N.Y. Rangers holding first place

[frankcor]

You're a real button pusher, ain'tcha?

[bobbbiez]

Yep, took me years to perfect it. ;D

[frankcor]

Not that I'm into pushing buttons or anything ...


but ...


Shouldn't we change the name of this thread? Something along the lines "Rangers no longer holding first place?"


<g,d,rlh>

[Clipper]

Rangers circling the drain? ( hell, I don't even watch hockey or give a damn who wins, but I DO like pushing buttons now and again.)

[bobbbiez]

Just remember you two.

The season isn't over till the fat lady sings. ;D

Don't be blowing any horns till the last game is played.

[bobbbiez]

So looking forward to tomorrow's (Tues) game between the Rangers and Atlanta.

Gonna be a bitter, sweet night.

The Rangers will win but the ceremony to retire Ranger Adam Grave's #9 is taking place.
Always have the tears flow when ever I watch a Ranger's player retire and watch their numbers being raised to the Garden's rafters.

Well, if anyone wants to share a tissue with me tomorrow watching Adam Grave's #9 (the heart of the Rangers) being raised, all will start at 6:30pm. ;D

[bobbbiez]

What a very emotional ceremony for Adam Graves tonight and rightfully so. Not a dry eye in the crowd or in my living room.
He now joins the five fantastic Ranger players whose retired numbers now hang for the rafters of the Garden.

What a great Ranger and a better man.

WTG GRAVEY #9!!!!!!!!!!! ;D

Wish the Rangers could have ended the evening with a win against the Thrashers but not tonight. Can't say they should hang their heads because it was a very exciting game and they played their a**e* off right up to the last 10.7 seconds of the third period and scored the tying goal sending the game into over time. They continued the hard playing in overtime forcing a shoot out. Sadly they lost in the shootout by one goal.

That's ok guys. I'm proud of your attempt to make it a perfect evening for Adam Graves. I'm sure he felt the same way.

"LET'S GO RANGERS!" ;D

[bobbbiez]

I am really pi**ed!!!!!!

Not for nothing, I enjoy all sports and try to keep up on the news in all fields but I am damn sick n tired of hockey being given very little coverage and always given the back seat in the news.

Hockey is a long time sport enjoyed by many people, especially by our young people and should not be filed to the back.

The ceremony for Adam Graves last night retiring his #9 is a historical event in hockey and should not have been ignored.Only five other players from the Rangers since 1926 have had the honor of seeing their numbers hanging from the rafters of the Garden and it doesn't make the news. That's bull sh*t as far as I'm concerned. More coverage is given to all other sports when one of their players gets in trouble with the law, but don't honor a sport that has very little problems in that area. Guess good news doesn't sell any papers. Very disturbing and very sad!

[frankcor]

How 'bout dem Devils?

[bobbbiez]

Frankie, I got two words for you and it ain't "love you!"

So, they lost a few. It's still early and they have plenty of time to make them up.

Haven't lost faith yet my friend. ;D

"GO RANGERS!!!!!!"

[Clipper]

Uhh gee Sunshine, Utica and Rome have traditionally been predominately Italian and Polish folks. Hockey is a canuck sport. You know. Good looking guys like me and RJ, but with skates and sticks.

You are in the wrong area for Hockey enthusiasm. Put a hockey game at Kennedy Arena, and the World Series of Bocce in East Rome, and you will soon see the difference in attendance. There would be people parking at the Kennedy Arena to take shuttle buses to the Bocce Courts, LOLOL.

I am of he opinion that UTICA ruined hockey in that area. The Clinton Comets used to pack the arena in Clinton. When they moved to Utica, they went downhill until they went under. It is a sad thing, but Utica doesn't seem to support spectator sports. There is no reason why a city the size of Utica shouldn't be able to support a minor league pro baseball team, but they can't seem to keep one. Little Falls used to fill the stadium for their Mets games, and Oneonta sells out all of their Yankee farm club games.

Utica seems to have that "bitch because there is nothing to do, and then don't support anything when there IS something to do". Pretty sad, huh?

When I was in my last couple of years of High School in West Canada Valley, their home games, either football, or basketball, would bring the whole valley out to cheer them on. Businesses used to close early so the proprietors could go to the games. Newport and Middleville were deserted during a basketball game.

It just seems that there is this negative undercurrent of disinterest in such things in Utica, and it is very sad. I used to go to the blue sox games when I lived there, and it was really a fun way to spend a summer evening. Cheap tickets, good baseball, and hot dogs and soda, and ya could do it at that time for less than $10 including the snacks.

