200 replies to this topic

[El Diablo]

I've been thinking about this subject for a while and how interesting it would be to find out from people in/out of state and around the world what made them become Devils fans. I saw a post by mddevsfan today and that has me starting this thread.

For me it was a rocky beginning, I was an Islanders follower -geez I how I could I root for the Rags? and then when a new team moved to town, I gave them a chance (but what funny uniforms !) That game I got a free ticket and they gave away the large #1 foam hand and 19,040 fans started pointing it at the ref screaming "A$$hole... A$$hole" kind of sealed the deal for me.
So many games - I took Mrs Diablo to her first hockey experience during a Rags/Devs playoff game - she was utterly frightened (of me mostly) Then there was 1994 and such bitterness...... but 1995... 1995 such joy... The years rolled and I was able to bring my daugthter to her first game -- to see the happiness when she started dancing 'cause "womp there it is" played and the horn blared... and yes they scored 7 that night... priceless.
That pretty much tells my story, Im sure there are lots interesting ones out there, close and afar.
Lets Go Devils !

[devilsadvoc8]

I went to school with Dr McMullen's son in 4th grade the year he bought the Devils. Some good friends of mine's parents got season tickets and I was at about a bunch of the games in the first year. Even though they lost a bunch of them, there was a personal connection.

94 was the toughest year, bar none. I cannot remember being so depressed. It actually impacted my life to a great extent. Yeah, not too healthy, but I've outgrown that stage. Now a playoff loss only ruins about a week of my life.

[NJCroMag]

I've been thinking about this subject for a while and how interesting it would be to find out from people in/out of state and around the world what made them become Devils fans. I saw a post by mddevsfan today and that has me starting this thread.

My dad took me to my first game in 1984, a 3-3 tie with Calgary. I remember Rocky Trottier scored a goal. I was 11 at the time.

Nobody in my family was really into hockey, but it was a night out and relatively cheap to boot (upper-tier seats in the corners went for like $12 apiece). I loved it.

Tried watching as much Devils hockey on TV as I could, but in the early days, the Devils were on MSG. They showed only sporadic Devils games, and they were always on tape-delay (after the Rangers). Rarely was I ever allowed to stay up late and watch the game.

When Sportschannel picked up the Devils, it was a pay station and my folks weren't about to spring for the upgraded cable package. My exposure to the team was limited to the handful of games I attended every season, plus whatever I read in the newspaper.

My interest hit new heights in the early '90s. My brother started watching more games via his new cable-TV descrambler, and I was often invited to watch them in his room (the greedy bastard kept the descrambler in his room!).

Going into 1993-1994, I was really into it: The internet provided easy access to box scores and stories (which was a bonus while I was going to college out of state), and with ESPN2 just hitting cable systems, I had more hockey than I knew what to do with (for the first time ever).

I believe it was also around this time that our cable company offered Sportschannel NY as part of the basic package, so no additional costs were incurred.

Since then, it's been total dedication. Since moving out to central Pennsylvania in 2001, I have had the Center Ice hockey package every season. I just can't go without it.

[rbdf]

They dropped an nhl franchise practically in my backyard - how could I root for teams that were so far away like montreal when now I had my very own - granted they were awful, but they were mine (not canada's, not new york's, etc.), Dr. McMullen had given us an early christmas present, and I'm still playing with that gift today (god, has it really been that long already - how old we're all getting now, eh).

[HellOnICE]

Parents bought season tickets when I was 2 back in 1987, so pretty much frm birth. I bleed red and black, then green

[BlueSkirt]

Was always a hockey fan due to my Dad being a Rags fan.
I can remember watching games in the early 70s, and listening to games on the radio with Espo, Ratelle, Park etc way back then.

Then followed the Isles during their run.

Sorta gave it up in my mid-teens after discovering girls !!

Then I got back into in late in my teens when I started playing pickup games & in organized leagues.

When I decided to start going to games, it was a choice between where to go.
Living in Rockland County, NY the Coliseum was too far, the Garden & bridge toll was too expensive, so I got some friends together for a partial season ticket package for the Devils.
It was for the 87-88 season, and the magic that happened that year got us all hooked.

[mddevsfan]

I've loved hockey as long as I can remember. I grew up in Albany going to college hockey games (season tickets for RPI), but I didn't really follow the NHL all that much. As I got a little older, I started getting into the NHL more, but mostly following my favorite players (and RPI alums), not really any particular teams.

Then the Rats came to Albany. I only went to a few games a year (already at RPI games half the Friday and Saturday nights of the season), but I followed them in the news. When Rats got called up, they naturally joined the list of players I followed, the first of which I really remember was Brylin. This of course led to the Devils being one of the teams I watched. 1995 was exciting for both the Rats and the Devils, but I wasn't hooked yet. I was only 15, and it was still difficult to follow an out-of-market team that closely back then.

