News Article: Brooks speaks with Dolan.

[rangers1314]

The Rangers D is one of the weakest in the league with arguably only 3 bona-fide NHL'rs on the roster, maybe 2, but somehow one of the elite talents on defense in the NHL would make no sense for the Rangers???

Karlsson makes sense for virtually every team in the league. The Rangers included.

You’re responding to a comment I never made. Read what I said. I said “giving up assets” for him makes no sense, not “Erik Karlsson makes no sense for the Rangers”.

 

[Elliman]

Basically what Dolan is talking about summed up... ..

Rangers win the draft. Drafts the Swede
Rangers trade Shatty, Vladdy, Spooner + couple of picks for EK & B Ryan @ 50% at the draft.
Rangers sign JTavres 3 minutes into the free agency window.
This blockbuster move is followed up by Rick Nash and Michael Grabner signing 2 year home discount deals. Canadian press yells foul play.
Second day of free agency Gorts signs Kovy to a 1 year 3.5m contract. Kovy names NYC’s Little Odessa along with our fantastic offseason as the reasons he signs with us on a sweetheart deal.
Rangers win the Cup with a blend of vets, Swedes, Russians and rookies.
Tavares scores the winning goal in OT to clinch the cup.
Islanders fans commit mass suicide.
Lundqvist is given the key to the city.
Dolan’s Knicks follow this cup win with an NBA championship!

Ok ok you got me that last part is totally unrealistic......

 

[Gresch04]

Guy is a blowhard socialite who inherited it all from daddy. I'm surprised so many positive comments. The guy has destroyed one great franchise and did very little with the other. One championship between two flagship NY franchises in decades is shit ownership. One of the worst owners in the history of sports. I won't be surprised when he screws up the rebuild.

 

[Machinehead]

Guy is a blowhard socialite who inherited it all from daddy. I'm surprised so many positive comments. The guy has destroyed one great franchise and did very little with the other. One championship between two flagship NY franchises in decades is **** ownership. One of the worst owners in the history of sports. I won't be surprised when he screws up the rebuild.

He talked about leadership so everyone is giddy.

Sounded like a bunch of canned crap to me, aside from the digs at AV which were glorious.

 

[ReggieDunlop68]

Amen. Why a hockey fan would deny this is mind boggling

They wouldn't.

 

[ReggieDunlop68]

Basically what Dolan is talking about summed up... ..

Rangers win the draft. Drafts the Swede
Rangers trade Shatty, Vladdy, Spooner + couple of picks for EK & B Ryan @ 50% at the draft.
Rangers sign JTavres 3 minutes into the free agency window.
This blockbuster move is followed up by Rick Nash and Michael Grabner signing 2 year home discount deals. Canadian press yells foul play.
Second day of free agency Gorts signs Kovy to a 1 year 3.5m contract. Kovy names NYC’s Little Odessa along with our fantastic offseason as the reasons he signs with us on a sweetheart deal.
Rangers win the Cup with a blend of vets, Swedes, Russians and rookies.
Tavares scores the winning goal in OT to clinch the cup.
Islanders fans commit mass suicide.
Lundqvist is given the key to the city.
Dolan’s Knicks follow this cup win with an NBA championship!

Ok ok you got me that last part is totally unrealistic......

James Dolan Rules!

TY for the summary.

 

[Riche16]

The thing is though, we haven't evolved. The time scales don't support that claim. We risk going way off the rails with this but it's a fascinating subject if you're interested.

I'm not justifying or condoning bullying by the way. I'm simply saying that social stratification is natural and important to the success of basically all organized human endeavours. People need clear direction and buy in on a common goal/story/idea in order to do hard things.

One only needs to look at a battlefield to see this.

But hey... everything is so bland and PC these days that they’ll dismiss it as “anyone can do it”

Takes a lot of... ummmm... errrrr “gumption!” Yeah that’s the word. To charge headlong into adversity leading others.

 

[ReggieDunlop68]

Guy is a blowhard socialite who inherited it all from daddy. I'm surprised so many positive comments. The guy has destroyed one great franchise and did very little with the other. One championship between two flagship NY franchises in decades is **** ownership. One of the worst owners in the history of sports. I won't be surprised when he screws up the rebuild.

If by "Guy is a blowhard socialite who inherited it all from daddy" you mean James "Kool Kat" Dolan blows you away as front man of the iconic JD & The Straight Shot, then I'm right with you brother!

 

[ReggieDunlop68]

One only needs to look at a battlefield to see this.

But hey... everything is so bland and PC these days that they’ll dismiss it as “anyone can do it”

Takes a lot of... ummmm... errrrr “gumption!” Yeah that’s the word. To charge headlong into adversity leading others.

Even without playing at a competitive level, one would think they would pick up on the basically status quo of violence in a sport that takes early onset dementia due to head trauma as par for the course.

 

[Riche16]

Basically agree.

Being a captain at any level is more about the locker room than anything else... none of us know what's going on in there so calling him a good or bad captain is just guessing.

