As the Bruins turn their attention to Vancouver, fans are also looking out to Western Canada to see who/why they should hate the Canucks. It will be a bit of a stretch, since Boston only faces Vancouver once a season, and the city itself is beautiful and the people very nice. It is not like the Bruins are facing the Flyers or Canadiens, here.
That being said, fans still need a reason to hate the opposition. So here are the Top 10 reasons (mostly tongue-in-cheek) to dislike Vancouver and/or the Canucks:
10. Maxim Lapierre: A known agitator (strike 1), Lapierre is a Quebec native (strike 2) who played parts of five seasons with the Montreal Canadiens (strike 3).
9. The city’s Downtown Eastside: Sure Boston has neighborhoods with some issues, but Vancouver’s Eastside makes the worst Boston neighborhood seem pristine. Filled with crackheads, prostitutes, and criminals, it is reported to be the area for which the term, “skid row” was born.
8. The 2010 Olympics were there: Sidney Crosby scores the game-winning goal as Canada beats the USA. ‘Nuff said about that!
7. Raffi Torres: The Bruins almost acquired Torres at the trade deadline last year, and if they had, Bruins fans would love him. He plays on the edge, hits everything in sight, and draws the ire of the opposition and its fans. He also has been suspended a number of times for cheap/illegal hits. Think a bigger version of Matt Cooke.
6. Hypocrisy: Vancouver’s top industry for years is logging. It is also the birthplace of the annoying Greenpeace movement (the idea of protecting the environment is great, but it can be done without littering the streets with pamphlets and papers). In fact, maybe these two groups work together! Hmmm you kill the trees and we will waste paper …
5. The rest of Canada hates Vancouver: Most Canadians are nice people who dislike very little. However, almost of all Canada hates Quebec (as do Bostonians) and most also hate Vancouver. If Canadians detest Vancouver, why shouldn’t we?
4. Rain: It rains there all the time … oh wait, it rains here all the time too. Did we have a spring?
3. The Sedin Twins: One major reason to hate them is they are just too damn good. Henrik won the Art Ross Trophy and the Hart Trophy last year, while Daniel won this year’s Art Ross and is a finalist for the Hart. Plus, both are strong contenders for this year’s playoff MVP. Second, they have always played together. Isn’t that sweet? Barf! Lastly, they have had a history of diving (ala P.K. Subban). Legend has it that Swedish fans would chant during Modo games (in Sweden) that (translated), “Sedins are girls.”
2. The logo: What the heck is that supposed to be? Why an Orca? I know the team is owned by a group that also owns Orca Bay, but are they that vain to put an Orca on the team jersey? Ugly and stupid.
1. Nickelback: Most of these reasons are tongue-in-cheek, but not this one. Nickelback,
based in Vancouver, is possibly the worst thing that ever happened to rock music and surely there popularity is one of the reasons Harold Camping predicted the end of days. God forbid if these guys are trotted out to sign either national anthem.