My thoughts on the negativity here

[SC Devs Fan]

Over the last couple of weeks of the year, this year and last year, the topic of negative posts comes up quite frequently and is a topic that I think about alot before posting. Personally, I have been a Devil fan from day 1 (heck, I was even a Rockies fan to get ready - go Rob Ramage) and went thru the dark days to get here as many of us did. I still remember screaming in my living room when MacLean beat Pang and put us into the playoffs for the first time on the last day of the season, and now here we are making the playoffs again and it is no big deal. The success of this franchise has spoiled many of us to the point where we think if we don't win the Cup every year that the season is lost, but to me that's like a rich person complaining about paying taxes; we are victims of our own success. That we are in a position to start the defense of the oldest trophy in sports is something we should be happy about, not be down because we aren't the favorites. Remember, the nature of sports is up and down, and anyone who thinks this run of success will continue on and on is sorely mistaken; we should all enjoy what are the proudest moments of this franchise while we can because in a blink we can be back fighting for the 8 spot on the last day of the regular season real quick. You think things are bad now? Imagine if Larianov was our number #1 center... Cirella was our #1 Dman... and Marty was wearing a Habs uni.

[njdevils783]

The complaining done here is nothing compared to the complaining the Yankee fans do when they dont win 110 games, or at least 6 in a week. No one is more ridiculous then a Yankee fan, lol and im one of them. I've been a yankee fan since i was born, so the whole complaining and nagging about the team sort of came with me to hockey.

[Lemieux22MVP]

i couldnt have put it any better....imagine if we were ranger fans

[SueNJ97]

I agree, we are spoiled. In some ways, we remind me of the Habs fans who used to ask the Habs players, "So, are you going to win next year?" the day after they won the Cup in the late 70s.

But I also have to say that quotes from Burns about the Devs being held to higher standards than other teams in the area, and Lou saying that good isn't good enough when better is expected, tend to set higher expectations among fans. You get people actually expecting the team to live up to the words of management. Amazing, isn't it?

Personally, I don't think the world is coming to an end if they don't win. It would be nice. But it would be worse if Lou had given up Z.P. for a defenseman and they still went out early.

[GA Devil]

They should erect a statue of Lou in front of the new arena.

I mean that in all seriousness.

[Pepperkorn]

just no naming it the Lou Lamouriello Arena ... I'l feel silly saying I'm going to the Lou

[NJayDevil]

The complaining done here is nothing compared to the complaining the Yankee fans do when they dont win 110 games, or at least 6 in a week. No one is more ridiculous then a Yankee fan, lol and im one of them. I've been a yankee fan since i was born, so the whole complaining and nagging about the team sort of came with me to hockey.

Hey, I'm a Yanks fan and I don't complain!

SCDevsFan hit it straight on. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to identify this team has been either THE best team the past decade, or at worst, the 2nd best team (Red Wings are just as successful the past decade) and even though all these championships are being won by this team, I NEVER let that go to my head and DEMAND absolute perfection out of the Devs. It's just simply impossible. The sports world is the most inconsistent object you will probably ever encounter. Look at sports the past decade or so and just see some of the teams that made it to their league Championship round:

1996:

Florida Panthers, Eastern Conference Champs. Haven't done JACK since then.

Seattle Supersonics. Who?

1997:

The Florida Marlins. They were nothing until last October, and to look at it realistically, they aren't going to do nothing for the next couple years. How can a team win a Championship in 97, then absolute suck a big one for acouple years, then just all of a sudden win another Championship and then probably go back to being crap? It's sports, it's f'ed up at times.

1998:

San Diego Padres. What the hell? How could the Padres get into the World Series? It's sports, it's crazy.

Utah Jazz. There's people in Utah?

Washington Capitals. Again, how did they get so far? And look where they are now. It's just so inconsistent, it's crazy.

1999:

Buffalo Sabres. Watch out now.

2000:

Baltimore Ravens. Won the Lombardi Trophy, haven't heard of them since.

New York Giants. 12-4 season, been CRAP ever since (and I'm a loyal Giants fan too)

New York Mets. Haven't made noise since 1986, haven't made noise since 2000. Just one of those freaky years.

2001:

Philadelphia 76ers. Haven't won a championship since what, 1980 or something like that? Got badly beaten by the Lakers and haven't made it close since then.