Not saying leadership is not a thibg..not saying any captain is a good or bad captaon...im literally just saying..nobody knows...you can't even adequately guess because what little info comes out is almost always 2nd or 3rd hand.

Maybe... Unless it’s the GM, and owner who just canned the coach and traded the captain & are clamoring for a change of culture.

 

[Inferno]

Maybe... Unless it’s the GM, and owner who just canned the coach and traded the captain & are clamoring for a change of culture.

Change of culture to me always read as the coach not the captain. The rangers seemed to hate the turn the other cheek mentality

 

[SingnBluesOnBroadway]

Guy is a blowhard socialite who inherited it all from daddy. I'm surprised so many positive comments. The guy has destroyed one great franchise and did very little with the other. One championship between two flagship NY franchises in decades is **** ownership. One of the worst owners in the history of sports. I won't be surprised when he screws up the rebuild.

Devils advocate:

- The Knicks have been a mess forever. Dolan has not helped but he hardly has ruined them.

- You can complain about one championship (and I'm not even sure he was the owner in 1994), but it's not as if these were two very successful franchises that all the sudden became championship-free when he became owner.

- He has shown a willingness to spend money. He built the Westchester facility. By all accounts he treats the players well. He has allowed his GM to pay Wade Redden 6M to play minor league hockey. He opened the wallet in the pre-cap era.

- He has allowed his front offices to do things their way with little interference—at least vis-a-vis the Rangers.

So, while he might be a jerk as a person, I'm not sure he's been an awful owner (at least from the NYR POV).

 

[Nopuckluck]

Don't wanna get off the rails but the evidence supporting evolution is in this thread.

It is a thing and I'm not saying don't have captains. But 1) let's not make that the problem when this team has had the worst defense for three years and 2) I don't want cancers like Messier in this room. Not as a coach or a leader. Leave him in the ground where dinosaurs belong.

You claim to be a Rangers fan, but you just called the greatest captain we've ever had (and maybe in the history of pro sports) a "cancer". This is the most insane thing I've ever read on these boards. Crazy actually. The guy delivered what we all crave. He is THE MAN period. One of the greatest players of all time and a New York Icon......and you call him a cancer. Hahahahahahahahahahah no one can/will/has ever taken you seriously but wow!!!

 

[Nopuckluck]

Basically agree.

Being a captain at any level is more about the locker room than anything else... none of us know what's going on in there so calling him a good or bad captain is just guessing.

Not saying leadership is not a thibg..not saying any captain is a good or bad captaon...im literally just saying..nobody knows...you can't even adequately guess because what little info comes out is almost always 2nd or 3rd hand.

No!! The info is first hand from players who experienced it!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Roo Returns]

I appreciate Dolan's honesty. This transparency and communication is what he didn't do in the 90s and 2000s which is why he was a hated owner. I'm not saying he's a model citizen or a great guy, but he seems to understand hockey a lot more now than back in the signing Ulanov and Karpa days.

 

[Roo Returns]

The alpha male leadership thing is real. We see it all the time in social circles, work places,etc. It's human nature. Even in Communist countries, certain leaders dominate the press are more outrageous than others.

Here's a true story: In one of my social circle's one guy is clearly the alpha male. Everyone always revolves their plans around him, he's part of all group texts, and if someone doesn't like an album or movie ,they always bring up his opinion. A girl who has became part of this social circle is attracted to him to the point where she doesn't care that they have no real future together. Another friend who she gets along with great, shares the same values, hobbies (except hockey lol) etc with....they really should be married at this point, but it all goes back to the original alpha male. It's a bad situation and there's a lot of resentment from him because of this and the friendship is damaged.

While that's a little extreme in a hockey setting, there needs to be one or two guys who set the tone, rules, rile up the troops and get the best out of them.

 

[Nopuckluck]

The alpha male leadership thing is real. We see it all the time in social circles, work places,etc. It's human nature. Even in Communist countries, certain leaders dominate the press are more outrageous than others.

Here's a true story: In one of my social circle's one guy is clearly the alpha male. Everyone always revolves their plans around him, he's part of all group texts, and if someone doesn't like an album or movie ,they always bring up his opinion. A girl who has became part of this social circle is attracted to him to the point where she doesn't care that they have no real future together. Another friend who she gets along with great, shares the same values, hobbies (except hockey lol) etc with....they really should be married at this point, but it all goes back to the original alpha male. It's a bad situation and there's a lot of resentment from him because of this and the friendship is damaged.

While that's a little extreme in a hockey setting, there needs to be one or two guys who set the tone, rules, rile up the troops and get the best out of them.

