Off Topic: Ok, I'm All for Sports and All...But Really?

[PolynesianLily]

I woke up this morning, turned on the TV and was quite disgusted at what I saw coming from Vancouver and the Stanley Cup Finals.

I love hockey and I was hoping that Vancouver would win Game 7 last night, but I have to admit I am completely embarrassed to see what has occurred in Vancouver as a result of Boston winning. As a Canadian I am ashamed to say that those rioters are Canadian citizens because they are not properly representing our country. I do not think that a teams loss is any excuse for the behaviour that has occurred. Whatever happened to taking a loss with class and being happy for the winning team? However what has happened has demonstrated how classless some people can be. Setting police cars on fire, stabbing people and jumping off buildings over a hockey game is not what a true fan would do in my opinion.

Unfortunately this is not the first riot to occur over a loss in a game. Thinking back to 1994, the same thing pretty much occurred when Vancouver lost the Stanley Cup in game 7 as well.

I don't quite understand where these people are getting the idea that destroying public property and disgracing a country/province is a warranted activity simply because of a team's loss. I mean after all it's not like Vancouvers not going to have another chance at winning the Cup because hockey starts again in 100 days .

But regardless, a congratulations to Boston on winning the Stanley Cup, it was well deserved . Someone needs to teach these people that winning isn't everything.

 

[Auntie Kelly]

I was rooting for Boston and when I saw the cars on fire my first thought was that it was in Boston and was shocked that it was Canada. I always picture Canadians as being more polite and well behaved than us!

Actually in the states fans tend to riot when their team wins. That I don't understand at all! Your team won, you should be happy, not overturning cars and lighting them on fire. I guess I don't get it win or lose.

 

[linnell]

Stinks that the story this morning is not that Boston won, but the riots. It was a great series!

 

[PolynesianLily]

I was rooting for Boston and when I saw the cars on fire my first thought was that it was in Boston and was shocked that it was Canada. I always picture Canadians as being more polite and well behaved than us!

Actually in the states fans tend to riot when their team wins. That I don't understand at all! Your team won, you should be happy, not overturning cars and lighting them on fire. I guess I don't get it win or lose.

A lot of people are pointing out that what these rioters are doing is disgracing Vancouver. I completely agree with that, except for I'm sure not everyone there is from Vancouver. I think that it is a disgrace, especially when looking at the pictures and videos on the news this morning. Especially after the Winter Olympics added a positive vibe to the city. I was hoping that we would have more class than what was demonstrated, but that of course did not happen. It's just scary to think that people can act in this manner over something that is quite small.

Boston played a great game. You cannot fault them for that, the Canucks are taking the loss better than the fans which is quite sad. You'd think that the players would be more upset than the fans.

 

[Cherinva]

I think it's a shame that people behave this way.....it's sports people....one team wins , and the other team looses....it's the way it is.

 

[Stan Solo]

While I was watching the game last night I told my DW that the Vancouver fans (in the arena) are showing so much class. They cheered Tim Thomas for receiving MVP, they cheered the Stanley Cup coming on to the ice, they cheered when Chra lifted the cup. The only time they booed and thew stuff on the ice was when Gary came out to present the trophies. Not that anybody can blame them on that (I think even his mom would boo him *kidding*)

Then I wake up to today's news. Very disheartening as a Canadian, hockey fan and true believer in good sportsman ship.

 

[BilltM]

I wonder what would have happened if Vancouver won the game

 

[lugnut33]

I wonder what would have happened if Vancouver won the game

I wonder what would happen if something really important happened to Vancouver.

 

[PolynesianLily]

I could only imagine if Toronto was in the finals and lost instead of Vancouver. I sadly, do not want to see that and although I like the Leafs, I don't want them to be in the finals and lose. I think that if Vancouver had won the game things might not have gotten so out of hand, or maybe not. I mean I can understand people being upset over Vancouver losing, but like Cherinva said, it's just a game where someone wins and someone loses.

