When my wife Sheryl was pregnant with our first child, we had a decision to make. We’re both Jets fans so that was not a problem, but the issue was that I’m an Islanders/Yankees fan and she’s a Rangers/Mets fan.
What do we do?
“You make the first pick,” said Sheryl.
And with that came one of the great compromises in the history of marriage.
I don’t have a dislike for the Mets, and since the Islanders were my favorite sports team overall, my decision was easy.
As I said on the radio station that I worked for at the time, “I would sooner stick a needle in my eye than see my child wear a Rangers jersey.”
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So, as a result of that compromise and my first overall draft pick, my sons Bradley and Jared are fans of the Islanders (with dad), the Mets (with mom), and the Jets (with mom and dad).
The Islanders/Rangers rivalry is something special and it will be renewed on Wednesday night at UBS Arena, when the Isles and Blueshirts hook up for the first time this season.
“They’re the best,” said Mat Barzal after Tuesday’s practice. “Since I’ve been here, it’s been one of my favorite games of the year, not because they’re easy but just because of the rivalry and the fans and the excitement around it. I think both sides really enjoy it.”
“It’s always a fun night,” added Islanders Captain Anders Lee. “It’s always a good game and the fans enjoy it on both ends.”
“It’s always a fun game whether we’re at home or on the road,” said Ryan Pulock. “Both fan bases travel so the intensity is always up inside the building and it brings the intensity up on the ice. It’s like a playoff atmosphere every time.”
When it comes to a local rivalry, there are houses (like mine) divided and there are families divided. In the case of Islanders vs Rangers, you would be hard-pressed to find a more unique situation than that of Islanders forward Matt Martin.
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Matt’s wife Sydney is, of course, the daughter of our own Boomer Esiason, and Boomer, who grew up on Long Island and went to East Islip High School, is a die-hard Rangers fan.
So, does Martin have any dialogue with Boomer when these Islanders/Rangers games come up?
“It’s all good,” said Martin. “He’s obviously a big Rangers fan. My household is all Islanders fans. We have fun with it all of the time. He’s true to his roots and passionate about his team. He always wishes myself and the guys the best but he’s still pulling for his Rangers to win.”
Forward Josh Bailey is the longest tenured Islander, and has plenty of experience with the Islanders/Rangers rivalry.
“It’s always one of those games on the calendar that you look forward to,” said Bailey. “What really makes it special is the fans on both sides of it. The atmosphere that gets generated whether we’re in our building or theirs is definitely a lot of fun to play in front of.”
But now, Bailey’s children are part of the rivalry with their Rangers fans friends.
“With my kids at school now, they kind of badger them back and forth and it gives you some bragging rights over your friends,” he said.
So, do the Bailey kids return the trash talking?
“I’m sure that they do,” said Bailey. “I had to explain to them a little bit that it’s all in good fun.”
Wednesday night’s game will be the first Islanders/Rangers game that Lane Lambert will experience as a head coach. He’s been through it as an Islanders assistant coach but he also had a small taste of it as a player, as he was a New York Ranger for 18 games in the mid-1980’s.
“I played in a Rangers/Islanders game at (Nassau) Coliseum,” said Lambert. “It was an intense affair. Just the passion and the emotion. It’s the fan bases and the players. There really isn’t anything like it in sports.”
What makes Wednesday night’s game even more special for Lambert is that it will be his first game as Head Coach going up against his good friend, Rangers Head Coach Gerard Gallant.
“We played together early on in our careers in Detroit and lived together,” said Lambert. “He’s a real good human being as everyone knows.
We’ve obviously stayed in touch over the years but now we’re rivals.”
And beyond all the excitement, fun, and trash-talking that comes with the rivalry, there is a game to be played on Wednesday night. The Islanders will be trying to snap a three-game losing streak as they look to find a way to shut down Artemi Panarin, Mika Zibanejad, and the Rangers.
“We know they’re good players,” said Lambert. “Obviously, they drive their team. We’ll put a game plan in place to try and combat that.”
All 17,255 seats are expected to be filled at UBS Arena on Wednesday night. As usual, there will be a mix of Islanders and Rangers fans with chants for both teams going back and forth.
The Yankees and Mets squared off once in the World Series back in 2000, but the Islanders and Rangers have had multiple meetings in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
It’s a rivalry unlike any other in this area.
“It’s mainly the fans that bring the energy, the intensity and the electricity into the building,” said Martin. “To me, it’s one of the best rivalries if not the best rivalry in hockey. I think we all enjoy playing these games. Obviously, the Rangers have a good hockey team so it’s a good opportunity for us to win at home and get back on track.”
I’m expecting a lot of texts and social media messages from friends and family tomorrow. It’s all in good fun because the games are so intense and it really doesn’t matter how good or bad either team is.
Let the trash-talking begin!
Follow Peter Schwartz on Twitter: @SchwartzSports
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