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The Joys of PPV (and Other Canucks Fan Injustices)
by Alanah McGinley on 10/29/07 at 08:33 PM ET
Comments (9)
An email from a friend today is rather illuminating about what it’s like to be a Canucks fan lately. Hard to know whether to laugh or cry. (well, not really—“crying” is pretty much where it’s at...)
Michael (who, incidentally, happens to be the author of this great hockey book) writes:
Last night, while channel surfing during a World Series commercial break, I stumbled across the Canucks’ pay per view game against the perfidious Red Wings, apparently being aired gratis on Shaw Cable, channel 4 here in Vancouver. I called a couple of friends to let them know about this apparent pay per view promotion-- of which I had heard nary an inkling --and we all settled in to watch the rest of the game, as it was now late in the first period.
Right on cue, the Canucks bungled a play in the Wings’ zone when Kevin Bieksa pinched in to whiff at a puck (to be fair, a couple of his teammates had also missed the puck) and before you can say “elite hockey team” two Wings were racing back the other way with only Willie Mitchell to stop them by stopping the pass. He didn’t, and Roberto Luongo had committed to the shooter and just like that, the puck was in the net with less than a minute to play in the period.
Oh, well, lots of game left I thought. But nope, the good people at Shaw pulled the plug seconds later, at the end of the first period, with the blue screen now telling us to go order the rest of the game on the pay per view site.
As a rule of thumb, it’s not good commercial practice to raise the price, as it were, when you’ve just had such a stunning display of product inferiority.
Indeed. Not to mention, there’s something about forking out money for specific matches on PPV that makes me exponentially more annoyed about everything to do with the game.
For instance, aside from what unfolded on the ice, it didn’t help that that my own PPV purchase didn’t start actually showing the game till about 6 minutes into the first period. Instead I was treated to a post-game broadcast of the Edmonton-Anaheim game during that time.
Without audio. Sweet geezus.
And for annoying bonus points today, NHL.com was linking this photo from the front page of their site as today’s “Frozen Moment.” It was taken at last night’s game.
At this point, I’m rethinking whether it’s wise to admit publicly that I even am a Canucks’ fan. (Or I suppose I could just start drinking more. That might not be a bad plan, either...)
Let’s just hope the two games coming up soon against Colorado provide some redemption for this Detroit fiasco.
I’m getting sort of desperate to make fun of someone else besides my own favorite team.
___________________
*minor update to the post at 8pm PT
Filed in: vancouver canucks | Canucks and Beyond | Permalink
Tags: the+story+of+my+progressive+heart+failure, vancouver+canucks,
Comments
Hey now… I’m not the type to enjoy other peoples’ misery! Well, unless it has something to do with the Wings or the Avs, anyway. 
Posted by Alanah McGinley from British Columbia on 10/29/07 at 10:00 PM ET
Awesome book. If you are a hockey fan who doesn’t own it already, and your S.O. or S.E. doesn’t get it for you for Christmas, you should never let them forget it. (And then buy it yourself, you cheapskate!)
PPV is evil. Anyone subjected to it has my sympathies.
The best thing about the picture is the wide berth the human fans are giving the two extraterrestrial-asylum-escapees in their midst. Every fan base has its embarrassments, just like every family tree has a Jerry Springer branch.
As for making fun of other teams...Toronto Maple Leaves. Heh-heh-heh.
Posted by Baroque from Michigan on 10/30/07 at 04:32 AM ET
Extraterrestrial-asylum-escapees?
I thought the Sedin twins were holding an impromptu autograph session!
Although it would explain a lot if both statements were true.
(Sorry...couldn’t resist):)
Posted by YzermanZetterberg on 10/30/07 at 11:26 AM ET
I thought the Sedin twins were holding an impromptu autograph session!
Nah. No facial hair.
Posted by Baroque from Michigan on 10/30/07 at 11:53 AM ET
We saw these two the other night after the game. Impromptu purchase of tickets from scalpers, and it was a good game to go to on Beck’s brother’s birthday.
Still, pretty good costumes.
Posted by John Bollwitt from vancouver, bc on 10/30/07 at 05:26 PM ET
Come on now we all know that it is none other than Alanah and Rebecca in those vintage ‘Nucks jerseys.
Posted by Terry from West Van on 10/31/07 at 06:11 PM ET
Christy -- When was it that things changed around and YOU became the bad influence on ME?!
Baroque -- It’s a wonderful book, isn’t it? And you’re right… I need to spend more time on Toronto. That’s always such a nice a feel-good experience for hockey fans everywhere. (Well, except those Toronto ones...)
YzermanZetterberg -- Be nice to the Twins on this blog, dammit!
John -- But are you absolutely sure they were costumes??! I’m betting those people go through their whole life in that get-up. Perhaps they’re from Surrey…
Terry -- One might be Rebecca, but no way I’d be wearing anything but my Luongo jersey… I had to sell my blood to be able to afford that thing.
Posted by Alanah McGinley from British Columbia on 10/31/07 at 08:56 PM ET
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About Canucks & Beyond
Alanah McGinley has been blogging hockey since 2003, sharing opinions, rants and not-so-deep thoughts with anyone who will listen. In addition to writing Canucks & Beyond and helping manage Kukla’s Korner, Alanah is one of the founders and co-hosts of The Crazy Canucks Podcast, as featured at Canucks.com.
She has contributed pieces to FoxSports.com and the New York Times Slapshot blog, as well as other stray destinations in cyberspace.
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