Tragedy turns into triumph as Rangers rally around their heartbroken teammate to steal a series in the steel city

Photo by Robert Sabo/New York Daily News

Sometimes in life we are reminded that sports is in fact just a game, but sometimes sports is much more than just a game, because it helps give us a few hours to escape from the cruel reality that life brings us.

After game 4 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals against the Pittsburg Penguins, the New York Rangers were a beaten team, playing on dead legs after a brutal schedule that had them playing 6 games in 9 nights. The game four loss put the Rangers down 3-1 in a 7 game series, one loss away from being eliminated from the playoffs against a very talented team. Tragedy struck home and the Rangers would find an unlikely rallying cry to propel them into doing the unthinkable.

Marty St. Louis was a late season addition to the New York Rangers team, a future hall of fame player, who was brought in to help lift this team to win their first Stanley Cup since 1994. He lost his mother who passed away from a heart attack after game 4, a few days before Mother’s Day. The Rangers flew St. Louis to New York then flew him home on a private jet to be with his family. He got to say goodbye to his mother one more time, then with the encouragement from his father made it back to be there with his teammates and fight a different kind of battle. The emotional return of St. Louis helped the Rangers win game 5 and set up game 6 at Madison Square Garden, on Mother’s Day.

The game begin with 18,000 people chanting “Martyyyy!! Martyyyyy!!” In honor of Martin St. Louis. Riding the emotional high provided by the Garden faithful, St. Louis fittingly scored the first goal of the game with his dad and sister in the stands watching the game. His teammates mobbed him after the goal and you can just see the emotion in his face. A few seconds later the Rangers scored another goal and the Garden was rocking. The Rangers won the game 3-1 and it set up a game 7 show down.

After game 6 Martin gave a heartwarming speech to his teammates saying among other things “You guys have been nothing but unbelievable for me the past couple days and I’ll never forget that, this was a team [expletive] win tonight, I couldn’t be prouder to be a [expletive] New York Ranger with you guys.” The Rangers went on to Pittsburg for game 7 and won the game 2-1 behind their world class goaltender Henrik Lundqvist who was nothing short of spectacular. St. Louis had an assist on the game winning goal by Brad Richards, Henrik took care of the rest, saving 35 of 36 shots that were thrown at him.

Now the Rangers move on to the Eastern Conference Finals, an improbable run that no one really saw coming. Picking up and rallying behind their fallen teammate, banding closer together and what could be even more special if they can be the last team standing in June. Sports is just a game most of the time but it also allows you to turn tragedy into triumph, help ease the pain of going through the trials and tribulations of life, even if it is only for a few hours.  

Some of New York's best young baseball players celebrated on one special night.

Last night in Maestro's on 1703 Bronxdale Ave in the Bronx New York, Tony Melendez and members of the TM Baseball Academy held their first annual baseball banquet. This night was to celebrate baseball players of the TM family from 7u-18u and it was a very special night. Kids of all ages who have aspirations of becoming great college baseball players and future major league stars were being celebrated for their hard work and their dedication to the sport they love the most. For a sport that is lacking interest from young kids today, this night was a reminder there are still young guys and young girls out there that still love the game of baseball.


The night begin with all the members of the TM teams lined up in order by which age group they play for, starting from 7u ending with 18u. Family, friends and a few politicians waited the teams arrival into the room to give them the standing ovation each one of them deserve for being dedicated, hardworking and understanding what it takes to be the absolute best at what it is they want to be; baseball players. Each team came out separately, their names being announced one by one, walking in the room as family and friends clapped and screamed in admiration of their heroes. Once every member of one team was announced they posed for pictures along with their coaches and parent coordinator, then out came the next team.


Once every team member was announced and applauded, everyone took their seats and we listened to guest speakers' talk and congratulate these hard working ball players, their families for being supportive, the coaches and Coach Tony and his wife. We heard from Coach Tony's pastor who christened the opening of Tony Melendez baseball academy 7 years ago and who last night christened the first annual baseball banquet, we heard from politician Michael Benedetto, also Coach and his wife each gave humble and emotional heartwarming speeches.


Once the speeches were finished it was time to celebrate. Cartoonist Angelo Martinez was on hand drawing beautiful portraits of everyone, TKA made an appearance and had a lively wonderful performance, and more importantly, all the ball players had smiles a mile long, enjoying their night. This night was all about our ball players. They put in the work, they try as hard as they can to play the game they love with excitement and joy.


As much as this night was about the young players who grind every day to be the best, it was also about the parents for the support they give, being there for their children, for the coaches who take time out of their busy life to help these kids stay on track and more importantly for Tony and Jess, putting together a small baseball facility 7 years ago and being able to turn into a foundation of success and hard work. Joy, happiness and celebration is what can be best described on this night. As much as the interest in baseball is in decline, on this joyous night baseball was very much alive. The future was on display as kids of all ages reminding us the game of baseball isn't going anywhere anytime soon.


