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By Zach Schiff  January 18, 2010, at 12:54 pm  Next Saturday, I will be venturing into Montreal to see the second game of the Home & Home with the Canadiens. Okay, it’s a home-and-home with 2 other games in between, but still, it stands to be more intriguing than a home game against Tampa Bay and a game in Philadelphia.
So, which jersey should I wear?
Should I go with the autographed Dan Girardi jersey?
The autographed Sean Avery?
Superstar Marian Gaborik?
New addition to my collection Vinny Prospal?
I normally like to wear Sean Avery jerseys when I’m in other buildings.
I did it in Nashville last year about a month after the Rangers got him back on re-entry waivers, and a few fans yelled “Sloppy Seconds!” at me. To recap, I am not Sean Avery, I just wear the jersey. And the Rangers won that game.
I wore it in New Jersey amid death threats from the upper level (directed at me, my friends, and Scott Gomez, playing his first game in Jersey since signing with the Rangers). Those were quieted when the Rangers won the game.
I wore it in Philadelphia, where some kid tried to body check my friend. “How could you wear a Sean Avery jersey in Philly?” one cigarette-smoking man asked me. Well, the Rangers won that game.
And I wore it in Montreal on Super Bowl Sunday when the Giants beat the Patriots. As I was on the escalator, there was a man in a Mike Komisarek Habs jersey in front of me. We had an awkward silence, then discussed what it would be like to really date Elisha Cuthbert. The Rangers went down 3-0, then won that game 5-3.
Should I keep the tradition alive, or change things up?
By Zach Schiff January 4, 2010, at 11:46 pm :: My lead off today was going to be “Chris Higgins couldn’t score at a bar near Arizona State University” until about 90 seconds remained in the Rangers/Bruins game tonight.
Still, I guess even the fat mathlete can find the drunk sorority girl every now and then.
:: To the people who said the following regarding my Steve Rucchin jersey…
- “Isn’t Prospal number 20?”
- “It must be his own last name.”
… is this your first season watching the Rangers? Do you know know who the best – and only competent – second-line center on the Rangers since the lockout is? By the way, both Jason Krog and Freddy Sjostrom wore #20 between The Rucch and our favorite player named Vaclav.
I understand it’s an obscure jersey, but when you go to a lot of games, it’s nice to dig deep into the closet once in a while.
But to the guy in the Scott Gomez jersey… please… retire it.
:: Best jerseys of the night…
- Marco Sturm #19 German Olympic jersey
- Marc Savard # 33 Rangers jersey
:: Fun game tonight, and it was a relief from the 1-0 Bruin/Ranger games we’re used to, but it definitely got a little hazy in the 3rd period. My head still hurts from when I involuntarily hit it after Blake Wheeler scored to tie it 2-2.
:: Paging Sean Avery: Eventually, you’re going to have to score. You have still only scored in 2 games this year. I appreciate that in both games you scored 2 goals, but a 5th goal in forthcoming, no?
:: I know it’s a little premature, but I’d like to keep Erik Christensen with Brandon Dubinsky and Marian Gaborik when Prospal returns. Christensen has found his niche – playing with superstars like Gaborik, Sidney Crosby, and Ilya Kovalchuk – and it’s relieving to see him fitting in. When Prospal returns, have him center Ales Kotalik and Ryan Callahan. Have Avery play with Chris Drury and Artem Anisimov, and then have a 4th line that doesn’t do anything. I’m never one to speculate on line combinations, but that sounds good, no?
By Bryan Berg November 9, 2009, at 9:09 pm As Zach explained on Sunday, there are certain jerseys you can wear to the game. At the same time, there are others you wouldn’t be caught dead wearing at the Coliseum. Here’s a (hopefully) comprehensive list of what’s in and out when it comes to Islanders jerseys.