Yep!!!! But to todays "fans" this is bullying and not necessary. They actually don't think Crosby, Toews etc; are similar to Messier behind the scenes. I still cant get over a Rangers fans calling our greatest captain of all time a Cancer a few posts up. I'm actually flabbergasted

 

[RangerBoy]

You claim to be a Rangers fan, but you just called the greatest captain we've ever had (and maybe in the history of pro sports) a "cancer". This is the most insane thing I've ever read on these boards. Crazy actually. The guy delivered what we all crave. He is THE MAN period. One of the greatest players of all time and a New York Icon......and you call him a cancer. Hahahahahahahahahahah no one can/will/has ever taken you seriously but wow!!!

If it wasn’t for Messier,they would be chanting “1940” at the Rangers. Mark was a pain in the ass when his father negotiated his contracts. He had a big ego. If it wasn’t for Mark,the Rangers would have no Cups in 78 years.

 

[Riche16]

Change of culture to me always read as the coach not the captain. The rangers seemed to hate the turn the other cheek mentality

Ur a great poster and I’m not trying to disrespect u or ur knowledge / thoughts but if a coach is “hands off” as AV himself stated he was and let’s the leadership of the players run the team inside the lockroom... isn’t it both? I tend to agree that Hank was/is the true leadership and I’ll bet he gets on peoples cases when they screw up or mail it in... but when it looks like a horse, smells like a horse and acts like one... probably a horse. McD was a great player. Not a great C

 

[Roo Returns]

Yep!!!! But to todays "fans" this is bullying and not necessary. They actually don't think Crosby, Toews etc; are similar to Messier behind the scenes. I still cant get over a Rangers fans calling our greatest captain of all time a Cancer a few posts up. I'm actually flabbergasted

Messier was a product of his time. Toews and Crosby are alpha in different ways. For Toews, who do you think was driving Kane to practice, keeping him in line, etc. during the early years of them together.

Crosby is a lot like a Jimi Hendrix, Prince, etc. when he's away from the rink, those guys when they were offstage were just quiet and mellow introverts.. My friends "hung out" with him in a bar in LA a few weeks after the Rangers knocked them out in 2014. Totally different guy. Quiet, shy, introduced himself simply as Sid and not the world's greatest hockey player, etc. But when he's at the rink, in public, during the season, it's all business and he's a man possessed. Rangers need some guys like that who just get infuriated by losing, not some happy go lucky chill guys who are nice and listen to Mumford and Sons.

 

[Off Sides]

I'm not sure what else Dolan was going to talk about, when the team is kind of devoid of the top skaters in the league, and they may not end up in a position to draft one this year or ever, the talking points sort of have to become about leadership or some other traits besides pure talent.

 

[Nopuckluck]

If it wasn’t for Messier,they would be chanting “1940” at the Rangers. Mark was a pain in the ass when his father negotiated his contracts. He had a big ego. If it wasn’t for Mark,the Rangers would have no Cups in 78 years.

Thank you. Another guy added to the list of those that get it.

 

[Brooklyn Rangers Fan]

The question was meant to be a little more incredulous than it came off. That didn’t really make sense to me.

But I still have to wonder where the Dolan-loathing comes from for you.

I was a Knicks fan from the mid-80s to 2012. As someone Brooklyn born and bred, there were decent odds I would switch to the Nets when they moved, but he made it a no-brainer by his personal involvement in that team, meddling with personnel, and enabling that POS Rasputin Thomas to essentially ruin a great organization, not just on the floor, but in the corporate offices (remember the sexual harassment scandal?), to the point that the commissioner eventually had to intervene.

As regards the Rangers, I've been a fan for the same period, except obviously I continue to root for the team today. He was not here for the '94 Cup. Cablevision bought MSG a few years later, and within only a few years he found his hockey Rasputin in Sather – but since he knew nothing about the sport (and seemed to care a lot less), Dolan did not himself get as personally involved (and fortunately, Sather also apparently never did anything truly awful outside of trying to buy a cup and perennially hiring his old cronies). Slats should've been fired within a couple of years of his hiring, and yet he let him hang on and continue to mismanage the club all the way until 2016/2017. I'm sure you recall the threads that we had here as recently as 2011/2012 calling for pitchforks and torches outside MSG.

Now, with Slats in his 80s, the reins truly seem to be in Gorton's hands, and I finally have confidence in the club's direction. Still, it seemed odd to me to hear what sounded like sense coming from Dolan's mouth. Perhaps the old dog has learned new tricks – but if not, hopefully he has at least invested his irrational support and loyalty to a guy who knows what he's doing. Either works for me!

 

[nyr2k2]

I have no problem with Dolan saying leadership was an issue. Who were the main leaders? The coaches and the captain. They're gone. I don't know about what kind of leadership any of the guys provided because I wasn't there, but the team seemed mentally soft and unprepared. So, obviously something was wrong there. And he's blaming guys that are no longer around. Maybe that's a chickenshit move, I can see how some would feel that way, but it's probably better than saying, "Our players sucked ass and we couldn't win games because they weren't talented enough." He's basically saying the problems are behind us and now we're looking forward to getting back to where we need to be. Which is fine, and good.

 

[SnowblindNYR]

I get a kick out of old school fans getting up in arms whenever someone says something about their precious Messier.