Hello everyone,
This is Dolly. Just wanted to share the excitement in this city re Oilers beating out Carolina and the big game tomorrow. Suddenly, I'm into hockey.. Remember, I'm not a sports fan. Anyhow, went to a company summer event with my husband yesterday. Theme being Hawaiin and of course held at a bar. Haven't been inside a bar since the Hunter's Horne on Peel Street in my hey day. I guess you would call it a pub 'cause it's a place where everyone knows your name, right?
Well this place smelled like an unwashed armpit! (I must be getting old.) Big screen with millions of TVs around the room and so we watched the game. We of course won 4-0 and on to game 7 tomorrow.
The thing that amazed me is that before the game started, there was the singing of the anthem, and everyone, but everyone, stood up in the bar and sang their hearts out to O Canada. I have never seen this kind of patriotism anywhere in Canada. EVER!
Most everyone here was dressed in Oilers jersies and the Oilers flag decorate every other vehicle. We have 2 flags on our car courtesy of my son. Going home, everyone was honking their horns and thumbs up; children stood on street corners waving Oilers flags or signs saying we believe; people ran out of their homes giving the thumbs up sign and chanting Go Oilers.. I want to tell you that here in Edmonton, there was this connection, this unity that I have never felt before. To me, it personified Canada and our diversity and unity and made my spine tingle. .
Edmonton, like Verdun, is a blue collar town. It is a creative town with a mix population. It seems that in believing in this team, we believe in ourselves as Canadians, as a country. My husband and I also waved and honked our cars like everyone else----it was a means of communication-- a way to say, we did it. I felt like we were in a wedding party; and I thought I'm pretty proud even if they lose tomorrow, the Oilers have worked so hard. And that's what life is about, believing and working hard and achieving your goal. Kinda reminded me of the movie Rocky.
I remember turning to my husband and saying, "I wish everyone gave the same support to the arts." Why is that? Why do we not believe in our artists the same way as we do our sports figures?
Dolly
5 comments:
Welcome to competitive Sports ,Dolly............I understand where your coming from, seeing this type of particpation,.from multitudes of people,.............it really is something to experience,..........especially for the newcomer,....my sister (one of them) who as you kknow is a writer (published as well),......got her first taste of Mob Mentality,exuberance ) I mean that in a nice way),....at the old Montreal Forum,when I took her to a game while on a visit to Montreal,......and when the Habs scored in a very close game,.......she was at first startled by the reaction of 22,000 fans cheering in Unison,.......but then was deeply impressed by that same reaction,.........but seconds later after asking me why did the big clock in the center say 'Vague',......she thought that was odd,....and wondered why they would be questioning why people were being 'Vague',..when they were clearly not being vague but rather decisive in their applause,..................................and I had to laugh at her inexperience,.that the sign on the clock,.was actually asking everyone to do the 'Wave' as seen by people standing and waving their arms sequentially around the stands...................... 'Vaque' means wave,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,hahahahahahah Glad to hear ,your a Convert of Sorts,.............Enjoy the next Game,...... have fun & remember Verdun
Coming up for air again. So the Oilers lost to the Hurricanes tonight. I can't believe I even care, moi, who knows zip about sports. I was rooting for the Oilers because by rooting for them, I was rooting for Canada --- it became personal. I understand they were last at the start of the finals (16th place) and Carolina was 3rd. Nobody expected them to get to the Stanley Cup. (My son gave me this information. He was quite dejected over the loss). But we should be proud of them because they worked hard and never gave up. It's what Canada is all about. I hope this city honours them. People always like a winner, but you will never know the thrill of winning if you've never lost. (Consoling my son) :-) Going to bed now...too much excitement for moi in one day! :-) Dolly Dolly
Dolly, Tell your son that Edmonton has won the Stanley Cup before and this is the first Stanley Cup for Carolina. North Carolina has never won any national championship in any sport so you kind of have to be happy for them. Walter
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Thanks Sandy, I am very happy for them too. I also think it is very good for hockey to have North Carolina win The Stanley Cup. In a few months though I'll be saying "Go Rangers, Go Islanders, Go Panthers!"
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