Freddie P's Blog

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Bogus Patriotism

June 1, 2007 @ 09:29

This is a funny country. Isn't it amazing that while criticizing Americans over the top patriotism deep down we actually envy it.

We envy it because we rarely show it when it comes to things that really matter.

In Canada you don't see Canadian flags fly in the numbers that you do in the States.

We don't respect national heros like Americans do. We're low key in our response to losing soldiers in Afghanistan.

And probably the most maddening thing for me is our indifference when it comes to our national anthem. Rarely do you see Canadians sing it loud and proud like they do south of the border.

There are so many ways that Canadians could show patriotism but they don't - but all of a sudden, there's a national outcry to support a hockey team from Ottawa - simply because it's Canadian.

Let me correct that. It's not a national outcry, it's more pathetic whimpering from a few who don't really follow hockey in the first place but have decided this is a convenient way to make a point.

But lets be honest, this is not war or politics or national security or immigration or any other issue that really matters.

It's a hockey series.

And lets get this straight. The Toronto Maple Leafs recent lack of success has nothing to do with Leaf fans feelings towards the Ottawa Senators.

It's not jealousy, and any one who's bothered to follow the game over the past decade would know that. It's got nothing to do with jealousy but everything to do with rivalry.

That's all. Just a sports rivalry.

The Leafs have played the Senators in the Stanley Cup playoffs four times and on each and every occasion beat them while being considered the underdog.

At this point Leaf fans have nothing to be jealous of because up until this point the Senators have accomplished nothing and it look like they wont again this year.

Leaf fans hate the Senators because the Senators and their fans were far from gracious on the many occasions the Leafs knocked them out of the playoffs.

I assume anyone who's jumped on this "Canada's Team" thing has forgotten or doesn't know how Ottawa fans reacted after the Leafs eliminated their team.

Ottawa was firmly against the Leafs no matter who they played and it was trumpeted in Ottawa newspapers and their goofy little sports radio station.

Meanwhile, if we must turn this into a cheap form of patriotism, the fact that Anaheim has roughly seven more Canadians on their team than Ottawa does matter to some extent.

After the Stanley Cup is won, each player from the winning team gets to take the Cup to his home town and celebrate with the locals.

If Anaheim wins there will be a lot more of these parties - in Canada.

Category: Sports