One more day here in the city of Lost Angels (when I finish writing, I'm looking forward to dinner with some old pals at The Grand Havana Room), then driving north to Anaheim and San Jose later in the week.
Whenever I'm out here though, my mind reels back to hearing Rodney Crowell's "California Earthquake", which I recall seeing the Grateful Dead perform following the San Francisco quake in October 1989.
So because the Rangers are teetering on the fault line out here---watching as the cracks open beneath their skates---thought I'd share some of the lyrics before we dissect the aftershocks of the mind-numbing loss to the Kings that has left many fans bitter and demanding some changes:
"There was a California earthquake, in the year of '83
It shook the living daylights out of the Owens County Seat
Not a building still left standing when the dust had cleared away
Just a rumble in the distance all the way to San Andrea..."
"California earthquake you just don't know what you've done
We may fall off in the ocean, but you'll never make us run
You're a partner to the devil, but we ain't afraid of him
We'll build ourselves another town so you can tear it down again..."
"Then came the quake of '99 that levelled Mission Creek
The earth was like an ocean churning, with waves of twenty feet
Lord it sounded like a thousand trains were screaming underground
Clean across to San Joachim, they heard that mournful sound..."
"Then came one day the holocaust on San Franciso Bay
Ninety miles of walls came down like old Jericho that day
Might near everything the earthquake missed, a holy fire consumed
And left 'em smoke and the ashes of the dreams that can't be ruined..."
"California earthquake you just don't know what you've done
We may fall off in the ocean, but you'll never make us run
You're a partner to the devil, but we ain't afraid of him
We'll build ourselves another town so you can tear it down again..."
Shake-up time. For the Rangers to rebuild their crumbling town, break out not only the shovels, but the cranes. They're treading on dangerous ground here, starting from the front office to the coach to the ice.
1. Tom Renney said yesterday he has no self-imposed deadline to determine what to do about his eight defensemen. Not acceptable. Sit down with Glen Sather as soon as possible and between them, pull the trigger. If some exec decision has been made to keep Rachunek, then bite the bullet and waive the immobile Kaspar or Malik or Ozo and play Thomas Pock, who will at least bring skating, energy and a PP point shot. Unless Leetch is ready...
2. Play Nigel Dawes on the third line. Bench Colton Orr or Marcel Hossa. If you need to play Orr for a "physical" presence to go with his zero points, then scratch minus-7 Hossa. How difficult can this choice be? Am I missing something? Renney praises Dawes' intelligence and speed and positioning, but his talents are wasting away. Revamp the second line, put Cullen back at center, and put Prucha or Dawes there with Shanahan.
Shanny and Cullen are both quality two-way players---and leave them there.
3. Bring Jarkko Immonen or Brandon Dubinsky up to center a third or fourth line. Drop Betts to center the other with Ward and either Dawes/Prucha. Put Hollweg back on left wing and Hall on the right. Make sure you roll four lines. Let them develop. What happened to that philosphy? Why wait until the end of November?
4. There are several schools of thought about practice and motivation. Renney adamantly told me last night that he didn't think skipping the game-day skate for a exercise and a bike ride on the beach affected the team. Fine. But FYI, last time they didn't have a game-day skate was in Buffalo. That worked out well at 7-3, didn't it?
5. I'm certainly no coach---well, in a Jersey Little League for one summer and wasn't totally successful and I have been a newspaper editor directing staffs of writers with egos and stubborness and quirks---and it seems to me that pro athletes are creatures of habit, they crave routines, want to be told what to do, where to be, not have to think too much. But they also want your respect. It's a balancing act.
And I'm a big believer in situations and adapting. The Rangers aren't playing particularly well; so why have no game-day skate and today off? Maybe they do need the rest, because the upcoming sked is formidable, but it's not even Game 12, right?
Finally, Renney says he's not "a guru... I'm no John Wooden or Scotty Bowman."
Memo to coach: You don't have to be either of those giants. But maybe the veterans need some extra fire under their butts.
