Sorry, old and tired "Network" reference and I'm tired and sort of old, but not Peter Finch-era old. Still, at least some hockey fans are firing counterpunches at the NHL's battle royal, steel cage match, loser leaves town extravaganza (all this WWE-style throwdown is missing are these guys and these gals to restore order to the madness). And how do the fans feel about it? Watch the video in this link -with no dated 70's movie quote, I promise- and then I'll get back to you:
Interesting? That's what I thought too when I read about the Just Drop It fan group (it also has a Facebook page). and "the pledge". As the video suggests, for every game the NHL cancels after Dec. 21 -presumably for the team you root for- you'll not buy a ticket for that game, refrain from going so far as watching the television broadcast of the game, and refuse to purchase any NHL gear or souvenirs. (Good news for the great Dan Rusanowsky and this guy for any fans of dumb movie lines like me: the pledge doesn't include swearing off listening to games on radio.
From a more serious standpoint, I totally applaud the gesture and the message Just Drop It wants to send to the NHL. The possibility of the unthinkable cancellation of an entire season again looms over this mocked and criticized league. If an empty net goal can't be scored to salvage a shortened season, life will go on for the already wealthy owners; life will go on -albeit with another year on those older legs- for the players. Life should go on for the fans, even in the long, unforgiving winters in such hockey-mad markets as Minneapolis-St. Paul, Montreal, Pittsburgh and Calgary. But as this crusade of pissed-off hockey fans suggest, hockey fans take such nonsense personally.
Here's my take on those intending to take the pledge: more power to you. I have become a huge hockey fan who grew up in a hockey-less culture. There's not a lot of frozen ponds in San Bruno, Cal. where I grew up; in Fresno where I went to college; in and around Los Angeles where I worked for six years. Granted, I once spent a brutally frigid night with my dog when I lived in Fayetteville, Ark. with no power during a devastating ice storm. But mention hockey in Arkansas and a native will look at you with a puzzled expression. "Son, this is Razorback football country".
But you would guess the most disgruntled puckheads have a more personal connection with the game. Many in the coldest climates probably grew up skating in the winter. Some probably played on their local bantam or midget teams. College hockey at schools like Lake Superior State, Boston University, Denver and Cornell rival SEC football and ACC basketball in terms of passion. Hockey doesn't have the American national frenzy for the NFL, but there are no fans as dedicated and loyal as those in the NHL. Football games will feature plenty of expensive jerseys in the crowd. But go to a Sharks' game and it seems like every small group will have at least one donning a Boyle, Thornton, Marleau, Couture or Pavelski sweater. It's probably an even greater fan-to-jersey ratio in a more traditional hockey town.
So what to do for Sharks' fans when/if the lockout handcuffs are unshackled? First, I love the idea of not spending a dime on hockey apparel. That's a no-brainer. In terms of not watching games on T.V., I probably can't agree on that one. Once the games return if I'm around I can't stay away when it's so convenient to turn on Hahn and Remenda. Sure, it would benefit the NHL in terms of ratings (and it's unclear if viewership and overall interest will plummet whenever the game returns). But hockey has survived a general of lack of television ratings in the past, so I don't anticipate the league to suffer any major setback in the short term. If you don't watch that mid-January -just a possible if not unrealistic guess- season opener, it'll probably agonize you more to NOT watch than actually watch.
The "don't buy a ticket for the equivalent of every game canceled" is more intriguing. Thousands of empty seats at any pro sports game reflects poorly for the team and suggests the product is not worth the price of the tickets. And it's downright embarrassing for the league when it happens in multiple cities. And it has happened in all the major sports, though the NFL, despite fan violence growing at games, and the recent deaths of two players stemming from alleged criminal acts, seems to remain bulletproof.
And when hockey does return it will be interesting how the fans who have supported nontraditional hockey markets like San Jose, Nashville, Washington D.C. and Tampa/St. Pete will approach buying tickets. Ditto in proud, blue-collar hamlets such as Buffalo, Pittsburgh, Boston and Philadelphia.
I certainly wasn't planning on flooding the Sharks' Web site or Stubhub to buy a ticket for San Jose's TBA next home game given my frustration over yet another season of cancelled games. But to take another twist in the Just Drop It plan would be this: For the first home game for all teams, I would be at least interested in the idea of buying a ticket, putting on a sweater or hoodie and look the part of a forgiving fan. Going to the game, buying a beer and sitting down in your seat. Watching all the hoopla while the over caffeinated P.A. announcer is begging the fans to stand up and cheer for your heroes as they skate onto the ice with heavy metal music blaring from the speakers. Then standing for your anthem and singing along to the lyrics as if there was a lockout. But after the anthem, not sitting down, but simply walking up or down the stairs and leaving.
Imagine the message it would send if all 17,562 teal-clad Sharks' fans at HP Pavilion bailed seconds before the puck drops, leaving the NHL's first game back after a hate-filled lockout playing to the symbolic scene of an empty arena. The next game would and should return to at least a shred of normalcy. But that's my "Just Drop It" contribution to the suggestion box as to what hockey fans should do in protest if we even have a 2012-13 season.
The NHL has already just dropped the
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