snix recap

Cross the ocean to some distant land
We'll reach the end,
we'll all be singin' and we'll all be friends
Back where it all begins

D. Betts



With a thundering base chord and the pounding of the Drums, The New Sweater Night Ramblers punctuated SNIX’s Extrication from the vice grip hold of 11220. Welcome back to 11209. ( I do not want to restart that drinking debate…as some of us have been talking about the same things for over 20 years now) After a 1500 odd day stay, and some of those days were very odd, The Swetaer Night Family began it’s matriculation down fifth Avenue in a Baton Death March like journey to the VZ Bridge. Yes, there may be additional stops along the way , but the Trickle to Monmouth County is gaining the momentum of a Tsunami….it is inevitable that Sweater Night will some day call the Garden State “HOME”.

A tip of the hat to Johnny News and the lads of this K of C local, They serviced our libation needs in a friendly and economically pleasing way. Early reports stated that we topped out at approx 35 skaters, and never more than a 10 second wait on your refill…..


Sweater Nite 9 got off to a slow start as each skater was asked to supply a saliva sample for a DNA test in the Danielle Lynn Smith paternity sweepstakes……last year we took a shot at mega millions, this year we tried the Bahamas Lotto. Once our brothers of the Talmud from Rabinowitz, Rabinowitz and Rabinowitz finished with the legal proceedings, the party started to jump.


It was hard to tell if it was Sweater Night 9 , or a ST. Regis alumni gathering. One lucky skater won an official ST. Regis dilploma in the 50/50 raffle. Sad to say that same diploma was spotted on ebay selling for $49.99 …….one more sign that the value of a good , honest education is dropping in this country.


On a bizarre note, the Port Authority Police stopped you know who in his White Ford Bronco as he tried to cross the Goethals Bridge at 7:00 P.M on 2/16. It seems Raj was wearing a wig, trench coat and diapers…. and carrying pepper spray, a BB gun and directions to the Knights of Columbus. Strange Indeed…..one can only wonder what type of horror would have unfolded if he was not apprehended. Ironically he was busted because he was going through the EZ Pass lane, but he had a doctored, empty can of Busch Beer taped to his windshield where his Pass should have resided……always trying to save a buck I guess. When word of his shocking demise reached headquarters of his knotzee bank, their official response was …..”Baby? What is dis Baby ? Da fuhrer never said Baby!! “ authorities were further confounded by this.

Police were flooding the local roadways after a report out of Philadelphia that Coach Reid and his Boys were out for a joy ride……..Bags of Smack aplenty ….pointing pistols…, causing accidents and making terroristic threats…..just another Friday in the city of “brotherly” love…..Darryl Dawkins would be proud…….Andy Reid is expected to meet with the Flyers organization to discuss Bobby Clarke’s vacancy after his leave of absence from the Eagles expires.


Until he extends the circle of compassion to all living things, man will not himself find peace.,,,,,,,,,Albert Schweitzer


It is with an exrtremely heavy heart that we acknowledge the passing of a True Champion by the name of Barbaro. Horse racing scribes from coast to coast told similar tales of the “magic spell” this horse had over the country. In the first week after his surgery the U of Penn website received over 1.5 million get well email wishes. My horse racing heart and my love of the sport was taken from me on third Saturday in May 2006….I will still go to the track, and I will still make my donations at the window, but I doubt I will ever feel the passion I use to hold for the equine races. We may someday see another Triple Crown winner, we may someday see the track records of Secretariat fall, but we will never see the nation captivated the way we were with BARBARO………..may he rest in peace. Below is an excerpt from a column that Ray Kerrison penned for the NY post.


My most vivid memory of Barbaro was not at the Derby, but a few days before the Preakness. We had all gone to Fair Hill in Maryland, where he was being trained by Michael Matz, to see him gallop around the wood-chip track.Matz then turned him out in a circular grass pen near the barn. Barbaro promptly dropped to the ground, rolled over on his back, and kicked his legs in the air, luxuriating in the sheer joy of the exercise. He reminded me of a little boy paddling and splashing at the beach.Who could have believed that within a matter of hours, this same Barbaro would be fighting for his life, the bones of his right hind hoof shattered in three places, after galloping less than a furlong out of the starting gate in the Preakness?

I truly hope my sweater night brethren felt compassion when they learned of his passing.

Although it appears quite likely that President Bush will pardon Scooter Libby before he leaves office ( and rightfully so ) , Sweater Night fans need not worry…..the CIC does not have the authority to pardon Roger, the dudester will serve out eternity on the forever banned list for crimes committed against hockey humanity….the butcher of Butter Scotch Plains will never again see the light of Sweater Night Day ………..Sweater Night Day? That can’t be right
As for the Hockey end of business……once again the gang showed their collective creativity with some stunning Sweaters. Five out of the original six were in attendance…
Not surprisingly, the Hated Red Wings were the only ones missing…our good friend from Hockeytown via the Bambino Pub was a “no-show”. While a blind eye has been turned in the past, I must state early and often, that for the Gala next year….SNX , No Sweater will equate to No Admittance.

Much like the NBA All-Star festivities, Sweater Night is evolving into a weekends worth of fan friendly entertainment and activities for the whole family…..maybe not. SNIX plus 1 , awoke to the blasting of the Grateful Dead and the washing down of PBR’s at the un-official headquarters on Ovington Avenue. A few inebriated scragglers skated their way down to PC’s for a lunch of Champions and quite possibly the GREATEST Ham sandwich ever made. Slowly but surely they trickled into the home of SN2K , and settled in to watch the Broadway blueshirts battle their Philadelphia rivals. And the party did not stop there!! a few of the Garden State natives packed up the car with roadies and paid a visit to the Steak Exchange of Hazlett…….quite possibly the host for SN XIII on 4/1/2011. ( the ride home was a real snore though).

The Offices of Sweater Night were also swamped with a deluge of telegrams leading up to the big night, I would like to share some of the more interesting ones.

“ we are talking about drinking beer at a Hockey Party….Not Bombing Tokyo “ General Bob Knight

“ you can’t even bet on Hockey anymore without loosing”
Chaz Higgins , Head linesmen

“I DON'T FEEL NO WAYS TIRED from drinking at Sweater Night”
Hillary Rotten Clinton

“Dude….I don’t want to kill you, but I have to kill you “
Steve McEvoy Circa 1983 …delayed receipt

Anyway gang, if you missed it…….well it missed you right back. But fear not, for by the time you receive this letter we should be approx 330 days and counting to the Gala to end all galas ( SNX….so much more than Tibetian mineral water). Until then, please continue to drink at an accelerated pace , please check out the blog and update your home addresses from time to time…..I recd a few letters back without a forwarding address.(Rogers letter was donated to the Museum of Gullible-itis in Scotch Plains NJ.)
Enjoy the Spring …and continue to Lace Up, Gear Up , and ALWAYS.DRINK UP !!!

And a Happy Saint Patricks’s Day to one and all ……Slainte’


Thomas P O’Dowd
President & Founder