Monday 10 January 2011

We've turned into louts, too

As Jymn points out, Canadians are no longer international good guys.

Now, we are being told we're louts to boot.
It is a good thing that the World Junior hockey tournament did not last any longer. Another week, and we might have had a border war.

Even as it was, I think we saw a different side of the normally placid, polite, patient good neighbors we thought we knew. Buffalo was invaded by a sea of red. The tide has receded, leaving behind some hard feelings, shattered stereotypes and an aftertaste as bad as the backwash from a warm Molson.

Whatever happened to the polite, humble, rule-respecting folks we thought we knew? Where were the civic-minded citizens who dutifully wait at the street corner when the traffic light is red, even when no cars are coming? Wherever you are, we want you back.

I am not sure if it was the insufferable sense of hockey superiority, or the pre-and post-game beers, but this tournament brought out the inner lout in a lot of Canadians. Arrogant, loud, drunk, obnoxious — if I didn’t know better, I would have thought that they were, well, Americans.

(And we're still miserable tippers.)

And Stephen (You Won't Recognize Canada When I Get Through with It) Harper still isn't done with us.

h/t

5 comments:

Beijing York said...

I think it was a sports writer that was interviewed who made similar comments about Canadian players being arrogant and insufferable during the World Juniors, and that other US players were hoping "anyone but the Canadians for the win". He said athletes in general felt much the same way at the 2010 Winter Olympics. The "Own the Podium" program made the Canadian athletes far more pompous and aggressive.

Anonymous said...

What's the difference between a Canuck and a Canoe. Canuck's don't tip.

fern hill said...

Anonymous: Ancient joke. Sadly, still applicable.

BY: Yes. I loathed that 'Own the Podium' crap. So unCanadian. So Merkin.

Bleatmop said...

I find it surprising that it has taken our American cousins this long to figure out that we don't live up to that stereotype. I first noticed that we've been loud and obnoxious about hockey During the 2002 Olympics with the whole "Canada's Game" crap. Somehow because we love it so much, it must be "ours", thus not anyone elses, and if anyone else should happen to beat us, it's not because of their skill but instead our folly.

As far as I know, that Nice Canadian trademark is a reputation that we've been living off of but not living up to in quite some time.

k'in said...

And apparently we make Michigan cops nervous!

"Former Calgary Flames general manager Craig Button of the NHL Network was on hand, and as he approached the intersection outside the Michigan Stadium entrance, a police officer directing traffic asked if there were any Canadians among the gathering waiting to cross the road."

“Suddenly, a group of people broke into O Canada,” Button said. “It sounded like there was about 200 people singing."

http://www.montrealgazette.com/business/money/Biggest+hockey+crowd+ever/3963920/story.html

I tuned out the Own the Odious crap too.

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