Rangers Point to Olympics as Start of Downfall

[Derek21]

No, I have to disagree. They were a good team and they played great for much of the year. Renney had them adjusted to the new rules, proobably faster than any other team. We may have swept them and we probably are that much better, but a few bounces the OTHER way, a few more IQ points for Jagr which would have allowed him to avoid injury, and that series would have been a 6 or 7 gamer.

Derek, what would you say are the reasons the Devils beat the Rangers?

At least you're honest about the injuries and bounces.

Before the series, I picked the Devils in 5. And that was before Jagr stupidly injured himself.

The Devils were just better. They were the hottest team going in while the Rangers were reeling. Probably the most fragile team entering. Combine that with the wealth of experience New Jersey had plus the added incentive of wanting to beat the Rangers and it was going to make for a deadly combo.

I knew that going in.

Enjoy the summer.

[msweet]

At least you're honest about the injuries and bounces.

I was honest about everything I wrote.... always am, always will.

And you Derek, just so you know, are probably the most honorable Ranger fan I've ever met.... albeit a touch misguided.

maybe it's time to start routing for the good guys... heck the Devil's need all the fans they can get

Edited May 2, 2006 by msweet

[StarDew]

Enjoy the summer.

:rofl: good one :rofl:

Someone explain to me why when a Dev fan goes to another board they usually get abused and when challenged are told "this is our board...don't like it leave"...yet we are civil to non-Dev fans who visit here, challenge and get upset at their team being railed...imo that is hypocrisy

[94Obsession]

At least you're honest about the injuries and bounces.

Before the series, I picked the Devils in 5. And that was before Jagr stupidly injured himself.

The Devils were just better. They were the hottest team going in while the Rangers were reeling. Probably the most fragile team entering. Combine that with the wealth of experience New Jersey had plus the added incentive of wanting to beat the Rangers and it was going to make for a deadly combo.

I knew that going in.

I also thought the Devils would win in 5. As a Rangers fan though, I thought it would at least go 6. This is why I wanted no part of the Devils in the first round. Because:

1: I knew they would lose.

2: This was the first time the Rangers were back in the Playoffs after 8 or 9 years, and I didn't want to see them lose right away as I would've rather seen the Rangers play the Devils in the second round as the Rangers wouldv'e been more adjusted and "Settled in". And it could've been a better series.

[msweet]

:rofl: good one :rofl:

Someone explain to me why when a Dev fan goes to another board they usually get abused and when challenged are told "this is our board...don't like it leave"...yet we are civil to non-Dev fans who visit here, challenge and get upset at their team being railed...imo that is hypocrisy

That is part of the Ranger's arrogance and the unfairness of it all. I's rather be on the short end of that stick and have our team win... which it did.

Edited May 2, 2006 by msweet

[StarDew]

Amen to that

[94Obsession]

:rofl: good one :rofl:

Someone explain to me why when a Dev fan goes to another board they usually get abused and when challenged are told "this is our board...don't like it leave"...yet we are civil to non-Dev fans who visit here, challenge and get upset at their team being railed...imo that is hypocrisy

That's a good point. You know why? Cause people don't like constructive criticism. People are ignorant. I don't know what to tell you, StarDew. But just because other people are ignorant doesn't mean everybody else has to.

JMO

Edited May 2, 2006 by 94Obsession

[Colorado Rockies 1976]

News flash: The past decade is over with. It was your team that spent like a bunch of morons last summer. Overpay some more washed up talent and then find a loophole in the league rules so you don't have to pay. Any other team and they'd be ripped for it.

I might respect the Devils but the way a few fans act makes me sick. Where did the Rangers not give the Devils any credit? Renney gave the opponent plenty after the series.

Yes, the past decade is definitely over. So is 1994, although the Ranger organization seems to be stuck there at times. Yes, we get it, in 1994 the Rangers won a Cup. Time to move on. (The Mets are doing the same thing with 1986...as a Met fan I wish they'd stop celebrating that one too!)

Can't disagree with the overspending comment. When you shell out a combined $9.4 million for three players who don't even make it to the halfway point of the season, that can only be viewed as a disaster. But it was the Rangers' overpaying of washed-up talent that help to screw the league up in the first place from a salary standpoint.

Yes, the Rangers have given the Devils credit. But some of the whining is starting to get a little bit old. No disrespect intended here Derek...your posts are always well-thought out. And I think even without Jagr the Rangers, when healthy, are better than some AHL team. I for one am curious to see what direction they go in next season (more youth, or a big-name free agent?).

