New York Fans

Post Date

Wed, 06/11/2014 - 06:15

Categories

Lifestyle

There is something about some New York sports fans that I find both interesting and frustrating. There is often this winner take all attitude that as a fan/coach/parent/kid(inside) can strike a raw nerve. This idea that nothing short of a championship is acceptable. Some even find it an admirable trait.

It strikes again with the New York Rangers playoff run that has captured the attention of the area and the entire sports world.

They were a team that had gotten good over the past couple years,but still weren't viewed as a real threat to win the cup. They had a new coach and a new system which took a while to catch on even within their own ranks. When the playoffs hit, they really caught fire. Series by series they grew,even coming from behind 3 games to 1 to upset the top seed in the conference the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Getting alll the way to the finals, they finally met their match in the incredible Los Angeles Kings. That's where it gets frustrating. You hear a lot of people and even fans frustrated and angry about the team losing (thus far 3-0) in the Stanley Cup finals. Claims that "we stink", "we're heartless", "they're choking", not only are ridiculous, but detract a little from the enjoyment of the playoff run that has been so exciting.

The truth is, even though they are down 3-0, they are still playing at a higher level than they have played at any point this season. They lost the first two games in OT and outshot the Kings badly in the 3rd game. King Henrik has been good in goal,but the Kings goalie Jonathan Quick has been from another planet. Without him, it's easily possible the Rangers could be up 3 games to none. The goalie really is that important in the game if hockey (as a goalie myself, I could be biased on that one). The Kings won the cup a couple of years ago and are a great experienced team that is stacked with size and talent.

What is it with some fans that they can't just enjoy and recognize such a great accomplishment and look to take the next step next season? Is it an American thing? A New York thing?

Comments

Vik Rajan

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I never understood rabid sports fans. I don't know if other countries/cultures appreciate progress versus "only winning." Competition brings this out in people no doubt. I wonder if culture mitigates it in any way. I doubt it. Sports is an apt metaphor & replacement for our war lust: a winner-take-all (-and-pillage-the-losers) legacy.

Fred Klein

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Brad Richards is gone. Sad to watch him

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The Rangers are NOT playing their best hockey of the season. The Kings are quite simply playing their game- physical around the net both offensively and defensively- and Their goaltender is spectacular. The Rangers do not match up well size wise but their speed negated that for games 1 &2. In the finals, EVERYONE has to pull their weight and 2 "stars" specifically are not: Nash who hasn't performed all season and Richards who rebounded from a horrible regular season last year to have a very good regular season this year. The Rangers are probably stuck with Richards and Marty St. Louis can up Richards' game somewhat, but Nash should be gone from this team. He will probably perform much better elsewhere.
The more St. Louis becomes the leader of this team with McDonagh, the more players like Kreider and Hagelin work into a St. Louis led offensive attack the better this team will be.Stralman, an unrestricted free agent MUST be re-signed. Quick and Lundqvist are clearly the two best goalies in the world right now.

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Bob Olivari…"anonymous" was an error on my part.

Alan Kreit (NMLS ID 690784)

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It's been an interesting week. I've been a horse racing fan and a die-hard Ranger fan since 1977. Horse racing needed a triple crown winner to make the sport more attractive to the masses. Everything was great until Mr. Coburn opened his mouth and showed his ignorance and transformed from everyone's buddy into a sore loser.
The Rangers have kept me on edge for the past month after starting the season badly, playing above average hockey through the winter, and then went on this magical run.
The stress has been enormous, and playoff hockey is by far the most exciting sport (just my opinion). That said, win or lose, I appreciate what they brought to the city and the attention that hockey is getting. Of course, I am hoping for a historical comeback, and as John Belushi said in Animal House....'Over? Nothing's over! Was it over when the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor? When the going gets tough...(awkward silence)." Lets go Rangers!

Rona Gura

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I agree with you Erik. From what I know about hockey, which isn't much, the fact that they made the finals was unexpected and a phenomenal achievement. In their quest for victory, most fans have lost sight of that.

Riva Schwartz

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American saying: Second Place is just the first place loser

Josh Fields

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It's been an amazingly magical run. It's awesome when the wives and kids who never get into it, suddenly realize that there is something special going on with this team. My wife never watches hockey with me, but she see's how exciting this has become and how we are talking about it all the time, she's actually been watching it with me. She understands my desire to be there for a final as I was only at a final once before, and that was 20 years ago. So I will be there tonight and hopefully LA doesn't celebrate on our home ice. LGR!

Corey Bearak

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My only issue is the officiating. It turned the series. Glad we won tonight.
I think we just expect player to work hard, play hard, play smart and keep their heads in the game. That is what most of us expect of us in what we do.

Erik Scheibe

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I have studied both sociological and philosophical perspectives of sport. I won't agree or disagree with your last sentence, but it just feels ugly. Sports are a microcosm of life and to such extent, man as a race has never existed on this planet without war. Other than that, I don't see the relationship. In fact, you could make a case that sport is the antithesis of war to the extent that it is shrouded in rules, fairness and the emphasis of character, while war is immersed in ruthlessness, indecency and chaos.

Erik Scheibe

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Couldn't disagree more. The fact that they are playing the best team in hockey and are literally a bounce or two away from being ahead is incredible. The caliber of hockey that these two teams are playing is riveting. You are correct about the goaltending, but you don't play a team this good this close without playing at the highest level. To say that the Rangers aren't playing great, indicates that they should be playing better than this, and as such should be far ahead of the Kings (again the best team in the league) in the series. That would mean that the Rangers are the best team in the NHL and the only ones that can stop them are themselves (as it was in '94). Someday that may again be the case, but it is not so today.

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