Isle Be There: Yes!, Section 329 & The Blue And Orange Army

In a series of articles, called Isle Be There, my intention is to focus on the different social groups that support your New York Islanders team & its players. This will also include current events, situations and personalities in and around the team as it relates to its fan base and community.

I love going to the Coliseum to see the Isles play.  I love the atmosphere and the whole excitement of the day.  I usually try and show up several hours before the pre game skate when I am able, and take my time easing into the whole game day experience.  That might include getting a jersey signed from players leaving the Marriott or checking out the team store to see what new stuff appeals to me.  But the coolest part of the day is always talking to other fans.  

The best way to get my fill of the Islanders was always on the team's official site or reading a good blog like the ones by Chris Botta or Dee Karl.  It was a way to feel more connected and to be involved in everything Islanders centric.  Several years back when I was in between games, I found a place on Isles message boards like Islander Mania & N.Y. Islanders Country.  More recently, I have found the draw of groups and pages dedicated to the team on Twitter, Facebook, Google and NYI Reddit to get my fill of Isles culture.

 One of the groups I noticed at games were the Blue & Orange Army in section 329.  They were always there in force and always struck me as a dedicated bunch of fans.  From their sweet tailgates to their community outreach drives, section 329 were a group I wanted to learn more about.  I do know that the group's origin hail from two buddies, Bill McCue & Phil Fairbanks who used to sit atop section 329 during the lean years surrounding the 2009 draft.  The friends were so hardcore, they would chant "John Tavares" when a visiting team would score a goal to show their spirit was true blue (&orange) and unbroken.  While I am not the first one to write about them, I still want to talk about my experiences with the group and an informal, but constant friendship I have with one of their members.

Pat Lehmann (@631life on Twitter) is a vocal and loyal fan of your New York Islanders.  He is also a member of the BOA that I have gotten to know through my time on Twitter and Facebook.  While he grew up a Rangers fan because he was 6 yrs old in '94 and didn't know any better, he soon realized his Long Island roots ran deep. He was exposed to his native Islanders team around the age of 13 and became a big fan of then Isles Captain, Michael Peca.  Pat watched the Isles of the early 2000's. A team whose success included the infamous, but very short playoff run that featured the Shawn Bates penalty shot.  Now, guys like Grabovski & Nelson are among his favorites.

My focus on Pat and his 329 faithful tonight revolves around their apparently controversial adaptation of WWE's Daniel Bryan's Yes! chant.  You see, the Blue & Orange army are made of many different personalities, some of which are big soccer fans who regularly attend New York Red Bulls or New York Cosmos games.  Part of the football culture is the passion of the team songs and elaborate chants made famous by their die hard fans.  Section 329 adapted this tradition to their home team Islanders hockey club.  I know this is done to support the team and more importantly, its players, while attending games at the Coliseum.  These chants are just as loud & passionate when the Isles are having a bad game or a woeful season as when they are winning.  They are not something that is done just to get attention or irritate anybody.  It's an honest, infectious enthusiasm designed to give the players on the ice an audible boost and to make them understand their fans are behind them, no matter what is going on in the game.

The Yes! chant was first chanted by 329 about 2 years ago to celebrate a goal being scored.  The BOA noticed that it was an easy chant to understand & that other fans were soon joining in the celebration ritual, so they made it a thing.  But not everyone is a fan.  There has been calls made to the Islanders organization by some Season Ticket Holders to have the chant stopped at games.  While the Islanders didn't respond to my request to give their position on the subject, Pat Lehmann wanted me to know he and his fellow 329'ers don't plan on stopping their Yes! Yes! Yes!, or any other chant recited by the Army.  "I'm still going to go to the games and I'm not going to stop," Lehmann said.  "None of us are.  We are there to cheer on our boys and no one is going to stop us."  Pat reminded me that he always has fun at the home games, even the ones that don't result in a win.  He said it was about supporting the team and spending quality time with his friends.  I know what he means, but I am OK with more Isles wins for once.  I'm just sayin'.

If you haven't gotten to a New York Islanders game early on game day and walked the tailgate circuit, I advise you to do it as often as you can this season. Because after this year, the team will relocate to Brooklyn and fans will need to park in the large garages scattered across the borough or take the train to each game.  That means the only way to socialize is in the concourse, cramped bars or local restaurants. 

Please don't miss out on a great NVMC Isles tradition.  Get together in person or on-line with the many social groups who support the team and their players.  Truly celebrate your New York Islanders and what it means to be a fan with those who share your passion.