Over the next few years, I watched more and more hockey in all forms, and I started whittling down the number of teams in the NHL I actively followed. By the time the 2000 cup came, the Devils were full of ex-Rats (Brylin, Elias, Sykora, White, Madden, Bombardir, Sutton, etc.) And I was a fan. I watched every playoff game in 2001 (heartbreaking), 2002 (depressing), and 2003 (f*****g AWESOME!!!). For 2003-2004, I got Center Ice and watched all but 4 games all season, I had become an addict. And now its 2005, I have Center Ice again, even followed all the preseason games, and I'm on this message board. I think my wife is preparing to stage an intervention.

Two side notes on why I'm a fan:

1) The first game I bought for PS2 was NHL 2001. I started a dynasty mode, and took the Devils. You may laugh, but this is how I learned the names, numbers, and positions of the full Devils roster, including role players and healthy scratches. I continued with NHL 2003, 2004, 2005, and 2006, as well as NHL EHM 2005 now. It sounds weird, but I've found that using teams for sports video game dynasties actually makes you more of a fan in real life.

2) I've always hated athletes that were a$$holes with huge egos, who showboated and only cared about themselves (I think it came from elementary school gym class). The Devils have always been the opposite of that, which is why I love them so much. "The name on the front of the jersey is a hell of a lot more important than the one on the back." My favorite sports saying. My other favorite team, JoePa's Nittany Lions, embody the same spirit, they don't even HAVE names on the jerseys. I just love to see that there are people that still agree with me in this day and age.

Sorry for being a little long-winded, but that's my story!

[brodeurfanatic]

Out of all the reasons of becoming a devs fan, it all started playing NHL98 in my P 1.33 computer during the 1999-2000 season.

Brodeur was the one that made me start rooting for this team. He was the best goalie in the game and the Devs had a pretty decent lineup. After playing the game for many hours each day for 2 months, I decided to follow them in the NHL.

I can remember, the first game i followed them was the Game 7 against the flyers in the ECF final and tuning in the 3rd period with NHL radio and listening to Elias' goal made me follow them in the Stanley Cup run!! AND JASON ARNOTTS GOAL!! I HEARD THAT TOO!! I JUMPED UP AND DOWN!!!!!

Thats pretty much how I started to follow them!

[peteyvegas]

I felt sorry for the underdogs. Especially when Gretz called them a Mickey Mouse organization.

[sykkie15]

My best friend in 3rd grade wore a Devils hat everyday to school...I didn't even have a clue what hockey WAS at the time. Even though I hadn't watched a single game, I declared my love for the Devils (merely because my best friend loved them) and soon after, actually fell in love with the team and the game. Yay!

[moustic]

I was save by wolf when i was a baby
A lonely baby in the swamp...
Wolves teach me .... and one day they bring me to The King of the Swamp... the Devils of New Jersey...

He gives me to the Almighty Scott Stevens etc etc...


ok.. i watch hockey during olympic game and saw many impressive players..." wooo i like this young player ! Elias ? ok... cool... sykora ? cool name... Wooo hard hit .. Holik ? Cool "

"damn.. they all are on the same NHL Team ! WHAT ! what kind of name ?! Devils ?!!! But i'm the Son of Mephistopheles ! This is a team for me ! ... ok watch this season... WOoooo CHAMPION ?! they are lucky to have me... "

something like this...

[CMONPETEYD]

Went to a game in 1982, at the age of 4. I believe it was the first hatrick ever by a devil.... Steve Tambellini. I think we won that game but i was too young to remember.

Anyway, i really don't remember TOO much until 1987-1988 when we made the playoffs for the first time. From that season on we had season tickets and i just kind of grew up with the Devils.

I participated in Scor-o Nov 28, 1988 (walt podubny signature in my program told me i won), and that was probably one of the best childhood memories i had. Also, that happened to be my 11th birthday and my dad's cousin was a driver for the devils and he happened to get me a black and white photo of Kirk Muller autographed and personally addressed. That was a birthday I'll never forget.

My next best memory was game 3 of the 1995 Stanley cup finals. We were huge underdogs and had just taken 2 from the wings in detroit. The atmosphere in the parking lot was electric, and when I sat down and the devils come out on the ice, they start playing "livin on a prayer" by bon jovi. The line that was so apropos to me was "ohhhhh we're halfway there, woooo oohhh livin on a prayer, take my hand we'll make it i swear, wooo ohh livin on a prayer". Since that night, that has been my favorite song because it always brings me back to that night where i was certain we were taking home our first cup!

[Exit56]

When I was 6, my mom worked for the wife of Dick Trimbull, the director of off ice officials. He gave us tickets, and I was hooked. He even got us tickets to the 84 All-Star Game. He took me around by the locker rooms during the Campbell Conference morning skate and introduced me to Wayne Gretzky.

Chico was my favorite player back then. One time I ran across the parking lot at Ice World in Totowa in my skates just to get his autograph.

Edited by Exitio, 07 October 2005 - 10:12 AM.

