Canucks & Beyond
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Wandering Vancouver
by Alanah McGinley on 02/25/08 at 02:09 PM ET
Comments (22)
Walking up Robson Street in Vancouver last Saturday night, I was going against the crowds streaming towards GM Place to watch the Wings/Canucks slaughter matchup and I had the most disturbing experience: I smacked straight into Kirk Maltby and Darren McCarty.
Well, it was actually just their jerseys on a couple of random white guys apparently out looking for a beat-down… but still… *shudder*
It was also the first time I’ve spent in Vancouver in a few months, so I thought I’d jot down some random observations about West Coast Hockeytown, plus toss up a few photos:
- Wearing a t-shirt and no jacket while wandering the streets in February is a beautiful thing.
- Something odd about all the Canucks RBK jerseys on the streets: aside from a few Naslund and Linden ones, the rest were blanks. No-name. (*Are Canucks fans these days are so uncertain about the permanency of guys on their roster, they can’t even commit to a stencil...?)
- The Crazy Canucks were invited to record on the concourse of GM Place on Sunday and J.J.’s interview about the podcast on the jumbotron is going to make us all superstar celebrities. (Well, him, anyway!)
- I have way too much #&#@! hair. (*photo features Richard Loates on the far left, creator of an amazingly-popular Canucks Facebook app boasting 152,000+ members; JJ’s interview with him will be on the podcast, out later this week)
- After already having some suspicions, Friday night proved that I really am allergic to red wine. So I’m here to tell you that the only reliable thing for one’s hockey-cocktail menu is beer. Period. (I need to stop fighting this reality and just accept it.)
- For some reason, Daniel and Henrik Sedin apparently had a past love-affair with the hotel I was staying at—there were photos of them standing around in the lobby with the staff, all over the freakin’ place.
- Fast-food takeout sushi restaurants are the bomb. (God, how I miss living in the city...)
- Isn’t DaveO cute when he’s sober? Rebecca—of course—is always cute. And me? Well, I’m just grateful they were willing to hold me upright.
- I think this construction security company is just begging for a local TV ad spot with Mike Weaver saying “BRING IT ON!”
A big thanks to all the members of The Crazy Canucks—Rebecca, John, J.J. and DaveO—for always making me feel so welcome when I visit; to my friends Michael, Nancy and Rose for the wonderful hospitality on Friday; and to the boys at the Ultimate Canucks Search for inviting us mad bloggers and podcasters to do a bit of damage to their reputation on Sunday.
It was a blast.
Filed in: dumb stuff, hockey media, The Crazy Canucks, vancouver canucks | Canucks and Beyond | Permalink
Tags: open+practice, podcasting, ultimate+canucks+search, vancouver,
Comments
Congratulations on your team being able to “slaughter” a team with 4 of 6 defencemen injured and a minor league goalie. You are the type of fan that hockey doesnt need the type that thinks someone should beat up someone else just for wearing an opposing teams jersey. You are pathetic.
Posted by Cole from Michigan on 02/25/08 at 03:56 PM ET
Trini -- Thanks! But I must ask: is there such thing as an unhealthy Canucks obsession? I think we can leave the mental health worries to those lunatics who dare wear the Wings jerseys on the streets of Vancouver before a HNIC matchup. 
As for the blue hair… that sounds like a dare. Hmmmm. Anyone wanna make a 2008 hockey bet? It’s been a while since I’ve done something truly stupid…
Cole -- I empathize with the Wings.Vancouver was missing most of its top-4 D through long stretches of this season, too.
But that’s not the point. The point is I was just joking and you’re taking it way too seriously. So don’t whine to me about “pathetic”.
Get a grip on yourself, man—your team has 89 points and still 18 games to go. Doesn’t mean I can’t enjoy beating them the ONE time it happens all year long.
Good grief.
