The Deeper Meaning Behind the Canuck Riot

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It's sad that Vancouver fans have acted this way after they lost the championship game. It also shows how passionate Canadians love "their" sport, but didn't have to go overboard with the riots and setting cars on fire. Just keep in mind that not all Canadians are like that; just some Canadian's take things to far over a game when everyone who follows hockey knows that hockey is a Canadian sport.

Odilia 11:59AM November 28, 2011

It is disappointing that the actions of a few has somewhat tarnished the pleasant identity Canadians have earned. It is understandable that Canadian fans would be disappointed in the results of such a close Championship, but we as a nation should not be judged for a moment of distress but the collection of our actions.

Rainier Ramnath 2:42PM November 11, 2011

When Vancouver lost that game it was as if Canada did lose apart of it’s identity. We lost what made us Canadians from the riot. It was something that shouldn’t have happened and it will now leave a stain in Canada’s history of the Stanley Cup. As an immigrant, I will forever talk about this country like it’s one of the best. It is my second home and I will not want to live anywhere else in the world. That’s because of its friendly status and the fact that we all try to promote that friendliness. The riot that happened in Vancouver was embarrassing. It was embarrassing to hockey, Canada and Vancouver itself. As much as I like the pride we have for hockey, I think that pride was the reason that made us sore losers and disgraced ourselves. The states do have some great hockey teams. This shouldn’t make us think that we’re losing favorite pastime because we think other people might now be better, this should make us want to try harder to win, not to throw a fit when we lose.

SilentSteve 8:07PM November 10, 2011

As a Canadian, I’m honoured to hear Canada being described as a polite, safe and gracious. Growing up in Windsor, ON, I would frequently visit Michigan (among other states) and would find many people there who share the same admirable qualities. Of course, I would also find the opposite. That said, I don’t feel like the actions of the individuals involved in the riot were those of a typical Canadian. As embarrassing and dishonourable as it was, I feel that this was an isolated incident and shouldn’t reflect on our country, our people or our hockey fans.
I also disagree that Canadians’ feel that our game is being hijacked. I don’t think as country we’re that prejudice to not appreciate good talent regardless of where it comes from. Much like America, we are a very culturally diverse country and I would like to believe that we are above frowning on international competition.

JRT 2:35PM November 09, 2011

SRUBY, I agree that Canadians should not be judged and frowned upon for this riot because it was only a few individuals who took part. However, look at the big picture. That's the way it is. People in other countries don't see first hand what we're really like. They know what they see in the media. How else are they to judge what kind of people we are? It's the same way around. Look at all the racial stereotypes that are thrown around.

Lucyluck 11:06AM November 08, 2011

Canada is a safe place to live, we are polite, and yes we do say please and thank you after everything. This seems to be the only true fact made in this article. Canadians should not be judged and frowned upon by the actions of a few corrupted individuals. Not even a fraction of Canada’s population were involved in the riots following the Stanley Cup game in Vancouver. I agree that those who participated in the rioting were unsportsmanlike, but this does not represent Canadian citizens. Canadian hockey fans are not the only people who practice this unethical behavior, and I believe these people should be judged as individuals. Hockey may be labeled as Canada’s sport, but have we forgotten about how basketball was invented by a Canadian man and is now dominated by Americans. We never hear about Canadians causing havoc over this sport.

