Graves Night at the Garden

Someone this summer asked me who was my favorite athlete of all-time? It was a great question. As someone who is a huge sports fan, it wasn't an easy question to answer. My first sports love was Don Mattingly. Derek Jeter helped deliver a lot of championships in the Bronx and I always loved Mo. I had my favorite players on the Giants and Rangers and Knicks as well. But my favorite athlete of all-time has to be Adam Graves.

On a purely stats basis, this is probably not a player who deserves to have his jersey lifted to the rafters. But for who he was as a man, he deserves all the love he will get tonight. What he meant to the Rangers organization, to the teams he played on, to the fans, and to the New York community is unmeasurable.

I have two greatest memories with Adam Graves. The first one was at a Rangers Open Practice. The Rangers used to hold these at Rye Playland usually twice a season and it allowed fans amazingly close access to the Rangers players. Afterwards, Adam Graves would stay and make sure to sign an autograph for every fan there. Certain players would stay afterwards and sign for a little while after practice was over but Adam Graves stayed HOURS until everyone in the stands got a signature. The other was during one of Graves' annual Toys For Tots campaign. After Graves staying so long to get me my autograph, I felt I should return the favor for the charity he helped start. I didn't know what to say when I got up to the front so I just thanked him for all he did. He said that he felt honored and privledged to able to do what he did and encouraged me to go out and help out in my community.

Many athletes have charities or do charity work, but I don't feel like any player was as genuine in doing so and did it because it was who he was as much as "Gravy". He was the son of a policeman whose family adopted around 40 kids. He's done that for so many more kids in New York, being an intergral part of the New York community. He scored 52 goals in the 1993-1994 season and brought us a Stanley Cup that summer.

When he was traded away I was upset. Really upset. I've never been so upset by a player being traded away. Adam Graves played a physical game. He stood in front of the net and got crosschecked in the back and slashed on the legs. He stood up for his teammates. And he stood for me what it meant to be an athlete.

I know I'm going to get misty a few times tonight.

But congrats Adam Graves; if anyone deserves to have his number retired, it's you.