A Father and Daughter United in Blue

Random notes and thoughts on this final weekday of May:

Hockey is clearly fourth among the “Big 4” when it comes to professional sports in terms of popularity, revenue, TV ratings and whatever else they might use to rank such things. However in my family the New York Rangers have become somewhat of an obsession and now our beloved Blueshirts have made it all the way to the Stanley Cup Finals for the first time in twenty years.

Last night they polished off the storied Montreal Canadiens 1-0 in game 6 of the Eastern Conference Finals at a frenzied Madison Square Garden. Now it’s on to the Cup Finals beginning Wednesday in either Los Angeles or Chicago.  I know many if not most of you care little about hockey but there is nothing and I mean nothing to match the gut-wrenching excitement of the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

Plus hockey players are easy to root for. They are throw-backs who are tough and put their team first. My daughter Alex has especially caught Rangers fever since I took her to her first game about five or six years ago compliments of Rumson girls basketball coach George Sourlis. It’s a passion the two of us now share and if they somehow win the Cup then we’re going to the victory parade in New York City.

The Barnegat Bay Yacht Racing Association is celebrating its 100^th anniversary this weekend by premiering a film and book documenting its history as the parent organization for all the yacht clubs on the bay when it comes to racing.

The author of the book who also produced the film is Gary Jobson, a decorated sailor and America’s Cup winner who began sailing at the Beachwood Yacht Club as a 6-year old.  Saturday’s film viewing and book signing at Ocean County College is sold out but a second one has been added Sunday at the Bay Head Yacht Club beginning at noon.  For information visit bbyra100th.org

A reminder about Sunday’s 3^rd annual  Rock for the Nurses  fundraiser at the Idle Hour on Route 88 in Point Pleasant from noon to 6pm which will benefit the Barbara Forfar Nursing Scholarship Fund at Ocean Medical Center.  The event includes an all-u-can-eat BBQ and pig roast, six hours of live music, giveaways, raffles and more.  Tickets are $20 and available at The Idle Hour as well as Ocean Medical Center in Brick.