“Yo, Canadians!”

January 19, 2008 on 9:19 pm | In Sports/Fitness, New York | 1 Comment

This winter, I’ve spent a lot of time wearing my Montreal Canadiens hoodie, touque and hats at various times. Now that’s not because I’m so obsessive that I’ll only wear Canadiens related winter clothing during the hockey season, but the few items I own are pretty practical and the weather here has been pretty mild. But a strange thing happens when I wear these items– I’m always stopped by someone on the street who asks, “Are you a Canadiens fan?” or “Yo, Canadians!”

That’s something unique in New York, at least given my experiences wearing logos of non-NY sports team. When I wear Dallas Cowboys gear, I get razzed by strangers and get told I’m jumping on the bandwagon (never mind I’ve liked the team since I was a child, when my father brought home a Dallas Cowboys sticker for my door). If I wear a Toronto Blue Jays hat, I get Yankees fan (and I like the Yanks as well) fans making dismissive comments about the team.

But when I wear my Habs clothing? I get people giving me high-fives, asking me when I became a fan and acting like we’re old friends. It’s happened on the subway, in liquor stores, in bars and even just when I’m walking down the street. Sometimes they’re French-Canadian living in New York, sometimes they’re tourists, but no matter the origins, they’re always extremely kind. I’ve never encountered anyone in New York who’s felt the need to hassle me for showing I’m a Habs fan, even when the team’s in town to face the Rangers.

A lot of this probably relates to the lack of America interest in hockey, though cities like New York are exceptions (this place is rich with great hockey history). People seem far more passionate– or perhaps invested–in football, baseball and basketball, a theory strengthened by the pitiful ratings that hockey receives in the US. However, I’d like to think that just as hockey fans are generally far more respectful and restrained than in most other sports, perhaps hockey fans all feel a special connection in this country just because we’re a small group, leading to the general kindness I’ve experienced.

As for fans of the Montreal Canadiens, we’re the best hockey team ever, so perhaps the fans aren’t so different.

Happy New Year!

January 1, 2008 on 9:17 pm | In Worldview/Life | No Comments

The title says it all. Hope you have a great 2008 and that this silly little blog can be a part of it!

I’m not a big fan of New Year’s Resolutions. There’s nothing inherently wrong with them, it’s just seemed like an arbitrary time to put my life on the right course. So I’ve got nothing to share but the resolution I make each day: to be better than yesterday and learn from my mistakes.

Any interesting resolutions you’ve made?

2007 was a great year, one in which I made many dreams come true and achieved a lot. Now, for 2008, I want more and hope to blog more often!