peteyvegas51 Posted December 16, 2014 Share Posted December 16, 2014 It's hell to watch but I remember the "old days" when the team was awful. Just seeing a solid passing combination was enough to feel encouraged. Like now. Trying to forgive a young defenseman for following the puck behind the net at the wrong time. Like now. Watching a scorer pass up an opportunity to find an open man and blundering the shot (Kirk Muller) anyway. Like now. Watching a solid goalie make great saves (Chico) and then give up a softie. Like now. And seeing great players turn old, while hoping that they may have one season left in them. Like now. And finally, being the slowest team out there. Like now. Devil fans know what it was like to be the best. We also know what it's like to be the worst. Like now. If gut wrenching is fun, then I'm having a ball! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NewarkDevil5 Posted December 16, 2014 Share Posted December 16, 2014 We're still miles better than we were in the early 80s, but we also don't have the young Muller Verbeek and MacLean to look forward to. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neb00rs Posted December 16, 2014 Share Posted December 16, 2014 We're still miles better than we were in the early 80s, but we also don't have the young Muller Verbeek and MacLean to look forward to. Oh and I suppose Sestito - Gionta - Tootoo are just chopped liver you jerk? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colorado Rockies 1976 Posted December 16, 2014 Share Posted December 16, 2014 Comparison to the old Devils is a bit flawed...for one, the franchise coming from Colorado had not had any success in its first eight seasons (unless a goofy two-game playoff appearance from a 19-win team in 1978 counts as success). Everyone knew the team stunk (for a variety of reasons), and everyone knew that was going to be the case for quite some time. This is a team coming down from a long run of relevance. To put it simply, I think this bad team is much different from that even worse team. And those early Devils teams were truly dreadful...many games, they weren't even remotely competitive. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peteyvegas51 Posted December 16, 2014 Author Share Posted December 16, 2014 True. I do have a tendency to exaggerate from time to time. But then again--- Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NewarkDevil5 Posted December 16, 2014 Share Posted December 16, 2014 Oh and I suppose Sestito - Gionta - Tootoo are just chopped liver you jerk? Mea culpa. I was in no way attempting to besmirch the young first ballot hall of famers you mentioned. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neb00rs Posted December 16, 2014 Share Posted December 16, 2014 (edited) Mea culpa. I was in no way attempting to besmirch the young first ballot hall of famers you mentioned. Apology accepted. Lou worked really hard to get those guys. Edited December 16, 2014 by Neb00rs Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Devilsfan118 Posted December 16, 2014 Share Posted December 16, 2014 I wasn't around during the early days (as in, wasn't alive) - born in late '89. But, from what I've heard and seen, it was pretty brutal. God I hope we never return to that state. It'd be pretty difficult to do so with Cory and this defense, I imagine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StarDew Posted December 17, 2014 Share Posted December 17, 2014 It's hell to watch but I remember the "old days" when the team was awful. Just seeing a solid passing combination was enough to feel encouraged. Like now. Trying to forgive a young defenseman for following the puck behind the net at the wrong time. Like now. Watching a scorer pass up an opportunity to find an open man and blundering the shot (Kirk Muller) anyway. Like now. Watching a solid goalie make great saves (Chico) and then give up a softie. Like now. And seeing great players turn old, while hoping that they may have one season left in them. Like now. And finally, being the slowest team out there. Like now. Devil fans know what it was like to be the best. We also know what it's like to be the worst. Like now. If gut wrenching is fun, then I'm having a ball! Yes, I remember. Had season tickets on day 1. Yes, we were bad. Yes, we knew it. We supported the team no matter what. We were enthusiastic. I do not recall folks saying stuff like this team sucks and I am not watching any more. I had lots of fun during those early days. I made lots of friends. Times were different back then. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Devil Dan 56 Posted December 17, 2014 Share Posted December 17, 2014 Yes, I remember. Had season tickets on day 1. Yes, we were bad. Yes, we knew it. We supported the team no matter what. We were enthusiastic. I do not recall folks saying stuff like this team sucks and I am not watching any more. I had lots of fun during those early days. I made lots of friends. Times were different back then. I think this is what you get when you mix fans that have never seen real losing with the instant gratification mentality that's prevalent now. No matter what, those winning seasons just weren't going to last forever Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StarDew Posted December 17, 2014 Share Posted December 17, 2014 I think this is what you get when you mix fans that have never seen real losing with the instant gratification mentality that's prevalent now. No matter what, those winning seasons just weren't going to last forever I totally agree. When we first made the playoffs in 1988, thank you Johnny Mac, we were so psyched. Then as the winning years arrived and lasted a long time all was well with fans. Now the cycle goes full circle and we are bad and need to be patient and rebuild. That was the idea with the draft. Better teams get lower picks while the bottom teams got higher picks to get better. We had years of not so good drafting positions, imo. Perhaps we will rise in the standings. Folks have to remember than if we draft high in the forward ranks that they may not be ready to play at the NHL level right away. It could take years. Patience is a virtue however not many are patient. