Like any Canadian hockey fan, I love everything about the World Junior Hockey Championships. Except one thing: the incessant booing of anything American.
I watched Team USA defeat Germany this afternoon and the typical jeering that’s become to common here took place. Some will say that Canadians were merely supporting the underdog. I would believe this if we didn’t have a pathetic pattern of booing the U.S. national anthem and Team USA in general.
And don’t throw at me the political statement angle. That’s bull shit from a politically disengaged and apathetic nation like Canada.
They’re just kids for the love of God. They’re not professionals. I see absolutely no point in booing after each American goal.
They say Canadians love hockey to the point of madness. That’s true. Canadian fans will pretty much go watch every game at this tournament even if it doesn’t involve Canada. I myself probably will take the trek to Ottawa from Montreal to catch a game. However, sometimes when we act like boors we display an ugly side not typically associated with the “polite” Canadian.
In Europe, soccer fans cheer and clap for the opposing side even if their team loses. The way they see it, sometimes you get beat by a better team and there’s nothing wrong in acknowledging this. The most recent example I saw was when Real Madrid fans at the legendary Bernabeu saluted Alessandro del Piero of Juventus in the group stage of the Champions League following a sterling performance by the Italian striker.
Class is class.
Team USA has a fantastic hockey team. They should be judged on their play. Not by the colors of their flag.
Let’s go Canada. We’re better than that.
This is a great article. I totally agree with your thoughts. I grew up in Canada and now live in Seattle, WA.
This just makes us look bad.