We all have our favorite baseball players that we look up to, our idols and heroes, but on this night our favorite baseball players were the young kids walking into a room full of people screaming for them, celebrating them. Our idols were the coaches who put the time in and never take a day off or time off, who do their best to make sure these players do their best, Tony and Jess who run the operation of the best baseball academy in New York City. Our heroes are all the parents who these young players are fortunate enough to have the support and love from. Who sacrifice so their child can play the sport they love, getting involved to make sure that child is motivated and dedicated every day.


TM 1st annual baseball banquet was a success. We celebrated everyone who was involved in the success but more importantly we celebrated the players who deserve it. Baseball may be on the decline in the city among our youth, but not with our kids at TM baseball academy and not on this night. Music, smiles, and happiness. On this night we were all a part of the team, we all were a family, as we celebrated our rising future stars.

Untold Truth of Accomplishing Your Dreams.

We've all been sold early in our childhood about the ultimate dream of being rich and famous. You see your favorite celebrity on TV and you tell yourself, "I want to be just like him/her when I grow up." You tell everyone about the big dream, family, friends, it's even a topic in school "what do you want to be when you grow up.", everyone goes big, everything from a famous movie celebrity to President of the United States of America. We tell the adults about our dream, we get a pat on the back of some sort and they tell us we can be anything we want as long as we put our mind to it. What they don't tell us however, is how difficult such dreams are to accomplish.

It is true that if we put our mind to something we can obtain it, but that is not the case for everyone out there. A lot of people aren't as strong mentally to handle the ups and downs and the hard work it takes to obtain our enormous dream. None of us are being taught how to weather the storm, push through all the pain and suffering that will come upon us as we strive forward to be all that we can be. We are made to believe that if you want to be something all you have to do is wait until you get older and it'll all happen. Many people go to college, get their degrees in whatever field they desire and then are left waiting years and years before they can catch a break, meanwhile Kim Kardashian makes a sex tape and gets her own reality TV show making millions on top of millions, what's wrong with that picture?

It gets harder as we get older to live comfortably, work at a job that we actually enjoy being at but not all is lost. Big dreams and aspirations come with a lot of hope and determination but it also comes with a lot of pain and heartbreak. Those of us who continue to push forward during those rough times are more likely to succeed then the ones that decide to give up the first time something doesn't go their way. In reality, nothing you ever want is going to come easy, whether it is your dream job or finding the person that loves you, it will always be hard. Giving up will lead you nowhere,

Working hard also does not guarantee that you will be successful, you won't necessarily become rich if you work really hard at being an executive at a high end firm, it is no sure thing you'll be President of the United States if you decide to study politics all your life, but you'll get much more out of working hard at it than if you would giving up after the first time you get fired or after you fail your first test.

With all the different things that are going on in society now, we have to be even more focused and work even harder to be successful, not everyone will be President of the United States or be the next Jay-Z but if you work hard enough who knows, maybe you can be Vice President or a Senator or the next underground rapper that has the world talking. How will you ever know if you reached your full potential if you decide you're going to give up because you weren't told how difficult things would be? Yes we were all told to dream big, we just aren't told we will have to fight like hell just to be successful.

How Baseball and a Coach shaped me into a man

It was my junior year of High School and I was on a fast track headed nowhere. My grades were average at best and college had not even been discussed. Since the age of 7, Derek Jeter was my hero, the thought of one day being able to become the baseball player he is and the man we hear about was a great feeling. To be able to carry yourself with such class, respect, and professionalism in New York of all places was a huge accomplishment. Baseball had begun to take on a big role in my life, helping me escape when life got too tough. For the first two years of High School being undisciplined, lazy, lacking motivation, and the fear of failure overshadowed any determination or will I had to become what Derek Jeter was.

By my third year it was time to face whatever was holding me back, with no experience, no training and no knowledge of how to play the game of baseball, I was about to embark on the inevitable path of being cut from my High School baseball team. Midway through tryouts I had given up on everything. Baseball was the only thing that kept my head above water and it had just failed me in a huge way. When my name wasn't called it was no surprise. On my way home my girlfriend called and we spoke about my failure. Sensing the defeat in my voice she gave me a pep talk about how there is still one more year and there are baseball academies that can help improve my skill. We searched the internet when we came across the "Tony Melendez Baseball Academy."

We called coach Tony and he wanted to know why I was cut from the team. It was simple I said, "I suck." He did not like that particular response and he wanted to meet my parents and I to discuss further details about me joining his baseball academy. When we went down to meet him and his wife, the first thing he wanted to instill was confidence because if I didn't believe in myself why should he? The goal was for me to try out as a pitcher and for a year Coach and myself were going to work as hard as we could to accomplish my goal of making my High School baseball team.

I'm sure it was tougher than he expected because I was not a hardworking kid. There was still some lazy tendencies and the expectation that these skills will be handed to me. As Coach shaped me into a ballplayer he had no idea he was also shaping me into a man. We worked hard for that year, we grew a bond that can not be put into words. He became my mentor for baseball and life. If there was something I needed to learn or wanted to know about he would be there.

