Just like old times.

Rangers are playing up and down and all over the place. Not a good sign for the rest of the season. However, we continue to hope, do we not?

Liz and I will be going to the Rangers vs. Calgary game on Sunday 12/7. Hope it's a good one. When I was looking for tickets, I had to decide between the Calgary game this Sunday and the Florida game last Sunday. After the good Florida game on Friday, I'd wondered if I should've gotten the Florida/Sunday tickets, but after hearing about that 4-0 rout, I'm SO RELIEVED I didn't get those! It would've been SUCH a disappointment! =(

As it is, who knows how their game tonight against the Penguins will go. I'm excited to see Sunday's game... but apprehensive as well. =/

In other (former-)Rangers news, have you heard about Avery's "off-color" comments regarding his ex, Elisha Cuthbert, who's now going out with Dion Phaneuf of the Calgary Flames... who we'll see on Sunday night. Haha, it all comes full-circle. In any case, Avery has been suspended indefinitely until a hearing takes place.

I have to say, my first reaction was along the lines of OMG stupid NHL, who cares what he says? He's a provocateur; always was and always will be. Though upon review, I think I've come to the conclusion that it's not the sort of reputation the NHL wants to have, and punishment is the right way to go.

There are a couple of points to make here.

1. I think what Avery said isn't really a big deal, and if he'd said it on his own time, it wouldn't have been one. But he made sure he had the attention of the press outside the locker room and deliberately chose that moment and method in which to make this provocative insult.
   
   
2. The NHL took the right path in not letting this slip by. Avery should be punished for what he did because to let it go would set a precedent for low standards of conduct. Despite the fact that most think what he did is pretty funny (including myself), it's not behavior that should be encouraged, which is the message that would be sent by just letting it go.
   
   
3. On the other hand, as someone in hockey mentioned, the NHL -- which seems to be unable to set suspensions or punishments consistently for heinous injury-causing behaviors -- doesn't exactly have its priorities straight.
   
   
4. That being said, I think the attention is (unfortunately?) actually good for the NHL. It hasn't promoted the sport to its potential; attendance, sales, interest are lagging. The NHL needs an attention-grabber in a big way and truthfully, Avery is that.

To close, I will leave you with this; I had an interesting dream last night. I was at MSG. There was apparently a big dinner event -- several 20-seat tables were set up on the ice. (On the ice? WTF?!) It was before dinner; people were walking around, chatting and mingling. I walked up to a group of around 8 Rangers. But they did NOT look like they do IRL; in fact, none of them had faces I recognized even though I knew they were Rangers. They all looked like they were from a 90s boy-band: short, square-cut, gel-spiked hair, plain black or white T's, and stonewashed jeans. (Where the HELL did this all come from? Judy's been playing her pop music too loud, obviously, if this is what I think of when I go to sleep.)

Anyway, I talked with them for a few minutes; we were talking about someone across the ice whom I was looking at. The conversation paused for a moment, and when I looked back over at the guys, they'd all gone except for one. I didn't recognize him, so I asked what his name was and he said Merino. ("Like the wool?" I thought, but didn't say.) Instead, I said "Oh, I think I recognize you." Which was total bullshit, of course. And we walked toward a table together.

How weird is that? Merino wool? WTF?