Good
Denis Potvin#5, Clark Gillies #9, Bryan Trottier #19, Mike Bossy #22, Bob Nystrom #23, Billy Smith #31 (if your number is retired, it can be worn by fans forever)
Pat LaFontaine #16 (that this number is not hanging from the rafters is a travesty)
Pierre Turgeon #77 (they really should retire this; it’s not as though any future player will wear it anyway)
Josh Bailey #12, Kyle Okposo #21, John Tavares #91 (nice future-proof jersey)
Darius Kasparaitis #11, Ray Ferraro #20, David Volek #25, Glenn Healy #35 (for many of us, the ‘93 team is the only time we’ve seen the Islanders win)
Gary Howatt #8, Rich Pilon #2/#47, Mick Vukota #12, Steve Webb #20, Eric Cairns #33 (nothing like wearing the jersey of a goon)
Trent Hunter #7, Claude Lapointe #13, Dave Scatchard #38, Butch Goring #91 (wearing the jersey of a grinder shows you appreciate the nuances of hockey and accentuates your fandom)
Iffy
Rick DiPietro #39 (not because he’s hurt, but because everyone has one and it makes you look like you’re not as big of a fan as you probably are)
Derek King #27 (fine player, but most of us would prefer to forget the early 1990s)
Michael Peca #27 (he had a great run, but he hasn’t been an Islander in five years)
Miroslav Satan #81 (he didn’t leave the team all that long ago, but it’s not as though he was a legendary Islander)
Roberto Luongo #1, Zdeno Chara #3, Bryan McCabe #4, Zigmund Palffy #16/#68, Bryan Berard #34, Todd Bertuzzi #44 (it never hurts to remind people how good this team would have been if not for the Mike Milbury era)
Bad
Alexei Yashin #79 (Zach argues that this is okay, because Yashin left the NHL as an Islander, but it’s probably time to buy a new jersey if you’re still wearing Yashin)
Eric Fichaud #1, Dean Chynoweth #3, Dave Chyzowski #9, Oleg Kvasha #12, Scott Scissions #14, Robert Nilsson #21, Brett Lindros #75 (busts of epic proportions)
Garth Snow #30 (as a fan, you are required to hate your team’s management)
Kirk Muller #9, Trevor Linden #32, Ron Hextall #72 (these guys were great elsewhere, but didn’t exactly work out well on the Island)
Anything from the Gorton’s Fisherman era (obviously)
By Zach Schiff September 12, 2009, at 10:30 am It’s been a big week for me. New car, new job, and now, much like injured training camp invitee Kyle McLaren, I will not be around for Rangers training camp, either. While he will be failing physicals, I’ll be in lovely Las Vegas for the 2nd year in a row. Got a great deal too. Last year, we paid $120/night for the MGM Grand. This year, we got a nicer hotel for $90/night. Last year, if we wanted the hotel I’m staying at this year, it would’ve been $180/night. Thank you, Internet.
Here’s what I’m hoping for to happen while I’m gone…
- Dany Heatley to finally be traded – and not to the Rangers, unless it’s for Wade Redden, which I think we all know the odds of that happening are less than 1%.
- The Rangers roster to be finalized. Probably not going to happen, but we should have a good picture of it by Friday.
- Blair Betts to have a job in the NHL. Has no GM watched him the past 3 years to see how good he is on faceoffs and on the penalty kill?
- This Phoenix Coyotes situation to be resolved. My ideal resolution: Have them play this year in the same spot since it’s too late to move an entire franchise, but have them play next year in Hamilton, Ontario. Sure, it would kill their attendance this year, but, be honest, who is going to see a bad hockey team play in the desert, anyway?
- Brandon Dubinsky to be signed – and not for $2M. Remember how often he didn’t score last year? I’m sure he’ll have a good year, he’ll be a heart and soul player, and he’ll grow leaps and bounds, but he still has trouble scoring, he isn’t a first-line center, and since the Rangers are tight on Cap room as is, giving him a lot of money would make things very rough come trade deadline day.
- One of the two discount hockey jersey sites I visit gets a Marian Gaborik jersey in so I can buy a new one for under $50.
- My SUV to arrive. (Probably won’t for another month though.)
- Bryan to text me updates if any of the above happen.
Have a good week. See you Saturday.
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