Tampa Bay Lightning....

[RUaMoose]

51 years old here an ex rangers fan who dropped them when my home state got a team. My friends and I all became Devil fans because of state pride. We are all in our 50's now and do not like the rangers!! So the Devils have plenty of older fans and younger fans like my 8 year old son. And YES I am happy the rangers lost and it happened on a Friday at the garden (another failure at the worlds most famous arena ....cough, cough) so ranger fans have a long weekend to think about it instead of beng distracted by work!

I'm a couple years younger than you but have a similar story. I was a huge Rangers fan back in the late 70s when they had JD, Espo, Duges, Maloney and others. I still remember watching the '79 SCF on my 13" black and white TV. Was so fired up when JD stole G1. Then Montreal won the next four. I still remember the disappointment. My switch to Devils fandom was a process that started a couple years after they arrived in '82. I think Duguay being traded to the Red Wings was part of it. By '87, '88 I was 100 percent Devils fan and never looked back. I don't buy the argument if you're above such and such an age, you can't switch allegiances.

 

[mikefla]

ex NYer and Rangers fan who switched to Tampa when they won it all in 2004....

love my Fla teams,,been here 32 years now....

 

[RU848789]

When all else fails bitch about spelling or grammar, lol. Sorry I had a drink or two at your teams expense. Like it or not, I didn't go to a NY board and express my fellings. This is a NEW JERSEY board. Mods, feel free to ban me if I hurt the Rangers fans feelings.

Nothing "failed" - I just threw in the spelling stuff gratuitously, after clearly demonstrating what a troll you were being. I hope you've sobered up and realized that. Also, the Rangers aren't "my team" - I have no real rooting interest in hockey or any pro sports, for that matter - I just love seeing good games by good teams and rooted mildly for the Rangers, as I figured that was only polite, as I was my friend's guest at Game 7. So, my criticism of your trolling has nothing to do with some sensitivity you might think I have as a Rangers fan, since I'm not.

As many others have pointed out, this also isn't a NJ board, it's a Rutgers board that happens to have a ton of fans of NY pro teams (and Philly ones), which is kind of natural, given geography and culture. I wonder if some of the same people who criticize NJ players leaving NJ are the same ones touting RU as NYC's team - should everyone in NYC be Cuse fans because Cuse is in NY and RU is not? Of course not, since we're far closer and the state borders mean far less than proximity and shared culture.

Lastly, I actually don't care that much if you tweak/troll/tease Ranger fans or any other fans - just own it if you're going to do it and stop the playing dumb nonsense.

 

[KJ_RU]

Thanks for the lecture, dad. I promise that I'll never use the internet or message boards for anything other than noble purposes in the future.

I would still like to thank the Lightning for winning last night and GO DEVILS!

 

[j10oreo]

Yes, you're hating. You started a thread only to troll. Never understood trolling

So he's happy the thunder won and expresses it = trolling? Someone needs to adjust sensitivity settings for emotions.

 

[RutgersSam]

So, if the Devils move back to Colorado you'll go back to being a Rangers fan ?
See, people aren't all the same. I'm the kind of guy that doesn't dump the team he's been rooting for since he was first old enough to root for a team. At least not just because some new franchise moved into the neighborhood. I guess there are those who would suddenly quit the Devils and become Islanders fans if they packed up and moved to an arena in New Brunswick or Trenton. Or if the Tampa Bay Rays moved to New Jersey, I'm sure some Yankees and Mets fans would drop their team and root for the "Jersey team".
I'm not like that. I've never dumped one of my teams. But then, that's just me.

Self-righteous much? Nope, you don't dump your team, just choose to root against your state team thats been around for 33 years.

 

[RutgersSam]

If his father was from Tennessee of went there, sure. My dad and his dad were Rangers fans and lived in NY and I only moved to NJ when I was 8.

RU is the closest P5 school for anyone who lives in the state of NJ...with hockey I live closer to MSG and maybe even Barclays.

You also get a degree from RU- all of us alumni are Scarlet Knights. No matter how hard you try, none of us will ever be a Ranger or a Devil....

It's just a silly comparison.

There are many Rangers fans in NJ who have never lived in NY, so you're the exception not the norm.

 

[RUChoppin]

I don't really follow hockey, but will root for either the Devils or Rangers if they make the playoffs. With no one left to root for, there's no reason to continue watching.

