Friday, November 28, 2008

Ottawa Senators hockey -- feel the excitement

True story from last night's game.

With about two minutes left in regulation and the Leafs generating some good pressure, a group of Scotiabank Place ushers descended on section 103 to order Leaf fans to be quiet. Apparently you can stand during a Senators game, and you can cheer during a Senators game, but standing and cheering is just going overboard.

The ushers furiously waved for Leaf fans to sit down and be quiet, even writing up some sort of citation for one guy (although I don't think he was kicked out). They seemed to be worried that the fans could block somebody's view. And while I'm sure the 5'4, 110 lb girl in the Wendel Clark jersey was just impossible to see around, I should probably point out that nobody seemed to mind during the rare occasion when a Sens fan made some noise.

Only in Ottawa...

A few other notes from last night's game:

  • Hey, does anybody know if the Senators have a new black jersey? Can these be purchased by fans? I'm not sure, because there was about 30 seconds during last night's game when the PA announcer wasn't begging Sens fans to buy them.

  • By the way, is there some sort of league bylaw that insists that every team must break out their third jerseys against the Leafs? I don't even know what teams' real jerseys look like anymore. This whole argument about how the Leafs don't matter anymore and are overexposed would hold a little more weight if every team in the league didn't treat games against the Leafs as their biggest marketing opportunity of the year.

  • Speaking of jerseys, here's a fun game to play when Toronto comes to town: scan through the hundreds of fans wearing Leaf jerseys, and try to find one with a name and number of a guy who's still on the team. For extra degree of difficulty, don't count Curtis Joseph.

    Last night I saw dozens of Clark, Gilmour and Sundin jerseys. I saw a McCabe, a couple of Tuckers, a few Domis and even a Lindros. But the only current Leaf I could find was a Matt Stajan jersey. That was it.

    Then again, given that Burke is coming in to dynamite the whole organization, maybe it wouldn't be a bad idea for everyone to hold off until March before shelling out for a new jersey.




7 comments:

  1. I rocked my Blake Jersey.

    That's right. You heard me.

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  2. i wouldn't tell people that JD. at least claim it was a gift.

    i've got a kaberle jersey which i thought was going to be safe for a few years, but it's not looking that way anymore. i'm surprised i don't see more kabby jerseys at games though. where's the love for soft-spoken and skilled euro D, leaf nation??

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  3. DGB, I can't believe that stuff about the Leafs fans being told to keep it down. It's a hockey game, for Christ's sake. I haven't been to a game in Ottawa, it's the only arena I have left to hit in this great country, and I hope to make it up for an installment of the Battle of Ontario in February.

    And, just for the record, I love 5'4, 110 lb girls in Wendel Clark jerseys.

    @ JD: Attaboy, dude. You're a brave soul.

    @ Daoust: I'm with you, man. I've got a Kabby jersey as well, and there aren't enough of them. Even if he's dealt, that jersey is a keeper. Kabby is one of the best. He played great last night. Some beautiful rushes to grab the Sens zone. I love that man, rosy cheeks and all.

    Speaking of jerseys, let's hope Chemmy doesn't buy a Schenn one.

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  4. I've been thinking of getting Jeff Finger for my first jersey. Is this crazy?

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  5. I have a Lefabvre jersey. I got it after the 92-93 season.

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  6. My 2 jersey (1st and 2nd of 2003) are blank, because I buy them asking it to a friend who knew nothing about hockey and was visiting.... Montreal!

    Now I would take a Kaberle 3rd jersey.... but your tale is not the best to make me close the deal! :-D

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  7. I wore my Steen jersey to two Leafs games that he played in this year. Booyah.

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