The Canadian Decade

[Fighting Banana Slug]

Originally Posted by Textcritic

I think it is, and I also wonder if it is psychologically connected to an inferiority complex that a number of Canadians suffer from relative to our American neighbours. I set the myth of "Canada's team" in the same category as the insufferable "my name is Joe" Molson Canadian beer advertisements, and with Canadian faux-patriotism that erupts with every summer Olympics.

I don't think the Olympic faux patriotism is a uniquely Canadian thing. The modern ($$) Olympics is basically built on it. I do agree that it is a weirdly Canadian thing to rally around a rival at playoff time, just because they play their home games in the same country.

[Textcritic]

Originally Posted by Fighting Banana Slug

I don't think the Olympic faux patriotism is a uniquely Canadian thing. The modern ($$) Olympics is basically built on it. I do agree that it is a weirdly Canadian thing to rally around a rival at playoff time, just because they play their home games in the same country.

Perhaps I should qualify the "faux patriotism" in my description: this is not the ebullient, nationalistically feuled fervour that is typical of most people during the Olympics, this is the mis-placed Canadian tendency to be acrimoniously anti-American to an absurd degree. It is the expectation that Canada should be perform at or near the same level as the US in international sports, and the fabricated notion that Canada is "rival" of the United States in more than a small handful of sporting events.

This is where I see the similarity: the myth of "Canada's team" in the NHL playoffs is the same sentiment as in thinking, hoping, and expecting that Canada will compete on the same level with the US in summer Olympic competition. This does happen with other countries, but it is a special sort of patriotism that is produced by a nationalistically derived inferiority complex.

[Fighting Banana Slug]

Originally Posted by Textcritic

Perhaps I should qualify the "faux patriotism" in my description: this is not the ebullient, nationalistically feuled fervour that is typical of most people during the Olympics, this is the mis-placed Canadian tendency to be acrimoniously anti-American to an absurd degree. It is the expectation that Canada should be perform at or near the same level as the US in international sports, and the fabricated notion that Canada is "rival" of the United States in more than a small handful of sporting events.

This is where I see the similarity: the myth of "Canada's team" in the NHL playoffs is the same sentiment as in thinking, hoping, and expecting that Canada will compete on the same level with the US in summer Olympic competition. This does happen with other countries, but it is a special sort of patriotism that is produced by a nationalistically derived inferiority complex.

That, I can agree with. There is definitely an inferiority complex here. Perhaps not surprising, given the superpower next door, but I agree, the hate-on for the US can be tiresome.

[CliffFletcher]

Originally Posted by Winsor_Pilates

Is it strictly a Canadian thing that any fan would cheer for their rivals?

I can't imagine that attitude in any other sport or country. The thought of me as an Arsenal fan cheering for Chelsea or Man U in the Champions League for example, is disgusting.

I don't really cheer for the Jets of Sens. But if I happen to watch a game between two non-Flames teams, I will arbitrarily choose a team to side with, because just watching two teams play hockey without any investment whatsoever in which team wins is pretty boring. And the team I side with is usually a small-market team. And I find it impossible to side with a team like Carolina or Anaheim when people in their own city can't be bothered to care.

As the English football, who do fans of Everton or Bolton cheer for in the Champions League? Because the English ratings for Champions League broadcasts sure seem a lot higher than you would expect if only fans of Liverpool, Arsenal, etc. were watching.

Originally Posted by Textcritic

This is where I see the similarity: the myth of "Canada's team" in the NHL playoffs is the same sentiment as in thinking, hoping, and expecting that Canada will compete on the same level with the US in summer Olympic competition. This does happen with other countries, but it is a special sort of patriotism that is produced by a nationalistically derived inferiority complex.

The 'Canada's Team' marketing you hear from CBC and the likes is just for casual fans, and it's pretty dumb. But it's also dumb to hate a team that isn't even in your conference just because it happens to be Canadian. I mean, it would be a pretty dumb if a Blues fan in St. Louis hated every other U.S. based team simply because they were U.S. based.

