FOX OUT, Z JONES IN ... 'WORLD'S GREATEST' WINS

 Lots of stuff ...

With the March 7 NHL trade deadline rapidly 

approaching … your New York Rangers are in disarray 

… Defenseman ADAM FOX suffered what is thought to 

be a dislocated shoulder in the third period of Tuesday’s 

5-1 victory over the New York Islanders and has been put 

on Injured Reserve … for how long no one could/would 

say, but don’t be surprised if he doesn’t return until the 

playoffs (if at all). That is assuming the Broadway 

Blueshirts reach post-season play … They go into Friday 

night’s home game with Toronto two points removed 

from the second (and last) at-large playoff position.

Also injured (allegedly) against the Islanders was 

defenseman K’ANDRE MILLER, who left after two 

shifts in the second period and didn’t return … Say

 allegedly because no one (other than Miller) knows what 

happened … The Rangers PR department called it a 

“lower-body injury” and, while there was some talk about 

the 6-5, 220-pounder being sidelined for a while, he 

skated in practice Thursday like he would be in the lineup 

Friday.

The potential loss of two of the team’s top four d-men 

was bad enough. Then a video clip of practice surfaced 

showing veteran forward CHRIS KREITER shunning 

coach PETER LAVIOLETTE, who was trying to talk to 

him … leading to further speculation Laviolette had lost 

the dressing room and should be fired … Meanwhile, 

Richmond’s ZAC JONES, 24 year old defenseman who 

has spent most of the past two years a healthy scratch, 

was recalled from what proved to be a two-game 

conditioning assignment with AHL Hartford (one win, 

one loss, one goal) but didn’t dress Tuesday … prompting 

a Big Apple reporter to write, “Seems he must have shot 

some one’s dog or something.” 

Not everything was tongue-in-cheek, however … as the 

team has not played well despite winning two straight, 

five of seven … Jones will return to the lineup Friday for 

the first time since Feb. 7 – and only the second time 

since Dec. 23 – paired with BRADEN SCHNEIDER, 23 

… subject to change if K. Miller doesn’t play or general 

manager CHRIS DRURY finally pulls the trigger on a 

much-anticipated major deal involving … defenseman

 RYAN LINDGREN or Kreiter and/or hopefully 

(according to a poll of fans by a wide margin) K. Miller 

… before the deadline.

------- The World’s Greatest Soccer Coach made a 

triumphant return to MLS. What else? BRUCE 

ARENA’s San Jose Earthquakes romped 4-0 over Real 

Salt Lake, prompting the home crowd to chant his name 

… although he denied hearing it. Yes, Arena said, “I’ve 

heard it spoken [in the past] … with a lot of four-letter 

words in front and back.” … The Earthquakes have been 

terrible, finishing last among 29 teams a year ago.”

Obviously, we’re building a team that hasn’t had a whole 

lot of success,” he told reporters. “I saw ou owner after 

the game, He was very happy … and I said: ‘Let’s keep 

everything in perspective. We could end up 1-and-33.’”

------- JESSE MARSCH, American (Racine, Wisc.) 

coach of the Canadian Men’s National Soccer Team, said 

he “is ashamed” by what he called “the arrogance” of 

President DONALD TRUMP’s apparent attempt to make 

Canada the USA’s 51^st state … that has resulted in a tense 

environment between the countries. Sayapparent because 

hardly anyone with any sense thinks it is possible … 

much less that Trump is serious … Marsch, who attended 

Princeton, played 14 years in MLS … and since 2010 

built a resume as coach including Leeds of the English 

Premier League. He was a popular candidate to coach the 

USMNT when GREGG BURKHALTER (since fired) 

was hired for the second time.

Manchester United is in the market for yet another coach 

… now that RUBEN AMORIM hasn’t been the savior as 

advertised when he replaced ERIK TEN HAG in 

November … In 15 EPL games, ManU has a total of 15 

points under Amorim to become an also-ran despite 

spending a great deal of money on players who haven’t 

bought in to (or unable to perform) his upscale, quick-

hitting strategy … Ownership is said considering former 

Barcelona manager XAVI, 45.

-------  So … who do you think was the NFL’s most-

fouled QB … based on roughing the passer and 

unecessary roughness penalties? Kansas City’s

 PATRICK MAHOMES, right? Sorry … No. 1 is 

Miami’s TUA TAGLIAOVA, who drew flags on 7.3 of 

100 hits. JOSH ALLEN of Buffalo was second (6.7) … 

Mahomes came in eighth at 3.5 although, as noted by a 

rival, he surely was runaway leader if you also factored in 

penalties called after he left the pocket … which was not 

reflected in the overall total … Believe it or not … four 

QBS – DEREK CARR, BO NIX, JALEN HURTS and

 COLERIDGE BERNARD STROUD IV -- each 

finished with a rating of zero. Think about it.

Until next time ...