No Icing Productions
Views of an ex-hockey Rifleman ~ Sandy H. Miller

October 19, 2007
Lots of Electricity, So Far

For the most part, the greater majority of the teams in the league are doing quite well this early into the season. All players seem conditioned and strong teamwork is showing up so early on.

In the past when starting a season, in the first few months the guys looked sluggish, chubby and even a bit uncoordinated. Hand, eye and stick movements were sloppy and shots, passes and solid, consistent, powerful skating wasn’t the norm. Usually teams didn’t start to gel until after Christmas.

Part of the reason why is that today’s players don’t need to take a job during the off season to make ends meet. I remember guys like Phil Esposito—and countless other STARS like him—who needed to work during the summer months. They drove delivery trucks (hauling mostly beer but also milk and soda pop), worked in mills and mines, hammered away on heavy construction jobs, and the like.

Most of these guys did not work out in the off season. Some smoked cigars and cigarettes and many tossed a few brews back. Their diets did not include protein shakes and flax seed breads. Instead, they loaded up on tons of red meat and donuts, maybe or maybe not Tim Hortons. Come time for training camp, the weeks before the season started were just short of a nightmare for them!

If you made $75,000, it would be the same as 6MM or more today. Don’t forget, Hockey Hall of Fame Member Rod Gilbert, also the New York Rangers all-time scoring leader, who spent the entire 16 years of his distinguished career dazzling New York fans with his play, had to argue with management to get a $4,000 raise one year. What a joke.

Today, the game is primarily about the dollars, and that goes for everyone involved in the game of professional hockey. So the players don’t need the summer jobs and are in top shape even prior to camp opening. This is the new law of the game!

No doubt players today experience year-round hard core conditioning and discipline. There is off ice biking, running, weight lifting, yoga, burst training, stretching, as well as attention to nutrition. There are strength and conditioning coaches who prepare rigid, tailored-made plans for each individual player. On ice drills are significantly more intense and players know they have to keep up physically on all fronts. If they indulge in beer, donuts and a cigar on the golf course, they play the next day a step behind those who stick to their regiments.

This season has a lot of jump to it already and I hope it continues. Remember boys; finish those checks on both ends of the rink.

Posted by Sandy H. Miller at 5:07 PM 0 comments

Labels: New York Rangers, Phil Esposito, Rod Gilbert, Tim Hortons

October 17, 2007
Why Teemu? Why Scotty? Why!

Attention Teemu and Scotty:

What the heck are your issues/problems? Why are you whining and having such a difficult time making a decision about retiring? What are you going to do? Watch TV all day, change diapers and eat donuts?

Bailing out at this point in your life makes NO sense. If I were Mr. or Mrs. Samueli, Mr. Schulman, Mr. Ryan or Mr. Burke, you would have until this Thursday, October 18, 2007 at high noon to make up your minds.

This crap never happened in the old days (60s, 70s and 80s), or for that matter, not even in more recent years. Do you think Gordie Howe would have pulled a number like this? No way, no how. And I know the man a little bit.

Look: life goes by so fast. I understand that you have kids and the travel is difficult. Money is not the issue. Obviously. However, you will miss this game so intensely later on if you quit now. Play the damn game that has graced your lives and the lives of your family and fans, too! You are young and can still play the game at the highest level: Teemu for at least three more years, and Scott, for five.

Suck it up and get on with it! You are being completely self centered and egotistical. Please take others into consideration such as:

Your dedicated and loyal fans
Your teammates
The Ducks owners
The executive management team
The NHL
The NHLPA

Your team needs you…desperately! DO THE RIGHT THING! Get two or three nannies if your wives need help!

Hockey is your LIFE! I wish you the best.

~MILLS

Posted by Sandy H. Miller at 1:07 PM 2 comments

Labels: Anaheim Ducks, Scott Niedermayer, Teemu Selänne

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Lots of Electricity, So Far
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© 2007 Sandy H. Miller