 

[Kbee3]

Self-righteous much? Nope, you don't dump your team, just choose to root against your state team thats been around for 33 years.

So,if the MLB Tampa Bay Rays were to move to New Jersey and take up residence in New Brunswick or Trenton with a new ballpark, Yankees fans and Mets fans wouldn't be dumping their team if they suddenly started rooting instead for the new kid in the area ?
Sounds like they would be dumping their old team to me.
Listen, genius. I've probably been a Yankees fan for longer than you've been alive. And I'm not gonna dump them..... even if a new MLB team were to move next door to me.
Same goes for the Giants, Rangers, and Knicks...although as I said the Knicks may be pushing it.

 

[NotInRHouse]

There are many Rangers fans in NJ who have never lived in NY, so you're the exception not the norm.

Maybe so, but plenty of those fans were Ranger fans before the Devils existed, and that fandom was passed on.

 

[radio43]

How many of you ever even played Ice Hockey and understand the "trap", without looking it up!

Figure I would ask since this thread is all over the place and comical at this point.

 

[bscharf]

If you live in NJ and are a Rangers fan, you're no better than JG "repping" NJ but in the end offering his loyalties out of state.

This is the dumbest argument of all. The Rangers are an Original Six team that was founded in 1926. There were 50 years of Rangers fans before NJ even got a team. Do all life long Knicks fans from Brooklyn have to become Nets fans too now?

 

[radio43]

So wait, If I am a Ranger Fans, I am happy JG is going to Tenn? So confused.

 

[jiggscasey]

I don't really follow hockey, but will root for either the Devils or Rangers if they make the playoffs. With no one left to root for, there's no reason to continue watching.

If you can't find a reason to watch now, why watch at all. It appears you have no appreciation for the sport and find it a bore.

 

[1stand3rd]

How many NYers root for the Devils? Yet Ranger fans in NJ root for them just because they watched them on TV a few times when they were kids. I saw a car with a Rangers bumper sticker alongside a Jersey Strong sticker. Crazy if you ask me.

Ok, there was a time when the Devils did not exist in NJ, but that is not the case any more.
They've been here over 30 years, they're not going anywhere. It's time NJ residents show state pride and back the only major sports franchise that dares put NJ in front of their name.

I just can't see myself rooting side by side with Ranger fans. NYers bash our state with bad jokes, trash our beaches, and claim everything is better in NY. It's time we defend NJ. Those who say North Jersey = NY and South Jersey = Philadelphia are just perpetuating the lack of a true NJ identity.
The Devils community involvement in NJ is extensive and is another reason to root for NJ's team. Jersey Pride, Jersey Strong!

 

[RUChoppin]

If you can't find a reason to watch now, why watch at all. It appears you have no appreciation for the sport and find it a bore.

Playoff hockey is really interesting, so long as I care about one of the teams. If I don't care about either team, the sport itself doesn't have enough to pull me away from Netflix or my DVR.

It's kinda like the Olympics. If the US isn't in an event, or there isn't some compelling human interest story behind a non-US competitor, I rarely watch that event. And I certainly don't watch that type of event between Olympics (not really watching the backstroke or downhill skiing or whatever in non-Olympic years).

That's almost like my relationship with hockey. The regular season is like the non-Olympic years. The Playoffs are like the Olympics, and I only really watch if I have a rooting interest (in my case, either the Devils or Rangers).

 

[lighty]

"If you live in NJ and are a Rangers fan, you're no better than JG "repping" NJ but in the end offering his loyalties out of state."

BS. If New Jersey got a MLB baseball team, would you blame Yankee fans for sticking behind their team?

I will never understand why I see so many Devils fans live and die with how the NY Rangers do. As a NYR fan, I've seen NJ win and lose in the Finals, the Isles win and lose in the Finals, and Philly win and lose in the Finals. My life continued to go on because all I care about is the Rangers. I don't waste my time HATING and PRAYING that the other locals lose.

On one hand, Devils fans brag about their recent Cup wins... on the other, they show an immense inferiority complex every time they live and die with how the Rangers do. Worry about your own team, that's how I feel.

 

[RUHotTrumpetMonkeyLove]

Islanders fan checking in. Thank you Tampa Bay.

That being said, I wasn't really worried because I didn't see either team from the East beating Anaheim or Chicago in the finals.

 

[mikemarc1]

"If you live in NJ and are a Rangers fan, you're no better than JG "repping" NJ but in the end offering his loyalties out of state."

