EL BARRIO, DE BRONX – Your Deacon Blaber had a super busy weeek, so this will be another week of random sports thoughts – skewing toward ice and diamonds. You want specifics, you say? Okay – I want to talk New York Rangers, PK Subban, Rob Ford and the New York Mets.
New York Rangers: They won the President’s Cup. They are the best regular season team in hockey. That feels good. There was some discontent about some off-season moves – getting rid of the likes Brian Boyle, not to mention a whole season without then-captain Ryan Callahan. Add that to the trade deadline deal of sending Anthony Duclair to Phoenix. At the end of the day, it looks like head coach Alain Viganault and GM Glen Sather got it right. Well, at least for the regular season. Big pats on the back for back-up goalie Cam Talbot. Not to prognosticate, but he will likely leave to be the #1 man on some other club, like Angry Ward’s Minnesota Wild.
PK Subban: The NHL knows it is viewed as a white man’s game. It is grounded in socio-economics, as hockey is one of the most expensive sports to play, not any kind of inherent racism. It is all about the middle class and upper middle class, so the NHL tried to make a difference and started its Hockey in Harlem campaign. Every now and then a black hockey star burst on the scene and he captures the attention of black sports fans on both sides of the border. Before that, the guy was Jerome Iginla but now it PK Subban. When the black security guard at one of the offices I work at turns to me and says “did you see that documentary on PK Subban?” – it’s an eye-opener. He was referring to the Sixty Minutes 2 piece and now *LaDesean From Security is a fan of the poor kid from Toronto whose Caribbean immigrant dad fell in love with hockey and taught his kid how to play and love it.
Rob Ford: I almost spit out my drink when I heard the news; Rob Ford, the most scandal-ridden mayor in history, is is now a member of the Hockey Hall of Fame Board of Directors. What could go wrong? He says he will do his best to help grow the sport and encourage children to take up the game. Whether those children’s parents have access to crack or cocaine is another matter.
New York Mets: This goes out to You Suck and Yankee Joe. The Mets have the best record of all of New York’s baseball teams. Suck it Yankee fans. Although as a Mets fan, I am torn. If the mets succed I hope it is not a vote of confidence to the inept ownership and gm that they have suffered under after all these years. However, being able to brag at Yankee fans, no matter how brief – is worthwhile.
That’s it for now, come back tomorrow for Cheesy Bruin, a man that truly loves his hockey… but will be watching his team golf next week! Bam.
*Ethnic name contrived for effect by MTM Edit Staff.
