Who do you want to win the Eastern Conference tonight?
by Travis Hughes on May 27, 2011 2:25 PM EDT
in 2011 NHL Playoffs
Email
Print
The Philadelphia Flyers won't be winning the Eastern Conference this season, and that harsh reality will come completely true tonight when one team wins Game 7 and ignores that trophy that Mike Richards had the balls to pick up one year ago.
One team has to win, and it comes down to two teams that stir up a lot of emotion around these parts: the Boston Bruins or the Tampa Bay Lightning. So it's worth asking, who do we want to win?
Justin F. put up a great FanPost earlier today on the subject. Sure, the Flyers made the Cup Finals last year, but just about everybody will tell you that the 2004 team that lost in Game 7 to the Tampa Bay Lightning was the best chance the Flyers have had to win the Cup since the 80s. (We all know how 1997 turned out, after all.)
I've been waiting for this moment for seven years now. Only half of the equation may be there now, but I can still hope for the result I wanted then. I'll never get 2004 back, but Tampa can feel the pain of losing to a largely unlikeable team in Game Seven of the Eastern Conference Finals. The pain of being one game short of the Stanley Cup Finals. The pain of knowing their team with a ton of Heart that never gave up was one game short of a sweet victory and a chance at a Stanley Cup.
That bitterness toward the Lightning still lingers deep within me as well. I hate the 2004 Lightning with the passion of a thousand Steve Downie's. But will a loss by the 2011 Lightning in Game 7 of the Eastern Finals be viewed as revenge?
For me, it won't. It's not the Flyers doing the beating, after all.
And besides: the Lightning of now are the complete and total opposite of the Lightning of then. Sure, Vincent Lecavalier and Martin St. Louis are still there, but those are two guys who are pretty tough to hate. John Tortorella is gone, there's new ownership, a new general manager. It's practically a new organization.
Frankly, the 2011 Lightning are a pretty likable bunch too, and that's before mentioning Simon Gagne's name. And as for their fans? I don't have any feelings towards Lightning fans at all. They're like Florida Marlins fans to me. Does it bug me that they're clearly bandwagoners and, for the most part, the collective of them doesn't deserve another Stanley Cup?
Sure, that bugs me. But as a group, I hardly think about Lightning fans. I don't live near them, I don't deal with them. Out of sight, out of mind.
Boston fans, on the other hand, are perhaps the worst fans in America. Arrogant, spoiled rotten, omnipresent. Right up there with Yankees fans and Cowboys fans, in my book.
If the Bruins win the Eastern Conference, they're going to be even worse. If the Bruins do the unthinkable and win the Stanley Cup, every major Boston sports team will have won a championship in the last 10 years. Nobody should have to suffer through the pain of those accents and their celebration. Again.
It's painful just thinking about it. And besides, they beat us this year. If they lose this season before winning the Cup, we can still claim ultimate victory after the Greatest Comeback In The History Of Sport. If they win the Cup, it's moot.
Stanley Cup > epic 3-0 comeback > everything else. Kind of how it works.
I don't want the Lightning to win the Stanley Cup, but I sure as hell want them to beat the Bruins tonight. After that, the Canucks can mop the floor with them. Sounds like a plan.
88 comments
|
0 recs |
Do you like this story?
Comments
I, like Justin am still bitter about 2004. I hope Tampa doesn’t advance to another Cup Final until the Flyers win.
For Flyers Highlights in HD: Youtube.com/MrFlyerGuy
Frankly, I still can’t stand Vinny, and I find St. Louis to be an annoying little bastard.
by 92-74-99-96 on May 28, 2011 8:52 AM EDT via mobile up reply actions
My goodness, when that guy in the video you linked to started screaming, he sounded like Rosie O’Donnell.
Writer at SB Nation's Philadelphia Union blog, The Brotherly Game. Follow me on Twitter.
I live in outside tampa and only met a few fans and it was after they made the playoffs. I just hate boston fans and their sports. I have seen more bruins shirts and jerseys than Tampa, here 20 miles from Tampa. I want the canucks to win it all.
I wasn't even a year old but I stayed up to be outside the Vet with my Dad and Mom when the Phillies won the World Series 1980.
There is nothing worse than giving a fan from Boston something to cheer about. Anyone who has the displeasure of knowing any personally can agree that they are the most obnoxious people on Earth. When watching any New England sports team, I repeatedly hope for karma to come slapping them in the nuts.