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colorado Rockies 1976 Posted December 17, 2014 Share Posted December 17, 2014 (edited) I think this is what you get when you mix fans that have never seen real losing with the instant gratification mentality that's prevalent now. No matter what, those winning seasons just weren't going to last forever It is pretty amazing that 30-35 year-olds have almost no memories of the bad early Devils teams. For them, it's been a lifetime of relevant Devils hockey, with some Stanley Cup championships for good measure. But I hate when people play the "Oh everything was so much better when the Devils were these lovable losers" card. The players who had to endure playing for a team that was non-competitive most nights weren't having a swell time. Old people sometimes seem to act as though their oldern days were better by default, simply by virtue of being oldern days. That being said, I am fully prepared to go through a multi-year rebuild. This is part of being a fan. I've been watching the Mets go through yet another stretch of futility. Hoping this is the year it starts to turn around this season. Edited December 17, 2014 by Colorado Rockies 1976 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mfitz804 Posted December 17, 2014 Share Posted December 17, 2014 I have been a fan since 1986. I remember a number of years that felt completely hopeless, and that is how the last couple of years have felt. So I get that comparison. Those feelings went away when a guy named Marty came to town. Then, a fan base that was pretty small started to grow along with the team's success. Remember, anyone who became a fan in the past 19 years (holy crap, 1995 was 19 years ago???) is used to a winning team, generally. Front runners hop on the bandwagon any time a team is successful, and also success equals added interest which can add fans who aren't necessarily front runners and who will stick around. Those fans won't remember the early days. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thecoffeecake Posted December 17, 2014 Share Posted December 17, 2014 I wasn't around during the early days (as in, wasn't alive) - born in late '89. But, from what I've heard and seen, it was pretty brutal. God I hope we never return to that state. It'd be pretty difficult to do so with Cory and this defense, I imagine. The difference is being that bad now doesn't mean being that bad. Obviously players are a lot more talented. Teams can look pretty good, but still be the 30th best team for a long time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Devil Dan 56 Posted December 17, 2014 Share Posted December 17, 2014 It is pretty amazing that 30-35 year-olds have almost no memories of the bad early Devils teams. For them, it's been a lifetime of relevant Devils hockey, with some Stanley Cup championships for good measure. But I hate when people play the "Oh everything was so much better when the Devils were these lovable losers" card. The players who had to endure playing for a team that was non-competitive most nights weren't having a swell time. Old people sometimes seem to act as though their oldern days were better by default, simply by virtue of being oldern days. That being said, I am fully prepared to go through a multi-year rebuild. This is part of being a fan. I've been watching the Mets go through yet another stretch of futility. Hoping this is the year it starts to turn around this season. I was pretty lucky. I became a fan in 92 right after they switched over to red and black. A combination of NHL 94 and dealing with the Ranger fans as a devil fan in New York in 1994 solidified me for life. I haven't had to endure too much losing, but I'm a jets fan so I know what real losing looks like haha Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colorado Rockies 1976 Posted December 17, 2014 Share Posted December 17, 2014 The difference is being that bad now doesn't mean being that bad. Obviously players are a lot more talented. Teams can look pretty good, but still be the 30th best team for a long time. Goaltenders and defenseman overall are better than they were in the early-mid 80s. Funny thing is as bad as the Devils can look, they don't get blown out much...of their 15 regulation losses, 11 of them came by 2 goals or less (not to suggest that a bounce here and a bounce there would help the Devils that much...I think this team by 2014 standards is pretty bad). NHL hockey is clearly different now...games are generally tighter (parity), and there's not as wide of a gap between the best teams and the worst. The '82-'83 Devils used to get blown out by 4+ goals fairly often. Even the worst NHL teams in this era don't see that happen to them. I was pretty lucky. I became a fan in 92 right after they switched over to red and black. A combination of NHL 94 and dealing with the Ranger fans as a devil fan in New York in 1994 solidified me for life. I haven't