Sunday, January 25, 2004

Broadway Burnout! Time to close this show?

If this were a review of the theatre the cry would be Close the Show, it's a flop. The cast can't act, the plot line stinks and the Director has lost his way. But nope, it's not a Broadway play. It's the Broadway Blueshirts and they took their touring company on the road last night for a performance in Ottawa that was just plain terrible. Jaromir Jagrs' debut as a Blueshirt was underwhelming, as his new cast mates did their best to make him look good, by looking so bad. They couldn't score, they couldn't skate, they didn't check and they couldn't stop goals, in short they just didn't try. Ottawa just kept skating, shooting and scoring, a concept seemingly lost on the Rangers. They were more than full value for the 9-1 thrashing administered last night, the only question being how did the Rangers manage to get one goal?

Where does this leave ole Glen Sather now? The New York crowd last left him with the quaint slogan "Sather Sucks" ringing in his ears before the trip to Ottawa. Lord knows what the always creative New York fan will compose for the next Rangers home game. At any rate he has bigger problems than what the fans think of him, he needs to worry about what the players think about him. Because this is a team that seems to want to be rid of their coach and GM, such is the lack of effort put forward from night to night.

Sather the GM, should sit down with Sather the coach and ask him to explain a few things like line combinations, plans of attack and a certain lack of ability at keeping the puck out of their own end. Sather the coach in the meantime should counter by asking exactly what the GM is doing. He loads up with yet one more large payroll in the name of Jaromir Jagr, a guy that hasn't really had a good season in a couple of years now. Instead where they need the help, ie: defense, goaltending, positive thinking gurus, he seems to draw a blank. Instead of picking up Jagr from the Caps he should have purchased Gonchar, Bondra and Kolzig from Bargain Seller Ted. At least then he would have patched up his woefully overworked and injured defesne, added a goaltender that might have been able to stop a few shots and even included a scorer to the front lines who can uh, score. But nope instead it's another "star" player who will fit in nice with the collection of other non performers assembled in New York.

If this was a Broadway play they'd close down the show, burn the script and send the director back to community theatre in Goose Bay. But alas, the old adage is true, the Show must go on. And for New York fans this is one show that is more Stephen King or Mel Brooks, alternately a horror or a comedy, depending on the night and the mood of the team.

The media reviews are in from the Big Apple and the critics aren't kind.

The Post, The News both agree this Ranger show needs to close. And soon!

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