242 replies to this topic

[Remiel]

Montreal fans hate Toronto, Toronto fans hate Montreal, both hate the Canucks Sens, etc etc.

Fixed it for you, .

[Remiel]

What does cheering or not cheering for the Canucks have to do with Canadian nationalism?
They are not Team Canada, this isn't the world championships or the Olympics or World Juniors.

I suppose it depends on what value you attach to the Stanley Cup coming home to Canada. If you believe, as many do I think, that the Stanley Cup properly belongs in Canada, then it is only logical that you should cheer for whatever team is poised to bring it home. If you do not care about the Stanley Cup in and of itself, then I suppose it is logical to just cheer for your favourite team, full stop.

[Bryan]

I wasn't a Canucks fan before the playoffs, I don't understand why anyone would expect that I should transform into one just because they are the last Canadian team left playing. There's a lot more to the game than what side of the border their home arena is situated.

[fellowtraveller]

I suppose it depends on what value you attach to the Stanley Cup coming home to Canada. If you believe, as many do I think, that the Stanley Cup properly belongs in Canada, then it is only logical that you should cheer for whatever team is poised to bring it home. If you do not care about the Stanley Cup in and of itself, then I suppose it is logical to just cheer for your favourite team, full stop.

The Stanley Cup is not a Canadian trophy, and the NHL is not a Canadian league.
The Stanley Cup does not belong in Canada, iot belongs to whichever NHL team earns it.
It is likely the hardest trophy to win in professional sports, the playoffs are a marathon.
But it is not the property of Canada in any way, it goes to the league champion, and every team now is international.
The only way I 'care; about the Cup is when my team is in contention.
I appreciate the effort of the teams and the often great hockey, but no, there is absolutely no reason to jump on the Canucks bandwagon or that of any team but my own.

[Wilber]

Kimmy, my two faves on the team are Canadian (Luongo and Burrows) so Montreal at least should be cheering on. But I hear ya, the rest of the key players aren't Canadian. Still, Luongo is enough of a star on his own and one of the highest paid NHL players, so that should play a very important factor in the Canadianness of the game.

Don't know how anyone wouldn't call Bieksa a key player. One of the best two way defense players in the league. Three goals against the Sharks in this series, averaging over 23 minutes a game, +35 during the regular season and part of the shut down pairing with Hamhuis (another Canadian). He's a tough SOB to, who wins more than his share of fights. Also, best interview on the team.

[scouterjim]

I wasn't a Canucks fan before the playoffs, I don't understand why anyone would expect that I should transform into one just because they are the last Canadian team left playing. There's a lot more to the game than what side of the border their home arena is situated.

Because hockey fans are fickle. They will cheer for a team all year until it is out of the running. They quickly jump to supporting another team until it is out. Then another and another until the Stanley Cup is finally won by whatever team, and all the fickle fans jump up and yell, "YES!! That is the team I wanted to win all along!!!"

[Wilber]

Because hockey fans are fickle. They will cheer for a team all year until it is out of the running. They quickly jump to supporting another team until it is out. Then another and another until the Stanley Cup is finally won by whatever team, and all the fickle fans jump up and yell, "YES!! That is the team I wanted to win all along!!!"

Because hockey fans love hockey and it makes it more interesting if you have some interest in who eventually wins.

[Black Dog]

Why do I hate the Canucks? Let me count the ways.

1. Bragging rights: outside of Montreal, I never want to see a Canadian team that's not Edmonton lift the Cup. Okay, maybe Winnipeg.

2. The team itself is as hateable a collection as you could come across. fragile Roberto Luongo with his flopping and whining and his exxon Valdez hair; the hideous, flopping other-dimensional ginger creatures the Sedin twins; the mouthy, flopping (seeing a trend?) Ryan Kesler; the cheap shot specialist Raffi Torres; the list goes on.

3. The fans. Vancouverites are already the smuggest bunch of jerks in all Christendom; a Cup-winning team would cause the entire city to completely disappear up its own asshole. Though even then I doubt we'd be free the whining of a fanbase that is as graceless in victory as they are petulant in defeat.

