Contempt doesn't come close to describing my opinion of these people who ultimately helped Lebron James and his buddies at The Fenway Sports Group drive ticket prices to an obscenity and coined the loathsome media term "Red Sox Nation."
Now, with the Bruins taking the ice in a couple of hours for their first Stanley Cup final in 21 years and chasing their first championship since 1972, the Pink Hats, or fair-weather fans, are again coming out of the woodworks. And to my own disgust and dismay, I believe I might be one of them.
I have never been a huge a hockey fan pre-playoff season. Seldom do I watch regular season games, but when it matters, I'll root for the home team and I find hockey to be one of the most exciting sports to watch. For example, regardless of whether you're a hockey fan or not, last Friday's Game 7 against the Lightning was one of the finest New England sporting events I've ever seen, up there with "The Bloody Sock" and the 2002 Super Bowl.
Since I've started listening to The Felger and Mazz on The Sports Hub 98.5 on my commutes home from work (I now listen to sports radio, thus I'm solidifying my role as a middle-aged American male), I've become more cognizant of the passionate Bruins fans who have been sitting on their hands while the other New England teams have enjoyed their successes in the past decade. And if I were to be honest with myself and try to empathize with these fans, I would despise the likes of myself, the guy who goes along for the playoff-ride.
Perhaps the old wisdom is correct: we act out against the things we hate most about our selves. Yes, I'll watch all the games in this Stanley Cup series, but if the Bruins topple the Canucks and hoist the Cup, my hat is off those fans who have been through the long, painful and often heart-wrenching trek of the true fan. For these people, more than any one else, I want to see this happen.
Go Bruins!
3 comments:
I know exactly how you feel. I love hockey, but never watch regular season NHL. This is becuase more than any major sports league, the NHL regular season is completely pointless. Last year's Eastern Conference final was between the 7 and 8 seeds. I think they should just expand the league by two teams and have a 32 team knockout tournament every year. Of course, though, I feel guilty saying that, becuase its the same thing I get mad at so called baseball fans for when they only watch the postseason and couldn't name a single player in the National League to save their life.
I'm sure you know (or maybe not, why would you care?) I'm a Canucks fan through and through, but I'm really looking forward to this series. Its almost too perfect. A team, generally agreed to be the most talented in the league, trying to win their first cup and bring it back to Canada, and they're playing one of the league's oldest, most storied franchises who themselves haven't lifted the cup since '72, and have had some down and out luck the last few years. This things is going to go seven, its going to be close, and its going to be great, no matter who wins.
But seriously...lets go Canucks!
-Brian
If these first two periods are any indictation, everyone is in for a treat.
Wow. Again, what an exciting sport to watch when it matters. Think about the Olympics. Anyone who has never watched the sport could appreciate that.
Again, I defer to the real hockey fans for commentary, but this is an ass-load of fun to watch.
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