My friend Bruce asked me, Are you a Canucks fan?
He sounded incredulous, although he has been a Philadelphia Flyers fan since they were known as the Broad Street Bullies. As they haven’t seemed to be going anywhere for the past 20 years I find this equally incredulous. Likely, too, is that I’ve been noncommittal about most things. We share certain commitments, though. Ask us about the Flamin’ Groovies.
To answer his question, I guess I am. The evidence points to it.
I follow the standings, check out the stats, read about trades, call ups from the minors and send downs to the minors. I listen to every game on the radio.
I wasn’t always this way.
Shortly after I had my stroke in March, 2000, I’d watch the NHL play offs on the big screen in the GF Strong hospitality room. Soon after, I’d watch the games on my TV in my room. It was then I realized I was a bigger hockey fan
than I thought. It was a little like thinking you aren’t a TV addict and then you do the math. In our case, Kerry and I would watch the news, a daily rerun, usually of Law And Order, a couple of game shows, a new series and probably a CSI. That’s at least four hours a day. It was then, more than five years ago, we got rid of the TV. Haven’t missed it.
Bruce’s incredulity probably stems from the Canucks awful past three seasons. It hasn’t been easy to be a Canucks fan in that time.
However, if you live in Vancouver, it’s hard not to be aware of the Canucks. There is at least one story a day in the newspapers, they dominate sports radio, they’re a favourite subject on the street. Without even trying, you’re infected. You know more about the Canucks than you thought.
In a way, the team is compelling.
The rebuilding program, which stresses speed and youth, is a prime example but one requiring patience. It can be done if you look at Toronto Maple Leafs. They have been pathetic most of the years since 1967 and their fans with them. This year, coached by Mike Babcock in only his second year guiding the Leafs, they’re in a position to win the Stanley Cup. At the moment, the Oilers are near the bottom of the league, which is a surprise because after last year, many people thought the Oilers were primed to compete for the Cup. Maybe, before the year is out, they’ll rise again.
Then, there is Las Vegas…
The point is that a rebuild is possible, and, with new coach, Travis Green, the Canucks are getting closer.
At least we hope. Certainly, he’s made me throw out a few theories I’d developed during the previous three seasons.
One is that the Canucks can’t hold on to a one goal lead. They can this year but I don’t hold my breath. This is the Canucks, after all. I’m not so fixated on statistics that I know how many games they lost last year by one goal but then coach, Willie Desjardins always said his team was competing to the end. If they’d held on to that one goal lead, who knows?
Who knows is a question I’ve asked if John Torterella, had been allowed a second season. The newspaper writers seem to think him destructive and a step backward, but, who knows? He came here as the inheritor of a tired, old team , basically unchanged for years and a bunch of signings that he didn’t supervise. Anyway, he alienated the media and was bounced. He bounced back as coach of the Columbus Blue Jackets. They tanked in his first year, too, but last year and this season they’ve been at or near the top. Maybe if Tortorella had a second year with Canucks but….
Other theories included that if the Canucks were having trouble scoring in the first period, they’d have that trouble for the rest of the game. Scoring has been a problem anyway.
I won’t even talk about the power play or the penalty kill. The team has been working on improving both, but the changes haven’t been dramatic.
Put the Canucks against a team higher in the standing and the Canucks will rise but pit them against a lower team and they’ll be worse. They’ll lose the first game of any road trip, the first game back home and after any occasion such as Christmas or the All Star break. Put that altogether and there is a losing team.
That’s about the extent of my fandom. This hasn’t become an obsession…yet…but could.
A couple of things prevent this. One is that Kerry and I couldn’t afford a ticket, even if we could get one. Another is that we aren’t slaves to the sport. I turn off the radio as soon as the game is over, without listening to the after game analysis. When I’ve turned. on the radio the next day the announcers seem to be talking about the previous night’s game still down to minutia that makes me ask who cares and exclaim to the inanimate radio, get a life.
Maybe this stuff is important, but to whom?
What little I’ve heard or seen has convinced me that hockey has become a science rather than a romance.
The culprit seems to be statistics.I’m not immune to them. I like to know how we are doing in the standings, who has the best penalty killing record, what is the best power play.
But shots blocked? Plus/minus? Goal attempts? Projected, predicted finish?
And what the hell is Corsi? That might be the most useless stat, the most meaningless. I’ve never understood Corsi and don’t care.
Maybe somebody can tell me.
Maybe after the next game.
