In HBO’s “The Wire,” reporter Scott Templeton spells out his story objective… “What I’d really like to do,” he says. “Is find some chaw chewin old timer, who would rather die than miss an Orioles opener.”
The Blue Jackets don’t have those diehard fans. Why? The Blue Jackets have only been a franchise for eight years. Dakota Fanning is six years older than them.
Upon my arrival at the Frog Bear and Wild Boar, the crowd was impressive. Yes, the number of Detroit Red Wings jerseys equaled the number of Blue Jackets jerseys, but what should you expect. The Red Wings have won four cups in eleven years. Fans wearing their jersey are like fans who wore Dallas Cowboys jerseys in the 1990’s… They might wear them because their fans… They might wear them because its popular…
As the clash commenced and six minutes into it, the Blue Jackets accrued a 1-0 lead, I found what was not popular among the “fans” was actually watching or discussing the game… Occasionally, their eyes glanced toward the screen… But, the vast majority of their conversations discussed rich young millionaires or their friend’s divorce or their pet’s surgery (yes, someone was actually talking about)… Rick Nash could have, in the first period, walked into the bar and I don’t think anyone would have asked “Why aren’t you still playing?”
As I returned for the third period, the Red Wings knotted the game at 2-2. I can assume every Detroit fans reaction to this… I don’t have to assume or imagine Blue Jackets fans reactions… there weren’t any… The reactions were even scarcer when, with less than ten minutes remaining, the Blue Jackets assumed command for the third time, 3-2…
In 48 meetings, the Red Wings have defeated the Blue Jackets 35 times with one tie. You would think that everyone inside Frog Bear and Wild Boar would be ecstatic at the prospect of (a) defeating the Red Wings, (b) evening the season series with that win (at 2-2), and (c) notching a two game winning streak versus the Red Wings, something the Blue Jackets have only managed on two occasions previously… Sadly, the final pair of exciting minutes passed with barely and sound and only a crackle of cheers as the Blue Jackets kept their playoff hopes brightly alive…
Now, I know what you’re thinking… it’s a Friday night, people are out to have fun, and it’s the regular season, why should anyone hang on every minute… Allow me this irrefutable argument… On any given Saturday during the college football season, no fan, wearing a jersey or not discusses divorces, millionaires, or pet surgeries… Every moment is tension filled and every reaction is communal and verbal…
As much as anyone would like to claim the Blue Jackets and the season their having as a milestone for the franchise and this city, tonight illustrated why Nash may as well be wearing a stamp across his forehead that reads “Property of Ohio State Football…”
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6 comments:
Try going to the game, genius.
Or try going to a real Hockey bar to watch the game not some club trying to pretend its a hockey bar
You went to the wrong bar.
Try the RBar next time...they call it a hockey bar for a reason.
Or at least a real hockey bar like the R-Bar. Go to a pretend hockey bar like the Frog Bear, and you'll get pretend fans. But hey, at least it gives you something to write about.
Go to the RBar next time genius. It's a real hockey bar, not like the lame Frog Bear. Get a clue.
There is no arguing that Columbus is a college football town. That is the primary reason that Columbus doesn't have an NFL, MLB, or NBA professional team. Where I think saying Columbus is "bored" with the Blue Jackets is wrong is that I think "fed up with supporting a loser" may be more apparent. Doug McClean set this franchise back several years with his idiocy. The CBJ are the only team in the NHL that has yet to make the playoffs.
Now, it would seem with a new GM, a great head coach who not only knows what he's talking about, but demands 100% effort every night, and young, home-grown talent, the CBJ have again sparked the interest of Columbus. The buzz is back (and no, that's not a Stinger reference).
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