Bell Centre and the ACC

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trahans99

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Johnny said:
Montreal is no more of a "real" hockey town then any other city in the country... The fans in Montreal were no more passionate then the fans in Halifax for the WJC... get over yourself.


Sorry dude your completely wrong. The topic is Montreal vs Toronto not against Halifax. Montreal's atmosphere was a lot louder and more intense than in Montreal. Too bad they can't switch the finals to Montreal.

As for Toronto being the capital of hockey, the way the fans were, maybe Calgary or Montreal should be crowned. Honestly, have you ever seen a city rally around a team as much as Calgary did? Oh wait definately not Toronto b/c they haven't reached the finals in 40 years :razz:
 

trahans99

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Johnny said:
Well, sure didn't reflect that on TV..

But you go ahead thinking Montreal is the real hockey town as if you have the basis to measure the passion from city to city, or from idividulal to individual, in this country. :joker: Yes, Montrealers are the be all and end all whom know how to embrace the game properly, something the rest of the country in a country where hockey is king just cant measure up to the great Montreal :joker:

You finally said something that is correct, good for you buddy. :joker:
 

David

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Zednik20 said:
Courtesy of Bob McKenzie:

http://tsn.ca/columnists/bob_mckenzie.asp

----------------------------------------------------

There was a huge difference in the Toronto crowd compared to Montreal. I say this as a hockey fan born and raised in Toronto - there was no comparison in the atmosphere. Montreal was much more raucous. It was not even close in Toronto.

The players noticed it, too. Everybody noticed it.

I was surprised the difference was so great. Now, there is no question that fans at the Air Canada Centre love their Maple Leafs, but Toronto has not been home to much international hockey in the past, so maybe they just had trouble cheering for the red Maple Leaf instead of the blue one. It's really unfortunate, because Canada will play the balance of its schedule in Toronto, and they seem to get a better reception in Montreal.

----------------------------------------------------

Come on TO, get your act together! :teach:


My explanation is that people of Montreal REALLY, REALLY love their hockey while the people of Toronto REALLY, REALLY love their Leasfs!!!

As far as hockey, there's no arguement. Montreal really is the hockey capital of the world!
 

Johnny

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trahans99 said:
Sorry dude your completely wrong. The topic is Montreal vs Toronto not against Halifax. Montreal's atmosphere was a lot louder and more intense than in Montreal. Too bad they can't switch the finals to Montreal.

As for Toronto being the capital of hockey, the way the fans were, maybe Calgary or Montreal should be crowned. Honestly, have you ever seen a city rally around a team as much as Calgary did? Oh wait definately not Toronto b/c they haven't reached the finals in 40 years :razz:

How am I completely wrong when the guy I was replying to said Montreal is the "real" hockey town... When you go proclaiming yourself to be the "real" hockeytown it becomes more then just Montreal and Toronto, other places where you can find passion in abundance will enter into the equation automatically.... I never once for a second questioned who was louder between Montreal and Toronto... though there are factors to be considered as habfansincebirth has pointed out, it isn't as black and white as some may like to look at it.. montreal was louder, want a cookie?...

TO by the way doesn't need to make the finals to get behind their team, anyone who questions Toronto's ability to get behind their team come playoff time, clearly has never been to the city around playoff season... no better time of the year to be in TO then playoff time, win or lose. so you can shove that little face of yours back where the sun dont shine, please dont come at me next with a neener neener neener, whatever would I do.
 

BlackArcher101

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RickyF said:

So just one guy said that? A person of french descent, speaking to rds (also french), speaking about montreal (french attendance). Definetly no bias there at all... What was he supposed to say when he was approached by rds? That they weren't noisy at all?

I have video of coaches and numerous players that Calgary played that said Calgary fans were the loudest. Sadly Mr Roy heard the dome when it was the quietest through the playoffs. It was loudest in the first 3 series. There's is no right... we have no way of knowing who was actually louder unless there was some db readings taken.

A little "fact" for you. The mics in the saddledome kept peaking and distorting during cheers... I didn't hear them do that in montreal.
 