Also, Vancouver will roll over either of these teams.
by jnurk17 on May 27, 2011 2:41 PM EDT reply actions 1 recs
This is a comment sent from heaven
by Clinton92 on May 28, 2011 12:56 AM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
a philadelphian calling bostonians rude and obnoxious?
how hypocritical. what’s next, charles manson calling ted bundy crazy? dude, philly and boston fans are practically the same
Tampa Bay. I hate 2004, but I hate Boston sports more. Plus Gagne factor. But go Canucks overall, sorry Gags.
by bleedorangewhiteblack on May 27, 2011 2:45 PM EDT reply actions
FUN FACT: If the Bruins and Heat win their respective championship, every champion in the 4 major sports beat Philadelphia in the playoffs.
Always the bridesmaid, never the bride.
-bob
by Rrainone on May 27, 2011 3:38 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions
But I always hear people say they’d rather lose to the champions and all, so is that something to be proud of?
I don’t think so personally. Just thinking that all 4 champions in the last year (plus last year’s Stanley Cup) beat us on the way doesn’t sit right with me.
#1 Flyers Fan in New York
Good bye #12, you will always bleed Orange and Black.
by Lindbergh 31 on May 27, 2011 4:08 PM EDT up reply actions
I’m rooting for the ice to melt and for velocirapture II to strike.
What kind of plane is it? Oh, it's a big pretty white plane with red stripes, curtains in the windows and wheels and it looks like a big ol' Tylenol.
That’s what I’m hoping for, or “the meteor” (choose your own doomsday)…
All in all, I think it’s a moot point. I see Vancouver pounding either team (and that’s good).
#1 Flyers fan in England (originally from Southeastern PA)
by Orange and Black Forever on May 27, 2011 3:39 PM EDT up reply actions
Bolts
I really want to see the lightning win, only for Gagne.
by Frizzlefry on May 27, 2011 3:09 PM EDT reply actions 1 recs
After that, the Canucks can mop the floor with them.
I endorse this gameplan and would like to subscribe to your newsletter.
'Nucks Misconduct - Housing Swedish Millionaires Since 2000.
"Pucks are awful little things" - Passive Voice.
How come nobody hates on the nucks? they’re clearly the favourite to win, I think they’re cocky and arrogant and if you watched the last game against the sharks, they’re dirty. I’ll be cheering for Tampa, Gagne can win a cup, and then come back and sign for a year in Philly and win a cup.
Agreed. Too much nucks love. Looking at both teams, I don’t really like one more than the other. So let the five seed beat the one seed. And every year after, I’ll feel better about being in 4th or 5th place due to the Crosby effect
Of Philadelphia:
I always think it's a sign of victory when they move on to the ad hominem.
It’s not even ‘nucks love for me. More like I can’t stand the Bruins and I’m just not so enthusiastic about Tampa.
I'm the Pronger. DUH, WINNING.
Chem and Gus to the restaurant.
Ian Laperriere (EE-an luh-PAIR-ee-YAIR), proper noun
Definition: Bad-assery on skates
by Chemistry66 on May 27, 2011 7:41 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
That matches my view, too.
#1 Flyers fan in England (originally from Southeastern PA)
by Orange and Black Forever on May 28, 2011 5:51 AM EDT up reply actions
Creepy?
I'm the Pronger. DUH, WINNING.
Chem and Gus to the restaurant.
Ian Laperriere (EE-an luh-PAIR-ee-YAIR), proper noun
Definition: Bad-assery on skates
Let’s be clear: I have beef with any team that starts chanting “We Want the Cup” in Game 2 of the conference finals. But my beef with their (at times obnoxiously zealous) fan base pale to problems with Boston’s.
I’m problem rooting for Tampa, because my desire to see Gagne win a Cup and my problems with Gagne winning a Cup roughly balance out.
Of the two Eastern teams left, I would rather see Tampa Bay win. I like what Yzerman’s done with the team in only one year, plus Gagne deserves another shot.
But no matter who wins, I’m for Vancouver totally taking them to town. As soon as the Flyers were eliminated I wanted Vancouver or San Jose to win the Cup.
#1 Flyers Fan in New York
Good bye #12, you will always bleed Orange and Black.
As soon as the Flyers were eliminated I wanted Vancouver or San Jose to win the Cup.