had to endure too much losing, but I'm a jets fan so I know what real losing looks like haha It's funny...though some older Devils fans clearly remember the 80s and the slow build to respectability, and the whos and wheres and hows, a lot of them never really experienced them first-hand. StarDew and the first season-ticket holders and attendees did, but for most of us, we weren't subjected to years and game after game after game of bad hockey. In my case, I knew a hockey team moved to NJ when I was 11 going on 12, and that they were named the Devils, after the Jersey Devil, but that was it. The following year, when my parents took me and my younger brother to a game in December of 1983 (Devils lost to the Flyers 8-2...I only know that because I remember the opponent, that the Devils got killed, and that the game was played in late '83...I know we didn't stick around for the whole game), that's when I became a fan. I read the sports section through the years, but I didn't actually attend another game until the '87-'88 season, when I got my license. I was nervous as hell driving to a game by myself for the first time...BBA was only about an hour from my house, but when you're 17 the world seems so much bigger. My parents never shared my enthusiasm for hockey, so they never took me or my brother to games after that 1983 blowout when we were still kids...my dad did take me to the game against Dynamo in 1990 (think that was the year...Devils won 6-1...Myshkin, who replaced Tretiak in the 1980 Olympics in the Miracle On Ice game, was Dynamo's starting goalie), and later took me and my brother to a Devils-Rangers game during the '97-'98 season (I think). My dad finally caved and bought SportsChannel during that '87-'88 season, so it was from then on that I was able start routinely watching games live. I also went to Montclair State College in the fall of '88, and tickets were never hard to get at the box office, so I used to just go whenever I felt like it...either by myself or with anyone who wanted to go. So even though I was a fan back then and was keeping up with what was going on the best that I could, I didn't actually see or attend very many games from the slow-build era. I give StarDew and the early supporters a lot of credit on that front...they knew the team was going to be lousy for a while, but they were willing to spend money on tickets to see a poor product and give their unconditional support to the team, no matter what...in some ways, they were like the Chico Resches of the early Devils fanbase. Just like the team on the ice needed Chico to keep them sane in the face of all of the losing, they also needed that early fan support. Unfortunately, in this era, tickets have gotten prohibitively expensive for many...what SD and people like her did back in the '80s was awesome in a lot of ways, but I can't expect too many fans to flock out to see a bad on-ice product...especially one that doesn't have any top forward prospects on it that you want to pay to see, or gives much reason to hope in its current state. Hopefully a couple of good drafts changes that, and by the 2016-2017 season there's a player or two that has us saying "I want to see what THAT guy can do." Big difference between a bad team that's on its way down (or has bottomed out) and one that's on its way up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EdgeControl Posted December 17, 2014 Share Posted December 17, 2014 It is pretty amazing that 30-35 year-olds have almost no memories of the bad early Devils teams. For them, it's been a lifetime of relevant Devils hockey, with some Stanley Cup championships for good measure. But I hate when people play the "Oh everything was so much better when the Devils were these lovable losers" card. The players who had to endure playing for a team that was non-competitive most nights weren't having a swell time. Old people sometimes seem to act as though their oldern days were better by default, simply by virtue of being oldern days. That being said, I am fully prepared to go through a multi-year rebuild. This is part of being a fan. I've been watching the Mets go through yet another stretch of futility. Hoping this is the year it starts to turn around this season. this is the most important point at this time. lou scrambled to get a team on the ice the past 3 years and now weve reached the point where its better to say F it, lets have him make the tough decisions and base those on a few years out for the betterment long term. imo, supporting the team through this period is our responsiblity for past glory Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peteyvegas51 Posted December 17, 2014 Author Share Posted December 17, 2014 Yes, I remember. Had season tickets on day 1. Yes, we were bad. Yes, we knew it. We supported the team no matter what. We were enthusiastic. I do not recall folks saying stuff like this team sucks and I am not watching any more. I had lots of fun during those early days. I made lots of friends. Times were different back then. So were the fans. But I have the same feeling that I had then. In fact, just the other night when the score was 2-0 against the Isles, I was praying for a tie (I still consider overtime losses a tie). I could only hope for a win but I would hate to see anything less than a tie. Yes, the bounce back for this team looks brighter than in the early 80's but the feeling of sitting on the edge of my seat is still the same. Especially with a 2 goal lead. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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