A blog post by Chris Dixon, faithful Islanders fan for nearly 30 years. Well, closer to 25, but who is counting?
It's fun being a New York Islanders fan. I run into fans of the team all over the place and we all share that special bond, knowing that we are fans of a team that is truly "ours". Not many other people would have such a team, with no playoff victories since the early 90's. (Specifically when we took out Mario and the Penguins in what is hailed as similar to a Cup win for some of us) Just the past two weeks I've come across 3 full fledged fanatics, knowing as much or more about the current makeup of the team as I do. (Granted the NHL Centre Ice free preview makes it far easier for us!)
Now, onto the subject of this blog, why everyone should be a New York Islanders Fan.
I won't get into the tradition of the dynasty years, we've all heard that crap stun by PR Guys for years, it's getting stale and old. Let's talk the current teams.
1. Everyone loves an underdog. This is a team, even when it was doing reasonably well back between 2001-2004, was still looked at as a long shot for anything beyond a playoff spot. They never did win a round, but still put a lot of hurt and pain on the opponents. (Darcy Tucker of the Leafs still gets booed when he's in town... and he's RETIRED!) Now that the Isles have been bad for a few years again during a well planned rebuild, that opinion of the team couldn't be any lower, and they couldn't be more of an underdog.
2. They are actually fun to watch. Think the Devils, the Wild, the Canadiens even. They are all teams with strong followings, but are dreadful to watch. The Islanders play a run and gun, up tempo game revolving around strong pressure on the puck carrier. They make mistakes, they do give up goals, they ARE still young afterall. But they are so fun to sit and watch. This is hockey, a form of entertainment. They are VERY entertaining, thus they are filling their primary responsibilities to their fans. Now, they are starting to win too...
3. They aren't so bad anymore. I've had the opportunity to watch a half dozen games of the Islanders this year so far and I gotta say, they aren't half bad. The games that they've lost it was to well established teams and they made them really struggle. Guys like Josh Bailey and Blake Comeau have arrived, each having banner years. All this without their top 3 guys in the lineup. Go Isles! When they win, you get bigger bragging rights. :)
4. Their jerseys are classic AND fashionable. They've had what seems like DOZENS of Jersey designs over the past couple of years, and all save the Pilon Orange ones were easy to wear publicly. I was a fan of the RBK jerseys of last year. The current "classic" jerseys are more a marketing tool to reach out to the lost fanbase, but are still easy on the eyes.
5. Being a fan of The Habs or the Leafs here in Canada, while a popular option, IS STALE. All you see around these parts is Blue and White or "rouge-bleu-blanc". The Islanders are a new fashionable choice that is different, while comfortingly familiar. I live on an Island (Newfoundland), I am an Islanders fan. It makes sense.
These are just a couple of ideas and thoughts. There are lots more, but do I need to say more? Be an Islanders fan. It's so easy, and all the cool kids are doing it. :D
C
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