If I were there, I would come to the game just to see you go nuts when a goal was scored, and to support the police and the charity cause.

Well, that is enough for "just another war and peace length" post from clipper the long winded, haha.

[frankcor]

It might surprise you that hockey is actually quite popular in Rome today, Clipper. There's a semi-pro team that plays at the arena on Saturday nights. A resurgence began in the 1980s when RFA made quite a few trips to the state tournaments bringing home some titles.

RFA has since dropped down a division to AA and is developing some nice rivalries with New Hartford and Whitesboro. New Hartford appears on the way to an undefeated season and a state title this year.

[bobbbiez]

Clipper, have to disagree with you as far as Utica not having enthusiasm in any sport.

Coming for a long time sport orientated family in all sports I have seen the reason why the lack of attendance at pro games. It's not because of the lack of enthusiasm that certain teams here left. I KNOW the "out rages" prices put on tickets was the main problem. All in a family could not afford to go so what happens in that case? No one goes.

For me hockey is my favorite but I attend all sport games available whether it be high school, or college and there are plenty in Utica to enjoy. We have quite a few college sports in our area and their home arena is the Utica Aud and most all games are free or you can make a small donation to the school. You just try to get a decent seat when MVCC or Utica College, just to name a couple, has their sport games.

The city of Utica can not afford the cost to keep these pro teams here and the people in Utica can not afford the price of their tickets.

As far as hockey the whole Utica area is very much into hockey with leagues in all divisions from the learn to skate to adult leagues. Just go to any website referring to hockey in the Mohawk Valley and ya can see for yourself and guess what, we're damn good in the game taking many a State Championship. MVCC's hockey team, the Hawks, have their State Banners and trophies to prove it. Hockey is very much alive and the games are well attended and enjoyed by the people in this area. Frankie is right. Rome's pro hockey team the Copper City Chiefs did excellent in their division and made all proud.

You did give me a chuckle mentioning two damn Canucks referring to yourself and my better half. Both of whom never played hockey a day in their lives and don't know a damn thing about the game and it's calls. Pretty bad when I"m at a game with my Canuck and have to explain every damn play and call to him. Geez, I'm only a girl from Utica NY that shouldn't know a freakin thing about the sport. ;D

You are funny my friend.

[bobbbiez]

Hey Clipper, gonna reserve some bragging rights on sports in my family.

My Pop and my Uncle Walt were fantastic players in the very first Blue Soxs team here in Utica back in 1936. Got the picture of them that was in the newspaper to prove it.

My son, Anthony, was the outstanding defenseman on MVCC's hockey team, the Hawks, when they took their first State Championship.

My cousin, Walt, was a top football player who was drafted by Oklahoma State University and played pro football for years.

Want me to go on? These were all Uticans making their area and people proud. Don't have to mention all the other people in all sports that started their pro careers in a city that doesn't have any enthusiasm in spots. ;D

[Clipper]

Whatever! If anyone could not afford BlueSox tickets I guess they had to go to high school games, but as I said, a ticket, a hot dog and a soda was less than 10 bucks when I used to go.

If a person is a sports fan, ticket prices won't keep them from going to a game. I used to watch alot of Utica College Basketball, and I played soccer when I went to MV. UFA had some good teams, but I never cared for Proctor. They usually played dirty and weren't much fun to watch. I heard it said once at Murnane Field when I was driving for Central Coach, and brought a team in from Auburn, that if attendance was better, the tickets would be much cheaper, but someone had to pay the light bill. Translation: People didn't support the team so the tickets had to be more expensive to even keep the team there as long as they were there. When the blue sox left, I started watching softball at Wankel Field and fast pitch in Holland Patent, Prospect, and Remsen.

My dad's uncle played for a blue sox team that played at a stadium that was over near harbor point many years ago.

I will hang a frigging blue ribbon on my door if I ever post something and you don't dispute it or disagree with it kiddo. Damn, haha.

The last hockey team I remember at the Aud was run by some dumbass from NH. He wrote me a bad check for cleaning his carpeting when I had my business. I had to protest the check to get him to make it right. I saw him one night in the hook line and sinker. I was paying my bill, and he was at the bar running his mouth and bragging. I told the bartender, "don't believe a word that loser says, and DAMN sure don't take a check". he threatened to have his hockey players kick my ass. I simply told him, that he would have to send a drug addict, because the drunks on his team could not get sober enough to make a fist. so much for pro hockey in Utica. Like I said, the last good hockey in the area was the old comets when they played in Clinton. That and the occasional amateur game or college game. I would rather watch kids play at the Whitestown rink or Kennedy Arena, than some of the pro teams that have tried to make it at the aud.