I tried.
I really did.
And I tried harder when it was challenging.
I really did.
And yet, it all fell apart about 10 minutes after Alec Martinez scored in double overtime to give the Los Angeles Kings their second Stanley Cup in three years. And it did so because a handful of people decided that when I said two weeks ago that I was pulling for the Rangers to win the Stanley Cup — for the sake of my uncle for the most part — that I was lying to get a rise out of people.
For starters, here is what I said before the start of the series. I won’t repeat the entire post, but will share the part that explains the most in the simplest of terms.
Pretty simple. Uncle Mugga is about to turn 55. Mr. Gelb isn’t getting younger. And there were a lot of others who I’d mentioned previously, as well, for whom I would be happy had the Rangers won the Stanley Cup. Unfortunately for them, the Kings won it — and it was the same ending, as it has been every other year in his career, for Henrik Lundqvist, a world-class goalie who just can’t seem to find a stretch of good luck that allows him to be the victor in the final game of an NHL season.
Yet it’s been the reaction of some — I won’t name names here — that has baffled me the most. It started before Game 1 was even played when one person spent more than an hour telling people on a Rangers forum that I was, indeed, “trolling” around, waiting for the first opportunity I could find, to change my avitar to something anti-Rangers, or to make a faux newspaper front page to rip Lundqvist for always seemingly ending games flat on his ass.
None of this ever happened — I watched five Finals games and said not a word.
BECAUSE I WAS ROOTING FOR THE RANGERS TO WIN FOR MY UNCLE’S SAKE.
Then during Game 4 — I posted on Facebook something like this during the third period of the game ... and I am paraphrasing here — “I CANNOT BELIEVE THIS COULD BE THE LAST PERIOD OF HOCKEY THIS SEASON.”
All I was doing there was simply stating a reality, one which obviously didn’t happen anyway.
The reaction?
“Shut up, ass.”
“Stop that right now!”
“At least we aren’t playing golf, asshole, like your team is.”
“Worry about your own team. Typical idiot Devils fan.”
Some of the vitriol was so bad I deleted the remarks, every which one came from a fan of, you guessed it, the New York Rangers, the team I was pulling for.
All because I made note the season could soon be over.
OK fine. Nothing to bad yet, right? All in the heat of passion. Plus, Rangers fans had to be angry at the time. After all, their miracle boys fell flat on their rear ends, down 3-0 in a series they had every expectation of perhaps winning. So I looked past it all.
Now, as a sidebar, keep this in mind. I am the publisher of this site, which is called “NEW JERSEY DEVILS - DOT COM.” Not a site that is supposed to be a pro-Rangers site, at the very least, but I used my site’s space — and jeopardized my readership dwindling — by posting numerous flattering Rangers stories and columns of my very own, including pieces about:
— The untimely death of Martin St. Louis’s mother.
— The sad story of a Rangers fan who lost his 4-month-old daughter, and who was able to attend Game 4 thanks to the generosity of fans of the Rangers, Kings, Devils, Islanders and Flyers.
— Kenny Albert’s ascension to the No. 2 PBP announcer for the NHL on NBC & NBCSN.
— Kenny Albert being my favourite PBP announcer (aside from Doc) despite being employed by the New York Rangers.
— The amazing play of Lundqvist and how he deserved so much more than his teammates were giving to him.
— A Rangers fan’s awesome tribute | motivational YouTube video prior to Game 4.
— Don LaGreca’s awesome call of the final minute of Game 1 of the Finals.
— This team being very likable, despite being a bitter rival.
And I am sure there is more I'm forgetting. But you get the point.
Fast-forward, now, to last night. Game No. 5 back at the Staples Center in Los Angeles. Two overtimes. Two amazing bonus periods of play.
And when it was over, all hell broke loose.
I will not rehash much, but there were a few gems.
One fan was complaining, rightfully so, about a call against the New York Rangers. My response was simple and sincere.
“Do you believe the refs are just blowing calls against the Rangers?”
Paraphrased response: “I knew you weren’t rooting for the Rangers from the get-go.”
Really? Wasn’t trying to start anything up. Was just curious. The calls had been very bad throughout the series — and I’d wondered, was it all in favour of the Kings?
It was just of many instances where my statements were called into question as if it were discussion time on WFAN. “Hi call screener, I want to talk about how Kevin Canessa is being disingenuous about his desire to see the Rangers win a Stanley Cup in 2014. He’s a big-fat liar!”
By now, I am quite livid. And seriously regretting naming names and pulling for New York. Two weeks — two months really — of good will and good sportsmanship was out the door in about 10 minutes.
Even my uncle, aged 54, jumped into the fracas. (In fairness, when I said I’d regretted my comments, I didn’t initially give specifics).
But let’s just say this.
Thank goodness this nightmare of a series is over.
A friend of mine once asked me what the most nightmarish scenario was for a Final series in the major sports. My answers were:
— Phillies & Yankees in baseball.
— Eagles & anyone in football.
— Couldn’t care less about basketball.
— And of course, Kings (see 2012) | Avalanche (see 2001) & Rangers (see NHL since 1982) in hockey.
Yes, these last two weeks -- and two months -- have really been enjoyable. In fact, considering the New Jersey Devils were not in the post-season, I’d consider this one of the Top 5 best post seasons I’ve seen since I began watching the sport circa 1988.
But if there’s not another Kings | Rangers matchup for another 200 years, that will be too soon. And unfortunately, based on the throwback I got for rooting for the Rangers from most (sadly not all -- but you know how the bad stuff almost always outweighs the good stuff), if it takes the Rangers another 540 YEARS to win another championship, that wouldn’t be long enough a wait.