+1
#1 Flyers fan in England (originally from Southeastern PA)
by Orange and Black Forever on May 28, 2011 5:52 AM EDT up reply actions
Go Bruins
When I watch videotape fo that series and see al the garbage the Flyers put up with. When I seem them swooning over Andreychuk finally getting his chance to win a Cup it makes me sick. The ice in Tampa will be soft and the puck bouncing all over – I just can;t stand the thought of Florida people boasting about a another Cup win even if Gagne is on the team.
I’m pulling for theBruins tonight and the Canucks next round.
Ladies and Gentlemen the Flyers are going to win the Stanley Cup! The Flyers ...
by Fr. Orange and Black on May 27, 2011 5:02 PM EDT reply actions
Hmmmmmm…..
With 2004 taken into consideration…….still gotta go with the Lightning. Gagne factor.
I, almost, then, want to say I hope that the Lightning lose in the Finals. That, however, contradicts the Gagne argument.
I’ll still go Lightning tonite. Hate Boston, city and its teams, too much. I’d Tampa Bay loses in the Finals, so be it. At least they’ll lose to a team with bad ass uniforms.
by flyerboom_6 on May 27, 2011 6:47 PM EDT via mobile reply actions
Boston has a good marathon. That exhausts all the good things I have to say about their sports.
I’m still bitter about ’04, they beat PHI the night before I graduated from college. So they ruined that.
I don’t like either of them, but the thought of another title going to Boston makes me violently ill.
Regressing to the mean since '81
GAME ON!
Come on Lightning… do it for Gags (I’ll conveniently forget about Downie for tonight).
Hockey, beer, and tasty food items? Yes please.
Come on Bolts!! Shut up Bruins.
Following Dan Carcillo where ever he may go
Giving up isn't an option
by Cillo stache on May 27, 2011 10:32 PM EDT via mobile reply actions
THREE CHEERS FOR SWEET REVENGE!
THE BOSTON BRUINS ARE GOING TO THE STANLEY CUP!
Writer at SB Nation's Philadelphia Union blog, The Brotherly Game. Follow me on Twitter.
Boston teams playing for championships infuriates me.
Simon Gagne may move between towns, wear new jerseys and call different arenas home, but at the end of the day, he will always be a Philadelphia Flyer.
by PursuitOfLappyness on May 27, 2011 10:45 PM EDT up reply actions 2 recs
+1
#1 Flyers fan in England (originally from Southeastern PA)
by Orange and Black Forever on May 28, 2011 5:53 AM EDT up reply actions
And the Lightning have lost a Eastern Conference Game Seven
Thank you, Boston. Thank you.
As far as who I want to win the Stanley Cup, I’m not really sure. I’m not wild about this Canucks game. Boston is Boston which normally puts them real low for me, but they did this against Tampa, which elevates them a bit.
I’m probably just going to root for a great series.
Writer at SB Nation's Philadelphia Union blog, The Brotherly Game. Follow me on Twitter.
I feel sad for Gags.
Simon Gagne may move between towns, wear new jerseys and call different arenas home, but at the end of the day, he will always be a Philadelphia Flyer.
by PursuitOfLappyness on May 27, 2011 10:45 PM EDT reply actions
I feel sad for us that’s he’s in Tampa instead of helping us to a Cup.
by 92-74-99-96 on May 28, 2011 8:54 AM EDT via mobile up reply actions
DUZZNT MATTER THEY ARE DA TWO OF TEH BEST GOALIEZ AND THE FLYERS ARENT IN DA CUP COZ OF BOB AND BOOOSH!!!!
Simon Gagne may move between towns, wear new jerseys and call different arenas home, but at the end of the day, he will always be a Philadelphia Flyer.
by PursuitOfLappyness on May 27, 2011 10:51 PM EDT up reply actions
And yet, Gagne in the Cup would have made things so much worse on Philly Sports talk radio/Philly.com comments section.
Writer at SB Nation's Philadelphia Union blog, The Brotherly Game. Follow me on Twitter.
Kind of hoping for a Canucks sweep now its the bruins. Nothing against them I’m not a recchi two cups now,chara, lucic, Horton, or marchand fan. Besides kesler is a beast n would like to see a team that plays so well like the canucks hoist the cup.
by KidA-thebends on May 27, 2011 11:09 PM EDT via mobile reply actions 1 recs
@ Justin f Philly.com/wip comments are knuckleheads for the most part. Gagne I didn’t want to go like the other fan but it’s unfortunate the chips were stacked against him. Injury prone high price contract n one year left before becoming a Ufa. Flyers had to make the sacrifice. Be awesome if he were to take that smaller deal to comeback but he’s no where close to the end of his career.
by KidA-thebends on May 27, 2011 11:13 PM EDT via mobile reply actions
Fuck the Bruins and everything Boston. Go ’Nucks!