Maybe game-planning and attention to detail, of which Renney and his staff excel, won't always cut it.
It's too early for Renney to be replaced---yet. Hitch is available though.
Maybe the honeymoon's over.
Comments (9)
Hey Stevie, please tell us you are kidding about Brian Leetch.
And besides, who needs him when you can have Jassen Cullimore and his nine obstruction penalties for less?
You may not be a coach, but you make a good argument why the Rangers need:
1. A new coach
2. some players dropped
3. some players demoted.
all before it is too late and we cannot even reach the 8th playoff spot.
Last year the Rangers could depend on the OHM line to provide spark and kill penalties agressively. With Ortmeyer out, it looks like the management made a big mistake trading Dominic Moore. Holweg can't do it by himself. Hall may have a slight edge over Moore in talent but he doesn't fill Moore's role so he is just another non contributor.
The Rangers a lacking a few things but the spark, enthusiasm and work ethic that Holweg, Ortmeyer and Moore brought to every game is number one on the list of missing ingredients.
You are right about Dawes. Play him. He has skill and the enthusiasm to bring back some of the energy
Ah Steve, the California Earthquake song. Only a true Deadhead would remember they played that song, and a truer one to have seen it played (once?twice total?). Those late 80's/1990 shows before Brent died were something special, weren't they?
Anyway, to the subject at hand, I agree whole-heartedly with all of your suggestions. I think many fans who watch this team closely do. My question always is, what is the agenda? I mean, for years we've watched as the Rangers have thrown top dollars at aging, subpar free agents. What I find difficult to understand is that it isn't the Theo Fleurys or Eric Lindros' or Jaromir Jagrs who underperform and are "stuck with" by management in an effort to push the marquee names - its the refusal to stop playing the Dave Karpas, Igor Ulanovs, Stephane Quintals, Marek Maliks, Micheal Rozsivals, Marcel Hossas, and Karel Rachuneks when far more energetic alternatives with much more potential upsides that would actually contribute to a rebuilt core of players exist and yet are ignored. I mean, really, what is it with Tom Renney and Glen Sather that they are physically unable to bench Malik and Roszival and play Pock and Girardi for a few nights? Why tyhe complete inability to stick Straka on line #3, put Dawes next to Jagr so somebody on the line is an actual sniper while Jagr is still hurt and see what happens. Immonen scored goals in his first 2 games as second line center last season, and that was when the team was melting down. Why cant he be put between Shanny and Prucha right now?
Every other team in the lewague - especially the good ones, works talented rookies into the lineup except the Rangers. WHY? WHAT IS THEB PROBLEM? WHAT ARE THEY AFRAID OF?
Ah Steve, the California Earthquake song. Only a true Deadhead would remember they played that song, and a truer one to have seen it played (once?twice total?). Those late 80's/1990 shows before Brent died were something special, weren't they?
Anyway, to the subject at hand, I agree whole-heartedly with all of your suggestions. I think many fans who watch this team closely do. My question always is, what is the agenda? I mean, for years we've watched as the Rangers have thrown top dollars at aging, subpar free agents. What I find difficult to understand is that it isn't the Theo Fleurys or Eric Lindros' or Jaromir Jagrs who underperform and are "stuck with" by management in an effort to push the marquee names - its the refusal to stop playing the Dave Karpas, Igor Ulanovs, Stephane Quintals, Marek Maliks, Micheal Rozsivals, Marcel Hossas, and Karel Rachuneks when far more energetic alternatives with much more potential upsides that would actually contribute to a rebuilt core of players exist and yet are ignored. I mean, really, what is it with Tom Renney and Glen Sather that they are physically unable to bench Malik and Roszival and play Pock and Girardi for a few nights? Why tyhe complete inability to stick Straka on line #3, put Dawes next to Jagr so somebody on the line is an actual sniper while Jagr is still hurt and see what happens. Immonen scored goals in his first 2 games as second line center last season, and that was when the team was melting down. Why cant he be put between Shanny and Prucha right now?
