I prefer dissonance

Last night I did not feel like going home after work as I wanted to go out and watch the Ranger game and get something to eat. None of my friends were around and they don’t like hockey anyway. So I went to the trusty website Meetup.com to find some Rangers fans. To my surprise there are no Ranger Meetup groups. Strange considering this is such a big sports town. So I searched some more and I came across the Pittsburg Penguins Meetup Group. So I figured why not? So I hopped on a train to the East Village Bar where they were meeting. When I got there I met the crowd of 10 Penguins fans….rabid Penguins fans, 6 men and 4 women. Immediately I made my allegiance be known. I explained that yes I am a New York Rangers fan but I just wanted to meet some cool hockey fans and enjoy some brewskis. There was sudden silence at the table. They were in shock that I had the gall to show up. I was about to excuse myself but they told me not to worry as they won’t beat me up. So I hung around and had some beers and food with them. They turned out to be a nice group of kids (mid 20s/early 30s so I was the elder statesman). However, they still had to get there zingers in to diss my beloved Rangers. I didn’t get mad at any point considering that I volunteered to be there! It was all in good fun.

Their Penguins were losing to the Florida Panthers 1 to nothing at the halfway point. Meanwhile I was sitting pretty as my Rangers were destroying the Montreal Canadians 5 to zero in the middle of the second period as well (Goals are hard to come by in the NHL nowadays). But little by little, that score began to change. Montreal scored to make it 5 to 1. They scored again to make it 5 to 2. Then again; 5 to 3. Then again; 5 to 4! The more the Canadians scored the more abuse I got from these Penguins. Their team tied the score and eventually won in the finally minute of regulation. But suddenly the second to last nail in my coffin got hammered in: 5 to 5! Ex-Ranger castoff Alexi Kovelov scored the game tier for the Canadians. I began to sulk. I should have left. But I decided to be a good sport and stick it out. The game went to overtime. Then a shootout then……...NO!!!!!!.......Saku Koivu wins the game for the Canadians 6 to 5!! The damn Rangers blew a 5 goal lead while I was at a table full of abusive Puffins. This team has been so inconsistent all year. I was sad and angry. But then the Penguins were nice to me and asked that I come hang out with them again. I guess they felt sorry for me. Afterwards we all chipped in for some Mega Millions tickets before we left. I haven’t heard from the group’s organizers so they may have run off with part of my $220 million dollars. Last time I trust any Penguins fans! But they did inspire me as I need to start my own New York Rangers Meetup Group.

But like I said I am a sucker for punishment. I like to test the waters full of sharks to see what happens apparently. Just like the time I wore my Yankees cap at Fenway Park in Boston when I was 16. Uhhh, that was not a good idea either. Some drunkard took my cap and the Red Sox fans threw it around like a beach ball. I did get the cap back an hour later with mustard stains on it. I am sure I did a lot more eccentric things but I’ll save them for another blog. Like Shirley Manson once sang ‘I only like it when it’s complicated. I'm only happy when it rains’.

Oh well curiosity killed the Mountain Cat I guess?

- The Mountain Cat