By Jimmy Cunningham, howiGit New York Writer, Manhattan, NY
My name is J-bone, and I am a hockey fan. Yes I know, the Bruins fans I taunted last year are probably laughing but it is true. I made a conscience decision to be a Rangers fan this year and it turns out it was a great decision.
Hockey had never been a major part of my life. I never played it. My family did not really have a favorite hockey team. Simply put, other sports were more important. I do remember watching some Rangers Stanley Cup games in ’94 but it really did not mean that much to me. The Rangers were a mess through most of my high school and college years, and going to school in Philly would not allow me to watch the games even if I wanted to. After school I began to be the type that watched the standings and picked up the team once playoffs started, but I never really invested myself into a full season of hockey. But after really watching the Rangers in last years playoffs and seeing the joy of the brand new Bruins fans last year I decided to really follow the Rangers this year, and I am so glad that I did.
I obviously picked a good year to start following the team up. With HBO 24/7 featuring the Rangers and Flyers this year I really got to know the team, not just by watching almost every game, but by seeing how the boys interacted in the locker room and on the ice. The show displayed that this was a fun group, whether it be by some seemingly over-served players at their Christmas party or the Broadway Hat tradition. It also showed that these guys really have each others back, most prominently displayed when Michael Del Zotto got sucker punched against the Coyotes, and while Del Zotto was getting stitched up he asked “Who jumped in for me” – it was not a question of “if someone” jumped in, he already knew someone did.
The Rangers are not only a fun team to watch, they are good. They are tough, they fight, they block shots, and they always play hard. These are qualities that trickle from the top of the team down, with the coach John Tortorella and one of the best captains in the game Ryan Callahan leading the way. They are not a high scoring team but they do have some fun players on offense to watch in Marian Gaborik, Brad Richards, and Carl Hagelin. They also have the best goalie in the game this year and someone I have developed an embarrassingly huge man crush on in Henrik Lundqvist.
The Rangers go into these playoffs as the number one seed in the east and play the Ottawa Senators in the 1st round. Being the number one seed does not mean they are the favorites however, as Vegas currently has the Penguins as the favorite to win the east. Many analysts are calling for a 1st round upset due to the Senators winning the series during the regular season, the Rangers occasional lack of scoring, and the Rangers losing 3 of the last 4. I do think the 1st series will be tough but I believe the Rangers are too tough to bow out in the first round. After that who knows how everything is going to play out. I do know I will be watching, and for the first time not trying to figure out who is actually on the team, but cheering hard for the team I have been following all year.
It sounds like you’re trying to convince yourself that you’re a Rangers fan, and yes, we’re laughing at you. You certainly picked a very opportunistic time to become a Rangers fan, and I’m pretty certain if they stunk this year you wouldn’t have followed through with this whole “be a Rangers fan” initiative.
That being said, I’m the first to admit that it’s much easier to root for a new team that is winning. I still generally don’t care about the Bruins, but I’ll readily admit that I pay more attention than I used to. They still don’t hold a candle to Boston’s other teams though.
That said, the 1-0 overtime win against Alex Ovechkin last night was pretty cool. Chris Kelly’s goal was great. As for toughness and all that, the Bruins may lose to the Rangers if they meet in the playoffs but they’ll beat the puss out of them in the process.
No I am a Rangers fan. And why dont you go back and look at your anti hockey articles last june before laughing at me.
I think we may see that candle tested if the red sox continue the trend they have set for themselves after missing the playoffs two years in a row, the chicken and beer collapse, and the slipping out the gates so far this season.
Rupp, Prust, and Bickle will have a little something to say about that puss, but why dont you worry about the Capitals who gave the Bruins all they could handle last night.
Was my comment below not anti hockey enough for you? My point in the articles last year is that the Bruins are Boston’s 4th team, and I think that still rings true. The Red Sox will never not be #1 in this city regardless of their record. I will laugh at you just as you laughed at all of the Bruins fans that came out for the woodwork last year (myself not included).
so if the red sox are a last place team with a 10 and 30 record and the bruins and celtics are paying in the finals in june the red sox are still going to have more interest? i dont think so.
No, that’s a silly argument. Of course any team in the finals has more attention on them at that moment. I’m saying in general the Red Sox are the most important team in Boston. That’s been the case for 100+ years. The Patriots have been a close second for 10+ years. The Bruins are solidly in 4th.
jbone just likes the rangers cause Sean Avery is his favorite fashion model.
avery is a joke, henrik on the hand I would probably leave my new wife for.
I have never been able to really get into hockey, which is strange because I think seeing it live is amazing. I do enjoy the playoffs and hop on the bandwagon of the Flyers towards the end of their season and just try to catch up on what is going on before the playoffs begin. But regardless of how shitty the Eagles or Red Sox are doing…they will always be at the bottom of the totem poll; I just cant get that into it.
The rangers don’t wanna see the devils. I’ll tell you that much. And those “experts” just jump all over Sydney crosby to have them as favorites. They also blew the first two games at home vs the flyers so they have all they can handle before any potential rangers matchup.