‘Rangers Suck, Flyers Swallow!’ and ‘You Suck’ after goals chants are old and tiresome — and it’s time for them to be retired

The Canessa Commentary
By Kevin Canessa Jr.

I’ve been a fan of the New Jersey Devils since 1986. I fell in love with the team after I realized Gary Thorne, whom I’d admired as a Mets broadcaster, was the TV play-by-play voice. It was a strange way to grow to like a team, but it’s really how it happened for me.

I’ve spent years following the team, at home and on the road.

Between 1993 and 1997, when I was away at college in Newport, R.I., I saw more road games than home games — in Boston and in Hartford. I loved the team that much, that I’d often even prefer to see them playing in enemy territory — though games in Hartford and even Boston back then weren’t exactly risky for opposing fans.

Yet as much as I love this team — and will defend it to death — there are some aspects of being a Devils fan I despise — and a lot of it surrounds the home-game experience, the chants and the use of the word “suck” and “swallow.”

I realize I will not be popular with this post, but I couldn’t care less anymore.

I want to say it all started during the 2000 Stanley Cup Finals — Game no. 1 on ABC at the Continental Airlines Arena.

Bob Arsena, then PA announcer, was introducing the Dallas Stars — and it was one of those rare moments where the network actually showed them live.

After each non-starting Star was introduced, the crowd would loudly say “sucks!” after Arsena called their names. In the background, Thorne, doing the game for ABC, could be heard on cue.

“Welcome to New Jersey,” Thorne said, not realizing his mic was live.

Welcome to New Jersey, indeed.

This tradition continues to today.

And a few years ago, some geniuses in the upper tiers decided that when the Devils’ goal song, “Rock and Roll Part II,” (which really, really needs to be replaced) plays, after “Hey!” is screamed, it would be OK to now scream “You Suck!” afterward.

The Prudential Center isn’t the first place this has happened — in fact, it happens in some other arenas for college games, etc. But it’s the only NHL arena where it happens. And it’s downright stupid.

And to make matters even more juvenile, the Devils in-game entertainment staff put on the message boards, “You Rock!” as the song plays after every Devils goal.

It’s as asinine as anything else I’ve ever heard at a hockey game. And it just makes Devils fans look stupid, childish and juvenile.

The team would be much better suited simply changing the goal song, which has, in one form or another, been in place since the 1990-91 season. (It was taken away twice — once in the final season at the Meadowlands and once in the first year at the Rock). Yet it always finds its way back.

And it’s now at an embarrassing point.

But it’s not just this.

Regardless of whom the Devils are playing, at least five — usually more — times a game, the new chant is: “Rangers suck, Flyers swallow!”

I understand the hatred for the Rangers and Flyers. I detest both teams more than anything else I detest in the world — honestly. But the chant is beyond vial. It’s getting old. And again, it makes Devils fans look downright stupid and juvenile.

I could even understand it when it was just “Rangers suck!” But the “Flyers swallow” addition to the chant is even more asinine than the “You suck” after the goal song is played.

Sure. I am nit-picking. But that is what this site is about.

It’s about what happens outside the actual game. It’s about what happens off-ice and elsewhere. It’s about what happens in the stands.

And it’s right there — in the stands — where the time has come to get creative.

And to find something new an innovative.

The old chants, at this point, are just that — tiresome and old. And they make all Devils fans — all of us — look the fool.

The pain of a Flyers-Rangers game and more

The Canessa Commentary

By KEVIN CANESSA Jr.

PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. — 

Haven’t written a column where I do snippets — small musings — about things going on in the NHL in a while. So here it goes.

• I must admit — there’s not much worse than when the Rangers play the Flyers. Before each game, I struggle. Who do I root for now that there aren’t ties anymore? And then, when the games begin, it becomes as apparent as it did when the Yankees played the Phillies in the 2009 World Series — I wind up rooting for Philly. 

And not just that, over the last few years, I’ve met some of the nicest people, who happen to be Flyers fans — Bill Scardefield, Marc Eisenberg, Skip Babinski, Tim Ronaldson, Bob Linnehan, the Wiz (though I am not sure he’s a full-fledged Flyers junkie). I’ve come to learn — and perhaps it’s just that I am getting older — that not all Flyers fans are dicks. Seriously.

• It’s very painful to see what’s happening in Glendale. My buddy, Bill Scardefield, says it’s about 95 percent certain the Yotes will be sold and will remain in Arizona. And yet, in Game 2 of the season, the fans haven’t exactly shown much concern for the team — about 8,300 showed up after selling out Opening Night.

