Canuck Memories

[donlever]

Yeah agree....one of the reasons the thread was started was stories like that...and Lancers.

[theman]

Yeah agree....one of the reasons the thread was started was stories like that...and Lancers.

Not mine?

[donlever]

Lol.

I just grabbed Lancers name out of a hat.

Yours was clearly the best!!!

(...lever pats theman on the head and shuffles him along with an ice cream cone...)

[Lancer]

Fun to hear the stories of fans here who aren't from BC. People in the rest of Canada (and perhaps in American NHL markets as well) understand when they see a BC or Vancouver native wearing Canuck colours. They have a harder time computing anyone not from BC being a Canucks fan. Like why would you be from anywhere else and NOT be a Habs or leaves fan?!? Ontarians are the worst. Maybe we are suckers for punishment.

U-Dub, you couldn't stomach rooting for Dallas when they moved? I guess leaving Minnesota gave you an opportunity for a clean break. Happy to have you among us. Misery loves company.

[2Fingers]

I was born in Ontario and came to BC because my dad was stationed to Chilliwack. I started very early to watch hockey with the old rabbit ears. My parents/grand parents were Toronto/Montreal fans but coming to BC my parents gravitated to the Canucks and my mom was more passionate than my dad watching the games. There was a story of my parents attending a Canucks/Toronto or Montreal and every time either team scored my mom would cheer and she got some stink eye for that. I only remember the Canucks and devoured anything I could find about them which meant just the Province.

I went to the odd game here and there but I was coaching kids soccer and I was mid 20’s. One of the parents came up and asked if wanted to go to a Toronto/Canuck playoff game. I had to take their kid with me but of course we went. It was the game when Canucks beat Toronto in OT to win the game and the series. 31 years later and I still remember the game and jumping up. Don’t remember exactly where we were but I think lower bowl near the middle.

I have always been a Canuck fan and followed them, maybe during my dating years a little less. Been to 1 game in the last 5 years that my son bought for my birthday present a couple years ago. He paid for the tickets I bought beer and food, I think I paid what he paid. This current team is a blip and better things to come, I see playoffs within the next 2-3 years and then who knows what will happen.

[donlever]

Greg Adams!

Nice memory bring up Reef.

[Kenji]

My dad was a civil but remote figure at home - although he lived into his 90s our relationship peaked at cordiality. Among our few father-son social interactions was that he took me to my first Canucks game in 1976, maybe. He bought me a souvenir, which was a figurine of Phil Esposito in Ranger colours, and if memory serves it was a bottle opener.

This set no precedent of hockey watching whatsoever, I only became a fan via radio in 1990. I was writing for The Straight and other places - somehow snagged an interview with Jim Robson. My wife still does an impression of me with a squeaky, intimidated voice saying “yes, Mr Robson!”

[Meds]

Another gem from the Medschives…..this time it was experienced by many of us, but has a special place for me.

The year was 1992 and the merry month of March had just begun. T’was a Sunday if I recall and I was just a Pitt Meadows lad of 12 in grade 7 not looking forward to school the next day. So I rang up a few of my friends to play some street hockey. The first two calls were to Jason and Rusty (names changed here), both of whom happened to be diehard Flames fans. Well Jason’s mom told me that he wasn’t home because he had gone over to Rusty’s, so I shrugged and called Rusty (he lived a couple miles closer anyhow and we biked everywhere). Rusty’s mom tells me that his dad took him and Jason into the city for the Canucks vs Flames game. Well I was pissed. Rusty and me used to go to games with our dads, so for him to have taken Jason instead of me was beyond the pale. And of course I knew he only took him because they were both closeted homos (like every Flames fan in BC back then, amirite?) who wanted to cheer together.

Anyways. I sulked back into the living room and flopped down and complained to my dad. He was surprised there was a game on (it was an early game for some reason) and flipped it on. The Canucks were up 2-0 and I laughed ruefully and said something to the effect of “suck it” in the direction of my buddies at the game. Dad rolled his eyes.

The Canucks proceeded to chase Vernon shortly after, then chased Rick Wamsley back to the bench a bit later, and torched Vernon for another few on their way to an 11-0 drubbing of Bountiful’s best.

Fuck me was schadenfreude ever alive and well that day.

[donlever]

Cool story Kenji.

Care to expand on the Robson thing?

Is there a link you're aware of to access the article.

Also...I meant to add to the NBA chat the other day to checkmupir Nikola Jocic.

Might be the best basketball player in the world right now.

White, pudgy, a bit of an awk.

But an an in court Wizard.

He's hurt right now unfortunately...recent injury...but when he's back...or you tube him if you like...sick player....

[Megaterio Llamas]

My dad was a civil but remote figure at home - although he lived into his 90s our relationship peaked at cordiality. Among our few father-son social interactions was that he took me to my first Canucks game in 1976, maybe. He bought me a souvenir, which was a figurine of Phil Esposito in Ranger colours, and if memory serves it was a bottle opener.

This set no precedent of hockey watching whatsoever, I only became a fan via radio in 1990. I was writing for The Straight and other places - somehow snagged an interview with Jim Robson. My wife still does an impression of me with a squeaky, intimidated voice saying “yes, Mr Robson!”

