Monthly Archives: December 2008

Thanks For Your Patience

Posted on by

A team will suffer its share of injuries and heartache but I believe as long as we adhere to our system and in a belief in one another, we will be highly competitive. We are that deep and we are that fortunate that we rebooted our team and built around a core of young players and a new three-pronged strategy centered around youth (a pick and a prospect); a new facility at Kettler Capitals Iceplex; and a new AHL affiliate in Hershey. The mash up of those three changes and our new look and feel plus the fan-driven “Redouts” and a great new coach has made us a special franchise. You can sense something in the air, can’t you?

We have come a long way as a franchise in our belief in each other and in the depth of our talent but at some point the injury bug needs to go away and bite someone else. It is getting old and our fans deserve to see what we can do when we are healthy and complete as a team.

Thank you for your patience and your belief in our team. I am hopeful I can say you haven’t seen the best from us yet.

Onward

Posted on by

Here is another look at the last game with some interesting quotes from Jose Theodore. It pays to have a deep inner confidence in yourself as he came back after being benched and played quite well in the second and third periods.

We need good goaltending to be a great team. We need our goaltending to NHL grade and if we get it, I believe we can be one of the best teams in the NHL. BUT the goaltender plays better when our D doesn’t leave him out to dry; when we play good team defense; and when we play great puck possession hockey.

It is a team game. We need everyone to be in it together and we need our goalies to make the big saves when needed.

Got a Call From a Friend, a Media Exec Who Was at the Game Last Night

Posted on by

New Yorkers are all talking about last night’s game and Alex Ovechkin. Do you realize he took 27 shots with 13 on net last night? Friends are saying Alex is the talk of the town a la LeBron James after a recent Knicks game except Alex is signed with us for 13 years so Rangers fans can’t have fantasies about his playing on Broadway any time soon.

Good for us and good for Alex. I am truly flattered.

A Life Lesson: Never QUIT, Never GIVE UP, Always Believe!

Posted on by

Yesterday was a life lesson of a day for me and many of my associates and family members. Hear me out.

The day started early with a back and forth with me and a great friend and associate regarding a deal term sheet we received. The terms of said deal were NOT appropriate and it looked like the deal was dead. Many folks were despondent because we had worked hard on the deal and it was now not a doable agreement but I remained calm and upbeat and positive. We scheduled a follow up call. The terms were renegotiated and a new term sheet was received and we live to fight another day on this deal. I bet we can get it done. We all have good and positive feelings about the deal and the relationship. We never let little negative details get in the way of the big picture and we have a healthy give and take now. What looked bleak in the morning looks promising now!

Later in the day, in regards to a big financing for a startup company I am close to, we received bad news. The deal seemed to be dead. I was informed by the CEO of said startup and he was very low and quite concerned. We went back and forth with members of the board and there was a follow up call scheduled where we would be informed by the potential lead investor that the deal was officially tabled because of the economy and some other issues. Again, I believe in our company; in the deal; and in the people. We had a much more positive call than was expected. The deal is alive and I believe will get done. Everyone was straight up and positive and working towards solutions. The give and take after the call was very positive. The CEO of the company said that I had brought out a “defibrillator” in the meeting and that I had found ways to keep people on common ground and that this deal now has momentum and will get closed.

I was on the phone a lot during the day and when I saw my daughter. She said, ”Dad, where have you been? What are you doing?” I said, “Sweetie, remember NEVER QUIT. Never give up.” She said, “OK Daddy. Whatever.” and laughed at me sweetly.

Later that night, my family and I watched our team play. We had 10 players out with injuries, actually 11 as our goaltender was injured as well. Our team went down 3-0 on the first five shots. We all had a sinking feeling that this would NOT be a pretty game and then the Rangers went up 4-0. My daughter looked at me and said, “OK Dad. Never give up.”

And then Ovechkin scored, 4-1. Then Fleischmann scored, 4-2. Then Kozlov scored, 4-3. By this time, my family was going crazy. Then Ovechkin scores and we tie the game 4 to 4. We go into OT and – bang – we win 5-4 on a goal by a D man who NEVER scores a goal.

Improbable. Impossible. A true character win. Shorthanded in NYC at Madison Square Garden and yet we never gave up. We played as a team. We played with heart and determination and belief in each other.

It was a perfect cap stone to an improbable day.

Never give up. Always believe. Stay positive. Don’t be negative. Find a way to win. A life lesson for us all.

A Short Note

Posted on by

It is the holidays so I truly want to stay positive and upbeat.

Some folks didn’t reach for their remotes last night and change the channel. Instead they pounded out emails to me with rants, curse words, demands and some pretty basic “how could you?” emails. Trade this guy, fire that guy, sell the team, etc. etc. I received two of these gems moments after the Rangers scored their fourth goal.

I will remind those who sent the emails that we are all in this together. We must stay positive and a quick apology note now would be nice as well. :-)

I do have to say though that I am getting weary of this process. I am not sure why I have to become a punching bag for some fans after losses – or in some cases – even after goals scored against.

I would like to rise above the fray. Be nice. Be positive and enjoy the ride we are on as a team. I understand your passion but it is getting old having to read venom and angst and fury. What I may just do is block you from my email and make sure you are NOT allowed ever to post again on our message boards as well. There is no need for the over the top rants so I am really asking you if you are “true long term fans” just tone it down a notch. Be nicer and perhaps don’t hit the send button as much. Would that be too much to ask? Thank you.