Playoff Tweak

- I got my invoice for playoff tickets on Saturday morning, and it was a far different experience than during the past seven seasons, when it was for the most part something to scoff at and ignore. Those seasons tend to blend together as one, just like the four consecutive playoff seasons ended at the hands of the Icelanders in the 80’s, a torture that only Ranger fans could be subjected to. My recollection now was that in each of those seven seasons, the team’s playoff fate was already fairly certain by the time the invoices arrived, even as they did so earlier and earlier each year in an attempt to at least generate some interest income for Cablevision.

This year is different of course, and I was excited to return it right away, not even waiting for the deadline. Then I turned on the TV to catch the end of the bronze medal game, and the very first words I heard were “..and Jagr doesn’t kill penalties, but he hasn’t returned either.” And once again, as it did when I read of his being helped off the ice during the Finland game, the season flashed before my eyes. The ups and downs of being a Ranger fan can strike at any time, even during a 2 1/2 months hiatus. I was glued to the set at game’s end, watching for the sight of #68 on the ice. Relief swept over me when I saw him join the celebration and participate in the handshake line (his handshake with Tyutin was particularly perfunctory); and I replayed the scene over and over and in slow motion in an attempt to discern any revealing body language, or to perhaps lip-read him telling Rangers teammates something like “Don’t worry, it’s fine, I just didn’t want to take any chances, and I would have played if the game was closer. Wanna go out for some beers?”

So the Daily News terms it a “tweak,” and he told Johnette Howard of Newsday: "But if the score was different, I think I could go." We can only see how he feels after the long flight home and recovery from jet lag. And for now, my playoff voucher is still sitting here.