Arizona Diamondbacks. Where the hell did they come from? And further more, how long has Arizona had a baseball team? I can't answer that question, not many can, but they won the World Series. Haven't been close since.

2002:

Carolina Hurricanes. The Whalers. The team that has really sucked since then. But they made it to the Finals, even beat the Wings in Game 1. Now, bottom half of the Conference. Go figure.

Anaheim Angels. A Disney "Miracle". Played a heck of a postseason, then played a heck of a lot worse last year. And the years before their Championship. How is that possible?

New Jersey Nets. A joke team for MANY years, then gets to the Finals. Gets crushed. They return the next year only to get crushed again. Probably might never have what it takes to finally win a Championship.

2003:

The Anaheim god damn Mighty Ducks. Giguere. Flukes. Struggled all of this year except the past couple weeks or so, but too little too late. They were the joke of the league prior to last season. Even had 3 really sh!tty movies made after them. Yet they got to the Finals, but probably not going back for a longtime.

Florida Marlins. Again. But I bet won't be mentioned for acouple years now. Probably won't even be noticed.

Carolina Panthers. Came out of left field. Were a really crappy football team since they came into the league, but then one year, they rock and become the NFC Champs and almost win the whole damn thing. Who knows what is in store for them for years to come, but I don't think they are going back to the big dance anytime soon.

Want to know my point behind stating all of these teams? Well, it's simple. The fans of those teams only enjoyed the luxury of seeing their team succeed, in come cases winning the whole thing, or in the other case, coming really close, and that's it. Over and done with. Their team's are never heard of since. At the bottom of their respected leagues for more years then they are at the top.

But you see, that isn't the case for the New Jersey Devils and their fans. We've watched OUR team evolve into one of the greatest sports teams of the past decade and half (along with such teams like the Dallas Cowboys, Detroit Red Wings, New York Yankees, New England Patriots, Los Angeles Lakers, Chicago Bulls, Colorado Avalanche, Denver Broncos).

But look at the list of those teams. Only the Yanks, Wings, Avs, Pats, and Lakers are still successful/semi-successful. That's it. The Cowboys, Bulls, and Broncos are all rebuilding now. But the Devs are still kicking. Even with basically only 2 household name players, Martin Brodeur and Scott Stevens. They are still among sports' Elite. It's something to be proud of. Not something to take for granted. You are a fan of such a great team, that they can afford to lose games in the regular season and STILL win Championships. Just look at the 95 and 00 Teams. The 95 team was at 9th in the conference halfway through a 44 or so game season, yet they shot up to 5th seed and won the Stanley Cup. The 00 team had a 15 point lead over the Flyers in mid-Feb., they gave up that lead, changed coach's with 9 games remaining, and STILL won the Stanley Cup. Even beat those Flyers on the road to that Cup too.

Look at the team today. Without their captain, without another Top 4 defensemen (Raf), they were without Langenbrunner, White (could have been a good thing), and Little G for various parts of the year and STILL have clinched a playoff spot. Still can generate comebacks like the one last night.

Even with all the Stanley Cups this team has built up, they still got heart in them. Why can't their fans be the same way? They need our support.

In the inconsistent world of Sports, the Devils have remained very consistent. Please, believe in the team.

GO DEVILS!

[djstubbs]

Over the last couple of weeks of the year, this year and last year, the topic of negative posts comes up quite frequently and is a topic that I think about alot before posting. Personally, I have been a Devil fan from day 1 (heck, I was even a Rockies fan to get ready - go Rob Ramage) and went thru the dark days to get here as many of us did. I still remember screaming in my living room when MacLean beat Pang and put us into the playoffs for the first time on the last day of the season, and now here we are making the playoffs again and it is no big deal. The success of this franchise has spoiled many of us to the point where we think if we don't win the Cup every year that the season is lost, but to me that's like a rich person complaining about paying taxes; we are victims of our own success. That we are in a position to start the defense of the oldest trophy in sports is something we should be happy about, not be down because we aren't the favorites. Remember, the nature of sports is up and down, and anyone who thinks this run of success will continue on and on is sorely mistaken; we should all enjoy what are the proudest moments of this franchise while we can because in a blink we can be back fighting for the 8 spot on the last day of the regular season real quick. You think things are bad now? Imagine if Larianov was our number #1 center... Cirella was our #1 Dman... and Marty was wearing a Habs uni.

