After a week’s absence, the semi-regular Sitdown with Steve “The Rooster” Schuster makes its dramatic return. Schuster has been the Voice of the Thunder for the past two seasons. Here we go.
KL: Sorry to miss you last week, Rooster, but we took a little trip to Las Vegas. (Since no mention of Vegas is complete without an obvious “Swingers” reference, we’ll add the detail that, unfortunately, they didn’t give Daddy the Rain Man suite.) First question, you always double down on 11, right?
Schuster: Personally, I would have referenced Dr. Gonzo and Raoul Duke. I hear they were nice fellas. We watched 21 on the way back from Tulsa on Friday, but sadly I’m no more qualified to give you black jack advice than I was before the movie.
KL: We love the nickname “Rooster.” How’d you pick it up?
Schuster: I’m pretty sure you picked it for me. Haven’t we been down this road before?
KL: What’s the latest on all the injured players?
Schuster: It might be easier to count the guys who are not injured. Injuries are part of the game, and they are something every team has to overcome throughout the season. That being said, the amount of nagging injuries that have felled this team is remarkable. The team started with just 14 skaters each of the last three games, and on Saturday, as you saw, Shudo and Yanchishyn went down early in the game, leaving just 12. Byrnes and MacDonald are eligible to come off the 14-day IR this week. Cassista and Bernier are still day-to-day. Luke Hunter suffered a pretty serious eye injury, and he might be out for a while. Shudo left the arena on Saturday pretty banged up, so his status is uncertain for the immediate future. If there’s any positive to take away from the injuries, it’s that a couple of the new defensemen have been given a chance to shine. I think Curtiss Patrick and Andrew Davis have looked very strong offensively and defensively over the last week.
KL: If you’re a Thunder fan, do you cheer or boo Travis Clayton on Saturday night?
Schuster: Well, I think deep down, fans want to cheer, and someday when his number is retired, the fans will. But for Saturday, I’m predicting mostly boos. Sebastien Laplante was a terrific goaltender in Wichita for three years, and when he came back to the Coliseum after being traded last season, I expected at least 50/50 cheers and boos. It turned out to be all boos, and since there’s a perception that Clayton and the Thunder had a less than cordial split, I think a lot of fans feel some resentment. When Roger Clemens first went to the Yankees, he was crucified every time he went back to Boston. Red Sox fans viewed him as some kind of traitor. But when Clemens announced his retirement (the first time, not the second, third, fourth, and fifth times), he got a standing ovation in Boston that season for all of the great memories he had given. I think Clayton will experience something similar to this.
KL: What injured player do you think the Thunder misses the most?
Schuster: I think the team misses Mike Batovanja’s presence and all-out style of play. There’s a reason why he was named team captain in just his second professional season, and with the team seemingly close to putting it all together, I think his leadership and presence could help get them over the top.
KL: What has been the key to Scott Rozendal’s recent emergence as a scoring option?
Schuster: He’s really been the most consistent point scorer all season. If you look at his game-by-game numbers, he’s on the stat sheet almost every night. What’s helped is that he and Jason Duda have found a really nice rhythm. They’ve collected a point on the same goal six times in the last three games. Coach Bilodeau also wanted him to shoot a little more, and that adjustment seems to have paid off.
KL: Not trying to brag, but we killed on The Price is Right nickel slot machine while in Vegas. It was like every other spin we were doing the Showdown Showcase. Impressed?
Schuster. “The Price is Right.” Isn’t that the one with the whammies?
KL: You’ve seen newcomer Tim Boron in net a few times now. Your thoughts?
Schuster: Very athletic. Scouts use the term “shiftiness” to describe good running backs in football, and I think Boron possesses that trait. His lateral movement is outstanding. No matter what side of the net he’s on, he always manages to get something to the backdoor, whether it’s his whole body, or just a piece of his equipment to make the save. I haven’t seen this first hand, and perhaps never will, but I’m willing to bet he’s a very fast skater and could learn to play up front due to his athleticism.
KL: The Thunder played Tulsa three straight times last week. Be honest, you’re sick of the Oilers, right?
Schuster: Honestly, with all of the difficult pronunciations in hockey, by the time we got to the third game, I actually sounded like I knew what I was talking about. For the sake of a soundbyte though, yes, I’m sick of Tulsa.
KL: Prediction time. Who gets more points on Saturday. Blaznek-Clayton, or Duda-Rozendal?
Schuster: Right now Duda and Rozendal are on a hot streak. They also have more points for the season than Blaznek and Clayton. I’ll go with Duda and Rozendal.