Giants, Patriots, & New York Rangers Hockey on Super Bowl Sunday: Will History Repeat?

For the New York Rangers this afternoon, history repeated itself, because the last time they played on a Super Bowl Sunday, they won on the same day that the New York Giants and New England Patriots squared off in one of the most memorable football games in recent history, four years ago. With the atmosphere in New York swelling around the big game on February 3, 2008, the Rangers headed up to Montreal where they got off to a very slow start, falling behind 3-0. But very quickly, the game started to turn around, and the Rangers made sure that the Giants were not the only New York team to win that day. After goals by Michal Rozsival, Brandon Dubinsky, and Scott Gomez to tie the game after two periods, the Rangers then went ahead and steamrolled the Canadiens in their home building (an extreme rarity) with two third period goals, scored by Chris Drury and Martin Straka. The feeling we felt after this game was complete elation, because Montreal’s arena had (and still has) always proved to be a House of Horrors. The happy feeling would only be eclipsed for Giants’ fans later in the day, as they defeated the Patriots, ending their incredible undefeated season.

Requiem Music for Those Whose Sports Teams Have Been Eliminated

I originally wanted this post to be about sports, but it is going to turn into one completely about music. With the baseball playoffs in full swing, winding down to the World Series, with hockey and football season underway, and many teams not rising up to potential, now is the time to immerse yourself in what I consider to be the greatest piece of music ever written, “Requiem” by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.

No piece of music ever written is so fiery, yet tranquil; calming, yet invigorating; sobering, yet harmonious. Below I have compiled the complete “Requiem” performed by the legendary German conductor Karl Bohm, performed sometime in the 1970′s by the Wiener Symphoniker.

This is the perfect thing to listen to if your team has just been eliminated, or finds themselves in a precarious situation. This music will perfectly match your immediate reaction of anger, followed by sadness, and then will sooth you into another season of frustrating baseball.

Please enjoy (and Yankee fans, this is for you!).

Though I like this version above, my favorite will go to the version performed by John Elliot Gardiner. I find his to be more quickly paced and enjoyable, and this comes after listening to the legendary piece conducted by Sir Neville Mariner for the film Amadeus, which is one of my favorite films. But still, no matter which version you listen to, all will capture the mood you are in, in its melancholy perfection. I know if the Giants lose the World Series, I will be listening to this two weeks from now—it just has that effect.