When it comes to civic pride, this year should be one for the history books.
Vancouver reaching the Stanley Cup finals has made B.C. Canuck crazy.
As Canadians, we are assumed born to love hockey. But in B.C. the passion for the game is arguably showing more passionately now than at any other time in the team’s 40-year history.
People love their team and they’re not afraid to show it. There’s die-hard fans getting inked with the team crest, people taking out loans to get a seat at one of the playoff games, and you can’t go a block in any community without seeing Canuck colours waving in the wind off vehicles, and even some houses.
Vancouver has made it to the finals three times now, but Lord Stanley’s cup has always managed to escape their grasp. If they happen to score the winning goal in the deciding game, one can only imagine what the streets of Vancouver will be like on that fateful day. Indeed, the entire province will celebrate the likes that hasn’t been seen since the day Sidney Crosby scored that overtime goal to secure gold for Canada at last year’s Olympic Games in, yes, Vancouver.
Even if you aren’t a true-blue Canuck fan, whether you’re cheering on the big bad Bruins or moping since your team was shut out of the playoffs, you have to admit it feels good to see the support and the positive vibes all around. After all, that’s the beauty of sports and the power of a winning team’s influence on a community, a province and, indeed, an entire country.
–Vernon Morning Star