For Bill’s sake — and the sake of the fans who do care (I generally hate seeing teams bolt one town for another … the exception being when Atlanta rightfully moved to Winnipeg) — I hope Arizona keeps its team. And yet, I can’t help but wonder — don’t kill me for this Vin Witel — whether the organization would be better suited, financially, moving to Seattle?

• Speaking of attendance, the league had a great first week. With a few exceptions — Florida, Buffalo (close), Phoenix, Long Island (close) — crowds were tremendous and full.

Hell, even our Devils sold out for the 14th-consecutive time. 

Steve Cangialosi, right, with Chico Resch.

• Having NHL Gamecenter allows me to watch our Devils with either the away broadcast, or the home broadcast. What I’ve noticed is Steve Cangialosi is starting to grow on me more in his second full season as play-by-play announcer. And, that MSG’s audio is far superior to any of the other regional sports networks, like Comcast, Fox Sports, etc. The sounds of the game are important — and MSG mics certainly pick up a lot — including a ton of stuff the FCC would probably prefer the mics didn’t catch.

• The Panthers are doing a great job trying to woo fans back after the lockout. They’re offering fans a chance to buy full-season tickets for just $7 a game — with parking to every game included and a free Panthers’ home jersey.

The Devils, meanwhile, are touting full-season tickets for “Just over $500 a seat.”

Some deal that is.

I’ve searched high and lo, and haven’t found a single worthy enticement for non-season ticket holders. And were I in New Jersey, I seriously doubt I’d even consider going to a game. 

At least back in 1995, there were $1 dogs at every home game.

Doesn’t appear that way this time.

I suppose that’s what happens when the demand for tickets is already high. The Devils have had crowds of 17,625 for both home games thus far.

• As much as I’ve been enjoying Gamecenter Live, the blackout restrictions are stupid — and should have been re-examined after the lockout.

If a game is on NBC Sports Network, it’s not available on Gamecenter. I understand that. But if a game is on NHL-N (US), it’s also blacked out. When you try to watch the game, this message appears: “Thus game is being broadcast on national television in your area and is not available in NHL Gamecenter Live at this time. Please tun in to the NHL Network to watch live.”

Thing is, it’s NOT on TV in my area.

AT&T U-verse hasn’t had NHL programming for over a year. And there’s been no indication it’ll be back anytime soon. Greedy sons of bitches — get a deal done already. Haven’t the fans suffered enough after this frigging lockout?

• Also heard the Devils-Flyers game was blacked out on DirecTV on Tuesday. It should not have been.

There’s been debate as to why — and it’s clearly human error.

In Philly, that game was being broadcast locally on CSN — and as such, it should have been blacked out only on NBCSN in the Philly Market. In North Jersey, NBC Sports had an exclusive window to show the game in the New York market. It should have been available everywhere in the market.

Someone at DirecTV didn’t realize the game was permitted to be shown in North Jersey, with the NBCSN feed. (MSG did not have broadcasting rights for this game).

And no one else seemed to realize this — including those who cover the team professionally.

Also saw people lamenting this might happen again next Flyers-Devils  game. It shouldn’t. NBCSN and Comcast (owners of the Flyers) can’t just arbitrarily say the game can’t be broadcast in North Jersey as some have suggested.

Thorne

• Speaking of NHL broadcasts, how Gary Thorne isn’t doing any kind of NHL broadcasting is mind-numbing. He was honestly the reason I became a Devils fan back in the late ‘80s. I loved his work with the Mets — and he made me want to watch hockey … he was that good. 

Having heard some of the guys who do play-by-play across the league on Gamecenter, it makes me wonder how some of them are doing games, and Thorne isn’t.

I’d hoped Lou Lamoriello would consider bringing him back when Doc Emrick retired from MSG-N. No such luck.

I’d also say the same for Bill Clemente. He still has a limited — very limited — role with the Flyers. But no solid national work. And yet, the likes of Mike Milbury and Barry Melrose are gainfully employed to talk hockey.

• Now that Scott Gomez is playing again — for San Jose — we can’t help but wonder: Will he score a goal?

• Speaking of San Jose — Patrick Marleau — this guy’s the very early MVP frontrunner. As I write this, he just scored his second goal v. Colorado — his fourth-straight two-goal game.

• In the past, Devils game always took precedence over Nets games. Not so far this year. Friday’s game was bumped from WFAN to Bloomberg 1130. I’m wondering if this is simply because of the change in schedule/shortened season?

• That’s all for now. Big one in Montreal tomorrow. Will be cool to see brother v. brother for what I think is the first time ever — when Stephen outplays his brother, Brian Gionta.