New Jersey is a state without its own media market, and as a result we are constantly being pulled apart from our New Jersey brethren based upon whether your cable package give you the Flyers or the Rangers/Devils, or the Phillies or the Yankees/Mets, or the Eagles or the Giants/Jets. You get the point. New Jersey’s media split personality disorder essentially makes those from the North and South very different people, especially when it comes to sports, and sometimes those difference come to all out war.
This year, the Flyers, Devils, and Rangers all find themselves in the NHL Eastern Conference Semifinals, and the Flyers and Devils are currently going head to head. This is one of those times.
Those of you who know me outside the scope of Save Jersey know that I have been a die hard Philadelphia Flyers fan my entire life, which sadly has still not been long enough to see them win a Stanley Cup, yet. One of our other contributors, James Beattie of Bergen County, is a die hard Devils fan, maybe one of the biggest fans I know. It almost sickens me.
So yesterday when I was tailgating Game 1 of the Flyers vs. Devils series James called and offered a friendly wager. There is no money involved. No, its far worse than that. It’s all pride.
James and I have agreed to fight this war out here on Save Jersey, with words. Whoever’s team loses in this seven game fight to the death will need to write a post explaining why the other team was and is the better team. Furthermore, that same post must contain a public pledge of support to the victor in their quest for Lord Stanley’s Cup this year.
I would love to see this tradition continue out on Save Jersey whenever the North and South teams battle it out in the playoffs, in any professional sport. Matt is a big Eagles fan, so bring it on Giants fans, and Ed is a huge Phillies fan, how long before we see the Phils and the Yankees in the World Series again? The next time this happens, I am sure any of us would welcome the wager. It’s certainly a healthier way to fight this war than some other people we know . . .
Go Flyers! The Devils stole their name from South Jersey. The real Jersey Devil hailed from well below the I-195 dividing line and terrorized the pinelands. Everyone knows that!
So… The Devils stole their New Jersey identity from… New Jersey??? Yeah, I probably would've guessed you were a Flyers fan without the slightest hint…