[94Obsession]

That is part of the Ranger's arrogance and the unfairness of it all. I's rather be on the short end of that stick and have our team win... which it did.

So only Rangers fans are arrogant? There's no arrogant, Flyers, (IMO the most arrogant and Islanders to an extent.) Leafs, or Bruins fans?

I don't even think that Rangers fans aren't even the most arrogant. At least Rangers fans, from what i've seen, and in general, don't obsess over the fate of other teams, (From what i've seen.) and would rather see their own team win and not see another team lose that they hate. Sure, there's plenty of those kinds of fans, but every team has them.

[Colorado Rockies 1976]

So only Rangers fans are arrogant? There's no arrogant, Flyers, (IMO the most arrogant and Islanders to an extent.) Leafs, or Bruins fans?

I don't even think that Rangers fans aren't even the most arrogant. At least Rangers fans, from what i've seen, and in general, don't obsess over the fate of other teams, (From what i've seen.) and would rather see their own team win and not see another team lose that they hate. Sure, there's plenty of those kinds of fans, but every team has them.

Every team has their share of a$$hole fans, although a disproportionate amount of them seem to root for teams residing in the Philadelphia area.

I don't hate or not respect Ranger fans. Only a certain kind of Ranger fan. The kind who:

1) Has that abrasive New York accent and can't shut up for 2 seconds.

2) Thinks he's being clever and witty by spewing out the same attendance and parking lot jokes every Devils fan has heard at least 10 million times.

3) Talks a lot of smack, only to run and hide when their team didn't get it done. That would be YOU MATTEAU #32!

4) Continues to being up Matteau and the fact that (until now) we'd never beaten them in the playoffs. Kind of hard to improve on that record when they don't get there for seven years!

5) Won't give the Devils any credit for anything they've done...in this season and others. (You only won Cups because you clutched and grabbed! You only won this series because Jagr was hurt, the Olympic break, blah blah blah)

But I get along quite well with most Ranger fans. I had some pleasant conversations with a few at the CAA during Games 1 and 2.

Edited May 2, 2006 by Colorado Rockies 1976

[94Obsession]

Every team has their share of a$$hole fans, although a disproportionate amount of them seem to root for teams residing in the Philadelphia area.

I don't hate or not respect Ranger fans. Only a certain kind of Ranger fan. The kind who:

1) Has that abrasive New York accent and can't shut up for 2 seconds.

2) Thinks he's being clever and witty by spewing out the same attendance and parking lot jokes every Devils fan has heard at least 10 million times.

3) Talks a lot of smack, only to run and hide when their team didn't get it done. That would be YOU MATTEAU #32!

4) Continues to being up Matteau and the fact that (until now) we'd never beaten them in the playoffs. Kind of hard to improve on that record when they don't get there for seven years!

5) Won't give the Devils any credit for anything they've done...in this season and others. (You only won Cups because you clutched and grabbed! You only won this series because Jagr was hurt, the Olympic break, blah blah blah)

But I get along quite well with most Ranger fans. I had some pleasant conversations with a few at the CAA during Games 1 and 2.

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA............. Well i'm glad none of those apply to me. .

I have NOTHING but respect for the Devils, and Lou, and what they've done. They DESERVE all the credit in the world.

[ice dog]

All of our key guys played in the olympics, and Elias even got hurt.

Excuses, excuses, excuses..

that's what i was thinking, elias missed quite a few games. they need to stop talking to the press, just shut up and re-group for next season.

[Colorado Rockies 1976]

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA............. Well i'm glad none of those apply to me. .

I have NOTHING but respect for the Devils, and Lou, and what they've done. They DESERVE all the credit in the world.

I definitely didn't have you or Derek in mind when I made up that list!

[94Obsession]

that's what i was thinking, elias missed quite a few games. they need to stop talking to the press, just shut up and re-group for next season.

Well, I don't know about other Rangers fans, but, i'm already over the loss to the Devils. (Ok, ok, maybe not over the whole loss yet, but i'm 99% over it.) I'm already looking foward to next year. I hope to see this rivalry be even better next year. And I hope to see you Devil fans on this board next year AGAIN!!!

[ice dog]

Well, I don't know about other Rangers fans, but, i'm already over the loss to the Devils. (Ok, ok, maybe not over the whole loss yet, but i'm 99% over it.) I'm already looking foward to next year. I hope to see this rivalry be even better next year. And I hope to see you Devil fans on this board next year AGAIN!!!

i agree, it is nice to have competition again. rivalrys are no good when 1 team is down and out for so long.

i must admit though, it was so easy to loathe the rangers and relish in their misfortune considering the 80 million dollar payrolls...stealing holik, etc...

if they can solidify their defence around lunquist and continue with the development of their prospects, they'll be an annual playoff team for sure.

