Monday, February 5, 2007

Commentators, goaltenders, and tall tales

Had you been watching yesterday's Islanders/Capitals game on Fox Sports New York and not been aware of hockey in the last few years, you would've been under the perception that Olaf Kolzig was a contender for the Vezina. Play by Play man Howie Rose was talking up the Capitals goaltender throughout the game with phrases like, "one of the game's best" or "still great at age 37", making you think Kolzig was a dominant goalie. Somehow he was able to restrain himself and not refer to Oli the Goalie as an Hart Trophy candidate.

The truth of the matter is Kolzig is 32nd in the league in GAA and 15th in Save %. Patrick Roy, he is not. His last "good" year was in 02-03 and in his career he's had four years in which one could refer to him as being a "good" goaltender. Sure, he looked good against the Isles yesterday, but there are few goalies who don't these days. The only time he's been the best was when he attended Byron Dafoe's wedding as his "best man". Apparently Dafoe realized he didn't get the best because he was fighting Kolzig on the ice soon after.

It's amusing to hear commentators poorly researched for games, but you'd figure Rose would have realized in the last few years that Kolzig isn't that impressive. Maybe he has him confused with some other German goalie. I'm sure that kind of research won't be tolerated once we get this team moved up to Winnipeg. But maybe it's commentary like this that helped convince Islanders management into believing DiPietro was worth 15 years. And no, that joke won't get old any time soon...
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As a self-deprecating Ranger fan of twenty years, the team I've loved for so long is not making any progress quickly. Stuck with a lost coach, an MIA GM, and an egomaniac owner who knows less about hockey than Gary Bettman, it appears as though it will be another 41 years until we win another Stanley Cup. So, what are the short term options? To save the the Penguins and move them to the new Barclays Center in Brooklyn! The Penguins are poised to be the next dynasty in sports yet are potentially doomed to be moved to a hillbilly market that will further destroy the image and decrease the popularity of the already floundering NHL. What better for a league in thick turmoil than to move its marquee franchise to the #1 sports market in North America. Think about the profits that could be reaped with Sidney Crosby playing in the #1 media market? With all of Mario Lemieux's concerns in buidling a new arena, he should turn to Brooklyn-the new Nets arena, the Frank Gehry designed Barclays Center will be ready for business in three seasons when the Penguins biggest starts will only be still in their early 20s!Imagine the country's most promising franchise and one of hockey's most exciting teams ever playing in New York City in the most state of the art building in the country. The possibilities are endless.