BS. If New Jersey got a MLB baseball team, would you blame Yankee fans for sticking behind their team?

I will never understand why I see so many Devils fans live and die with how the NY Rangers do. As a NYR fan, I've seen NJ win and lose in the Finals, the Isles win and lose in the Finals, and Philly win and lose in the Finals. My life continued to go on because all I care about is the Rangers. I don't waste my time HATING and PRAYING that the other locals lose.

On one hand, Devils fans brag about their recent Cup wins... on the other, they show an immense inferiority complex every time they live and die with how the Rangers do. Worry about your own team, that's how I feel.

Most fan bases do this...its not just Devil fans.

Why do most Rutgers fans root against Penn State? Why do Yankee fans hate seeing Red Sox win? Why do Giants fans hate the Cowboys?

It's not inferiority...its a rivalry. Devils-Rangers have played in HUGE games, they play in the same market...that's how you build a rivalry. Nothing different about the Devils than any other sports rivalry.

 

[lester19]

I got so sick of listening to a hockey-clueless Mike Francesa talking about the RainJizz that I'm relived that Tampa Bay won.

 

[RU1977]

Not nice of the OP kicking the Rangers fans when they are already down. Don't see the point.

 

[Andy117]

I will never understand why I see so many Devils fans live and die with how the NY Rangers do. As a NYR fan, I've seen NJ win and lose in the Finals, the Isles win and lose in the Finals, and Philly win and lose in the Finals. My life continued to go on because all I care about is the Rangers. I don't waste my time HATING and PRAYING that the other locals lose.

On one hand, Devils fans brag about their recent Cup wins... on the other, they show an immense inferiority complex every time they live and die with how the Rangers do. Worry about your own team, that's how I feel.

That's what a rivalry is. When your team is done you root hard against your rival. Yankee fans don't root for the Red Sox.

 

[RU848789]

How many of you ever even played Ice Hockey and understand the "trap", without looking it up!

Figure I would ask since this thread is all over the place and comical at this point.

Liked seeing the Devils win with the trap, but hated what the trap did to the game, which is why I was so happy when they finally got rid the "two-line" offsides pass rule, which stifled the game when coupled with the Devils neutral zone trap strategy, which other teams copied. Love seeing those long, gorgeous passes from the defensive zone to the other blue line, which often lead to breakaways when the other team's defense is napping.

 

[mikemarc1]

Everyone said the trap "ruined the game" in the 90s...well..the trap was around since 1920. Why would it suddenly ruin the game 70 years later? The fact is the Devils ran it perfectly, and so overmatched their opponents on some nights.

Those Devils team were great defensively, with the best goalie to ever play the game (arguably)..and led the league in scoring 3 or 4 straight seasons.

 

[RU848789]

Everyone said the trap "ruined the game" in the 90s...well..the trap was around since 1920. Why would it suddenly ruin the game 70 years later? The fact is the Devils ran it perfectly, and so overmatched their opponents on some nights.

Those Devils team were great defensively, with the best goalie to ever play the game (arguably)..and led the league in scoring 3 or 4 straight seasons.

I know, Lemaire learned it with the Canadiens in the '70s and perfected it with the Devils. In my opinion, the difference was that with bigger, stronger, and faster players on the same size rink, the trap, played well, stifled the game. I wish the NHL would take the next step and go to the international rink size and get rid of those goddamn "trapezoids" where the goalie can't play the puck, which is the worst rule ever invented (some called it the Brodeur rule, as he was so good with the puck). Would further open the game up.

 

[mikemarc1]

I know, Lemaire learned it with the Canadiens in the '70s and perfected it with the Devils. In my opinion, the difference was that with bigger, stronger, and faster players on the same size rink, the trap, played well, stifled the game. I wish the NHL would take the next step and go to the international rink size and get rid of those goddamn "trapezoids" where the goalie can't play the puck, which is the worst rule ever invented (some called it the Brodeur rule, as he was so good with the puck). Would further open the game up.

Dumbest rule ever.

 

[RUaMoose]

Dumbest rule ever.

Agreed. I like all the rule changes EXCEPT for the trapezoid. Get rid of it and let good puck playing goalies show their stuff. Brodeur was like a third defenseman back there. IIRC, it was Flyers GM Bobby Clark who whined about it (goalies playing the puck in the corners) which led to the rule change