New York sports fans have been so eager to celebrate that, in May, they walked out of Madison Square Garden and gridlocked the city's traffic, all because the Knicks made it to the second round of the NBA playoffs. They've already resigned themselves to the fact that the Giants and Jets aren't good, and they're aware that the Yankees and Mets might not be up to the task. They need a team to pin their hopes on.
The U.S. team participating in the Ryder Cup at Bethpage Black, a place revered by locals in a way no stadium could match, could be that hope. The Americans could trade their red, white, and blue for the Yankees' stripes, as their support is demonstrated the New York way: loud, loyal, and with drinks in hand. "There's going to be no shortage of alcohol consumption," said American player Ben Griffin. "The fans are going to be loud. People in New York love their sport."
A long wait for victories
New York teams have had iconic championship moments, like Joe Namath securing a Super Bowl victory in 1969 or Willis Reed limping onto the court in Game 7 of the NBA Finals a year later. However, the Jets and Knicks haven't won since. Fans wept in the stands at MSG when the Rangers won the Stanley Cup in 1994, ending a 54-year drought. Now they're dealing with another one that's 31 years and counting.
Even the Yankees aren't winning like they used to, with only two World Series titles in the 2000s, one of which came against the Mets, sparking discontent among some New Yorkers.
The passion of the fans
This can make even the most loyal New York fans wonder if they can keep it up. John McEnroe questioned why he didn't switch loyalties after watching the Showtime Lakers while living in California, but the Hall of Fame tennis player could never leave the Knicks. So he remains a regular at Madison Square Garden alongside Spike Lee, Ben Stiller, and other fans who come to cheer on their Knicks. (Well, usually to cheer.)
“I’ve been to all these stadiums. If things go badly in Indiana, Indiana fans will try to cheer for their team. Knicks fans will boo their team,” said Stan Van Gundy, an NBA coach and commentator. It’s true that New Yorkers sometimes have a hard time hiding their disappointment. Giants fans couldn’t contain themselves and booed during their home opener on Sunday, and some Jets fans wore paper bags over their heads at MetLife Stadium last year. However, when things are going well, the players say no place compares.
The Bethpage Black Challenge
Bethpage Black is a public course where New Yorkers arrive a day early and sleep in their cars to get a chance to play. It's not one of those resort courses where people play on vacation, where there's no trouble unless they crash into a palm tree. The Black is long and difficult. Your arms get tired and your legs feel weary. It hurts like playing against Lawrence Taylor's Giants. But difficult is what New Yorkers want.
“All we do is work hard. We work hard every day. It’s very New York,” said David Caleca, president of Bonnie Briar Country Club in nearby Westchester County. In addition to playing at Bethpage, Caleca was present when New York fans booed Sergio Garcia during the 2002 U.S. Open.
He's also been at Shea Stadium when fans booed their own Mets players, so he knows emotions can change in an instant in New York. He believes Team USA will receive a great deal of support not only because it's being played in Bethpage, but also because of captain Keegan Bradley, a New Yorker who, although originally from New England, played in college at St. John's and displays the passion of someone who must be from Brooklyn or the Bronx.
“He’s the kind of person New Yorkers love because he puts his emotions on display for everyone to see,” Caleca said. Some fans may be rooting for the course as much as Bradley’s team. He knows what Bethpage means to New Yorkers, a place where they learned the game from their parents or spent summers caddying. “It’s so much more than a golf course to a lot of these people,” Bradley said. “When you add all those things together, you get passionate fans.”
