Tainted Celebration

The riots that broke out in Vancouver last night, more than anything, left me feeling sorry for Vancouverites (Vancouverians?). Yes, Canadians love their hockey just as much as rednecks love their NASCAR*. And I am sure there were a few Canucks fans who felt as though the Game 7, 4-0 loss to the Boston Bruins in their arena was a sure sign of the end of the world. However, there is never a good reason to head up a riot like it’s the Apocalypse. We Americans already have a tainted view of Canada and the events from last night just further fueled that fire. What happened after the buzzer sounded in Rogers Arena definitely made it a whole lot easier for people to generalize Canadians in the “crazy” category. That’s not fair for the thousands of Vancouver residents who had nothing to do with the actions of the ignorant few. Over the next few weeks, if Vancouver is brought up in conversation, the natural reaction for most will be to talk about how everyone in the city goes crazy if the hockey team doesn’t win. It’s like hearing someone is from Nashville and automatically assuming we all walk around barefoot, chewing on a piece of straw, while wearing a cowboy hat and overalls (BTW, we only do this on Saturdays…).  

Vancouver is a gorgeous city and its hockey-loving citizens have a lot to be proud of. Their fateful “team of destiny” might not have brought home the ultimate prize but they sure did take everyone on a heck of a ride. I hope that most can take the time to see what an extraordinary year this was for the Vancouver Canucks, whether or not the outcome was favorable. The team, its fans, the city and the country deserves at least that.

And really, it’s just a few short months before the roller coaster begins again. 

Hit reset and start over.

*I am fully aware that I generalized rednecks and their love of NASCAR, which might somehow negate the entire sentiment of this post. Just try not to think about it too much, okay?