Begrudgingly rooting for Team Canada
Posted by modsuperstar on February 19th, 2010There has been something that hasn’t been sitting with me well for awhile and up until now I hadn’t been able to figure this out. The Olympics is being hosted in Canada and our Men’s hockey team is the pride and joy of many in this country. Yet I found I just wasn’t excited about it. I didn’t even bother to watch Canada play in their first game against Norway. So tonight I was invited to go watch the Canada vs Switzerland game with friends. I was kinda begrudging about going, but couldn’t really figure a rational reason why I wouldn’t want to hang out with friends and watch a hockey game. The game went to a shootout, with Sidney Crosby scoring the winner, then Martin Brodeur stopping final Swiss shot to seal the win. You’d figure I would be happy, but again I wasn’t jumping out of my skin about it.
On the drive back home I finally put my finger on what was bothering me about Team Canada. It’s that I fucking hate a lot of the players on the team! I’m a hockey fan, I follow it quite closely, I play Fantasy Hockey as well and know a fair amount about the game. I just find that the team Steve Yzerman has assembled here is like an all-star team of players I hate.
Sidney Crosby
I’ve disliked Cindy since he was drafted to the Penguins. I disliked the way he flopped all over the ice during his first few years in the league. I’ve long disliked the Penguins, back to the Lemieux/Jagr days and really disliked when they won the Cup last year.
Marc-Andre Fleury
Fleury is guilty by association with Crosby. Also the fact he blew that World Junior gold medal in 2004 to Canada doesn’t help his cause either.
Chris Pronger
I’ve disliked Pronger since his time in Anaheim. He left Edmonton on bad terms, then went to Anaheim and won a Stanley Cup. The fact he won at the expense of my beloved Senators just makes it that much worse. He gooned Dean McAmmond in that series, a play that I’ve long felt turned the momentum of the finals.
Dany Heatley
Here is a guy that I used to really like, up until he weaseled his way out of Ottawa. He signed a big fat contract in Ottawa, only to leverage his no-trade clause into a move to a Cup contender in San Jose. The fact that Ottawa helped him resuscitate his career after the whole vehicular manslaughter thing just seemed like a slap in the face to Senators fans.
Scott Niedermayer, Ryan Getzlav and Corey Perry
Not that I terribly dislike any of these three, but they play for the loathed Anaheim Ducks. Niedermayer also played for the New Jersey Devils, another team I really dislike.
Patrice Bergeron
Plays for divisional rival Bruins. Got the Olympic spot that should have probably gone to Mike Fisher, given Fisher was having a better season in a similar role for the Senators this year.
Martin Brodeur
I will begrudgingly admit that Brodeur is a great goalie, even though I believe much of his success is a bi-product of New Jersey’s defense first system he’s played behind his whole career. Also him beating the Sens in the 2003 Conference Finals didn’t endear himself to me either.
Sure many of the reasons I listed might be petty. Sure I hold grudges and have a long memory. But that’s just the way I feel. I think even if Stevie Y had put Mike Fisher or Jason Spezza on the team I would probably feel different, but I feel I don’t really have anyone to root for on this team. Being a Canadian player doesn’t buy my undying loyalty. Don’t get me wrong, I love seeing Canada win and want them to win gold in hockey on home soil. Just don’t ask me to be excited to cheer on Cindy Crosby and Dany Heatley while they do it.











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