We didn't offer these opinions unsolicited - they were asked for by a Nucks fan who insists this is a touchstone game. Sorry, but as a hockey fan who saw 30 longer ago than I care to admit, no one outside of Canada and under God only knows what age considers Vancouver an NHL "flagship." And no one has "dumped on" Vancouver in this thread any more than (and quite a bit less than) I've seen Nucks fans do in seasons past; we just don't consider this a game any more important than most. And we've lost regular season series to many whom we have subsequently dismissed from the playoffs. Outside of a divisional rival, regular season series in a good season don't mean a whole lot.
Detroit hasn't had an actual riot since 1968 and I defy you to find any real evidence outside of accusations from non-local media to prove otherwise, yet it's a perpetual joke in North America. Anyone who does have an actual riot is going to hear about it repeatedly from Detroiters. Might as well learn to live with it - it's not going away any time soon.
And it's not luck the Wings have been dominant - it's by the grace of Mike Ilitch and the genius of Jim Devellano. We Michiganders must be right with Jesus to be so blessed.
So I'm sorry if we don't hold the Nucks in the same esteem you do, but I am hard pressed to think of any reason thus far why we should.
I did not mention opinions, I said unsolicited shots. Much in the same way Steve Yzerman and Joe Sakic did not take unsolicited shot at their foes after victory and after retirement (hello Mark Recchi), I would expect fans of opposing teams to do the same. Opinions, certainly. But unsubstantiated insults and vitriol are oftentimes pointless and simply rude.
I see you are speaking using the pronoun "we" as if you represent all Wings fans. I'm sure I've been guilty of the same many times. But
this Canuck fan can only speak for himself. And I see the game as a big regular season game. There is nothing wrong with viewing a marquee matchup as important. I'm not sure if you recall but when Karl Malone and Michael Jordan were in the NBA oftentimes NBC would feature those games on the Sunday for a national television audience signifying the relative importance of the game. If you think those games were just the same as Jordan rolling into Vancouver to play the Grizzlies on a Tuesday night then yes, this game on Thursday is just two points.
Further, if you look at the objective reality of the tie-breaking system (i.e. ROW and season series) you will know that in addition to "just two points" being on the line there is playoff positions and perhaps home ice advantage at stake on Thursday night. So with respect to your comment about the importance of season series, I just say you are objectively incorrect. I'm not sure why a Red Wings fan would downplay the importance of this game, but make no mistake, from an objective point of view this is a reasonably important game.
From a subjective point of view, I see a matchup with Detroit as fun and exciting, because it is a good hockey game. I would rather watch Vancouver vs. Detroit than almost any other matchup because its good skilled hockey. Anyhow, I was at Rogers Arena on December 21st and that was one heck of game. The atmosphere, the intensity and the hockey were just at a higher level than Vancouver vs. Columbus or Minnesota.
With respect to the riots, what can I say? They happened. But I mean, you weren't there and you didn't walk the streets during the riot or go to work the next morning at 7AM and see the actual damage. So much in the same way you can say only local media has a handle on the alleged riots in Detroit then I will respond by saying the riots looked at lot worse on TV then they actually were. But a riot by a bunch of drunk teens and 20-something is nothing new in this world. And let's be honest, the riot has nothing to do with the merits of the team, or the vast majority of its fans. Nor did I mention the riot, nor do I care about any riot actual or alleged in Detroit. I mean I won't start talking about the economy of Detroit or the crime rates because well, it is simply not relevant.
As for Vancouver not being a flagship franchise? I beg to differ. They are the seventh most valuable team in the league whilst being in medium-sized market. They have the longest sellout streak going in the NHL. They are highly profitable, in the sense that they pay a large chunk of their revenue in to league coffers for redistribution. They are the second biggest market on HNIC, which is the biggest hockey television production in the world. They have won their division six out of the past eight season...etc...etc...etc...etc. Economically speaking Vancouver, is a flagship franchise for the NHL. Pierre McGuire of NBC was on sports radio in Vancouver yesterday and said that same thing. NBC has no problem putting Vancouver on American television because they are "a huge draw." And the SCF was the "most watched since they started taking ratings in 1971."
The only teams I would place ahead of Vancouver without qualification are the Detroit Red Wings, New York Rangers, Toronto Maple Leafs and Montreal Canadiens. In recent years I would add Boston and Chicago, however those teams are extremely recently rejuvenated. And in the same way as these sorts of things ebb and flow, Dallas and Colorado are, at this time, not considered flagship franchises.
As for your comments with respect to Jesus and success, I'll leave you to your superstitions without comment. The fact of the matter is you are either a Red Wings fans by default (meaning you've been lucky for a long time) or you choose to cheer for the because of their success (meaning you are bandwagon jumper). The success of the team, does of course have nothing to do with luck. But the smugness of the fans directly correlates with luck. The true measure of fan therefore is if you stay with a team when they are terrible. Sounds like you are clearly a hardcore Wings fan, but that does not change the fact that an entire generation of Wings fans have not experienced a losing season.
I'm looking forward to a great game. And I know it means a little more to many of you Wings fans than Columbus or Edmonton. Lets be real about it. It is
only 2pts, but they are a big 2pts. Viewing SJ or Chi as bigger rivals is natural, but it does not make those games of more importance. OF course, I view Chi and Bos as bigger rivals than Detroit too, but objectively speaking a game against Boston is quite literally just about the 2pts and against the Wings it is not.
I'm sure many/all of you will disagree. Which is fine. But it does not change the fact that I've tried to provide objective analysis and facts to support my points. And I continue to enjoy reading (and sometimes posting) at this website.
Edited by Bertmondi, 21 February 2012 - 07:36 AM.
