Monday, February 22, 2010

White Lightning

I have to admit I take great pride in the USA Hockey team beating the Canadian Hockey team. I know they are teams filled to the brim with NHL players but I get this wholesome good feeling anytime a Canadian Hockey team loses to any other team, from any other nation. They "own" ice hockey; it's their national pass time. Here is a story about just how many people watched the game last night, some think like 2/3's of the entire population of Canada.

I hope the USA Woman's team kicks-ass on the Canadian Woman's team too; you know just to rub it in a little. Maybe a lot!

I love that it's been since 1992/1993 season since the last time a Canadian team has won the Stanley Cup (Montreal Canadians – I spell it the USA way not the 'other' way). Oh they have been close having teams in the final games 4 times in the intervening years but they all went down in flames.

I know I have more deep rooted issues here with this almost maniacal antipathy towards the supposed "Great White Up" and yes for the record I have been there, once. Montreal. For a Hockey tournament. Let's just say, it was not pretty and I hold all them Canucks responsible for it. And yes, I hold a grudge a long time.

As for all those people watching their Hockey, I am sure a large portion of the population up there are still viewing it in Black and White TV sets. I say that because the NHL requires that the Centerline in the NHL rinks be a dashed line so that you can tell that's what it is without color TV. I am sure there was a lot of squealing over the border when the US TV market went all digital. And no rebates for them to get those converter boxes. Poor babies.

I guess I am a bit down on them because we are soon to get a worse health care system then they have. Makes me sick. Good thing we are playing better Ice Hockey right now then they, I'd really hate them if they were winning!

BT: Jimmy T sends.

2 comments:

Buck said...

O Canada! Heh. I took great pleasure in the win Sunday nite, too. But the Large Lady hasn't sung yet and it's still a looong road to the medal round for the men, less so for the women. Double hockey gold in these Olympics would be wonderful; I could die a happy man. I think the women have the best shot at gold but I also think our men will do nothing less than a bronze. Being the Number One Seed guarantees a relatively easy row to hoe for us. I also expect the Canadians to lose to the Russians, which will result in a national psychological depression in The Great White Up. I hope they've got a strategic Prozac reserve...

That said... I miss living in close proximity to Canada. My years in Dee-troit meant "Hockey Night In Canada" EVERY Saturday night, without fail. The CBC does hockey teevee better than anyone on the planet. Versus and NBC could learn a lot from them, or maybe they should just outsource their coverage to CBC and be done with it. I cringe at US hockey commentary and mute it more often than not. YMMV, of course. ;-)

JimmyT said...

I with you on this Buck, the Ladies are going to do us proud but the men have some work to do yet. A double gold here would be great.

The coverage we get on the Flyers are really good, they have their own Play-by-Play broadcast team and they do a superb job. The only times I hate watching them is when NBC (the worst) or Versus (only slightly better) do the broadcast.

Can't wait for them to go back to the regular season.

BT: Jimmy T sends.