Every other team in the lewague - especially the good ones, works talented rookies into the lineup except the Rangers. WHY? WHAT IS THEB PROBLEM? WHAT ARE THEY AFRAID OF?
I agree with the comments of many here and Steve. In Spring of 04 we started a youth movement. Perhaps because the team had unexpected sucess, our heightened expectations for this year have changed the way things are done. I agree with the mantra of "play the you." At least if we do lose, we will lose with young guys who work hard and are getting experience. Play Pock, play Dawes, get rid of Malik, Rachuneck (please) and Roszival. I actually think we should keep Kaspar, so I am a bit confused by today's move. I am thinking that this move is preceding some trade or move regarding our blueline. Also, we need to play Weekes a bit or get rid of him and bring up Montoya. I think Lundqvist needs a fire lit under him, maybe some competition to keep him sharp. I think we need to do something within the next week to right the ship, so many teams are gaining points on us - even the Isles, Devils, Pens and many others in the East. Hopefully, Sather and Renney will make the right adjustments.
A Rangers' fan since the '60-61 season, so I've seen the good, bad and ugly.
So far this season I've seen too much of the dysfunctional, passionless play that defined the '98 through 2004 seasons.
Lasy year Renney had a SYSTEM and a great staff to work with the roster in order to implement it. The team played with poise, positional responsibility, and no one came into MSG for a two-point holiday. What has happened so far this season to change that?
Break-out passes no longer go up the wall. Forwards do not back-check (except for Cullen, Prucha and Shanahan) in an effort to take pressure off of a dreadfully slow and soft corps of backliners.
WHY is the Rozsival-Straka pair STILL on the points on PPs? I thought Renney wanted more shots from there in '06!
WHY in God's name is Ozolinsh on the team!!! He is clueless in the d-Zone, comes into contact with (much less hits) no one, and constantly gives the puck away from anywhere on the ice. A 22 year-old, mobile kid like Pock SITS while this waste of a roster spot gets playing time? What game was Renney watching in Phoenix, and then again in L.A. where I believe # 24 was on ice for all seven goals?
Jagr better start VOCALLY leading these guys and not just lead by example on the ice like Leetch did - that didn't work. From what I've seen so far, SHANAHAN should be wearing the "C" as he's done both! If Jagr has doubts, take back the "A" and give it to the man who'll get in people's faces and motivate them before it's too late.
Finally, they need some toughness (Boynton?) to send a message that Jagr and guys like J. Ward are no longer fair game. Hollweg can't do it alone and Orr doesn't get any minutes. Punks like Ruutu and Gelinas have to be put in their place or word will spread throughout the League that it's open season on Rangers players wherever and whenever you please.
Either this club plays up to its potential and stops reading the pre-season press clippings (which it apparently did) or Sather's going to have to start shipping some guys out. (Kasper to Hartford for "conditioning" is a start)
Enough is enough.
It is amazing what a new year can bring. This reminds me of the Jets last year when the Super Bowl hype was on.
Now the Rangers think they are going to make the playoffs because they did it last year.
That was last year. You still have to work for it. Other than Shanahan who else work hard to backcheck or cycle down low? Get rid of the Euro crap. Look at the past 4 Stanley Cup teams. Mostly North American players who grind it out and don't want to make that fancy pass. Just shoot the puck. Get rid of Straka and Rozival. Garbage.
Straka is garbage ? He was one of the most consistant players last year, and this year, he has been playing well. He backchecks & skates hard. Rosival is a 24 yr old D-man, which has some skills. He might not be the most physical D-man, but hes too young to cast off as garbage. I would like to see some of the younger guys brought up: Immonen can win face-offs and can contribute a goal here and there; why isnt he on the team, while Hossa rots. Rachunek was a mistake - why Sather was interested in this guy, I have no clue. Id rather see Pock out there than some Ottawa cast off who fled to Europe last year. Pock has worked hard for a Roster spot - what has Rachunek done ?