Gracias for the great, encouraging post!

[GA Devil]

just no naming it the Lou Lamouriello Arena ... I'l feel silly saying I'm going to the Lou

That would be kind of foul.

"Hey, you going to the Lou tonight."

Soooo, many negative connotations.

[Swede]

Also, some of this may come from that the board has grown so much lately.

It used to be this close group talking hockey with eachother Now there are so many more people here, and if everyone say that Brown sucks just once it will seem as a lot

[HellOnICE]

I don't think we are spoiled.l I think some of us are less knowledgable than others, and fail sometimes to look at the big picture, the future, instead of 2004. That's just the basis some of the craziness that goes on here.

[LizDevil30]

Utah Jazz. There's people in Utah?

Nope there aren't. All smoke and mirrors. I've been there. I swear if they ever want to say they landed on Mars, they just have to go to Utah to fake it. Lots of red rocks.

[Lady Stanley]

Right on, SC!

I still think this team is very experienced and can certainly turn it up a notch come playoff time, but I will not rant if they do not win the cup this year. I'll be proud of their accomplishments! Like NJ pointed out, how many teams win the big prize one year, then go off the radar screen the next. The Defending Stanley Cup Champions have made it again to the playoffs and as a Devils Fan, I'm extremely proud of them.

GO DEVILS!

[cyrisjoe]

when you do what you have done, people hold higher expectations, we and detroit are the consistent teams, they get booed also when they are playing bad. we EXPECT greatness, everynight, so it is hard for the team to own for them expectations, but we still manage to end up in the SCF.

[Rock]

just no naming it the Lou Lamouriello Arena ... I'l feel silly saying I'm going to the Lou

You wouldn't just go, you would have to skip.

[devilsrule33]

NJAY nice list. Just a few things.

The Panthers were actually the best Expansion team in NFL history and then the enxt year were 12-4 and were one game away from the Super Bowl in 1996 so they weren't always bad. There my football team so I ahd to point that out.

Out of all those teams the Ducks and Padres might be the mos tout there team and teams that just disapear again.

[NJD Jester]

The success of this franchise has spoiled many of us to the point where we think if we don't win the Cup every year that the season is lost, but to me that's like a rich person complaining about paying taxes; we are victims of our own success. That we are in a position to start the defense of the oldest trophy in sports is something we should be happy about, not be down because we aren't the favorites.

Here's a thought:

We're Fans.

We don't rest on our laurels. We don't accept an average effort from an above average team. We want the euphoria of winning, even if we've won so many times before. We want to ride this thing as far as it will go, because for many of us, it's come a long way from the mid-1980s and having to hear it from Rag$ and Criers and Fishstick fans every single day of our lives.

No one--I repeat--no one here should apologize for the negativity. It's an Internet message board. It's very exsistance is due to the fact that people, by and large, like to bitch and moan and carry on about anything and everything in life, and especially about hockey. If this board, or any other, were filled with a bunch of hand-holders saying, "Buck up campers, Friesen'll hit the net one of these days" or "Sure we lost 8-1 to the Flyers...at least we have those banners!", I would run away from the monitor screaming, never to type that URL again.

Do some people take it too far? Of course, but that's because they're stupid. Most of the fans here and on other boards are simply doing what we've done pre-, during, and post-Cup: Living and dying with the team we adore.

<JESTER>

[Triumph]

There's two types of negativity on the board, I think.. the kind that springs from excessive passion and emotion and a desire to see the Devils go 82-0.. the kind that makes people pick out a player they despise and blame all the team's problems on him, because they genuinely like most of the other guys. They'll say a lot of things they don't believe two weeks later, demand trades when there should be no trade, and things like that.

Then there's the kind I can't stand, which is taking the most negative view possible, because that person can't bear being wrong AND having the Devils lose: they have to reserve at least one thing for themselves; if the Devils win, and they were negative all year, well great, they won, and if they lost, they have the 'I told you so' to fall back on.

My view is this: Lou's going to do what he sees as right, and at this point I pretty much trust his judgement. Being 'negative' doesn't seem to offer much to me; hockey is entertainment, and yeah, it really sucks when the Devils lose in the playoffs, but there's no reason for me to think/say they will constantly, that's just making myself unhappy. I may predict them to lose in the first round, and I'll be disappointed if they do, but I will not come on here and list the failures of the organization for losing.