SRuby 1:08AM November 08, 2011

I disagree with the theory that the riots were because of Canadians feeling like their game is hijacked. All these Canucks fans were perfectly happy with the Sedin brothers, Kesler, Ehrhoff, Samuellson and Edler who carried them through the regular season and the playoffs, yet none of those players are Canadians. In fact, out of the top ten players in the playoffs for the Canucks, only three were Canadian. However, eight of the top ten Bruins were Canadians. Then we have Luongo, Canucks' Canadian goalie, who lets 3 goals in in less than 3 minutes of the first period of Game 6. Canucks fans can hardly be rioting about globalization of their game when the whole reason they got that far was thanks to this globalization.
Sure, we Canadians can say it is Canada's game, because for several of us the long winter months involve lacing up a pair of skates or sitting at home on a Saturday night watching a hockey game. The smell of hockey for me (as gross as some people find it) reminds me of home. As someone who knows several beyond several hockey players from going to a hockey-intensive school (which received a few International players as well, may I add), I don't know a single one of them who is against players from European countries. We love watching skilled players no matter where they are from. I love the Leafs, and was at the Leafs/Pens game a week and a half ago. Mats Sundin got honoured there and received a standing ovation, and he is Swedish. All Leafs fans love Kessel, and he is American. No one cares where they are from, and it wouldn't cause a riot. The riot was caused by a crowd drunk and rowdy crowd who saw their team get far, just to lose 4-0 in the final game. Throw in some hooligans who don't give a damn about hockey but do give a damn about creating a riot and there you have it.
I'd like to see what would happen if the Leafs made it that far in the Playoffs then lost, or even simply to the playoffs in general.

JenHam 12:28AM November 08, 2011

Unfortunately Susan has no clue what shes talking about? She's saying this is an event that changed Canada's "national identity" of being nice?
Fact 1. The Vancouver Canucks have NEVER won the Stanley Cup, so maybe they were a bit irate after a loss like that. The fact of the matter is, how does one city's actions affect a whole country?
Fact 2. There are TONS of Canadian players on American teams, and tons of European players on Canadian teams. Canadians are not once worried about "our" sport being taken over, I don't know where you got these stats...
Fact 3. You don't think a sign saying "This is Canada's game" is "hardly welcoming" yet a ton of "USA" chants are just so heartwarming! How would you like it if I screamed CAN-NA-DA right in your ear while you're trying to watch a hockey game?
Fact 4. Montreal riots all the time when they lose... They're part of Canada too... and don't give me "That's just they way they are" 'cause if it is, they're part of Canada. Where's your national identity now?
Fact 5. Another Canadian riot? The G20 summit. Remember that? I don't recall Canadians being very nice and pleasant here either. This may have been for a better cause than a hockey game, I'm just saying it not our first act of violence on authority.
I'm sure the city of Vancouver realizes that it was stupid to riot over a hockey game. But the game was filled with excitement (turning into letdown from almost getting the cup), hurt pride from Americans shouting and booze. The mix of all of those is enough to make anyone riot...
So my whole comment rounds up on you just raging at Canadians for one riot. Just because we`re supposed to be nice doesn't mean we cant make one mistake like this. Maybe if you knew more about Canadians rather than just assuming we're nice you wouldn't be so ignorant about our actual National Identities.

CurtDeno 11:16PM November 07, 2011

I don’t agree with the actions that the rioters participated in that night after the game. I believe that yes, as Canadians we are know for being polite and don’t take part in war crimes and violence and society and we fulfill these expectations. Although it is only a sport, what happened was taken too far. However, being a Canadian it is a shame that it’s becoming less Canadian by allowing people from Easter Europe or Scandinavia to participate and “take over”, also having the Americans win the Stanley Cup more often is a pity to us. A lot of social media outlets and shows did specials on the “deeper” meaning to the underlining problems that these teens and young adults were feeling. Maybe the youth were misunderstood and lashed out, but in the end it displayed a false actualization of Canada and what happened in those events doesn’t reflect in the kind of people we are.

AmandaV of CA 10:57PM November 07, 2011

Hockey is just like any other sport. It’s competitive, intense and is overflowing with passion of the players, coaches as well as the fans. I think sportsmanship has a big role in this said incident. Yes, the fans have high competitive natures, but what they demonstrated after the game was just a proof that they are sore losers. Thus, Canadians can’t own Hockey. Hockey is to be shared because like any other sport, it’s all about competition to know who is the best.

NOELT 6:19PM November 07, 2011