Media Bytes: Checking in with Sam, Vinny the Maple Leaf, Mario Ferraro
Sam Rosen says the Rangers are at a "turning point." Vince Mercogliano says Mario Ferraro "checks the most boxes." And Darren Dreger says Toronto is circling Vincent Trocheck.
Welcome back to Media Bytes, a weekly column from Blueshirt Banter. Every Sunday, we’ll help you start the week right with a quick catch-up on the latest stories and developments around the New York Rangers and the broader NHL media landscape.
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Sam Says
1. Rangers Recon were lucky enough to land the legendary Sam Rosen for an interview this week in which co-hosts Andrew Chelney and Arthur Staple discussed a myriad of Rangers' related topics including retirement and the state of the Blueshirts.
Early on in the conversation, the trio broached Rosen's retirement to provide fans with an update on how the iconic voice of the Blueshirts is navigating life following a 40-year career in broadcasting.
"I'm still searching for something that I can get my teeth into; something that I can give back a little bit," Rosen said. "I had some preliminary talks with Florida Atlantic University maybe about mentoring [and] helping out in some fashion where I can give back some of my expertise that I built up in all these years [to] help young, aspiring broadcasters come into the business."
Despite embracing retirement after such a storied career, Rosen still misses the game, telling Rangers Recon that when he watches games, which is still quite often, he still wishes he could call every one of them.
"The games are compelling. The athlete are compelling. The games are exciting. [And] I wish I were there," he said before pivoting to the things he doesn't miss, like packing and eating on planes in the wee hours of the morning.
"I don't miss living in hotels and living out of suitcases," he continued. "As you get older—and I hate to concede anything to age—you worry about if I'm in a hotel in Edmonton or San Jose and something happens and my family is on the other side of the country ... it's something you don't miss. [But] you can really enjoy the quality of life you want to when you step back from the game."
