We live for this
Following a sports team isn't always fun. You invest years of your life keeping up with free agent signings, analyzing and over-analyzing trades, studying contracts and cap space, reading up information on them, watching every game, and telling yourself day in and day out "My God this is our year ... it just has to be." You go to the games, you buy their paraphernalia, you dress like them, you wish you were one of them; and all you ask for in return is one thing: a championship. Just to live through one-to be there-is something you'll tell your grandkids about. You've seen others win it all, and you envy them with a type of jealousy that sits in the pit of your stomach as your curse them and their fan base just for being happy. You want that happy, you need that happy.
And before you know it all of your investments in your team comes down to one thing; a game seven. It's scary. There really isn't any other way to put it, in 24 hours your team's season-and all of the time you spend over the past year following them-can end. Then you have the "joy" of watching other teams fight for that trophy which, about 7 months ago, you were telling anyone within ear shot was yours this year. Put it on the board, we got this one in the bag! And then it's gone ... all gone, and all you can do is wait till next year.
I'm not ready for this to end, and hopefully neither are the Rangers. This series could have been easy, and it could have been over; but the Rangers surrendered a 3-1 lead to the Capitals and now face a daunting game 7 in Washington. Now that's not to take anything away from the Capitals because they have given everything they have had, and they deserve this Game 7.
Now don't go booking tee times just yet; the Rangers can take this thing.
The motivation has to come from within the locker room, and no not from Tortorella. It has to come from the players themselves, they have got to want this win. In every win the Rangers have gotten this series they have skated a little harder, fore-checked a little more aggressively, and played smart hockey; because they themselves wanted it. Tortorella can help bring that fire out in them, I'm not saying he can't, but he can't do it for them. They need to do it on their own. Now if I could put out a team of John Tortorella's, trust me, I would and we would win the cup every year. The Rangers need that kind of intensity; they need that kind of fire.
It's ironic that no matter how badly the millions of people in New York want this, it will all depend on just 20 guys to get the job done. They have to be at their absolute best tonight, because as Apollo told Rocky on the beach, "There is no tomorrow!"
Don't lose faith. This thing isn't over, even though everyone is saying it is. We are fans of the New York Rangers, we're used to overcoming adversity. Hopefully tonight ends with a huge sigh of relief.
Let's Go Rangers!
