Crows Eye
Registered User
- Oct 22, 2019
- 101
- 92
I care way too much about wether the Leafs win or lose. I felt exhilaration when they were on the verge of advancing past Boston the last two playoffs and utter betrayal, anger and even depression when they lost. I feel the same way now. Constantly trying to analyze and understand why my favourite team is underperforming this year. And I see it in other folks posting on this forum, expressing grief, anger, betrayal, hiding our emotions being rational analysis and dark humour.
I can say that from living a short time in Seattle and living in Vancouver that emotional attachment to a team can be both community building and frightening. In Seattle, their love of the Seahawks seems to be a thing that brings diverse communities of people together, maybe more like the Raptors in Toronto. In Vancouver I was here when emotional attachment to a sports team brought out one of the most frightening displays of anger and violence I’ve ever witnessed first hand. I was here during the riots after they lost to Boston. In fact, I remember walking downtown with my partner after Vancouver was up two games to none and seeing the drunken testosterone fuelled exuberance of massive crowds and groups of young men running and screaming up and down Granville Street and both of us agreeing that it didn’t feel safe. We walked around the corner onto Robson Street and saw all the riot cops and I remember thinking we should get out of here cause if a window got smashed behind us all hell was going to break loose. So I wasn’t too surprised when the riot actually happened after Vancouver lost games seven a week later. And I was out on that day trying to get home and it was a f——ing frightening, violent gong show.
I think it’s great to have a forum to analyze and discuss and to share our happiness, disappointment, frustration, etc. But we all need to take a deep breath and remember at the end of the day, this isn’t life and death. Not worth getting angry or depressed about, or being sulky and pissy to the ones we love. At the end of the day, it is really just a bunch of well-paid young men out there entertaining us by shooting a rubber disc around a sheet of ice.
I can say that from living a short time in Seattle and living in Vancouver that emotional attachment to a team can be both community building and frightening. In Seattle, their love of the Seahawks seems to be a thing that brings diverse communities of people together, maybe more like the Raptors in Toronto. In Vancouver I was here when emotional attachment to a sports team brought out one of the most frightening displays of anger and violence I’ve ever witnessed first hand. I was here during the riots after they lost to Boston. In fact, I remember walking downtown with my partner after Vancouver was up two games to none and seeing the drunken testosterone fuelled exuberance of massive crowds and groups of young men running and screaming up and down Granville Street and both of us agreeing that it didn’t feel safe. We walked around the corner onto Robson Street and saw all the riot cops and I remember thinking we should get out of here cause if a window got smashed behind us all hell was going to break loose. So I wasn’t too surprised when the riot actually happened after Vancouver lost games seven a week later. And I was out on that day trying to get home and it was a f——ing frightening, violent gong show.
I think it’s great to have a forum to analyze and discuss and to share our happiness, disappointment, frustration, etc. But we all need to take a deep breath and remember at the end of the day, this isn’t life and death. Not worth getting angry or depressed about, or being sulky and pissy to the ones we love. At the end of the day, it is really just a bunch of well-paid young men out there entertaining us by shooting a rubber disc around a sheet of ice.
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