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Johnny

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Anksun said:
I dont think any city in Canada is more of a hockey town then another since about a vast majority of Canadians all around the country loves the game...

But the guy did said Montreal arena was louder than Calgary in the last playoffs. This is actually a fact, 4-5 players from Tampa Bay have been quote in the last months where they said Mtl was louder. So what? It doesnt mean Calgary is less pasionnate about hockey, it simply mean the smaller arena does worth few more thousands people when it's time to make some noise...

Whether it was louder or not could very well be subjective, and perhaps the couple thousand extra seats in Montreal plays a factor... would have been difficult for the saddledome to generate much more noise then it did at times when it hit its peak for noise... pound for pound I'd say it was as loud as it could pretty much get.
 

BlackArcher101

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Right, both being french descent also. If you were a Tampa player of french descent, and was asked if Calgary or Montreal fans were loudest, what would you say?
 

Schenn02

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Whatever...the real loud fans in Toronto are probably at home, at the bar, at friends house cuz they can't ****ing afford a ticket to the damn game. It's not our fault the ACC is always full of the corporate people who don't give a rats ass if they get back to their seats 10 mins late. Personally, I loved the atmosphere in Montreal cause it was loud but that doesn't make Toronto fans seem like they're not interested in Canada and only just the Leafs. Hell I cheer even more for Canada than I would for the Leafs.
 

Crusher20

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montreal is hockey town for one reason buddy, we have 24 stanley cups, enough said. dont you think it helps.. i mean its the hockey town known OVER THE WORLD for his hockey team.. so OK ill say your right then... lol
 

VOB

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Don't you just love Canadians! I mean who else would argue over which venue cheers more loudly for their country?!

Cripe, Toronto may not have the passion that Montreal does but they have to still be considered one heck of a hockey town when over 18,000 people show up on a gorgeous night to watch Russia and Slovakia play! That is more fans in the building than what the U.S. had when they played Slovakia!
 

Jacques Plante

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Crusher20 said:
montreal is hockey town for one reason buddy, we have 24 stanley cups, enough said. dont you think it helps.. i mean its the hockey town known OVER THE WORLD for his hockey team.. so OK ill say your right then... lol

I wish you wouldn't flaunt our 24 cups as the reason we are the #1 hockey town, it comes off as arrogant and it isn't classy. It just the kind of thing that drives fans of other teams up the wall and brings down the Montreal Canadiens class.

If we even are the #1 town it's thanks to serveral previously mentioned resons.

1) The large building. 21 273 fans and the entire upper deck is full of real fans going crazy. And the upper reds are also pretty good too.

2) The suits in TO prefer to talk business and have a good steak in the restaurant than trouble themselves with "some silly game"

3) Montreal does have that party town athmosphere.

All of these points have already been specified and IMO, they are the reason for the difference in noise.

I think most Canadian towns are pretty much equal. Some of those small towns such as Halifax and Winnepeg go crazy for JR hockey nevermind the NHL. This is a hockey country and I don't think there's a clear cut leader.
 

Knucklez

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BlackArcher101 said:
Got a link to these "facts"?
Why do you need a link? Why can't you just believe what he says? Or choose not to believe it? One thing that pisses me off on this board is that nobody will believe anything unless there's a link.

Hi, my name is Jordan. I was born in Kamloops, BC. I now live in Victoria. Do you believe me or do you need a link?

The earth is round? Link?
 

Hackett

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Jace said:
I guess if Toronto isn't good enough to host World Cup hockey, I know that there are 3 arenas out West that would love to host some WC action...

there's just not enough corperate support out here.... and the league will ad the travel excuse in there to slide it under the rug.... the only reason they are in toronto is because of money..... they don't care about the atmosphere
 

Hackett

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Johnny said:
Whether it was louder or not could very well be subjective, and perhaps the couple thousand extra seats in Montreal plays a factor... would have been difficult for the saddledome to generate much more noise then it did at times when it hit its peak for noise... pound for pound I'd say it was as loud as it could pretty much get.

