Martin Brodeur of my New Jersey Devils: No surprise, totally deserved. He is, statistically, the greatest goaltender who ever lived.
Martin St. Louis, longtime star of the Tampa Bay Lighting: Also no surprise. Also totally deserved.
Willie O'Ree, the 1st black player in the NHL, in 1958, 60 years ago: What took them so long? Probably only looking at his playing, and not seeing what he'd done in terms of inspiration. Hence, his election was in the "Builders" category, not in the "Players" category.
Alexander Yakushev: I never saw this Soviet star of the 1960s and '70s play, but his international record is exemplary.
Jayna Hefford: I will take the word of those who know women's hockey better than I do.
Gary Bettman: A disgrace. Never mind that, unlike players, the Commissioner doesn't have to be retired to be elected: No one has done more to besmirch the game. Then again, the Baseball Hall of Fame elected Walter O'Malley and his puppet Bowie Kuhn.
*
Days until the next Yankees-Red Sox series begins: 2, this Friday night, at 7:05, at Yankee Stadium II.
Days until the New York Red Bulls play again: 4, this Sunday afternoon, away to Toronto FC, the defending MLS Champions.
Days until the Red Bulls next play a "derby": 11, a week from next Sunday, July 8, at Yankee Stadium II. Unless it's forced to be moved to Citi Field, East Hartford, or, this would be funny, Red Bull Arena. Their next game against the New England Revolution will be on Saturday, July 21, at Red Bull Arena. Their 1st game against D.C. United, and their 1st game ever at the new Audi Field, will be on Wednesday night, July 25. Their next game against the Philadelphia Union will be on Sunday, October 21, at Talen Energy Stadium.
Days until The Arsenal play again: 29, on Thursday, July 26, against Atlético Madrid in the International Champions Cup, a glorified friendly, at the National Stadium in Singapore.
Days until the 2018 trading deadline, after which we won't have to fear Yankee general manager Brian Cashman trading any proven good players for "prospects": 34, on Tuesday, July 31. Under 5 weeks.
Days until Arsenal play a competitive game with a manager other than Arsène Wenger: 45, in the 2018-19 Premier League season opener, on Saturday, August 11, home to defending Premier League Champions Manchester City. A little over 6 weeks.
Days until Rutgers University plays football again: 68, on Saturday, September 1, home to Texas State University. Under 10 weeks.
Days until East Brunswick High School plays football again: Unknown. The 2018 schedule hasn't been released yet. But the season opener is usually on the 1st Friday in September. That would be September 7, which is 72 days from now.
Days until the U.S. national soccer team plays again: 72, on Friday, September 7, a "friendly" against Brazil, at MetLife Stadium at the Meadowlands.
Days until the New Jersey Devils play again: 101, on Saturday, October 6, against the Edmonton Oilers, at... Scandinavium, an arena in Göteborg (Gothenburg), Sweden. Yes, that will be a regular-season game, part of the NHL Global Series. The Mulberry Street Marauders will warm up for it on October 1, with an exhibition game in Switzerland against SC Bern; while the Oilers will visit Kölner Haie in Cologne, Germany on October 3.
Days until the New Jersey Devils next play a local rival: 115, on Saturday afternoon, October 20, against the Philadelphia Flyers, a.k.a. The Philth, at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia. The 1st game against the New York Islanders, a.k.a. the Fish Sticks, will be on Saturday night, November 3, at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn. The 1st game against the New York Rangers, a.k.a. The Scum, will be on Thursday night, January 31, 2019, at the Prudential Center.
Days until the next Rutgers-Penn State game: 143, on Saturday, November 17, at High Point Solutions Stadium in Piscataway, New Jersey.
Days until the next East Brunswick-Old Bridge Thanksgiving high school football game: 148, on Thursday, November 22. A little under 5 months.
Days until the next North London Derby: 157, on Saturday, December 1, at the Emirates Stadium.
Days until a Democratic Congress can convene, and the impeachment process can begin: 190, on Thursday, January 3, 2019. A little over 6 months.
Days until the Baseball Hall of Fame vote is announced, electing Mariano Rivera: 210, on January 23, 2019. A little under 7 months.
Days until the next Women's World Cup kicks off: 345, on June 7, 2019, in France. A little over 11 months. The U.S. team, as 3-time and defending Champions, has, as usual, a better chance than the men's team would have had in 2018 anyway.
Days until the Yankees and Red Sox play each other in London: 367, on June 29, 2019. A shade over a year, or a little over 12 months.
Days until my 50th Birthday, at which point I can join AARP and get discounts for travel and game tickets: 539, on December 18, 2019. A little under a year and a half, or a little under 18 months.
Days until the Baseball Hall of Fame vote is announced, electing Derek Jeter: 574, on January 22, 2020. A little over a year and a half, or a little under 19 months.
Days until the next Summer Olympics begins in Tokyo, Japan: 758, on July 24, 2020. A little over 2 years, or under 26 months.
Days until the next Presidential election, when we can dump the Trump-Pence regime and elect a real Administration: 860, on November 3, 2020. Under 2 1/2 years, or a little over 28 months.
Days until Liberation Day: 938, at noon on January 20, 2021. Under 3 years, or a little under 31 months. Note that this is liberation from the Republican Party, not just from Donald Trump. Having Mike Pence as President wouldn't be better, just differently bad, mixing theocracy with plutocracy, rather than mixing kleptocracy with plutocracy.
Days until the next Winter Olympics (after the current one in Pyeongchang, Korea) begins in Beijing, China: 1,318, on February 4, 2022. Under 4 years, or a little over 43 months.
Days until the next World Cup for which the American team will be eligible is scheduled to kick off: 1,609, on November 21, 2022, in Qatar. Under 4 1/2 years, or under 53 months. The charges of corruption against Qatar may yet mean that they will lose the tournament, in which case it will be moved to a nation where it would not be too hot to play it in June and July.
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