Rangers Fans: Delinquents-in-Training
I had heard that Rangers fans were just as batshit crazy as Yankees fans, but I had no idea how young they started. Last night, I watched my Buffalo Sabres come back from a 3-1 deficit to beat the Rangers at MSG, 4-3 in overtime. In the suite next to us, separated from us by just a sheet of glass, was a group of 10 rowdy children, all probably 8 or 9 years old. They were all Rangers fans, and they had no shame.
As the Rangers came out on the ice, the kids went nuts. They jumped around and screamed like they had missed their daily dose of Ritalin. Hell, they probably did, as their fathers just sat back, downed some beers, and watched in amusement.
Early in the game, the kids spotted a Sabres fan in the crowd beneath the balcony, and dropped their popcorn onto them from above. This did not bode well for our suite full of Sabres fans on the other side of the glass.
After Buffalo scored their first goal, our suite erupted in cheering. The children took notice, and turned their taunting away from the crowd below. For the rest of the first period, they schemed to come up with ways to taunt us. And once the Rangers scored their first goal, the barrage began. First, in a mind-boggling show of the masculinity of themselves and their team, they lifted their shirts:
They jumped up and down, pointed at us, laughed, and chanted, “Let’s Go Rangers!” The most confusing comment from one of the kids was, “we own this place… literally!” Was his father the CEO of Cablevision? I doubt it.
For most of the game, we all struggled to come up with a kid-friendly comeback as we watched the Rangers take a 3-1 lead. We sat in our box in silence, and we stewed as our neighbors continued to taunt us. Finally, my friend Brendan chose to break the silence with the most brilliant comeback ever:
Obnoxious 8-Year-Old Rangers Fan: BUFFALO SUCKS!
Brendan: You’re fat.
That pretty much shut them up for the rest of the game. So did Buffalo’s two goals in the third period, and our eventual victory in overtime. As we cheered for the game-winning goal, the kids glared back at us. One of them gave us the death stare.
This solved one mystery. I now know where Yankees fans who taunt old men with canes and throw beer on girls wearing Red Sox hats at Yankee Stadium get their start: taunting innocent Sabres fans. They’re delinquents-in-training, and in fifteen years, they’ll be in top shape for getting arrested for drunken disorderly in the Bronx.
This entry was posted on Monday, November 6th, 2006 at 2:40 pm and is filed under As Seen On Gawker, Sports. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
November 7th, 2006 at 12:35 am
says:wasn’t it Brendan’s hot brother who had the sheer moment of brilliance?
not to take away from your story, or anything.
November 7th, 2006 at 11:35 am
says:LETS GO RANGERS!!!!
if you dont like it you can move to Boston where everyone talks like they dropped out of the 6th grade. Seriously, that is true enthusiasm for the game and sports. Maybe if your teams shared this winning one world series in 86 years wouldn’t be considered and accomplishment.
This is also further proof that people from new england only care about teams that win and ignore the losers. nobody in new england gives a shit about the Celtics right now. Niehter of the bruins fans will admit to liking the team, but every jackass with a speech impediment is wearing a red sox hat and tom brady jersey right now.
thank God you aren’t a republican.
also, if you don’t like NYC and it’s sports teams… you are a terrorist and you hate freedom.
November 7th, 2006 at 1:25 pm
says:Those little hooligans are cracking me up. Thank you for the picture.
Please don’t lump all of we Bomber fans together (or assume even 1/16th of us give a rats ass about hockey).
November 7th, 2006 at 5:43 pm
says:Finally, someone had the guts to stand up to a bunch of eight year-olds by calling them fat! What a zinger!!
November 7th, 2006 at 10:48 pm
says:GO FLYERS!!!! YEAH…
oh who the hell am i kidding… we suck this year.
-beej
November 7th, 2006 at 11:08 pm
says:Buffalo fan? Well, then you must already have this saved to your favorites on YouTube.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-fkp9qv15dA
I watch this clip whenever I feel lethargic or complacent. I’m a Rangers fan, and those kids are awesome.
November 8th, 2006 at 11:45 am
says:You guys let a bunch of 8-year-olds at a Rangers game get under your skin? Ouch
December 4th, 2006 at 4:18 pm
says:[…] Previously: Rangers Fans: Delinquents-in-Training [EVI] […]
December 4th, 2006 at 6:01 pm
says:Screw the Ranger fans, what about those frigging Leaf Bastards who take over your wee-bit of a stadium five times a year? It used to seem like every Sabre fan just stayed home those nights, but now I know it’s those Baby 8-Year Old Leaf Bastards roughing you up for your beer and hotdog money out in the parking lot.
December 4th, 2006 at 8:07 pm
says:Someone should remind that nameless poster (ashamed of your own name?) that Buffalo in not in New England. I suppose he or she would be easily confused by geography seeing as how the New York Jets and New York Giants play in New Jersey.
And Gabriel stop posting here because you’re bitter about the Senators losing in the playoffs AGAIN to the Sabres. I’m sure Chris thinks the bratty 8-year olds are more interesting.
Clearly Rangers fans have mellowed. I remember a time when someone was crazy enough to wear a Flyers jersey in the blue seats at the Garden. They ripped it off his back and BURNED it.
At least they are right about one thing. Potvin sucks.
December 4th, 2006 at 8:08 pm
says:Someone should remind that nameless poster (ashamed of your own name?) that Buffalo is not in New England. I suppose he or she would be easily confused by geography seeing as how the New York Jets and New York Giants play in New Jersey.
And Gabriel stop posting here because you’re bitter about the Senators losing in the playoffs AGAIN to the Sabres. I’m sure Chris thinks the bratty 8-year olds are more interesting.
Clearly Rangers fans have mellowed. I remember a time when someone was crazy enough to wear a Flyers jersey in the blue seats at the Garden. They ripped it off his back and BURNED it.
At least they are right about one thing. Potvin sucks.