Let's Go Islanders! From a Life Long Ranger Fan

(Photo by Mike Stobe/Getty Images)

I grew up a Rangers fan, hearing "1940" from Islander fans until the Rangers won the Cup in 1994. It's been a long time since the Islanders have been the Islanders of the '80s. Being born in 1985, I have never witnessed Islander greatness.

The last success I remember witnessing the islanders have was when they made it to the second round in 1993, before the Rangers even won their Cup.

Otherwise, the Islanders have been a scuzzy team with no face, with no reputation other than one they earned before I existed. They were a team I really had no opinion on, other than a dislike that was created by Islander fans being in my face or just because they never did anything of value.

I went to college at Hofstra University and could literally see the Nassau Coliseum from the front steps of my college house. I was a valet before the 2005-06 season and while I was working one day, I saw a guy come in that I recognized. It was Charles Wang, the Islanders' owner.

No one else recognized him. I asked him if he owned the Isles and his response was "That's my team!" I told him I couldn't wait for play to resume.

Later on I started to valet at a steakhouse on the north shore when I was in college just after the lockout. The Islanders came in regularly and I would compliment them on their good games and BS with them a bit.

It was cool to see guys a few years older than me, hockey players like myself who had made it to the NHL and were playing for a team in NY. That was pretty cool.

Fast-forward to 2009. The Rangers attempts at becoming a successful team in the post lockout have had some success, and some failure. Glen Sather, in my opinion, has tried his best to put a winning team on the ice but hasn't let things develop properly, either changing too much or changing too little or changing in the wrong direction.

Yes, they have made the playoffs, but in my opinion they are, and will be a team treading water for the next few years unless management changes. I could be wrong, I hope I'm wrong. But looking at the pattern the Rangers have followed has not lead to a Championship.

The Islanders had to deal with the horror show that was Mike Milbury, wheeling and dealing horribly. But now they have a core of kids. Kids who are my age. Kids who are going to form a face of a franchise that hasn't seen success since I've existed.

Kids who are playing around the corner from my college house. Kids I can relate to. This is something I want to watch. This is a team from my home. This is a team I want to root for.

I, as a Ranger fan have become a fan of the Islanders because I can relate to them, because of what I think they are going to do for a sport that I love, around the corner from my house. I would love to see the Cup in my neighborhood and I believe the Islanders at this moment give New York it's best shot.

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