Ain’t So

“It ain’t what you don’t know that gets you in trouble, it’s what you know for sure that just ain’t so.” Mark Twain

By: Gabriela Yareliz

Last night, Steve Valiquette said (during an intermission) there was no way the NY Rangers, a team that has plunged into some sort of identity crisis, would lose to the Calgary Flames. I was surprised by his certainty because he usually keeps it real. He has been watching this team spiral all season— what would make last night different? Spoiler— NY Rangers lost brutally, and Valiquette said it was the most “tragic” and “toxic” game he has covered since 2004. (He said TOXIC— that doesn’t even begin to cover it).

Sports, for many of us, are deeper than the game. It’s an analogy for life, mental and physical resilience on display; strategy and collaboration. Courage, and sometimes, brutal perseverance.

Valiquette’s intermission assertion is an example of how, sometimes, our wishful thinking makes us certain we know for sure what Mark Twain says, “ain’t so.”

It’s good to always display hope. Things like hope and vision are backed up by discipline, a plan and the grit required. And sometimes, even with all these things, you don’t win. Yesterday, that wishful thinking was backed up by nothing.

Specifically on the Rangers— I look at this team and wonder if they got lobotomies. I wrote a whole post on Trocheck and how his joy continued to uplift his team. Guys, he hasn’t smiled since I posted that— I kid you not. And it’s not like his seriousness made him play better. He plays worse. The coach (Peter Laviolette) has no idea what else to say in press conferences. He angrily chews his gum, shakes his head with his sad eyes and says he saw “nothing out there”. He reminds me of how I would look at my teams who were determined to give me zero percent effort. (He is not faultless, though— he gives a lot of ice time to people who give him nothing in return— another life lesson. Don’t do that).

Anyway— all this to say, no one knows where they go from here. The fans deserve better. I have never seen MSG look so empty. The fickle fans don’t have wishful thinking and given the city strangles us for money, we don’t have the cash to pay for those seats to watch them lose. They have received the memo and reality check. They are no longer willing to pay to watch five men free skate and sadly shake their heads. The fans aren’t giving the season CPR. They are like, “Call it.”

Yesterday, was the first time the announcers and journalists seemed to acknowledge the reality of the situation. Maybe that will be a turning point. In life, when we stop pretending and sweeping things under the rug, we give ourselves the opportunity to actually address the situation.

The NY Rangers have been pushed along with fun playoff delusions, and I think it ended last night. It’s time to face the music. When we do this in any circumstance, we finally open the door that gets us out of trouble.

If you aren’t here to play hard, you don’t deserve to win. Wishful thinking gets you only so far. It won’t take you to the playoffs.