@Mitchman88 on Twitter
by Mitchell Green on May 27, 2011 11:22 PM EDT reply actions 1 recs
Not saying there’s a trend though, but dating back to last year’s Flyers team
Flyers lose to Hawks, Hawks win Cup
Phillies lose to Giants, Giants win World Series
Eagles lose to Packers, Packers win Super Bowl
6ers lose to Heat, to be continued
Flyers lose to Bruins, to be continued
do you poop on parties professionally, or do you just do it as a hobby?
by CoburnsCuddleBuddy on May 28, 2011 1:42 AM EDT reply actions
It’s like a sports version of “Good Luck Chuck”
"There is no dark side in the moon, really. Matter of fact it's all dark."
by alcatraz0109 on May 29, 2011 7:32 PM EDT up reply actions
Vancouver for the sweep
I don’t ever want Boston to win anything at all. Ever. Not even badminton or mini-golf. Especially not hockey …or beer-making.
All those years ago I used to pick Vancouver to play with on Blades of Steel and now I can root hard for them in a resolution higher than 16bits could provide.
Hockey, beer, and tasty food items? Yes please.
Come on, the city of Philly and Boston have had a rivalry for a long time. And there’s nothing great about watching Boston go for yet another championship while ours has one in the last three decades. Plus, Boston fans invade our city for the Phils-Red Sox games and give us a real run for the money in terms of obnoxious behaviour, which is difficult to grasp.
What kind of plane is it? Oh, it's a big pretty white plane with red stripes, curtains in the windows and wheels and it looks like a big ol' Tylenol.
i actually don’t mind philly fans as much as some people do. i think they’re pretty much the same as boston fans in some respects.
i was just quoting travis’ article from earlier this year saying that bruins-flyers was a one-sided rivalry. i wasn’t saying there is no rivalry, there certainly is and i think its good for sports. plus, i love being able to give my parents neighbor in south jersey (who’s from philly) lots of grief when its phil vs. bos.
oh and don’t feel bad about the red sox invasions. the invasions aren’t as bad as some of the other cities. Baltimore has it horrible. Hell, even some of the west coast teams have more sox fans than home fans.
Oh, I’ve seen it at the Nats park personally when it wasn’t even a game between the Red Sox and Nats. Weird.
I think Boston, NY and Philly fans are the same fan just with different accents. It just pains me when I see other fans (or Philly fans) say one is worse than the other.
We all have our personal issues (mine always seem to be Pittsburgh fans for some reason) that we draw from that makes us loathe one team more, but at the end of the day, rationale says every fanbase has good guys and bad guys.
I just don’t want Boston as a city to win another championship. Has nothing to do with the fans, really. It’s not really fair. Spread the wealth.
What kind of plane is it? Oh, it's a big pretty white plane with red stripes, curtains in the windows and wheels and it looks like a big ol' Tylenol.
At the same time, though, the Bruins have not won a championship since 1970. While the city has had great success in the other leagues, not every Boston fan is a four sport fan.
As far as this series, I am not sure who I want to win yet. I am probably leaning to Boston, though I am not sure I really care. Canucks are a very dirty team with by and large a very unlikeable fanbase. The Bruins are not at all a dirty team, although we all know about the recent history of other Boston teams, and their fans are, well, Boston fans. I’m undecided on who I want to win this one.
Writer at SB Nation's Philadelphia Union blog, The Brotherly Game. Follow me on Twitter.
Am I supposed to feel sorry for them because they don’t like the Pats or Celtics? And they’re almost all Red Sox fans, and have seen that beloved team finally break the curse and win not just one, but two, championships since 2004.
Meh, go Canucks!
What kind of plane is it? Oh, it's a big pretty white plane with red stripes, curtains in the windows and wheels and it looks like a big ol' Tylenol.
I did not say you were supposed to feel sorry for them, just chances are they are not all fans of all four sports. Some may be 4, others 3, some 2, others just the B’s, etc.
Writer at SB Nation's Philadelphia Union blog, The Brotherly Game. Follow me on Twitter.
ouch. Lots of Bruins hate here, eh? Totally understandible, but not a very good representation of this fan base. We hate when others do this, so why are we doing this?