These extra seats in the bell center.... i don't know if they help with the atmosphere. Its a huge and cavernous building.... you really have to step up the loud-meter to get that place rocking..... and the habs fans are very capable and proven to do that
 

Johnny

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Hackett said:
These extra seats in the bell center.... i don't know if they help with the atmosphere. Its a huge and cavernous building.... you really have to step up the loud-meter to get that place rocking..... and the habs fans are very capable and proven to do that

Thats a good point which I do not dispute... all I'm saying is when the Flame fans peaked for noise level, I really dont think that buidling could have possibly gotten any louder... Yes, I say that even if you replaced those 20 000 flame fans with 20 000 hab fans.
 

High flyin' Habs*

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Knucklez said:
Why do you need a link? Why can't you just believe what he says? Or choose not to believe it? One thing that pisses me off on this board is that nobody will believe anything unless there's a link.

Hi, my name is Jordan. I was born in Kamloops, BC. I now live in Victoria. Do you believe me or do you need a link?

The earth is round? Link?
Agreed :lol .
 

High flyin' Habs*

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Montreal in its self is a very loud excited city because Montreal has a very diffrent culture than the rest of Canada. Even at a alouette game wher the capacity crowd at the molson stadium is only 20 000 its the loudest stadium in the cfl.
 

SwisshockeyAcademy

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Finally getting to a computer to respond to this. About the ACC the first night it is true it was not raucous. It was however colorful and had applause at the right times , most fans understanding what they were seeing- you can read that as being not out of their minds drunk. I was in the Molson Center for game three of the 96 World Cup and it was without question the most embarassing crowd i've ever been in contact with in all my travels following the various national team levels.. It was loud and it was fantastic......... until the US tied it at two. The fans went quiet..... then Amonte scores to take the lead and quickly the fans begin to boo every slight miscue at a time the team needs the support the most. It continued to get worse and what followed was a littering of the ice with whatever garbage fans could find. Easily the worst moment i've been involved with. Lets see what Toronto is made of when the team really needs its fans, when the games are on the line. Montreal is good when times are good which is not a true indication of a fans character. Halifax set the standard at the World Juniors and i'm hoping Toronto can come close to matching it. Montreal needs to earn my respect back because they lost it eight years ago.
 

High flyin' Habs*

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SwisshockeyAcademy said:
Finally getting to a computer to respond to this. About the ACC the first night it is true it was not raucous. It was however colorful and had applause at the right times , most fans understanding what they were seeing- you can read that as being not out of their minds drunk. I was in the Molson Center for game three of the 96 World Cup and it was without question the most embarassing crowd i've ever been in contact with in all my travels following the various national team levels.. It was loud and it was fantastic......... until the US tied it at two. The fans went quiet..... then Amonte scores to take the lead and quickly the fans begin to boo every slight miscue at a time the team needs the support the most. It continued to get worse and what followed was a littering of the ice with whatever garbage fans could find. Easily the worst moment i've been involved with. Lets see what Toronto is made of when the team really needs its fans, when the games are on the line. Montreal is good when times are good which is not a true indication of a fans character. Halifax set the standard at the World Juniors and i'm hoping Toronto can come close to matching it. Montreal needs to earn my respect back because they lost it eight years ago.

Thats exactly why Montreal fans are so crazy about their team, its that they hate it so much when their team is losing a game that they go crazy and mean, just like yankee fans in new york, they everything that goes bad.
 

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smoothskater said:
Thats exactly why Montreal fans are so crazy about their team, its that they hate it so much when their team is losing a game that they go crazy and mean, just like yankee fans in new york, they everything that goes bad.
They boo everything that goes bad :) .
 

Yes Im Peter Ing

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Habfansincebirth said:
I don't think it has anything to do with who likes hockey more. There are a number of reasons why Montreal has louder crowds.

1) Seating capacity. At 21,273, the Bell Centre is one of the largest arenas in the world.

2) Percentage of non corporate seating. There are more regular fans at the Bell Centre than ACC games.

3) Montreal Culture. Montrealers love to party and sporting events are no different. The Als get the same kind of boisterous singing dancing crowd at Molson Stadium. This party culture is contagious to all fans who visit Montreal as well.

