as a toy and GM Billy King seemingly operating with careless disregard for draft-picks, the Nets won’t be good for years to come. The Jets have been a joke in recent memory with signings like Tim Tebow, and Rex Ryan Promises couple with Mark Sanchez shenanigans have made the Jets look foolish on multiple levels. No one knows what the Islanders are doing and it’s safe to say most of the tri-state other than Long Island even cares to find out. And the Knicks and Rangers are both owned by one of the worst owners in sports who has no idea what he’s doing and hasn’t know what’s he’s doing for years in James Dolan. Owners of New York teams want to win but have gone about it the way that used to work in the past, just throw money at the best players and let them rise to the top. But the landscape of sports has changed. Players have options when it comes to money and endorsements now that they didn’t in the past. As long as the player is great no one cares about where he plies his trade, as long as he can sell product. Leaving New York to fight it out with other markets and over-paying immensely for older past their prime sports stars. But has New York come out of the worst of it? There are some signs of hope on the horizon.

A New and Improved Way of Thinking?...

As poor as management as been for NYC teams in recent memory, I think we are starting to see a shift in the right direction with at least a few of the teams. The Rangers and Knicks who are both owned by James Dolan are in the beginning stages of sport makeovers if you will. Dolan brought in the Zen Master Phil Jackson to be the president of basketball operations and has claimed he is going to stay out of Phil’s way and let him re-shape the team into a contender like they were throughout the entire 1990’s. I’m already seeing Jackson pulling string behind the scenes and making little changes here and there to quietly get this team back to where they should be. They have Carmelo Anthony as their franchise player, they have a coach in Derrick Fisher that Jackson trusts, and in the summer of 2015 they’ll have cap space to add more pieces around Carmelo. It’s a start.

The Rangers made it to the Stanley Cup Finals last years and had they played smart hockey in the first two games, the Blueshirts could have been Stanley Cup Champions. Unfortunately things didn’t go the Rangers way but it’s definitely a good sign. The Rangers signed their own franchise star Henrik Lundqvist to a long-term deal which shows intent. They have a good roster of old players and younger players with a lot of potential like Chris Kreider that can help them build on last year’s playoff run as well. Head coach Alain Vigneault operates completely different than 99% of the people in the city he’s coaching in. He’s always calm and reserved, not brash, just always there watching and paying attention and tweaking where need be. He’s a stark contrast to former coach John Torterlla who eventually wore out his welcome in NYC. The Rangers are in a good place so let’s hope this continues.

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It’s far too soon to say the Jets are headed in the right direction but last season they were a far better football team than people expected them to be. This past off-season has been relatively quiet and they made some pretty good acquisitions in Erik Decker, Chris Johnson and Michael Vick to help bolster their rosters. They have Geno Smith that still has a lot to prove, but unlike the Mark Sanchez debacle, Rex Ryan is putting weapons around Smith for him to grow. The Jets have done far too much dumb in recent times for anyone to immediately give them the benefit of the doubt, but it seems that maybe things are definitely changing in the culture of the Jets; and in a season or two they can really start making some noise. No more flashy signings, just really good ones to keep progressing.

The Jury is still out on the rest of the NY sports teams in my opinion. The Mets have some good young arms so lets see what Mets management does to help them. But the three aforementioned NYC teams are the ones that all look headed in the right direction. New York is far too great a city for its sports teams not to be in contention every single year in every single sport. But nothing changes if nothing changes. Only the men with the power and the checkbooks can affect change. Hopefully as a collective NYC’s power player owners wise up and return NY to sports prominence. The City will be waiting. 

By Frantz Paul

Twitter: @LSN_Frantz