Jason Chimera Says He Hates Ranger Fans, I Have To Agree With Him Here
[Newsday] – “I’ve only been here six months and I hate ’em,” Jason Chimera said. “It’s not just the team, it’s the people that cheer for them. You hear your neighbors talking about the Rangers and you want to beat them even more.”
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Listen I don’t want to make this blog about Ranger fans or how insufferable they are because this blog is about Jason Chimera. I’m not going to bring up how having won just one cup since the television was invented hasn’t stopped Ranger fans from treating their team like NHL royalty, because this is a blog about Jason Chimera. It would be petty of me to mention how if you polled each fanbase around the league, you would be hardpressed to find a fanbase that’s hated more than that of the Rangers, so I’m not going to do that either. I’m just to here to talk about my pal Jason Chimera.
To be honest, Chimmer was clearly playing to the crowd with this quote. When you’re the new guy on the team of course you’re going to play into the whole “I hate the Rangers as much as the next guy” schtick, but to come at the fans and even his neighbors is sneaky disrespectful as hell and I absolutely love the move. You make a little comment about Hank or Kreider and it’s business as usual within the pro hockey world, that’s just the rivalry talking. When you take shots at an entire fanbase you’re putting the rivalry on your back and creating thousands of enemies just hours before going into battle. Did he have to make the comment? Absolutely not, but when you have the chance to win over thousands [read: hundreds] of Isles fans while simultaneously getting in the heads of Ranger fans you have to take it. I have no choice but to respect the disrespect here.
PS – Hey Chimmer, since I know you’re reading; you can join Hickey at my yet to exist wedding. Steak or fish bro?