Friday, March 14, 2008

Classy vs. Classless

Last night, during a very feisty matchup between the Phoenix Coyotes and the Vancouver Canucks, I noticed something from the corner of my eye that royally pissed me off and I'm wondering if any of you have ever noticed something like this in all your years/months/days as hockey fans.

Bieksa was in the box for the Canucks; he was testing Weller's temper management, he might want to ask OKT how well that works (sorry twin). That's beside the point. The fact was that he was sitting in the box stewing and plotting ways to maim the refs when a fan behind the box dumps his drink (not sure whether 'drink' means water, soda or beer and it really doesn't matter) over the glass and practically onto poor Bieksa. Now, I was a few rows back and about half a row away so I can't be positive whether any of it actually hit Bieksa but that's really not my point here.

Bieksa, naturally, gets pissed off and slams his stick into the glass. The jerk of a fan is ejected and the game gets back on track. All is right in the world. But it's not.

I'm just sitting there thinking; which is always dangerous. First of all, if you're going to make a move like that, why would you do it when the refs are right there reviewing a play? You think maybe they won't see? Second, why would you even do that to begin with? I don't care how much you dislike a play or a player, it's a respect issue. Even if you don't respect Bieksa, himself, have enough respect for the Canucks, the game of hockey, the Coyotes and all fans that are watching you act like a complete tool.

I had a couple of Canucks fans sitting next to me and they witnessed firsthand what sort of fans we have here in Phoenix. Even if they go to every single game until the end of time, they're always going to remember the guy that dumped his beer (again, speculation on my part) onto Bieksa. It doesn't matter what sort of good fans they see (like myself, ha ha) the one that will stick is the one who does something stupid.

Tell me who your friends are and I'll tell you who you are.

The same basic concept applies here: because one Phoenix fan let himself get carried away, all of our fans look like loonies.

So thanks for that, fan. You've single-handedly turned us into Red Wings fans.* Kudos.


*I'd like to point out that I don't mean ALL Red Wings fans. There are exceptions to every rule but for the most part, we get the most pissed off version of Wings fans in Phoenix. Those are the ones I am referring to.

5 comments:

Steph said...

Tracy, I'm so offended :P

(What I really want to know - and yeah I'm totally being facetious here, but! - is why goes to a game, spends an absolutely ridiculous $8 of beer, and then decides to dump it on some player, not only costing them the beer, but also you know, being at the game! What a waste!)

Tracy said...

Cheers Steph, my heart! It was a waste of beer, money and my sanity... because I was pissed the rest of the game. Granted that was only a few more minutes but still.

It's obviously carried over.

Z4Dfense said...

Yes it was beer 1/4 cup (about 2 bucks worth) and yes it was classless... those particular fans were goin waaay over the top every time a Nuck went into the box.

Beeks wasn't blameless as he shot water through the glass all over a little girl sitting there, trying no doubt to hit the classless wonders.

To make matters worse idiot boy actually asked the usher (Mike who sits there to keep the peace) if he would turn his head. Mike told him NO and to sit down... idiot proceeds to pour the beer anyway.

Idiot misses the last 3 minutes of the game and so does the Nuck fan who resorted to flipping idiot (and Mike the bird and shouting obscenities).

Being a fan does NOT mean losing your freakin mind. Just soooo sad.

Geeves said...

i know what its like, i was present back in the day when tie domi beat some fan behind.

its simple drunken stupidity, but i disagree. i've seen many incidents like that, and i simply use them as neat stories, not opportunities to whitewash an entire fanbase with a stereotype.

if it matters, i still respect the hell out of all 'yotes fans.

Rinslet said...

Don't worry, Tracy. Every city has fans that puts a black mark on their respective fanbases.

:P It'd be great if he was banned in the arena forever though. LOL