At least they have a facebook group where people are posting pictures of the riots where people can go and try to identify those involved so they can be dealt with appropriately. It's shameful because what I am noticing is that a lot of people were getting involved simply because others were. For example, there was a person who started beating on a security man who was trying to stop people from looting in stores and as soon as the one person started the beating an entire crowd came a long and helped.

Scary.

 

[Golf4food]

But people from Canadia are such peaceful and law-abiding folk...

I wonder what would have happened if Vancouver won the game

Maybe they would have invaded Seattle, eh?

 

[FireDancer]

I wonder what would have happened if Vancouver won the game

Would there be happy riots instead of sad riots?

 

[PolynesianLily]

Prior to the game, there was a shot of a peaceful Vancouver crowd cheering on the Canucks and somehow that "peaceful" crowd dissolved into a group of males who felt that the loss of the hockey game called for destroying a area of a city? I was looking at my twitter and facebook and noticed a few days prior to game 7 that a lot of people were mentioning that if the Canucks lost than it would not be a pleasant sight. It just kind of ruins the game when people cannot take a loss with class.

I actually think that some of the people involved in the riot were also upset because our postal system is on strike and air canada is on strike as well. But there is no excuse that can condemn this behaviour and watching the news everyone's like how could this happen again, and its 17 years later. History repeats itself?

It definitely takes away from the actual game because the Canucks making it to the Stanley Cup will forever be remembered by these riots rather than the effort that they put into their game.

Peaceful, law abiding Canadians? Mmm, I think we are now known as being classes people who might take hockey a bit too seriously. Sad and disgusting, but this is how a lot of people are characterizing the event.

A happy riot? Now would that involve setting cars on fire or breaking into stores and robbing them? I still don't understand how looting and losing a hockey game have anything to do with each other?

 

[AllyGirl_79]

While I was watching the game last night I told my DW that the Vancouver fans (in the arena) are showing so much class. They cheered Tim Thomas for receiving MVP, they cheered the Stanley Cup coming on to the ice, they cheered when Chra lifted the cup. The only time they booed and thew stuff on the ice was when Gary came out to present the trophies. Not that anybody can blame them on that (I think even his mom would boo him *kidding*)

We said the same thing about the fans in the arena! Last year, when the Blackhawks won in Philly, we Chicago fans weren't entirely impressed with Philly fans booing our players, the Cup, the MVP presentation, etc. I was cheering for Boston last night, but I was so impressed when the Canucks saluted the fans and they cheered. Then the fans cheered for Thomas and Chara, too. I was stunned by the pictures this morning. I can't imagine why people do these things.

We saw comments during the first round that some folks were worried about the response if Vancouver lost in game 7 to the Blackhawks back in April. I thought they were kidding. Apparently not.

 

[YukiPhnx]

I'm apalled at what happened in Vancouver. I'm not even a hockey fan and I'm ashamed.

The looting and the mob mentality is just absurd. I can imagine these people were probably drinking a lot during the game too.

 

[Susan R]

What would have happened if Vancouver won last night? There would have been a riot either way. My friend lives in downtown Vancouver and he and his girlfriend were going to go to one of the squares that had a jumbotron set up to watch the game for free. They started walking there but soon turned around and came back home because he said most of the people he saw were already drunk before the game even started and were in a dangerous mood. They didn't feel safe so they left.

In my opinion, the riot didn't happen because a hockey team lost. It was a group of people who wanted to riot and found an excuse. Apparently the police were called but they said they had everything under control

Susan

 

[Disney Dad Canada]

Lots of drunk people with nothing better to do unfortunately. Vancouver did the same thing when they lost in the finals years ago.

The city should have known this was a high probability of it happening win or lose and take appropriate measures to protect the innocent from the drunken jerks.

Vancouver has proven on more than one occasion that some just can't be trusted in large groups. They haven't won the Cup in 40 years now. they should know how to lose properly.