Following Dan Carcillo where ever he may go
Giving up isn't an option
cheers.
for what it’s worth, i cheered on the Flyers last year during the ECF (not the finals though, sorry. I like the Blackhawks a tad better than the Flyers from an independent standpoint). i guess it’s easy to cheer for anyone who’s playing the Canadiens. maybe there’d be a bit more bruins support if they were playing the Peguins or something.
i guess it’s easy to cheer for anyone who’s playing the Canadiens
Oh this is so very true.
There is one reason and one reason alone why I would anything, and it would be if I felt that win benefited the Flyers in someway (i.e. advancing to the Eastern Conference Finals last year where I knew we could beat them)
Writer at SB Nation's Philadelphia Union blog, The Brotherly Game. Follow me on Twitter.
I don’t understand how it isn’t a good representation of us? I am not surprised at all by the Boston hate. Boston fans are one of the most insufferable fan bases (New York takes the cake of course) to have to put up with.
We hate when others do what? I’d say we have legitamate reasons to hate the Bruins. Being swept by them this year is enough reason for me to hate them, their scum ball players like Lucic and that dumb bear they use in advertisements.
I almost always cheer for the Western Conference team in the SCF once the Flyers are eliminated. This year is no different. It’s real easy cheering against anything from Boston, especially this year’s Bruins.
@Mitchman88 on Twitter
by Mitchell Green on May 28, 2011 10:49 PM EDT up reply actions
Hating the bruins
For me personally, I am more pisses that the flyers aren’t playing anymore than I am mad at the bruins. I still don’t want the bruins to win I’m getting flash backs from 09 in my sleep lol. Like most said earlier eventual champions beat us in the play-offs one point or the other and that bothers me more.
-bob
by Rrainone on May 28, 2011 11:52 AM EDT via mobile reply actions
The Meh Series
Really, I don’t care much about this Cup Final series.
I think NBC isn’t that excited about having Vancouver in the final either. Better than Ottawa, though, for ratings. Expect lots of references to the Olympics. I guarantee video of the Parise goal during some pregame.
Set your JVR in 2011.
Hockey Fans Unite
I don’t “love” any other hockey teams except the Flyers and Team USA. However, when I’m traveling to other cities, especially in areas like Florida or Tennessee, I will still go to games regardless of who is playing and I will cheer for the respective home team. I don’t care if it’s NHL or ECHL, I will try to find a game to attend. One of my guilty pleasures is to attend the Princeton Women’s games in NJ on occasional Friday nights. It’s FREE and it’s usually good hockey (not to mention we like to tailgate in their parking garage and security typically leaves us alone). Its about an hour from my house and it’s worth the drive every time.
Point being, when our loved teams aren’t playing we all love the game of hockey…And perhaps I’m speaking for myself but I frikkin love to hate other teams and their fans. I love going to rivalry games at the WFC and I love to talk smack. I love it even more when visiting teams lose and i get to pester their followers on the post-game subway ride.
So yeah, no one should really care who is worse or who is nastier. Appreciate that the fans of any opposing team suck the big one and that YOU, the FLYER fan, are supreme.
And if anyone ever tries to take hockey away, unite with fans of other teams and fight against the oppressor.
Until then, screw anyone not cheering for who I’m cheering for.
Hockey, beer, and tasty food items? Yes please.
Comments For This Post Are Closed
Secondary Sidebar
User Tools
Related FanPosts on Broad Street Hockey
Related FanShots on Broad Street Hockey
FanPosts
Community blog posts and discussion.
Recommended FanPosts
Recent FanPosts
SBNation.com Recent Stories
In Association With
Latest Puck Daddy - NHL from Yahoo! Sports
- Eulogy: Remembering the 2011-12 New York Rangers
- Stanley Cup Final: 5 keys for New Jersey Devils and Los Angeles Kings
- Friday’s Three Stars: Devils head to Final; Brodeur, Kovalchuk the difference in Game 6
- Devils eliminate Rangers in Game 6, ending fear of the past, setting course for the future
- Adam Henrique sends New Jersey Devils to Stanley Cup Final with OT goal vs. Rangers (VIDEO)
Latest stories and headlines from NHL.com
- Former Oilers Stoll, Greene grateful for 2nd chance when well-rested LA Kings face New Jersey
- Shinnimin named CHL's Player of the Year
- Capitals send left-wing Bourque to Bruins for centre Hamill
- Rangers look to get past hurt of loss to Devils
- Top-seeded Rangers have reasons for optimism after disappointing loss to Devils in East finals