Posted by Alanah McGinley from British Columbia on 02/25/08 at 04:04 PM ET
You arnt “pathetic” because of the slaughter comment. You are pathetic because you said “Well, it was actually just their jerseys on a couple of random white guys apparently out looking for a beat-down… but still… *shudder*.”
That type of thinking is pathetic.
Posted by Cole from Michigan on 02/25/08 at 04:43 PM ET
Holy, Cole. Chill. After all, you are reading a little blog called ‘Canucks and Beyond’. What do you expect? Her to cheer for the wings?
Posted by Laker from BC on 02/25/08 at 04:52 PM ET
I have yet to find myself relating to any hockey/wings fan that thinks that someone in an opposing teams jersey is asking for a beat down you sound just like the leafs fans that pushed around and verbally assulted an 8 year old for wearing an opposing teams jersey.
Posted by Cole from Michigan on 02/25/08 at 04:57 PM ET
Wowsa, tough crowd here. And just HOW many people have been ragging on the Canucks over the last few weeks (even their OWN fans) geez. Give us a break.
Posted by Rebecca from Vancouver on 02/25/08 at 05:04 PM ET
I’ll give you a break when you stop acting like retards, Eh! Freakin canadians
Posted by Cole from Michigan on 02/25/08 at 05:09 PM ET
and re:
You are pathetic because you said “Well, it was actually just their jerseys on a couple of random white guys apparently out looking for a beat-down… but still… *shudder*.”
In Vancouver I’ve seen some pretty scared folks wearing Red Wings jerseys say… after the Lidstrom shot ‘heard round the league’. I think Alanah was just alluding to the fact that this is one hockey-crazy town and we’re pretty happy our team was able to defeat the Wings especially since we’re coming off a slump ourselves.
Posted by Rebecca from Vancouver on 02/25/08 at 05:10 PM ET
I’m willing to guess that Cole is an University of Michigan fan, thats how they all act. Unfortunately many of them are also Red Wing fans. Just ignore them. Keep up the good work Alanah.
Posted by Sp4r7an on 02/25/08 at 05:40 PM ET
Cole,
We have online pharmacy’s here in Canada that are well equipped to supply you with all the Prozac you need. They are perfectly willing to ship across the line at deeply discounted rates vs. your local pharmacy. Please, do take advantage of it.
Alanah, please, no more attempts at humor. It brings out the weirdo’s. I think this one might be armed.
Posted by Laker from BC on 02/25/08 at 05:55 PM ET
Thanks for the comments.
This reminds me, I was just saying the other day that I think Wings fans generally have a great sense of humor about themselves (certainly better than some of those Vancouver fans that freak out on the Canucks.com boards).
But I guess there’s a dud in every group. My “attempts” at humor, as Laker says, can sometimes go horribly wrong. (How is that possible?!) 
Anyway, the original point of this entire post was just: “Alanah had fun. And—I swear—no Wings fans were injured in the making of this post.”
Posted by Alanah McGinley from British Columbia on 02/25/08 at 06:31 PM ET
Sorry there, Nuks fans, you’ll have to forgive Cole. It’s been a traumatic three weeks here in the frozen north and apparently irony and satire are a bit more than he can handle right now.
As for you, Cole, come on, bud, look at that second photo again. I mean, geez, with a cherubic face like that you gotta give her a break.
Posted by OlderThanChelios from Grand Rapids on 02/25/08 at 06:32 PM ET
On behalf of Wings fans everywhere, I apologize for Cole, whoever he is.
This is a super post, Alanah, photos and all!
My wife always gets sick with just a sip of red wine.
However, she has 2 glasses of Pinot Grigio or Savignon Blanc every evening with dinner.
As for injuries, I hope the Canucks’ year-long, devastating injuries are behind them.
Posted by w2j2 on 02/25/08 at 07:34 PM ET
OlderThanChelios -- Cherubic? Very nice—and I figure that’s just one step away from being ‘angelic’. (It’s so nice to finally be appreciated!) Geez, I’m starting to feel bad for trying to run down that guy in the Chelios sweater on Saturday…
w2j2 -- Thanks! And Pinot Grigio is a fine choice (although so is lager, for that matter...).