[dmitri]

AND JASON ARNOTTS GOAL!! I HEARD THAT TOO!! I JUMPED UP AND DOWN!!!!!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Oh, I was listening to that game, too! "He scores! And the Cup has fallen from the Stars! The Devils win the CUP!!!" I woke everyone up (it was like 1:30 in the morning) and made them watch the rest of the celebration. Good memories.

[bostondevil11]

When I was a little kid I was a huge hockey fan but I never had a team I rooted for. Being in NE PA there was no local coverage of hockey all I had was ESPN (remember when they used to show hockey?) so I watch the Oilers and Pens. When I got to high school I found punk rock and stopped watching and playing sports. My senior year I decided I wanted to follow hockey again and I needed to pick a team. It was 93-94 season with a few games played I looked at the standings and knew I could never root for a NY team and I just didn't like the Flyers so I thought the Devils that will be my team. Broke my heart later that year only to win it over again the next year.

I didn't become the diehard I am now until the 99-00 season when I found the internet and message boards. Started posting on the NJO board and ESPN board. Learned more about the game and watched every game I could that year. 2002 I finally got the center ice package and now I am a hockey junky. My goal is to learn how to play. I play floor hockey but I want to play on skates.

[Nieuwy25]

March 17, 2002. A little trade involving Joe Nieuwendyk and Jamie Langenbrunner. Joe's gone, but I'm still here!

[GA Devil]

Grew up an Islander fan. Those were the Stanley Cup years. Then my fave, Bob Lorimer, got traded to Colorado. I was devastated. Lorimer moved with the team from Colorado. Since I felt I had hopped on a bandwagon w/ the Isles, I thought I'd go with the new "local" team. There you go. A fan before they even played an exhibition game.

Bob Lorimer, where have you gone?

[Jerrydevil]

I was save by wolf when i was a baby
A lonely baby in the swamp...
Wolves teach me .... and one day they bring me to The King of the Swamp... the Devils of New Jersey...

He gives me to the Almighty Scott Stevens etc etc...


ok.. i watch hockey during olympic game and saw many impressive players..." wooo i like this young player ! Elias ? ok... cool... sykora ? cool name... Wooo hard hit .. Holik ? Cool "

"damn.. they all are on the same NHL Team ! WHAT ! what kind of name ?! Devils ?!!! But i'm the Son of Mephistopheles ! This is a team for me ! ... ok watch this season... WOoooo CHAMPION ?! they are lucky to have me... "

something like this...

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

This is the best-ever "How I became a fan story" bar none. And I believe every word ....

[Elias Sports Bureau]

March 17, 2002.  A little trade involving Joe Nieuwendyk and Jamie Langenbrunner.  Joe's gone, but I'm still here! 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Yay!!! And luckily, so is Jamie!
Are you still a Leafs fan, Nieuwy? My sis down in Florida is already watching the Panthers more 'cause he's there.

Well my story is a very familiar Islanders-turned-Devils saga.
Grew up on L.I. during the dynasty Cup years... we moved away shortly after. The Isles were so bad, the only thing they had going for them was a pretty good rivalry still with the Rangers. I don't know that I was particularly looking for another team, but the Devils-Rangers rivalry started heating up.
I've told this part many times before, but I still remember seeing Marty come out and play the puck for the first time. Chico and Billy Smith, uh, didn't do a lot of that. So I was screaming "Get back in the net! He'll never get back in time! Oh, he did." It was a rollercoaster ride.

So I was rooting for both teams. I remember when both played, I always felt like I won. But then... it started changing... and I didn't want the Islanders to win... only the Devils. Then I got a computer and it was more than just following a newspaper box score, I got to read about all the different personalities. And then NHL radio, I got to listen to the games (well ... after my computer finished crashing for the first period). Finally started going to some games, making sojurns to New Jersey just to be the home team. And then, whoa, Center Ice! I saw them whenever I wanted to!!

As much as I loved the Islanders back then, the obsession was nothing like it is now. It was more geography than anything. Now, it's conscious choice. Every time I see other teams playing, it seems very very empty. It doesn't seem the same at all.

Every year, I think the pull can't get any stronger, but every year it always feels like it is. Losing favorite players to trades or free agency still doesn't touch it. Devils hockey rules!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Elias Sports Bureau]

I was save by wolf when i was a baby
A lonely baby in the swamp...
Wolves teach me .... and one day they bring me to The King of the Swamp... the Devils of New Jersey...

He gives me to the Almighty Scott Stevens etc etc...


ok.. i watch hockey during olympic game and saw many impressive players..." wooo i like this young player ! Elias ? ok... cool... sykora ? cool name... Wooo hard hit .. Holik ? Cool "

"damn.. they all are on the same NHL Team ! WHAT ! what kind of name ?! Devils ?!!! But i'm the Son of Mephistopheles ! This is a team for me ! ... ok watch this season... WOoooo CHAMPION ?! they are lucky to have me... "

something like this...

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

This is the best-ever "How I became a fan story" bar none. And I believe every word ....

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I agree... but it stands to reason, he who has the best av shall have the best story!

Edited by Elias Sports Bureau, 07 October 2005 - 10:38 AM.