We're Better Than That ...

“I think it’s everywhere,” Chris Drury said of the second-guessing surrounding the Rangers. “We got off to the start we got off to and everyone around town is patting us on the back. Now we’re getting booed. I think it’s coming from everywhere. We just have to get back to winning ways and working hard like we did earlier.”

That came courtesy of Sam over at Ranger Report. The booing issue is one that pops up all-too-regularly in New York and it is one that needs to be clarified.

The majority of the Madison Square Garden crowd will not boo the Rangers for losing if, IF the Rangers are skating their hardest and are simply beaten by a better team. However, the fans will boo the living daylights out of a particular player or the power play or the entire team if we feel that they are not putting forth maximum effort. That simple.

For all of the corporations and curiosity seekers that fill the purple seats, the fanbase of the Blueshirts is mostly a blue collar one. All we ask for is a team that shows the heart and dedication to their duties that we do for our jobs day in and day out. It is how they earned our love and respect and by not playing as hard as they can, they are soiling that. And thus, they deserve to hear our protests in the only way we can make them heard - by booing.

When a player shows the same passion for the team that we have, that player becomes a hero. It happens all around sports but in particular in New York. It is how players with little skill and big heart like Jed Ortmeyer become beloved and it is how guys like Bernie Williams and Wayne Chrebet become revered. It is also how softies like Tom Poti and Marek Malik get booed, because they don't appear to give it everything that they have.

And that's all we ask for; win, lose or (formerly) tie. Give it your best, because anything less is unacceptable.