[missparker]

I might respect the Devils but the way a few fans act makes me sick.

Why? We earned the right to be arrogant. Don't even think for a second that Ranger fans all over wouldn't be shoving it in our faces if the Rangers had won the series. After all the abuse that Devil fans have taken and the sound pounding we gave to the Rags, it's something we've earned. Tired of hearing by Rangers fans? Well, now we can say, OMG!, get over it already! Not that they shouldn't have gotten over '94 about a zillion years ago anyway. But all they ever clung to was, well, the Devils can't beat us in the playoffs. The fans, the team, the media. Poof. It's gone. A monkey off our backs, and in supreme style. Sweep. Anyone can make any lame excuse they want. They can claim that Aunt Bessie made them a bad pot pie and they all had tummy aches. They can say the sun got in their eyes. They can say, well, I had an incredibly tough game of hopscotch the night before. Fact is, scoreboard tells it all. It's done, it's fact. Only thing that matters are the final scores.

And the reason this article was posted in the first place? Probably so Devil fans could read how the Rangers and the media are still trying to make excuses instead of just conceding defeat. And hey, that might interest us, since the Devils were involved in the series as well.

So no matter what, I'm gonna act as arrogant as I feel like. Why? Damnit, I'm happy. Damnit, the Devils swept the whining excuse making Rangers. Because I only have a few more days until the next series starts and then I have to start being nervous again. I'm a goddamn Devils fan.

Edited May 2, 2006 by missparker

[LizDevil30]

I thought it was NINE years of no playoffs?

[Rock]

Why is this article even posted?

Why was it printed in the New York Times?

Now all of the sudden the Olympics were the reasons for the late season woes!

Derek you've been around here a long time, you know very well I post articles about the other teams as well as the Rangers.

I posted the article about TB's coach hanging his goaltender out to dry.

I would have posted this article if any NHL coach used this lame ass excuse for a late season swoon and 1st round elimination.

It just happened to be Renney who apparently knows a thing or two about dishonor!

[RowdyFan42]

Here's a question I've been tossing around in my head lately:

Are there any legitimate reasons for losing? Or is any possible reason going to be construed as an excuse by those who wish to put down the losers? When asked about why his team lost, is the only thing a coach or player is allowed to say something like this?

"Well, we just lost, that's it. The other team was better than us, they outplayed us, and they won."

[MantaRay]

A glorified AHL team wouldn't have come close to making the playoffs. This was only the beginning for the Rangers. They'll be back next year.

As I stated, they took advantage of the questionable officiating in the begining of the season and JAGR on the PP wins games by himself. As the officiated settled they were less impressive they rode their strong start into the #6 seed. Had the regular season gone on another month the Rangers would not have made the playoffs.

They will be back, but I don't see them making the playoffs. If Straka leaves Jagr will be less effective and Jagr is probably 80% of their offense.

[MantaRay]

Derek?

[CRASHER]

"Well, we just lost, that's it. The other team was better than us, they outplayed us, and they won."

While we all know it and feel it at some time or another, we KNOW that the first coach to say it would be fired 15 minutes after the fact sadly..... so they have to spin and make excuses that don't come off like "well the jackass GM gave me a stinky pile of garbage to work with and that's why we suck "

and even if they lose 59-0, they have to say SOMETHING else cause no team is THAT poorly built... it's good ol fashioned CYA-ness

[RowdyFan42]

That doesn't really answer the question, though. There's nothing that one can say about a loss that doesn't come off as an excuse?

[4Stevens4]

This is a reply to me from another board I post at.

You just happened to catch the Rangers on a bad streak and we happened to catch you on a good streak. That's the olny reason you guys won.

While that is true, surely it can't be the fact the Devils were the BETTER team in every aspect of the series. I'm really starting to believe Larry Brooks is getting some of his excuses from some of the message boards I've been reading.

[NJDevs26]

If they want to use the Jagr and Lundqvist injuries as an excuse, whatever. But to use the Olympics is weak, did the Olympic break affect Jagr's play or cause Lundqvist to get hurt? Did the Olympics get Rucinsky or Rucchin hurt? So five or six other Rangers played two or three more games than most of the other Olympians, big whoop. Every team had to deal with the layoff, most if not all teams had to deal with players going over and the Rangers didn't have a monopoly on players that played deep into the Olympics.

Edited May 4, 2006 by NJDevs26