When the Rangers season started against the Florida Panthers, things looked good. Real good. Even though the first two periods didn't go so well, they turned it on in the third when they had to and won the game. But that was about as good as it got for a few weeks. They only won one out of their next seven games and things looked bleak because they couldn't put the puck in the net.
But I think this was all a good lesson for them to learn. Going into the season, all the so-called experts said the Rangers would be a good team but they needed to upgrade their defense if they were going to be considered a real Stanley Cup contender.
It's funny how things work out. Here we are, a quarter of the way through the season, and the Rangers are the stingiest defensive team in the league and Lundqvist has been unbeatable at times. The defense that was supposed to be the weak link not only have been outstanding in their own zone, but excellent in the offensive zone too. Look at what they did last night. The team wins another close game and the defensemen score all four goals for the Rangers, including Jason Strudwick's game winner in overtime.
So when they were struggling to score and playing a lot of 1-0, 2-1 games, they were learning how to win close games. Lundqvist was winning games all on his own and the defense was clamping down when they had to. The entire team developed composure and poise early in the season and I think this is going to pay huge dividends for the team come May and June. If you refer back to teams that dominate the regular season and falter in the playoffs, you will typically see teams that don't know how to win close games. They fold under pressure and make mistakes when they can't afford them. This one one of the reasons why President's Trophy winning teams are hardly a lock to win the Stanley Cup that same year.
We don't know how the season is going to play itself out. But when you look at what the Rangers are turning into, you have to love what you see if you're a Rangers fan. Not only for what they are doing this season, but what they can be in years to come. With youth like Lundqvist (25), Tyutin (24), Giardi (23), Staal (20) already earning their keeps, they also have blue chip prospects like Bobby Sanguinetti and Mike Sauer getting ready to make the team in the next two or three years.
Let's just hope the Rangers can find the same gems for the offense too. With Jagr finally showing his age and Shanahan not having a whole lot left in the tank, we have to hope that the next generation of Rangers scorers won't be too far away.
Sunday, November 18, 2007
Scott Boras: Genius or Idiot?
When all the dust finally settles, Scott Boras made a huge miscalculation in his quest to get A-Rod another huge deal. The good thing for Boras is that this mistake still got his client another $200,000,000.
Boras has made mistakes in the past but I don't think any were of this magnitude and on this level. He was expecting the Cubs, Dodgers, Angels, Mets, Giants and any other team with a shred of interest in A-Rod to fall over themselves to get a chance to sign his client. And why wouldn't he? That's what happened 7 years ago when A-Rod was last a free agent. Plus, when you look at some of the contracts being given now, you would think A-Rod would have a real shot at the $350,000,000 he was allegdly asking for to start the bidding.
But this time was different. For some reason, everyone was too scared to even put an offer sheet in front of A-Rod. And when Boras got a chance to start gauging his potential suitors, he realized he might have made a huge mistake when he advised his client to opt out of his contract.
What makes this so interesting is that we'll never know if this is how the story was supposed to go from the beginning. Scott Boras has a long reputation of being a manipulator so it wouldn't come as a shock if he had this planned all along. Why not ask for $350,000,000 and if worse comes to worse, we know the Yankees will not be able to resist the temptation of signing A-Rod for a "bargain deal" of $275,000,000. So what if he's not able to be in the room when A-Rod meets with the Steinbrenners. Boras is a master spin doctor and will be able to shrug off any potential ill effects potential or existing clients might have.
Maybe Boras will someday write a book and tell us how this whole thing was supposed to. But then again, if he does, can we believe whatever he writes? Probably not.
Boras has made mistakes in the past but I don't think any were of this magnitude and on this level. He was expecting the Cubs, Dodgers, Angels, Mets, Giants and any other team with a shred of interest in A-Rod to fall over themselves to get a chance to sign his client. And why wouldn't he? That's what happened 7 years ago when A-Rod was last a free agent. Plus, when you look at some of the contracts being given now, you would think A-Rod would have a real shot at the $350,000,000 he was allegdly asking for to start the bidding.
But this time was different. For some reason, everyone was too scared to even put an offer sheet in front of A-Rod. And when Boras got a chance to start gauging his potential suitors, he realized he might have made a huge mistake when he advised his client to opt out of his contract.
What makes this so interesting is that we'll never know if this is how the story was supposed to go from the beginning. Scott Boras has a long reputation of being a manipulator so it wouldn't come as a shock if he had this planned all along. Why not ask for $350,000,000 and if worse comes to worse, we know the Yankees will not be able to resist the temptation of signing A-Rod for a "bargain deal" of $275,000,000. So what if he's not able to be in the room when A-Rod meets with the Steinbrenners. Boras is a master spin doctor and will be able to shrug off any potential ill effects potential or existing clients might have.
Maybe Boras will someday write a book and tell us how this whole thing was supposed to. But then again, if he does, can we believe whatever he writes? Probably not.
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