Regardless, this is all just about hardcore super-fans. Casual fans don't really feel anything about other teams unless they're one of the two or three traditional long-time rivals, or they're in the middle of a playoff series.

[Igottago]

The notion of cheering for Canadian teams has always been utter nonsense that bandwagoners have used just so they can latch on to anything trendy going on and can talk about around the water cooler. No fan that has any real emotional attachment to their team would ever consider supporting a rival, and they really don't get that excited by a more neutral team winning either.

Hypothetically, if a more neutral team like Ottawa was to win a cup, why should I feel inclined to latch on to the glory? I don't support the team, I don't watch them regularly, I don't really have any emotional attachment to them. I don't have any memories of growing up watching their games, didn't cry when they lost playoff rounds, didn't celebrate when they won some. If they go all the way, good for them, but that's for their fans. Not me. I haven't been through thick and thin with that team. Not that you can't be happy for them but, its almost insulting to their genuine fans to just latch on to their glory like you're a part of it.

I'd rather wait for the Flames to win and know I'm celebrating something genuine that I've been truly invested in for my entire life.

[edslunch]

Originally Posted by puckedoff

Maybe I misread the premise of the OP but I disagree that we are on the brink of a decade of Canadian team success.

Vancouver looks to be in decline, probably in the re-tool denial phase
Montreal relies heavily on Price, and if he falters or is injured have little that could save them
Edmonton is no good
Toronto is mid-rebuild, and while it looks better than Edmonton's situation will probably be a while
Calgary has yet to do anything that makes me think they won't finish in 26th again next year
Winnipeg... they may become a contender...

Edit: The fact that I forgot about Ottawa tells you all you need to know about where they're at

I was suggesting the next full decade (2020-2030) could see several Canadian teams at the top of the league. I think that's enough time for the various rebuilds to come to fruition. I was expecting some debate about this, what I wasn't expecting was the outpouring of vitriol against the other teams instead. I guess you never know which way a CP thread is gong to go.

[Textcritic]

Originally Posted by edslunch

I was suggesting the next full decade (2020-2030) could see several Canadian teams at the top of the league. I think that's enough time for the various rebuilds to come to fruition...

I fully expect the Oilers an Canucks to wallow in ineptitude in perpetuity, and for the Jets to have priced themselves out of that second-rate market by the next decade.

[calgaryblood]

Originally Posted by CorsiHockeyLeague

I swear, this is the only Canadian city where this type of viewpoint is in the majority. Maybe Edmonton too? Not sure. But definitely not the others.

You have any advanced stats to back this up?

[DeluxeMoustache]

Originally Posted by edslunch

It sucks that no Canadian team made the playoffs this year, but the future is bright:

• Winnipeg is loaded
• Calgary is headed up, faster than expected
• Toronto has a hill to climb but has good management and the right approach
• As no good as Edmonton is they will figure it out eventually
• Not sure which direction Ottawa or Montreal are heading
• Vancouver? yeah, ok

The dominant Pacific and Central teams are aging and the East is more wide open. I think we could easily see three or more Canadian teams being dominant around 2020 and have a good run of playoff and cup success.

Here's hoping for a Canadian Decade

Respectfully I don't understand the point or question.

Winnipeg is loaded?

I admire the responders and could contribute but don't know what question we are looking to answer

[Winsor_Pilates]

Originally Posted by CliffFletcher

As the English football, who do fans of Everton or Bolton cheer for in the Champions League? Because the English ratings for Champions League broadcasts sure seem a lot higher than you would expect if only fans of Liverpool, Arsenal, etc. were watching.

I assure you Everton fans are cheering for whoever is against Liverpool

I see your point about picking a team if you're completely neutral; but don't think that's the discussion happening here anyway. We're taking about cheering a rival simply because they are Canadian.
That's very different than picking an underdog or picking between the Sharks & Pens in the final for whatever other reason you have.