Just an hour north....
...and I would be in Canada, where they have hockey-ticket contests, mini-sticks through McDonald's, Don Cherry and Ron McLean making awful jokes (Really, Ron, did you have to? Mugged and brewers...ugh), and Wal Mart selling hockey paraphanlia. The states have NASCAR, football, and Yankees/Red Sox stuff. What's wrong with this picture? Canada even has Tim Horton's.
Why am I bringing this up? Because I am currently watching the Habs/Leafs game and the atmosphere and crowd in the Bell Centre is amazing. Now don't get me wrong, I don't mean to imply that all American held games are dull (Go Pens!)...but there are quite a few that are, whereas you don't often find many quiet Canadian arenas. Is it because Canadians are exposed to hockey, no matter which province or city they come from? People from the States sometimes aren't...some have never even held a stick (although most northern states play it in backyards and in gym class) or been on skates. Having a childhood connection certainly helps people feel more involved and interested in a sport, and Canada is the birthplace of hockey...
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Away from hockey-centric ramblings, the Canes decided to help out by absolutely crushing the Devils 7-2. Too bad Philly couldn't do the same with Ottawa. Boston fell to the Rangers, as did the Islanders to the Panthers. Without checking the scores, I'm going to say that the Oilers are losing. Anytime you'd like to break this losing streak would be great, Edmonton. Oh, what, you need defense and players that have been in more than 10 games in the NHL?
EDIT: I'm not sure how I missed this, but the Stanley Cup and I share the date of our birth. Yes indeed, the Cup and I have the same birthday. I knew when the first NHL game was (December of 1917), but not the Cup. Huh. Happy Birthday, Lord Stanley's Cup!
5 comments:
AND, according to a TSN report awhile back. More than a third of all NHL revenue comes from the 6 Canadian teams. So can someone explain why we can't have another one? Somewhere? Please?
I'm not surprised, people from the States just don't have a good appreciation of the game of hockey. Not sure about another expansion, though....I have enough trouble figuring out who is where as it is!
Yeah, I don't see an expansion happenning anytime soon either. But we'll support any team that may move North from the US. But I have to say, I am super excited that the Pens are staying in Pittsburgh; it's where they belong.
Seriously! That will continue to make me happy for many days to come.
I've been through a few pretty crazy games in the states but nothing will ever compare to my first ever memory of Canada. We were staying in downtown Toronto and basically driving up University maybe a half hour after the Leafs had just won a series in the playoffs a mere few blocks away. It was a sea of blue throughout the streets and nothing has yet compared to that. Hockey simply is Canada.
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