Sean Avery Crashes The Ranger Pundit's Birthday Bash

Mike Savino and Sean Avery at the Ranger Pundit's
80th Birthday Party

Mike and Sean talk hockey at the Ranger Pundit's 80th birthday party. Celebrated at the Il Mulino wine cellar

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The funniest things happen on an off day .....

The family threw a surprise 80th birthday party for me this Sunday at Il Mulino in Roslyn, LI, NY. Appropriately it was held in the wine cellar, courtesy of my daughter-in-law, who like me, loves the vino !!! They were all there, family and friends, all twenty-five of them, and the big surprise guest who was introduced by number two son. Of course the whole party was a big surprise.

There were long time friends from Washington state and a long time co-worker from Mountain View, California. Those were big surprises. There were number two sons boyhood pals who were like sons to me, they were called the Three Amigos, and that was quite a surprise.

All four children, all three grandchildren and my next door neighbors, another wonderful surprise. My friend, the great Duke fan, who presented me with a Duke cap which I shall have to wear, despite the fact that I am a North Carolina Tar Heel fan. And of course jb was there. And then the surprise guest. In the middle of number two son's intro in walked............ Sean Avery. Yes, "the" Sean Avery.

Surprise to end all surprises. Needless to say he was engulfed by my family and friends. This rough, tough, take no prisoners hockey player picked up a new legion of fans which hopefully will vote for him for the All-Star game. He was gracious and spent plenty of time to pose for pictures, sign autographs, answer all types of questions and talk hockey with the Pundit. For a guy with the rep of being a tough guy, the bad boy of hockey, he was nothing but friendly and open to all. How many professional athletes on their off day would take the time to go to "Islander country" to wish Happy Birthday to The Pundit? He stayed a little over an hour because he had to go to a charity event in Manhattan. I don't believe there was one person in the party that doesn't have a picture of him or her with Sean Avery. He did admit that my site gets more hits than his site. Of course he gets the hits where they count, on the ice.

The Ranger Pundit has been blessed over the years with a wonderful wife and a great family and equally wonderful friends. They say if you have one friend you are rich. Well in that case I am a wealthy man. As you all know I have been a Ranger fan for 73 years now and in that time there has been much suffering and gnashing of teeth. But there have been good times too. The beauty of the Rangers is not so much the team as it is the fans. It is the fans that have kept the tradition going, more than it has been because of the team winning. Two cups in my 73 years of watching, so not much a tradition of winning.

Over the years it has been poor management, poor coaching and poor public relations. But tell me, what team in the New York area has a more loyal base? The Yankees? It's easy to root for the Yankees, they are winners. But there is something about the Rangers that you fall in love with. It's the prodigal son. It's the bad boy gone good. It's Sean Avery who is our Huckleberry Finn. I have had the privilege over the years of meeting some of the Rangers and talking with them.

Adam Graves, Jeff Buekeboom, Rod Gilbert, Gump Worsley and now Sean Avery. All winners and all class individuals. Thanks for the memories guys. Thanks for the party family and friends. For you out there in Ranger Pundit land thanks and vote for Sean Avery in the All-Star game and say a pray for Jake Feldman and Fran Pizzani.

God bless you all!

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