The Dysfunction Of US

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" It's not about how hard you can hit ... it's about how hard you can GET HIT, and keep moving forward."

Inspirational, don't you think? As much as I'd love to pose that question Scott Gordon and his crew, I think it's a more fitting question not for the team itself, but for one of the most loyal, passionate yet downtrodden fan-bases in the NHL.

Like most self-help meetings begin, I'll start off with this:

Hi, my name is Pete ....... and I'm a die-hard Islanders fan.

I often ask myself how I got to this point. After all ... I'm certainly capable of better decision making than this. Actually, I know am. It's not completely my fault you see. As a result of having an older brother who was fortunate enough to grow up during the 'Dynasty Years' that were the early-80's, I really had no choice in the matter. Heck, I was only 7 at the time of their last Stanley Cup, but surely there would be plenty of successful seasons for me to witness.........wait, nevermind.

Enough about me, let's talk about the dysfunction of you ... of US.

If you're like me, you watch every game .. even if that means DVR'ing it and not speaking to friends and family or checking your Facebook page in fear of getting ANY updates whatsoever until you've watched the game in its entirety. If you're like me, you bought the "new" jersey, the hat and maybe a few more trinkets. If you're like me, you've gone to one too-many Draft Parties in June and rookie scrimmages on a Sunday morning in September, even after you've been ridiculed by those you love most. I'm not listing these things to prove I'm any better. In fact, I'm admitting these things because I've seen you people there alongside me. It's okay, the first step is admitting that you have problem.

I can't sit here and list the deficiencies of the New York Islanders over the past few years, there simply isn't enough internet for that.

Like a husband who continuously comes home to find his wife in bed with another man, for some reason, I KEEP COMING HOME. After the fire sale of talent, the hideous Milbury draft and trades, the Garth Snow hire and ensuing jokes, the bottom-five finishes, the endless Lighthouse saga, the DiPietro experiment, the decrepit state of the arena ... I KEEP COMING BACK FOR MORE.

Even after the most recent embarrassments losses. The 13 goals given up in two games, the Danny Briere mugging with little-to-no retailiation, the defensive mix-ups and general lack of effort .....

They say if you live in one place long enough, you start to become that place. Think about where we've been over the last decade, not pretty my friends ..... not pretty.

Have YOU been hit hard enough?