OT: "Older" fans: how does the atmosphere/build-up in NY compare to '94?

[adam graves]

Not much I can add to what my fellow 50+ y.o's commented above.

It wasn't euphoria, it was clearly relief. The misery having gone thru the 4 cup isles run,etc.

You truly believed as a ranger fan you would never win the cup.

And like the famous sign said, "now we could die in peace".

This is 10x more fun.

 

[MSD]

Well 1994 was so great because we all suffered from the 1940 chant of Islander fans and Messier was larger than life for the series. The devils were life and death and Vancouver were like the L.A Kings of today, big and strong. But while this year is a wonderful gift, 1994 was just epic, the city went nuts. I was a fan since 1968 so the buildup was so amazing, nothing can compare to it.

 

[bobbop]

I don't live in NY anymore but I've been back a couple of times during the playoffs and I agree that 1994 was far more exciting to this point. What I do remember is that the 6th and 7th games (and the surrounding hoopla) against New Jersey took the noise to a very high level and then the Finals went to a higher level I have ever seen before or since. While the storylines have been amazing this year, there's nothing that beats great hockey and you would be hard pressed to find two more amazing games than those last two games against New Jersey. Oh yes, there was also a back page guarantee, larger than life stars and tight tense hockey. This year's team plays a very businesslike style and they really don't have a signature win (i.e. double overtime etc.) in any series.

That being said, it will be amazing this week. Especially if the Rangers can win a game or two in LA. There's a lot of casual hockey fans in NY (not to mention the usual bandwagon jumpers) and the excitement will build quickly. The Rangers will own the back pages and the call in shows. The closer they get to winning, the more noise there will be.

 

[bobbop]

I don't live in NY anymore but I've been back a couple of times during the playoffs and I agree that 1994 was far more exciting to this point. What I do remember is that the 6th and 7th games (and the surrounding hoopla) against New Jersey took the noise to a very high level and then the Finals went to a higher level I have ever seen before or since. While the storylines have been amazing this year, there's nothing that beats great hockey and you would be hard pressed to find two more amazing games than those last two games against New Jersey. Oh yes, there was also a back page guarantee, larger than life stars and tight tense hockey. This year's team plays a very businesslike style and they really don't have a signature win (i.e. double overtime etc.) in any series.

That being said, it will be amazing this week. Especially if the Rangers can win a game or two in LA. There's a lot of casual hockey fans in NY (not to mention the usual bandwagon jumpers) and the excitement will build quickly. The Rangers will own the back pages and the call in shows. The closer they get to winning, the more noise there will be.

 

[Fleury4ever]

I was 12 years old. I had never actually watched pro hockey before. My parents didn't care about hockey at all really. But the Rangers run was so ubiquitous and momentous they put it on TV, kids were talking about it at school. It exposed me to the sport, and I might not have become a fan without it (probably would have but at a later time).

I remember lying in bed and hearing people chant 1940 in the streets the night they won. Historic sports moment, I don't think anyone's won a more meaningful Cup.

 

[Brooklyn Ranger]

Not much I can add to what my fellow 50+ y.o's commented above.

It wasn't euphoria, it was clearly relief. The misery having gone thru the 4 cup isles run,etc.

You truly believed as a ranger fan you would never win the cup.

And like the famous sign said, "now we could die in peace".

This is 10x more fun.

I don't really agree--it was euphoria (and a fair amount of relief). I was very aware of the curse, but after rolling over the Isles (they couldn't even score a goal the 1st two games) and watching Tikkanen make love not war (which confused Washington greatly) and see the Rangers slay that curse (how many times did Washington knock the Rangers out of the playoffs--heck, seemed like every year), it seemed like it was our time. And I was sure of it, once Messier scored the hat trick. Yeah, game 7 was stressful--but we know how that turned out. Messier made everyone believe and I think we did. Each moment we got closer and closer and just about everyone was along for the ride. It was amazing. That feeling will last a lifetime.

 

[Glen Sathers Cigar]

Great all around post, Jas. You summarized it perfectly, right down to actually going back to '92.

Nothing could be 1994. This is just different. No one chants "1994" in derision at each game, the way that "1940" was chanted. And that is evident when you see footage of Graves and Kovalev chanting it post win. 1994 was just such a fight against history and historical ghosts.

To put it into context, I went to a Pink Floyd concert at Yankee Stadium during the Isles series. There was an intermission. And as the stadium was dark, EVERYONE was chanting "LET'S GO RANGERS!!!" And there was no game even being played that night.

This year is very different from 1994. Not without it's rewards and anxiety, but just different. A closer comparison to the feeling during the run would be 1979.