In short, Vancouver winning the Cup would be a national tragedy.

[bloodyminded]

I love the "Hockey is our National sport and you're not "Canadian" if you don't care!"


I usually tell these slackjawed yokel's to go Eff themselves...As if chaseing a rubber disc aroung some ice surface is an act of patriotism?


As sports go with me,it's football,baseball,boxing,and,auto racing....

Everything else is irrelevent!Just like the Vancouver Canucks and the rest of hockey!

Fuck football and auto racing, but yes, baseball and boxing are awesome.

Not as good as hockey, mind you....

[Black Dog]

I love the "Hockey is our National sport and you're not "Canadian" if you don't care!"


I usually tell these slackjawed yokel's to go Eff themselves...As if chaseing a rubber disc aroung some ice surface is an act of patriotism?


As sports go with me,it's football,baseball,boxing,and,auto racing....

Everything else is irrelevent!Just like the Vancouver Canucks and the rest of hockey!

The only thing more obnoxious than people going on and on about hockey are those who go on and on about not liking hockey. You don't like it, fine. Go off and enjoy your boring, shitty sports and leave the rest of us be.

[Scotty]

There's been some newspaper columns, including one from no less than the New York Times, making the observation that outside of BC, most Canadians don't seem to be that excited about the idea that the Canucks could bring the Stanley Cup back to Canada.

I would suggest it's more likely that, because of divisional playing, most Eastern Canadians rarely see the Canucks, and are no more familiar with them than they are with, say, LA or San Jose.

[scouterjim]

Because hockey fans love hockey and it makes it more interesting if you have some interest in who eventually wins.

They don't care who wins, as long as they can claim they supported that team all along. Buncha phoneys.

[sharkman]

I've been following the canucks since about '84, although I cheered for them in the '82 play-offs. I've played hockey in one form or another for over 25 years and I've become somewhat of a bitter fan, bemoaning bad trades, worse signings(Messier for 15 million over 3 years after he was washed up) and owners and coaches that should have not entered the profession. But through it all I love the Canucks and follow them faithfully, now watching them on a 4' x 8' screen(it's the only way!)

I am puzzled by the lack of support from other parts of the country, and I think that all of the reasons Kimmy raised have a part to play. But it's too bad because none of the other teams are even close to a serious run, and pride or jealousy or snootiness is no reason to not support a Canadian team. And all the reasons listed of why it's not a Canadian team or a Canadian game don't add up.

I always cheer for the Canadian team and feel real good if they knock off some American best-team-that-money-can-buy with sucks that sign there because they only want to be on a winning team. It was real good to see Detroit fall this year. But I've cheered for Montreal, Toronto, Ottawa and even Calgary who is normally a hated team. I love to see the magic that happens when a group of guys from very different backgrounds with different skill levels mesh into a single body with a single purpose that has a synergy and a heart that will do anything and take anything to win.

It's probably not well known, but most of the Canucks signed in the last 3 years have left money on the table, giving the team extra cash to sign better players. It's why we are so deep in defense. That is the kind of sacrifice that puts you above some of the other teams.

Anyway, if other parts of the country don't care to cheer or watch the Canucks this year, it's their loss because this team has everything and is putting a game on the ice that is simply outclassing the opposition on a given night. It's something that champions are made of.

[Remiel]

The Stanley Cup is not a Canadian trophy...

And yet that is its origin.

...and the NHL is not a Canadian league.

That is obvious enough.

The Stanley Cup does not belong in Canada, iot belongs to whichever NHL team earns it.

It is not the kind of belong where they could pick it up and sell it if they want to. The Cup is under the control of the trustees, and in the counterfactual case where the international hockey and the NHL dissolved, there would be a strong argument for rewarding it, once again, to the best Canadian club.

But it is not the property of Canada in any way, it goes to the league champion, and every team now is international.

And the Stone of Destiny is not the "property" of Scotland, but every inch of it is Scottish.

[Wilber]

They don't care who wins, as long as they can claim they supported that team all along. Buncha phoneys.

Every fan has a pecking order of teams they like.