Rolling down the highway

We’re just on the 401 in Cambridge and, already, the weather is clearing. This bodes well. I also saw “The Book of Eli” as one of the movie offerings today. Denzel Washington is usually reliable, so my fingers are crossed. “Get Him to the Greek” and “Blades of Glory” are the other options. Apparently, there was a fourth movie that “mysteriously” disappeared. Coaching staff is concerned. Andrew Crescenzi is looking into it. On-board blogger offers no comment on alleged disappearance of fourth title.

I rolled in extra early today so I got a first hand glimpse of the preload before the bus load. Man, the training staff has its hands full! Stick bags and equipment bags and heavy cases of medical and other gear. A couple cases of Gatorade, too. The rookies eventually come out and wheel all of the gear to the bus bay on large, 4-wheel dollies. Ben Fanelli and Cody Sol kibitzing as they work out. Neither are making the trip today. Same goes for ex-Pete Chad Lowry, who’s still recovering from Saturday night’s fight in London. He’s wearing a Harley T-shirt (does he know I ride a Kawasaki?) and an orange and grey Blue Jays cap. Very stylish.

Speaking of stylish, Associate Coach Paul Fixter and I chat about last night’s cancer fundraiser at Channer’s. Great event co-ordinated by the uptown Waterloo clothing store and the Rangers took part in the fashion show. I’ve gotta say, Fixter is one fashionable coach. He’ll talk clothes anytime. You probably know Bryan Thiel from the videoboard at The Aud. That guy has got to be one of the most nattily-attired hosts I’ve ever met, but this Rangers coaching staff is a close second. Don Cameron gets a compliment on his tie today. Maybe I need to go shopping.

Questions around the dressing room this aft about Brandon Maxwell’s new glove. Waiting for the courier to deliver it after Maxx ripped his other one last week. He wants the new trapper for tonight’s game. Wouldn’t he want to break it in during practice first? “I can break stuff in pretty quickly,” he answers when I ask. Michael Jackson would be proud.

Speaking of catching (you know, what you do with a glove? — I know it’s a stretch but work with me), Maxx is apparently the player to catch in the fantasy hockey pool. It’s a source of some good-natured chirping among the team. My fantasy team is already in deep doo doo. I wonder if Brandon offers free advice?

Still with gloves, there’s a little chatter as we pull out about tonight’s Phillies-Giants game. Halladay-Lincecum again. You can watch it with the sound down as you listen to the Rangers game on 570 News (shameless plug, I know). Just goes to show you we’re not all robotic puckheads around here. We know good sports when we see them.

Bus trip tradition is a stop at Tim’s but there is concern today. Apparently someone has misplaced the prepaid Tim’s cards (names withheld to protect the innocent). Oddly enough, this same someone once misplaced the passports of Mikkel Boedker, Yannick Weber and Alexei Dostoinov as we approached the border on the way to a game in Plymouth. Of course the truth was that he hadn’t misplaced it at all. It’s just a part of road trip hijinx. The fun is in making someone think they made a mistake. Always fun unless you’re the someone in question. Good thing on-board blogger is not responsible for Tim’s cards.

I’ll let you know how we make out.