And normally we'd just snicker, as we're obviously more about the Devils fortunes here. What was disgraceful as Ranger players half-assed it, stood around, took 'too many men on the ice' penalties late in the game, is the fact they retired two numbers last night and all their former greats were in the house to watch. First off they are struggling just to make the playoffs, secondly Harry Howell and Andy Bathgate were having their numbers hoisted to the rafters, third the lowly Toronto Maple Laffs were the opponent. How and why they didn't come out roaring and steamroll Toronto is anybody's guess. No heart, no guts but for whatever reason it was disgraceful. Captain Chris Drury makes over 7 million a year as does Scott Gomez. Markus Naslund is in for over 6 milion. Nikolai Zherdev makes 2.5 million and these guys just gave no effort. Who steps up to take ownership of this mess? Over the Red Wings locker room in Joe Louis Arena in Detroit reads a sign (johnny knows he's seen in personally) "Of those much is given much is expected". Maybe somebody should relay this sentiment to some of the Rangers stars.
On a night you honor those who helped make hockey what it is today, a world you can make a bundle, a lot of current Rangers should be ashamed. Bathgate and Howell played for relative peanuts in an era when the NHL season was over you went to your OTHER JOB, and for them to have to watch a passionless and lazy performance in front of them was frankly embarrassing.
Johnny's a die hard Red Wings fan who supports his local Devils but is reminded of when Red Sox great Carlton Fisk earned Yankees fans respect when he told New York Yankee Deion Sanders, who in an earlier at bat decided he simply didn't need to run out a pop-up on the infield, there is a right way and wrong way to play the game and "and if you don't play it right, I'm going to kick your ass right here in Yankee Stadium."
Bravo, well said.
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