Bruce Boudreau Isn't Fond Of Madison Square Garden, Calls It 'Horrible'

Capitals head coach Bruce Boudreau was on the radio on Monday morning, and as he talked about the conditions and the atmosphere at Madison Square Garden in New York City, it quickly became apparent that he's not exactly a fan of the "World's Most Famous Arena."

From his interview on D.C.'s 105.9 The Edge, via D.C. Sports Bog:

"Well, the one thing, its reputation is far better than the actual building," the coach said. "I mean, it's nothing. The locker rooms are horrible. The benches are horrible. There's no room for anything. But the reputation of being in Madison Square Garden is what makes it famous. Also, our building's a lot louder, too. So I mean, they can say what they want, but it's not that loud in there."

I've been to the Garden several times as a less-than-neutral observer, and I can say that in terms of the amenities, Boudreau is dead on. The place sucks, and the upcoming renovations will be more than overdue. In terms of volume, it's not the loudest in the league by any stretch, and if we're being real about things, I've been treated worse as a rival fan in other buildings (ahem, Boston). You know, if that's something New York prides itself on. 

All in all, these are pretty pointless comments, and while the atmosphere for hockey at MSG still is genuinely fantastic, it's not any secret that old mystique about the place has fallen off a cliff in recent years. Boudreau is really just saying what a lot of people, New Yorkers included, already think.