We worked on catching the ball first, because even at the age of 17, I could not catch the ball like a baseball player. Two hands, that was all he echoed for a week or two, "catch it with two hands and never take your eyes off the ball." Next was my pitching mechanics and learning how to repeat the same mechanics over and over. These things in the first few months helped me discipline myself. Then came the lifting. After every bullpen session it was time to head to the weight room and workout. Work hard, increase my arm strength, stamina, body mass, because nothing comes easy. If I want to make the team it was going to have to be earned.

Coach and his wife Jessy was big on education also, so in order for me to be welcomed to the academy the grades were going to have to turn around. "You're a student-athlete bro, Student first then an athlete." The grades was the easiest thing to turn around because all it took was a little extra push and nobody pushed for education like those two. It wasn't going to get me in a good college right away but eventually it will pay off and I will attend a good college of my choice. For months we worked on Mechanics, discipline, working hard, staying motivated. He made sure I was at the academy as much as possible so he can continue to teach me as much as he can.

It was getting closer to tryouts and everything about me had begun to change. I was more disciplined, more determined and worked so much harder than ever before, not only in baseball but everything in life. As tryouts neared that fear of failure started to creep in, what if all this hard work goes to waste? Can I really endure getting cut again? The decision was to tell Coach I'm quitting before it even starts. He didn't even have to say anything, the look he gave me was a look I've never seen before. My own father never looked at me that way. He said "Why would you quit now after all this hard work we put in? Just go see what happens, don't be afraid." He put his arm around me tightened it around my neck slapped my stomach and told me to go in the back and workout. I decided to continue on because the fear now was not of failing, the fear was disappointing Coach Tony.

Tryouts came and my first bullpen session was nothing spectacular, there was still mechanical issues and control was my biggest problem. I still ended up making the team and no one was more proud of me than Coach was. All our bullpen sessions were one on one, now that I'm on the team it was time to face live batters. My first chance was during an inter squad. It was first and third one out, A two seam fastball on the outside corner got my teammate Romarlen to swing through it for strike 3, my first ever strikeout. Up came our best player Rene, first pitch fastball down the middle, he gets under it, pops it up, inning over. It was only inter squad to everyone else but it was much more than that to me.

First person I called when the game was over was my mentor Coach Tony because no one but him was going to share the same happiness even if it was not a real game. The rest of the baseball year for myself personally and for the team did not end well. Mechanical issues doomed me but it was still nice to accomplish my dream and play on a team. That year with Coach and that year on the team showed me that hard work and dedication can help anyone accomplish anything. I work at everything 100% all the time now, because there really is no other way to be successful. Coach has this saying that I put in my High School year book because it is as if he is talking specifically about me: "Success and failure are both options, choose wisely." Couldn't have said it better myself Coach.

Mariano Rivera should close MLB All-Star Game, no matter what.

Let me begin this by saying I am aware the Major League Baseball All-Star game means something in this day and age. The league that wins the game will get home field advantage in the World Series. The All-Star game occurs every year but it is rare that we get to see a once in a generation player leave his sport on top or even on his own terms. Unless you have been living under a rock then you are aware that the 2013 Major League Baseball season will be the last season for Mariano Rivera: the greatest closer in the history of the game.

Mariano Rivera has decided this year will be his last and barring an injury of sorts, he will likely be the closer for the American League when the AL and NL face off at Citi field in July for the All-Star game. Mariano is one of those players that come along once in a life time, the greatness and consistency he has shown over his career is unmatched. From the big game saves to the professionalism off the field that is rare with today's athlete, Mo has deserved the right to close the 2013 MLB All-Star game whether the American League is ahead or behind.

The All-Star game will be held in NY, it will be the last All-Star game for Mo and it will be the perfect ending in a career that is as close to perfect as an athlete can get. Throughout ball parks this season teams will honor Mariano Rivera for everything he has accomplished in his career, he has the most saves in MLB history, he has a 0.70 ERA in the postseason with 42 saves and 21 walks in 141 innings pitched. Mo has dominated Major League Baseball over his 19 year career and he only gets better in the postseason.

To make things more impressive is that Mariano has dominated this game for 19 years with one pitch, the cutter. His cutter is the only pitched he has used and it has had hitters baffled throughout his career. It will be a crime not to get to see the cutter end the 2013 All-Star game in New York City, the place where Mariano made a name for himself, for the city he helped deliver 5 world series rings.

Having Mo close the All-Star game is only fitting, even if the American League is behind. It shows how much Mo has meant to the game and it will show how much respect he has garnered throughout his illustrious  career for the New York Yankees. You hear media members talk about him being the classiest guy they ever covered, how no one shows as much humility as he does and you hear about how much respect he has for the reporters. We rarely see a sports icon leave on his own terms, we are witnessing that this year. Mo gets to leave the way he wants and he should be standing on the mound shaking hands at the end of the All-Star game, whether it is for his team or the National League All-Stars, that will be the ultimate sign of respect, the ultimate honor to an icon.