Many Thanks To The Hurricanes and The Men of Oil
For those of you who missed it, the NHL just completed it's season for 2005/2006 with a series that will be remembered for a loooong time. The Carolina Hurricanes and Edmonton Oilers actually had the people talking down here in the USA (aka Hockey Oblivion). Guys were coming up to me at work and ranting and raving about the previous nights game and how they spent most of the game sitting on edge of their seats. Even Julie, who is a Canuck fan by default and therefore doesn't get to experience what a run deep into the playoffs is all about, was amazed at the energy level throughout all the series. She mentioned one night she was getting tired just from watching the game... especially the games that went into O.T. where everything was on the line. Back and forth, up and down, chance after chance, hit after hit, night after night. At the end of two months there are no winners or losers, just survivors.
As much as I wanted Edmonton to win it, I wasn't too upset that Carolina ended up with the mug. They have a good team full of good guys that were willing to pay the price to get the job done. Certain guys I was extra happy for... such as Bret Hedican. Poor Bret, he was on the Canucks '94 team that lost in game 7 to New(fuckyou)York, and then he was on the 2002 Carolina team that lost in 5 games to Detroit, so third time lucky for him. Bret, an American, has always been a good ambassador for hockey in the United States. So many American teams have embarrassed themselves on the international stage with their whining, bitching, complaining, and all out arrogance with the likes of Mike Modano, Chris Chelios, Brett Hull, Kieth Tkachuk, and Jeremy Roenick. Bret has always been the even keel, mild mannered guy who took everything in stride so it's great to see him finally rewarded.
Rod Brind'amour. Here's a guy I felt bad for in the late 90's because he was part of a major franchise on the verge of winning it all in Philly, just to be shipped out to the hockey abyss known as Carolina. Carolina?? At the time of the trade the team was a joke and I honestly never imagined hockey surviving in the state best known for stock car racing. I figured the only way this franchise was going to be viable was to draft a top line of Dale Earnhardt, Richard Petty and Mario Andretti. Many players were unhappy playing here, obviously, but Rod stuck to his guns and played his ass off to near empty arenas year after year helping to turn the team around and to give it an identity. Soon, the rebuilding process started to grow, they moved into a brand new rink closer to the population, and people were starting to notice this team is for real. It was awesome to see Rod hoist that cup over his head, nobody can honestly say he didn't deserve it.
I hope one day I can watch my beloved Canucks make that trip to the finals again, perhaps with the recent trade of Bertuzzi for arguably the best goalie in the league, we'll turn things around.
Go Canucks Go.
As much as I wanted Edmonton to win it, I wasn't too upset that Carolina ended up with the mug. They have a good team full of good guys that were willing to pay the price to get the job done. Certain guys I was extra happy for... such as Bret Hedican. Poor Bret, he was on the Canucks '94 team that lost in game 7 to New(fuckyou)York, and then he was on the 2002 Carolina team that lost in 5 games to Detroit, so third time lucky for him. Bret, an American, has always been a good ambassador for hockey in the United States. So many American teams have embarrassed themselves on the international stage with their whining, bitching, complaining, and all out arrogance with the likes of Mike Modano, Chris Chelios, Brett Hull, Kieth Tkachuk, and Jeremy Roenick. Bret has always been the even keel, mild mannered guy who took everything in stride so it's great to see him finally rewarded.
Rod Brind'amour. Here's a guy I felt bad for in the late 90's because he was part of a major franchise on the verge of winning it all in Philly, just to be shipped out to the hockey abyss known as Carolina. Carolina?? At the time of the trade the team was a joke and I honestly never imagined hockey surviving in the state best known for stock car racing. I figured the only way this franchise was going to be viable was to draft a top line of Dale Earnhardt, Richard Petty and Mario Andretti. Many players were unhappy playing here, obviously, but Rod stuck to his guns and played his ass off to near empty arenas year after year helping to turn the team around and to give it an identity. Soon, the rebuilding process started to grow, they moved into a brand new rink closer to the population, and people were starting to notice this team is for real. It was awesome to see Rod hoist that cup over his head, nobody can honestly say he didn't deserve it.
I hope one day I can watch my beloved Canucks make that trip to the finals again, perhaps with the recent trade of Bertuzzi for arguably the best goalie in the league, we'll turn things around.
Go Canucks Go.
1 Comments:
Yes, Brian, it was an exciting play-offs this year, the adrenalin was pumping on both sides of the border.
B.C. er's were happy for Brindamour as the Stanley Cup got to visit Campbell River (just north of Nanaimo).....everyone was so happy for Rod! The radio and people census here was everyone was rooting for the Oilers to win but also conceded there was a lot of Canadian players on the North Carolina team.....so we were happy for them too.
The coach of Hurricanes was so excited when they won that it was fun just watching him jumping out of his skin with joy.....the Hurricanes have only been in Carolina 9 years and they had to convince everybody there that a hockey franchise would work. I got a kick out of the packed stands in Carolina....that they were all enjoying hockey (Canada's game) so much!!....good for them!
Mom
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