I think this one is my favourite so far.

Thamks Kemji

[JelloPuddingPop]

My dad was a civil but remote figure at home - although he lived into his 90s our relationship peaked at cordiality. Among our few father-son social interactions was that he took me to my first Canucks game in 1976, maybe. He bought me a souvenir, which was a figurine of Phil Esposito in Ranger colours, and if memory serves it was a bottle opener.

This set no precedent of hockey watching whatsoever, I only became a fan via radio in 1990. I was writing for The Straight and other places - somehow snagged an interview with Jim Robson. My wife still does an impression of me with a squeaky, intimidated voice saying “yes, Mr Robson!”

Great story Kenji! Love that.

[Hockey Widow]

For me, I was a hockey fanatic. Never missed a game on tv, would listen on radio if I had to. Was in a business where I got wined and dined a lot and was often taken to games. Never missed a game, addicted I was. I worked, lived, breathed in Toronto and was a die hard leaves fan. I have vivid memories of their last Cup in 1967. I knew all the players, their stats. I mean I breathed these guys. Most games were broadcast locally.

Then I got a company transfer to the West. I was in shock. These were the days where you got a Saturday night HNIC game. There were some local games. But fuck me, you didn't get three or four games on a Saturday. You got your local game so I either watched Canucks if they were in town or the Flames/Oilers, if they were not.

There was no internet back then. I hardly ever got to see my beloved leaves. I did what any junkie does, I found a new drug. That drug was the Canucks. I jumped in with two feet and got to know everything about the team. I slowly started to appreciate the team and slowly started to resent Toronto. It started with hockey but moved into the political later. Another story for another time.

Over time I became a Canucks faithful. Got to the point where I never missed a televised game. Went to my share of live games but found I preferred tv viewing. Before I knew it I was addicted again. Had to VCR so many games just to make sure I got to watch them. Paid for the PPV packages when we had those, just to make sure I could watch all the games.

Now, I am still a Canucks fan. Still can't stand the leaves. I am just tired. I am torn every time I watch a game because I want to finish as low as we can to secure a top pick but I find it extremely difficult to cheer for them to lose. I record most games and have for the last 3-4 years. My attention span wanes and I find it difficult to sit through a whole game. When the game means something I find the stress too high. I keep saying, "I'm too old for this shit".

But I saw the light and came over to the green and blue. Never looked back really.

[donlever]

Great post Wids.

Thanks for sharing.

I do recall riding your ass (but that's another story) and the board chirping you at the old place when it came out that you had started as a Leaves lover....

[donlever]

I recall the towel power run in 1982 when we were still young punks.

Everyone and his second cousin had towels, or some sort of white paraphernalia hanging out of their car or off their antenna.

People waving shit out their car window all day everyday.

Buddy of mines brother was one of those always gets the lady dudes.

Walk into a club at midnight, walk out with a girl at 1 AM.

So he decided to hang a pair of white panties off his car antenna for every night out conquest during that run.

Was pretty funny to watch the undergarments waving in the wind as he drove down the Upper Levels.

[Cornuck]

Yeah - I'm a lifer.

I was just getting into hockey a year or so before the Canucks entered the league. Nobody else in my family was into it, so I was on my own at home.
I remember when the Canucks were awarded the franchise; I followed the WHL Canucks in the paper. I mean, what else was there?

My Dad had corporate seats - 7 rows up at centre ice. He had them for maybe 5-6 years until he changed jobs. He took my mom to the first game. As they were both British, I'm sure they didn't know what was going on, but my Mom liked watching the Zamboni.
They gave me the program from that game, which I promptly cut up and taped to my walls. I still have 1 of the 2 tickets from that game; I gave the other to a collector friend years ago.

I was allowed to go to one game a year with him. I remember wanting to see Chicago most years (Tony O fan!), and I remember seeing Montreal and getting upset all the damn Habs fans - a hockey hate that follows me to this day. It was fun to go down after the game and get autos. Anyone else here do that?

From there, it just grew into a love of hockey, as I played endless road hockey, floor hockey, and occasional ice hockey ( I couldn't skate worth a shit, so I played a lot of goal, which was fine with me). TONS of hockey cards, which I wish I had held on to. But who wanted LAST year's cards?? I got back into collecting about 20 years ago and then stopped, but still buy the occasional box for old time's sake.

I scoured the papers each day to check the standings and occasionally catch a glimpse of Boudrias in the scoring list. Then I started subscribing to the Hockey News and Sports Illustrated (which had shit coverage of hockey, but I was watching other sports by then).

Speaking of towel power, that was a fun year. I just happened to receive a small inheritance in time for the playoffs and saw pretty much every home game of the playoffs that year. Still have a towel from the finals, and despite the sweep, It was great to see the Cup skated around the Coliseum.

From there, it's been a love-hate relationship with the team. As you get older, you get more into the off-ice details of the game and the team, which takes some of the shine off.

I'd love to go back and watch those early games with the black and white TV (smack it on the side to fix the picture) - watch a game with white boards, minimal ads, no bullshit. If the league had any guts, they would do a game a year like that for us old fucks.

That's how I started, and now I watch almost every game, and hope for next year. (repeat)