All Canadian cities are good hockey towns with great passionate fans. Montreal is just the quintessential hockey experience. Sort of like a baseball game at Fenway. I'm just glad that the Bell Centre has finaly developed some of the atmosphere that the forum had.

Good post. I think those three points really sum it up quite nicely, although I'm not so sure about the first one; I mean, how much difference can a couple thousand fans make?

The corporate pandering argument has been brought up time and time again, and it's a valid one. But, and I say this as a born and raised Torontonian (old city - not this GTA crap), even without the corporate element, I question whether Toronto could reach the vocal heights of its Montreal counterpart. As stated in the post above, the difference between Leaf crowds and Hab crowds is not only a matter of which part of the city shows up, but the cities themselves.

Montreal's civic culture and Toronto's civic culture are miles apart. If you were to take a snapshot of what can be considered the quintisential 'Toronto lifestyle/outlook/attitude' and compare it to that of Montreal, what you'd get is simple: Business vs Fun. Toronto is a much more corporate centred city. The average Torontonian can usually be found to be more high strung, serious, and with a eye towards time and the best way to use that time. The average Montrealer, on the other hand, is more likely to take life as it comes. More laid back, more with an eye towards fun.

These differences can be seen in both city's sporting realms. This issue has nothing to do with passion or how much each town loves Hockey. Both are fairly equal. What it does have to do with it how each city expresses that passion. Montrealers are much more outgoing and laid back - hence, they are more prone to public outbursts of emotion. Torontonians on the other hand are not used to such jovial expressions of love and devotion to their sports team; theirs is a more private, more subtle relationship with their team and with the sport.

Above all, it should be stressed that noise does not = passion. They are not one in the same. Hence, this is not an issue of passion, but of expression (am I repeating myself?).

I also think Montreal is more comfortable with itself as a self-sustaining society. Montrealers, and Quebecers, have been able to create their own culture to a large extent - their own musicians, their own movies, their own TV, their own taste in sports. Toronto, like much of central English Canada, does also have it's own culture/taste, but is not as secure in this sense. Torontonians are used to looking to the States for their fare. This is why natives of Toronto have been saddled with the stereotype of being fickle and of only following trends. If it's not big and not accepted by Americans, it's not cool. Case in point: The Argos.

Toronto has the honour of playing home to the oldest, and one of the most historic sports organizations in North America, yet somehow, this team is seen as 'uncool'. It is not embraced and is not well supported. When ever rumours of NFL Northern expansion pop-up, we always hear from a strong contingent of Torontonians pushing for the Argos to go bust, just so the NFL can make its way into town. How pathetic. These people want to see a storied, historic organization go by the way side just so they can indulge in the 'cool' American alternative. This right here sums up the average Torontonians insecurity with anything not accepted outside their own boundries. They can not be comfortable with their own tastes, their own culture - even if those tastes and culture are to be very proud of (in this case, the Argos).

You would never see this in Montreal. Montrealers often partake in activities and arts that no one outside of Quebec even knows about. They are comfortable with themselves, they are proud of who they are, and hence, quite frankly, don't give a flying f*ck what anyone else thinks.

How does this relate to Hockey crowds?

Quite simply, Montrealers are more comfortable with themselves, and hence are more comfortable, and more accustom to expressing their pride in loud, boisterous ways. Torontonians are too used to being spoon fed by American culture. They don't know how to act on their own pride. They tippy toe around what they partake in, always afraid that somehow it's not cool enough and that they will not be seen as "world class" for enjoying it.

This is not to say Torontonians are apprehensive about their relationship to the Leafs. Not at all! If there's one aspect of Torontonian civic culture that can be compared to Montreal in their confidence and pride, it's Hockey and the Leafs! But it seems that this laid back, shy, insecure attitude has unfortunately seeped in to the way Torontonians express this pride in the Leafs and Hockey.


I realize I've gone on too long. I also realize this is a very vague and probably bizzare theory. It's all general thoughts written down off the top of my head, so if I come off a little nuts, I apologize. ;)
 
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