On my debut blog post for Ranger Nation, I would just like to re-post a forum article I wrote before today's game. This was a
situation that happened last night and I would like to share it with you all so
we as a Ranger Nation can stay true to what we love and believe in, our
Broadway Blueshirts.Last night I'm at a bar seeing my
friends band play. (Remember this is on Long Island) The last couple
days I've been getting myself pumped up for these weekend games loving
the fact that the next 6 months of my life will be dedicated to hockey.
So traditionally I celebrated this opening day eve going to the bar
wearing my Brendan Shanahan Blue Sweater.
I had Ranger fans
walking up to me the whole night getting into every kind of
conversation there is. From "We shoulda re-signed Shanny." to "They
don't need Avery and Jagr" to "Have you seen this Korpi kid" and my
favorite "Henrik will win 40, shut out 12 and notch his first Vezina
Trophy." It was a nice feeling, all these strangers immediately became
family members. The Ranger fans really do have that way about them that
they support each other no matter what, we're one crazy family.
On
the other side of the fence, I'm on Long Island, a raunchy, sleazy
place where if you don't know someone you count as their enemy. Really
I can't wait to move to Brooklyn. So my friend introduced me to this
girl and her sister, and we went outside in the lounge and just started
talking a bit you know how it goes. Then outta no where, this big dude
gets between the two girls right in my space and says "Yo you ladies
don't need to be talking to this piece of trash Ranger fan, why don't
you come over here and talk to a real hockey fan." Whoa. Dude, A.) Back
off you're stealing my thunder. B.) Real hockey fan? You're trying to
convince this girl who most likely knows nothing about hockey that a
fan of the Islanders is a real hockey fan? The conversation was never
about hockey. He just wanted to rub his nose in because he thought that
he could steal away my ladies for being an Islander fan. I can't begin
to think how that thought process of that making sense actually works,
but they have IQ's of of about 12 so I forgive.
Second incident
of the night. I go up with my buddies band to sing some Pearl Jam like
we do every show. Afterwards a girl comes up to me telling me she
enjoyed that and she used to be in a band and on and on and on. She's
playing beer pong so I take a minute to cheer her on, it's down to one
cup I'm giving the old words of encouragement, and everything is cool.
Until this bull dyke girl from the other team just starts stomping over
to me screaming about something. I can't even tell what she is really
saying I kinda hear "Season ticket holder since whenever for the
Islanders." She then shows me her wedding ring and says stay the hell
away from my wife. First of all the fact they are lesbians really makes
no difference, but she had the nerve to scream at me just for wearing
this well knit blue sweater of pride? I never even mentioned hockey,
she just went ballistic. That led to other problems where somebody
wanted to break my neck, but I'll spare you detail on that.
Now
after these incidents happened last night I got myself to thinking. Why
are all Islanders fans screwed in the head? They had an amazing 4 year
championship run, yeah they only thing they can really write home
about, besides that what the hell is their beef? If I'm at a bar and I
see some guy with an Islanders jersey, I laugh to myself or friends I'm
with, move about 50 feet away from the guy and that's the end of it. No
fights, no talking nothing. I want nothing to do with them. But I don't
think I've ever seen an Islander fan wear their jersey to a bar. I
don't know many Islander fans who actually own their jerseys. Every
Ranger fan has at least one and always wear it with pride. Islander
fans don't do that. They would much rather waste their time being angry
at the Ranger fans then supporting their own. Don't get me wrong who
the hell would their terrible. But I remember Rangers fans standing by
their team from 98 until the lockout. We were out of it in November
every year but we stuck by them no matter what.
So use this
story not only to be angry at the Island enemies, but to remember who
you are and take pride in that. We root for a team from the greatest
city in the world, always remember that. Always know where your fellow
blueshirt fans are and make sure you have their back. Love them like
family. Because we are Ranger Nation. An Irresistable Force mixed with
an Unmovable Object. A team with great history, a suffering one, but an
amazing story 14 years ago changed that all and that's something to be
proud of. So whenever the games about to begin, get out of your chairs and start
screaming as if you were at the Garden... LET'S GO RANGERS!!!!!!!!!!