My mom and sisters went to the Rascall Flatts concert at Jones Beach on Friday night. They said people were chanting Let's Go Rangers! before the show started and after it ended and everyone was leaving. They said tons of people there were wearing jerseys and shirts and the chants got loud.

Just for what it's worth.

 

[True Blue]

My mom and sisters went to the Rascall Flatts concert at Jones Beach on Friday night. They said people were chanting Let's Go Rangers! before the show started and after it ended and everyone was leaving. They said tons of people there were wearing jerseys and shirts and the chants got loud.

Nationally, every one was aware of the curse. That is how big that story got. I will say that I am seeing the Rangers stuff everywhere now. Jerseys, flags....

 

[Bleed Ranger Blue]

Very very different.

1994 transpired under the weight of expectations and a 54 year long drought. That team was supposed to win it all, was supposed to end the hex. The feeling of an impending tragedy was palpable, especially during the final 2 series.

This year? Much looser and enjoyable. I feel like this squad is playing with house money.

 

[rangerstown]

1994 was a great ride. The two things that stood out for me were the Starter brand locker room hats and shirts and these two guys David Letterman had run around talking to people about the Final.

 

[iamthewalrus]

I remember there being a lot more purple than there is this year. Dinosaurs were to the 90's as zombies are to the 2000s. Everyone was happy and singing. Juicy juice was preferred over beer, and I was usually asleep by the time the night's game was over.

I was two in 1994, Barney was more important than hockey

 

[rangerstown]

If the Rangers win this year, will they play You're Simply the Best again when the players get introduced in City Hall?

 

[HockeyBasedNYC]

1940 chant was thrown around like the goalie chants these days "Hen-rik, Hen-rik" but it was much more annoying and frustrating because people were right. It had been 54 years of waiting. "NINETEEN FOOOOORTY!" IT took on a life of its own.

 

[Jackson Ranger]

Very very different.

1994 transpired under the weight of expectations and a 54 year long drought. That team was supposed to win it all, was supposed to end the hex. The feeling of an impending tragedy was palpable, especially during the final 2 series.

This year? Much looser and enjoyable. I feel like this squad is playing with house money.

Agreed and this is why this year's playoff run is comparable to 1979. They beat the hated and better NYI to get to the SC Finals. Not many people expected the Rangers to get that far. Of course they won the first game and I think they counted their chickens before they hatched and then proceeded to lose four in a row.

The season in 1994 started more similar to this years team, although not as bad. They had an ugly early season loss to either the "Mighty" Ducks or the Sharks and I thought we were in for another disappointing season. However, the 94 team rebounded and we all know where they finished overall. This years team struggled mightily early but played really well towards the end of the season.

As far as the atmosphere, I see more and more Ranger fans wearing their gear and of course, now you want to say something like LGR to them. But I don't think you can top 1994. I remember being outside of the Garden before game 5 and it was electric! People were high fiving strangers because they were carrying a fake Stanley Cup or wearing Ranger gear or just because they thought they were Ranger fans. It seemed like I floating on a cloud knowing that the Rangers had a chance to break the curse. It was amazing. This year's run has been fun but no where near the excitement that 94 generated. A 54 year drought will do that to a fanbase.

 

[Mr Atoz*]

I've been rooting for the Rangers since 1968. 1994 was like validating your life.

 

[eco's bones]

To me this is an improbable run. I didn't expect our team to be in the finals. Just because it's improbable though doesn't mean we can't win it. The team were facing made an improbable run and won it a couple years back. They were a last minute final seed in the west.

They are resilient-coming back from down 3-0 to the Sharks--though I have to say the best thing maybe for Sharks fans would be for their team to miss the playoffs for a couple seasons. The Sharks always seem to find a way to underachieve in the playoffs.

 

[rangerstown]

I saw this in the Daily News today. Is this guy still around at Rangers and Knicks games?

 

[Steve Kournianos]

The city was possessed. The Rangers were the lead sports story in national news for the entire postseason.

ESPN, The Sporting News, SI, CNN Sports.....you name it.

So much rode on that Cup. 1992 was considered a failure, 1993 was an abominton and a lot of fans gave up hope.

They were the laughingstock of the league and evry arena -- even the ones without Stanley Cups -- chanted "1940"

They were also heavy, heavy favorites after the 1st round destruction of the Isles. The only teams some of us were scared of were Chicago and Toronto, and both teams were gone by the SCF.

The fact that it was Vancouver made most of us think a short quick series.

Still, it was a life changing event for three generations of fans. This Cup run is awesome but the way it's covered is different.

