A bite. A taunt. A handful of flops, dives and embellishments. A late, dirty hit. A flying elbow late in a lopsided game.
This Vancouver Canucks team is making it easy for the hockey world to hate them — and they apparently don’t care.
The Globe and Mail, a newspaper based in Toronto, ran a feature on Tuesday night that detailed the growing number of folks in the anti-Nucks club.
Said Blackhawks forward Dave Bolland: “It does get pretty painful watching and seeing that team in [the Stanley Cup Final]. … It sucks seeing them there. Typical, pulling hair and biting people. Sort of like a girl … stuff like that isn’t meant for hockey.”
Said Stars forward Krys Barch (who is teammates with Steve Ott so his opinion comes with a grain of salt … or hypocrisy): “I don’t know if he has an ounce of man in him. I’d be embarrassed to be his father.”
Said Oilers defenseman Ryan Whitney: “This team is so easy to hate it is unbelievable. … I’d say that 90 percent of the guys in the league want nothing to do with seeing them win.”
All of this is certainly getting to the Canucks, right? After all, they were supposed to be “Canada’s Team,” the ones to bring the Cup back to where it belongs — north of the border. Yet, it seems as though many Canadians would prefer Boston, an Original Six team, to win it all. That has to sting for Vancouver, doesn’t it?
Well … no.
“We don’t really care,” captain Henrik Sedin said.
Coming from the author of one of the worst flops seen this side of the NBA, that’s not all that surprising.
Photo of the Day
Did you anticipate disliking the Canucks this much? Share your thoughts in the comments section below.
Quote of the day
“The average person, you know, has sick days and battling 100-something [fever], it’s just tough to get out of bed. This guy is playing against the best athletes in the world.”
–Mavericks center Tyson Chandler, on teammate Dirk Nowitzki’s ability to play through an illness and lead Dallas to a win over Miami
Tweet of the day
Jonathan Papelbon does like to make things interesting from time to time.
Video of the day
What was this guy’s goal to begin with? Rollerblade down a slide? Is that hard to do? Nice trick, bro. Enjoy the emergency room.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S_bJ-dbfFy8&w=640&h=510]