I’ve learned my lesson here. I respect many Rangers fans, but just can’t, even in the best of circumstances, root for them -- even for the sake of a cherished uncle who, for the most part of my early life, was the closest I had to a father.
The consequences, quite frankly, are too dire -- and pretty damn stressful, to boot.
And I never want to experience what I did this Finals series ever again.
Ever.
For starters, here is what I said before the start of the series. I won’t repeat the entire post, but will share the part that explains the most in the simplest of terms.
“So yeah, as I push 40, I stand here almost humbled. Maybe I have
early-onset senility. Maybe it’s just that as guys who I love and admire
— like my Uncle Mugga and Bob Gelb — get older, the chances of them
getting to see one beyond ’94 are becoming slimmer. One thing is for sure — unlike 1994, if the Blueshirts win a Stanley
Cup, I won’t be sulking for days on end with intense anger. Instead,
somewhere, there will be a smile — a genuine smile. Plus, I mean, what’s
better than hearing a pro-Rangers crowd loudly chanting ‘Marty,’ even
if it’s not for the right Marty, right?”
 |
| Mugga |
Yet it’s been the reaction of some — I won’t name names here — that has baffled me the most. It started before Game 1 was even played when one person spent more than an hour telling people on a Rangers forum that I was, indeed, “trolling” around, waiting for the first opportunity I could find, to change my avitar to something anti-Rangers, or to make a faux newspaper front page to rip Lundqvist for always seemingly ending games flat on his ass.
None of this ever happened — I watched five Finals games and said not a word.
BECAUSE I WAS ROOTING FOR THE RANGERS TO WIN FOR MY UNCLE’S SAKE.
Then during Game 4 — I posted on Facebook something like this during the third period of the game ... and I am paraphrasing here — “I CANNOT BELIEVE THIS COULD BE THE LAST PERIOD OF HOCKEY THIS SEASON.”
All I was doing there was simply stating a reality, one which obviously didn’t happen anyway.
The reaction?
“Shut up, ass.”
“Stop that right now!”
“At least we aren’t playing golf, asshole, like your team is.”
“Worry about your own team. Typical idiot Devils fan.”
Some of the vitriol was so bad I deleted the remarks, every which one came from a fan of, you guessed it, the New York Rangers, the team I was pulling for.
All because I made note the season could soon be over.
OK fine. Nothing to bad yet, right? All in the heat of passion. Plus, Rangers fans had to be angry at the time. After all, their miracle boys fell flat on their rear ends, down 3-0 in a series they had every expectation of perhaps winning. So I looked past it all.Now, as a sidebar, keep this in mind. I am the publisher of this site, which is called “NEW JERSEY DEVILS - DOT COM.” Not a site that is supposed to be a pro-Rangers site, at the very least, but I used my site’s space — and jeopardized my readership dwindling — by posting numerous flattering Rangers stories and columns of my very own, including pieces about:
— The untimely death of Martin St. Louis’s mother.
— The sad story of a Rangers fan who lost his 4-month-old daughter, and who was able to attend Game 4 thanks to the generosity of fans of the Rangers, Kings, Devils, Islanders and Flyers.
— Kenny Albert’s ascension to the No. 2 PBP announcer for the NHL on NBC & NBCSN.
— Kenny Albert being my favourite PBP announcer (aside from Doc) despite being employed by the New York Rangers.
— The amazing play of Lundqvist and how he deserved so much more than his teammates were giving to him.
— A Rangers fan’s awesome tribute | motivational YouTube video prior to Game 4.
— Don LaGreca’s awesome call of the final minute of Game 1 of the Finals.
— This team being very likable, despite being a bitter rival.
And I am sure there is more I'm forgetting. But you get the point.
And when it was over, all hell broke loose.
I will not rehash much, but there were a few gems.
One fan was complaining, rightfully so, about a call against the New York Rangers. My response was simple and sincere.
“Do you believe the refs are just blowing calls against the Rangers?”
Paraphrased response: “I knew you weren’t rooting for the Rangers from the get-go.”
Really? Wasn’t trying to start anything up. Was just curious. The calls had been very bad throughout the series — and I’d wondered, was it all in favour of the Kings?
It was just of many instances where my statements were called into question as if it were discussion time on WFAN. “Hi call screener, I want to talk about how Kevin Canessa is being disingenuous about his desire to see the Rangers win a Stanley Cup in 2014. He’s a big-fat liar!”
By now, I am quite livid. And seriously regretting naming names and pulling for New York. Two weeks — two months really — of good will and good sportsmanship was out the door in about 10 minutes.
Even my uncle, aged 54, jumped into the fracas. (In fairness, when I said I’d regretted my comments, I didn’t initially give specifics).But let’s just say this.
Thank goodness this nightmare of a series is over.
A friend of mine once asked me what the most nightmarish scenario was for a Final series in the major sports. My answers were:
— Phillies & Yankees in baseball.
— Eagles & anyone in football.
— Couldn’t care less about basketball.
— And of course, Kings (see 2012) | Avalanche (see 2001) & Rangers (see NHL since 1982) in hockey.
But if there’s not another Kings | Rangers matchup for another 200 years, that will be too soon. And unfortunately, based on the throwback I got for rooting for the Rangers from most (sadly not all -- but you know how the bad stuff almost always outweighs the good stuff), if it takes the Rangers another 540 YEARS to win another championship, that wouldn’t be long enough a wait.
I’ve learned my lesson here. I respect many Rangers fans, but just can’t, even in the best of circumstances, root for them -- even for the sake of a cherished uncle who, for the most part of my early life, was the closest I had to a father.
The consequences, quite frankly, are too dire -- and pretty damn stressful, to boot.
And I never want to experience what I did this Finals series ever again.
Ever.
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