Suddenly, they are the baseball card you find in your attic, the one you thought your mother threw out years ago. They are the double sawbuck you find in your couch when you change up the pillows. They're the long-lost friend who pops up on Facebook after all these years.
They are the Islanders, and as we speak right now, today, they are the only New York team worth talking about, almost three full weeks before Christmas.
That doesn't mean Greater New York is suddenly an Islanders town. If that didn't happen in any of the years from 1980-84, when they won four Stanley Cups and 19 straight playoff series — say that again: nineteen straight — then it never is going to happen.
But it is more than Islanders fans — hundreds of them who I've heard from, surely thousands of them who I haven't — who have re-embraced their Inner Gillies these past few weeks as the team seemingly has forgotten how to lose. For them, yes, it is a rare gift, and even if they are eyed suspiciously by the die-hards who kept the faith through all the awful seasons and awful players and awful owners who have littered the landscape (and, sure, that's a deserved scorn) they are here now.
And after all, nothing says you've made it quite like an overstuffed wagon loaded with Johnnny-come-latelys (And, yes, that applies to all teams. There are plenty of alleged Yankees fans who somehow seemed to spend a good chunk of the late 1980s at Shea Stadium. You know who you are).
But there's another part to this too: The Islanders, even at their dominant best — especially then, in fact — weren't just not universally beloved, they were deeply detested by a large segment of the hockey populace around here as both the prime rival and tormenter (well, save for 1979) of the Rangers (then, now, always the king of the town). The Devils have tried for most of the past 25 years to serve as the Rangers' surrogate rival, and there have been some forever memories borne out of that to be sure.
But nothing compares to what Rangers-Islanders was, from J.P. Parise to John Davidson to Ken Morrow to, of course, Denis Potvin — the patron saint of all bitter rivals, who has now been retired for 10 years longer (26) than he was active (16) yet whose name still lingers on the lips of Rangers fans. Every single day. Every. Single. Day.
It is funny how quickly the old embers burn though. True story: When the Islanders beat the Rangers early in the year, I sent a good-natured jibe at my cousin in Syracuse, the biggest Blueshirts fan I know.
"That's it," he wrote back. "I'm reading Lupica from now on."
He was kidding. I think. But that really is the beauty of a revitalized and re-empowered Islanders team, especially in this time of New York sporting paucity, especially in this, their last year at Nassau Coliseum.
There still are plenty of people who are averse to hockey, who have yet to catch the bug, and those are folks who close themselves off to some of the best stuff we have around here, to last year's Rangers finish and this year's Islanders start, to the magic of John Taveras leading an odd-man rush and the splendor of Henrik Lundqvist stoning one. That's OK. There is time for them, and there will be tool for them, both wagons.
Because if there is any way we can sign up for an Isles-Rangers playoff series, any round, please tell us where to fill out the paperwork.
We certainly could use one of those right about now.
Vac's Whacks
When I think of the Giants' brain trust pondering the fate of Tom Coughlin and Jerry Reese in the coming weeks, I think of the meeting in "All the Presidents Men" where the paper's taking all kind of heat from everywhere and finally Jason Robards as Bradlee (and John Mara) says, "[Bleep] it, let's stand behind the boys."
Tom CoughlinPhoto: Joseph E. Amaturo
I've spotted Mrs. Vac smiling unexpectedly the last few days. I'd feel a lot better about that if we hadn't seen "Gone Girl" recently, I must be honest about that.
The woe of Melo: Even when he hits a big shot, as he did in Charlotte on Friday night, he doesn't hit the big shot.
The Nets are either puzzling or infuriating, depending on your point of view.
Whack Back at Vac
Bruce Welsch:It's a good thing the Knicks gave the big bucks to Carmelo Anthony. Where would they be without him?
Vac: Here's the bright side for Knicks fans: Only three-quarters of a season to go!
Phil MacDonald: I think Tom Coughlin is a very good coach, but I will never forgive him for throwing Jim Fassel under the bus. When Tom took over he made it sound like there would be less people out injured. How's that working now? Next man up? Not enough good backup talent. Most are backups because they are not good enough to start.
Vac: Coughlin has said he regrets making that statement, probably because he knew that no karma is more reliable than coaching karma.
@Richard_C_Arce: I may be biased as a Knicks fan but does it seem like Melo never gets the benefit of the whistle and why doesn't he?
@MikeVacc: If Phil Jackson does nothing else this year, perhaps he can figure a way to Jedi-mind-trick the kinds of calls Jordan and Kobe used to get for his new cornerstone.
Stewart Summers: The headlines read "Meet Derek Jeter's replacement … Didi Gregorius." I'm not a gambler but I would bet Didi won't be the last Jeter-replacement the Yankees have to acquire!
Vac: Maybe. But he's young and he has a high ceiling, and I remember a kid named Jeter about whom we said the same thing once upon a time.
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