Lowell Devils
Taking off, to the Great White North
Stupid Summer
Catching up with Gordie
I’m Fitzy. She’s Sully.
The week that Was
From Far and Wide we Come to be Respectful
Hey gang. MOL and I just got back from the Bruins game. I am not as offended by the Bruins play as I am by the Toronto fans behind us. The Leafs KILLED Boston. I have only a slight problem with that. The Bruins’ game has gone to shit at the worst possible time. I wish that was my biggest problem.
When I go to the Bruins, or any event for that matter, I make sure I am there for the National Anthem. Sometimes when it is two American based teams I can maybe stand still in the aisle when Rene belts out The Star Spangled Banner. I always remove my hat, and I do not move until the singer stops the drawn out braaaaaaaaave. It’s what you are supposed to do as a good American. I love our anthem and I love being an American.
When a team from north of the border is in town, I make sure I am in my seat for the anthem. I think the Canadian National Anthem is one of the most beautiful songs. While not Canadian, I sing along to every word, and I do so out of respect. Before the tilt tonight, all the Leafs fans behind us emplored us to stand up and be respectful. They all sang loudly, and proudly as Rene did their Anthem and Country proud. I sang along quietly as I do and had my usual smile on my face as I love the song, and I knew my favorite song was next.
As Rene started into my anthem, the Toronto fans behind me proceeded to talk about the game upcoming through our entire song. I am a well disciplined Marine, so I stood at attention hand over heart and stewed as it kept going on throughout the whole song. Red Thunder can attest to not Squaring Away someone being disrespectful to our anthem while standing at attention. MOL was even slightly bothered, and she lives with me so you know it takes her a lot to get going. The song ended and I said, so they could hear me, What the fuck? We were quiet through their song. Some ass face said something rude, and I settled in to watch the Bruins get lambasted. There was zero point in saying anything to them, and I was with my wife and her lovely friend, so there was also no point in pressing the issue.
The Goonsquad prides themselves on being Ameridan. We love all hockey playing nations, especially Canada and America. I hear stories about the Ugly Americans around the world, and I do not want to turn this into a political blog, but tonight, I was seated with some Ugly Canadians. If you guys are on the road in America remember there are two anthems to be played. Try to show some respect for both.
As an aside. The current tally for Hockey Week in Acton is below. I may scrap this event due to poor showing.
Bruins: 0-3. Outscored 19-4. 2 fights (although the Chara Brash fight really wasn’t much)
Devils: 1-0. They won 4-1 after two VERY boring periods last night. 0 fights.
Overall record: 1-3. I’ll be in Worcester tomorrow to see Albany take on the Sharks. I have no rooting interest in this game other than I want to see Trevor Gillies go nuts on someone. You’ll recognize me as the fat kid that didn’t move during our national anthem.
Hockey Week in Acton
Just Like Old Times
Get ‘er Done
I’m as frustrated as a person that’s had January 23rd circled on their schedule because Bones is going to be in town, only to find out Bones is out until after the all star break with back spasms. I guess I’ll leave the I’m as frustrated as jokes to Larry the Cable Guy. But still, I’m pretty frustrated. Even more so because at about 5 Tweener e-mailed me to let me know Cam Janssen had been sent down for conditioning. There are few things that make me more excited than hearing a tough guy is in town right before I go to the rink. One of the others is me dressed as Little Bo Peep, but that is another blog. Anyway, the night wasn’t a total loss. There was one very scheduled fight between Mark Fraser of Lowell, and a Mohawk wearing Paul Bissonnette. It wasn’t much of a scrap really. Bissonnette landed a few hard rights, and Fraser didn’t do much of anything except get punched in the face. I got to speak to Bissonnette, and he was a very good guy. We talked a bit about the new jerseys, and fighting David Clarkson when he was in Junior. Good guy. Bones was in the house, but I couldn’t track him down to talk to him. I guess I’ll have to go on the road to see the all time AHL penalty minute leader before he skates off into the sunset.
This was a good hockey week for me actually. Thursday found me in the Garden for the Bruins and Islanders tilt. Naturally before I could be found at Halftime Pizza where I bumped into Cato, Mad Dog, Hoddy, and the other guy whose name I always forget. Along with that crew there were 4500 of our closest friends slugging down pizza, and 25oz’s of their favorite brew. I cannot believe how popular the place has become. I was turned onto Halftime last season by Killer. What were great about it were the huge beers, excellent pizza, and the fights on the plasmas. The best part however, was that there weren’t a zillion people in the place, so you could enjoy your pie, brews and fights in relative comfort. Now the place is a fucking zoo. It’s really caught on in a big way. Good for Halftime, bad for you and I. Oh yeah, Bruins won. No fights.