Not having MSG cover the entire postseason sucks. Luckilly for me in 1994 Gary Thorne and Bill Clement and ESPN rode the Rangers story from start to finish and they did it well.

 

[Steve Kournianos]

Plus, I think every team around the league as intmidated by Messier. Every team.

People think Toews is a Mikita/Messier clone -- I dont see it. Messier dominated games before stepping onto the ice.

After seeing what he did aginst the Devils, there wasn't a soul who thought the Rangers were losing the Cup to Vancouver.

To think -- Nathan Lafayette LOL.

Two things to put things in perspective -- 1) it took OJ murdering his wife (allegedly) to finally knock the Rangers off the front and back page of the Sports secton of every newspaper, and that was only after the parade LOL
2) The LA Times, Boston Globe and Chicago Tribune all had the Rangers Cup win on the front page of the newspaper, let alone the sports section.

 

[KreiMeARiver*]

Not even close. The building is dead compared to then.

 

[Bleed Ranger Blue]

Not even close. The building is dead compared to then.

Wouldn't use that as much of a barometer.

The people who would really make a ruckus are now priced out of even entering.

 

[The Beezer]

I was 21 at the time and even though they shared the stage with the Knicks, it was absolutely awesome. The highs and lows of the Rangers Devils series was off the charts. To me that felt like the Stanley Cup Finals. When the Rangers beat the Devils I though and I want to believe that everyone in the city thought that the SCF was just a formality. After game 5 of the SCF it felt like a series again, things got real. Those last 2 games seemed like they took an eternity. All the long starved fans began the curse talk again, it was absolutely agonizing down to the final second (including that garbage icing call with 1.6 seconds to go) Once they won, nobody could ever take that away from me and all the other long time suffering fans that we finally saw the Rangers hoist the cup. Like the famous sign said, "Now I can die in peace".

This time around it feels like there's not as much euphoria. Not sure if it has to do with the cost of going to games at the new Garden, but it does seem to have a more subdued feeling. I'm very excited, but in 94 I expected them to win, this time around I have kind of felt like they've been playing with the houses money since the ECF. So I'm kind of in that whatever happens, happens stage. I'll be proud of this team no matter what the result is. That's the feeling I get from a lot of my friends and family that love the team as well. More than anything, I want them to win for my Children. They are 11 and 7 and I want them to experience a cup and a parade. I remember how happy and excited it made me. The thought of taking them to the parade excites me so much.

This team deserves this and I think they have a big chance. Deep down I think they will bring it home.

Good Luck boys!

 

[Chief]

I'm in my 40's and I work in Manhattan and I don't think the city is as captivated by the Cup Finals now as it was back in 1994. It has picked up steam the last few days but it's not as crazy. There's two major reasons AFAIC;

(1) The Cup drought was a black cloud over the franchise. When the Rangers won the Cup in 94, there were many ex-Rangers in attendance and it was as if they'd also won the Cup, not just the current team.

(2) The other part of it was that expectations were that the 94 team was supposed to win the Cup. Keenan was brought in and from Day One of that season it was all about winning the Cup.

This team came out of the blue. I remember watching the Rangers/Habs series and shaking my head thinking we were one series away from the Finals and I couldn't believe it.

My son on the other hand is 12 and he is all about the Rangers and the Cup, 24/7. Every morning he tells me another reason why the Rangers are going to win the Cup. He's been a bit spoiled with two Giants Super Bowls in his lifetime but this is still huge for him.

Let's Go Rangers!

 

[adam graves]

I don't really agree--it was euphoria (and a fair amount of relief). I was very aware of the curse, but after rolling over the Isles (they couldn't even score a goal the 1st two games) and watching Tikkanen make love not war (which confused Washington greatly) and see the Rangers slay that curse (how many times did Washington knock the Rangers out of the playoffs--heck, seemed like every year), it seemed like it was our time. And I was sure of it, once Messier scored the hat trick. Yeah, game 7 was stressful--but we know how that turned out. Messier made everyone believe and I think we did. Each moment we got closer and closer and just about everyone was along for the ride. It was amazing. That feeling will last a lifetime.

I hear you BR.

Maybe living on long island I put up with more abuse. Going to ground round in Hicksville for so many islander ranger gams in the 80-84 stretch etc. I had cubs fan syndrome no doubt.

And even after devil sereis, remember game 5 cup finals. We were up 3-0 were we not ?? and boom 6-3. Just had the feeling always the bottom was going to drop out.

Again, the sign in game 7 end summed it up....now I could die in peace.

 

[ReggieDunlop68]

The die-hard fans already want this, but if the Rangers win game 1, prepare for the city to explode. NY loves a winner!