As for injuries… Well at least, whatever the worst case scenario for Detroit over the next few weeks, you’re certainly not going to miss the playoffs. Hopefully the time will allow some guys to heal up (*unless the Wings are going to face the Canucks in the first round, in which case: all bets are off. No more well-wishes!)
Posted by Alanah McGinley from British Columbia on 02/25/08 at 09:41 PM ET
Hey Alanah, love your stuff and glad to here you had a great time both at open practice and the Northern Voice Conference.
Keep up the good work. It’s refreshing to get intelligent opinions from you and The Crazy Canucks about the Canucks and the game.
Posted by Ocenbrez from Sydney, Down Under on 02/26/08 at 04:13 AM ET
I think there’s some sort of rule that says, “Genuinely thoughtful and intriguing entries are bound to piss off the whackies.”
I’m with W2J2--Many apologies on behalf of us crazy Wings fans…
Though, that being said, I must protest the “no Wings fans were harmed.” Oh, my, my pride was severely, severely bruised when Ryan Kesler skated down on Jimmy Howard and reminded me why the kid needs another year in the AHL and some tighter pad straps so he can seal those god-damned things to the ice! I think I’m supposed to challenge you to a duel or something (you know, pride and the glove dropping and pistols in the morning or whatnot), but, in the spirit of noting to Sp4r7an that not all of us Michigan alums are batpoop insane, I’ll say, stop worrying about your hair!
Besides, isn’t there a rule that a hockey fan bashing Canadians gets a 5-minute major for besmirching hockey’s motherland?
Love your post. Thanks for sharing.
Posted by George James Malik from South Lyon, MI on 02/26/08 at 07:57 AM ET
Dammit. I just realized I’d been signing my posts “Cole” the last three days. I deserve every bit of abuse you’ve heaped on me. I ran out of porridge the other day and I’ve been cranky ever since.
Posted by IwoCPO from Washington, DC on 02/26/08 at 08:07 AM ET
George James Malik
Would it hurt more if we reminded you that Kesler was from Michigan?
Heh heh.
Posted by Ryan from BC on 02/26/08 at 11:34 AM ET
Ocenbrez -- Thanks, and I’m very flattered that you listen to it. As for the intelligent opinions on the show… you’re obviously fans of my co-hosts.
George -- Well, hurting your pride doesn’t bother me at all. I’m pretty sure all those freakin’ Stanley Cup rings make you immune to my worst efforts.
IwoCPO -- S’okay, Bill. I know where you live…
Ryan -- I think it always hurts Wings fans to be reminded Kesler is from Michican…
Posted by Alanah McGinley from British Columbia on 02/27/08 at 12:13 AM ET
Ryan--Kesler’s from Livonia, a west-side suburb which is all of five miles north of where I grew up. One of my childhood friends grew up next door to Mike Modano, but that doesn’t mean that I root for him 
The best way I can describe Kesler (and, as Sp4r7an will tell you, this is clearly a University of Michigan bias) is that he came from a family of Michigan fans, but rooted for Michigan State, and went to Ohio State, the only college that hates the University of Michigan more than Michigan State. I dunno, but I kind of figure that his play proves that he’s got an iconoclastic bent…
Posted by George James Malik from South Lyon, MI on 02/27/08 at 12:42 AM ET
“See you in the highlight reel?”
“Mervellieux!”
“Glovely!”
Posted by SYF from Las Vegas, NV on 02/27/08 at 02:21 AM 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.
Email:
Alanah’s Twitter: Not really hockey-ish. [LINK]
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Glad you had a great time. And bravo to all of you for your endless canucks coverage. You help me feel like i’m not the only one with an unhealthy canucks obsession.
One side note - You do have a lot of hair. I think it would look amazing dyed electric blue come playoff time!
Posted by Trini from VanC on 02/25/08 at 03:05 PM ET