The Stanley Cup

Rangers got beat out in the first round.

 

Oh well. Game 7. I don't think I can take it.

Jonas, he's pretty good. Yannik Nansen, age 25 and he's a right winger. One of the fastest skaters in the league and very hard working. He's improved so much this year and I would give him the trophy for most improved player on the Canucks.

 

In years past he's been a butt of jokes from some fans for his "hands." What I mean by that is his skill for stickhandling, goal scoring, and passing. This year he's been alot better at "finshing" plays and scoring goals. He's plays the role of a penalty killer, forechecker and as an "energy" player on the third line to gain momentum. A real nice guy and very polite when interviewed. A  workingman's hockey player.

 

I think there is four or five more Danes in the league. Other countries from Europe are producing very good players like Switzerland, Germany and Norway that aren't the traditional hockey playing countries.

May the best team win and I'm hoping for a good, CLOSE game.

I thought about it. Then I thought about the play of LOU. I'm heading over to Vancouver tomorrow. I only have one shot. I better make it count.

 

 I wish that was me kissing that lovely young lady Jonas.

 

I live over on Vancouver Island. It's about a two hour ferry trip from Vancouver. I've been there many times and it's a beautiful city, but way too big for me. I'm a country boy.

 

It's tough to say what I would of done if I was there at an earlier age(teens, twenties) and caught up in the pack mentallity. Being older and more mature(that could be argued) and seeing all what went on I was angry, disgusted and amazed and somewhat in disbelief that this was happening again in almost the same circumstances 17 years ago. I think it would of happened if the Canucks did win as the anarchists were going to ignite the fuel no matter what the outcome of the game. After the anger, I was sad by the events and then proud of the people of Vancouver as lots of people came down where the riot and looting took place and help cleaned up and also the support and gratitude they showed for the police.

 

What I can recall is that Vancouver has the been the only city in the history of the NHL to riot to a direct outcome of a game or a playoff series. The only other time I can remember was back in Montreal in the 50's when the NHL suspended a star of the Montreal Canadiens.

 

Riots occured last year in San Francisco after the Giants won the World Series and the L.A. Lakers won the NBA championship but not not to the scale of what happened in Vancouver and I think it's happened in Pakistan or India(don't quote me on that) regarding cricket. So it happens everywhere.

 

The Vancouver police are getting sructinised for not be prepared and doing enough, fairly or unfairly. Last year in Toronto when we held the G-20 and the G-8 meetings the cops were critisized for being to "rough." Damned if they do, damned if they don't.

 

I think the city has moved on for the most part after the worldwide media attention. I don't want to see it happen again, anywhere.

 

 

 

 

There were also riots in Montreal in 1993, and I think 2 happened since the lockout, though they weren't nearly as big as the Vancouver one.  The 93 one I'm not sure how big it was.

Leaf fans like myself don't get much opportunity to riot.  The closest they've got in my lifetime was in 1993 and nothing happened.  There was the G20 summit in Toronto recently where there was some rioting, though they were more politically charged as opposed to throwing a tantrum over a game.  Still doesn't make it right.