Thoughts on the Stanley Cup

Well, the 2010-2011 NHL season is officially in the books and we have new Stanley Cup champions: The Boston Bruins.

I've mentioned before that I wasn't a fan of either team and I really wasn't looking forward to the match up. But of course as a hockey fan I couldn't just tune out the series completely. So I watched and tried to get a feel of the series and I tried to figure out which team I would hate seeing win the Cup less. And honestly, I never really figured that out. It was a pretty even series and both teams each had uncanny similarities...which was highlighted in this brilliantly hilarious piece done by Down Goes Brown.

In the end, I could only find one way to justify which team I wanted to win, and that was Tim Thomas. I really like him and he seems like a real good guy off the ice. It's been fun to watch his success (despite the fact that his success means success for the Bruins), and he was outstanding throughout the entire playoffs, especially in the Finals. I was real happy to see him raise the Cup and in my own little world he was a one-man team out there, making all the saves and scoring all the goals. Yeah...that sounds a lot better than the gross Bruins winning the whole thing, doesn't it?


The only known photograph from that night.

So congratulations, Tim Thomas!! You deserved it.


And as for the way some Vancouverites reacted to the loss... As each goal the Bruins Tim Thomas scored, and as each minute wound down, I had a feeling things were going to get ugly in downtown Vancouver. I know hockey is an emotional sport, but the concept of rioting over something like that just doesn't make any sense. Way to kick yourselves when you're already down. Your team just lost the Stanley Cup and to add insult to injury you are going to try and destroy your beautiful city and harm your fellow citizens and fans. I don't know...I guess I can understand some havoc and raucousness, but there is a line that shouldn't be crossed and was crossed. I just hope when the Sabres are in a similar situation (win or lose) we will have enough respect for ourselves and our city to not to try and destroy it when we are either celebrating or mourning.

I hope the people who injured others and lit peoples' cars on fire are caught and held accountable, and I also hope that the Canucks can some how find a way to give back to those who came to clean up after the rioters the following day.