Good morning girls,
OK,
this post,
comes with a warning,
I’m talking,
hockey.
Hockey is,
the Great Canadian Sport,
pastime.
The Americans,
have baseball,
and basketball,
the Brits,
have soccer,
or as they call it,
football,
and cricket,
quite possibly the weirdest sport ever:-)
but,
in Canada,
we have hockey,
we play those other sports,
with various levels,
of success,
but,
our collective heart,
belongs to hockey.
Honestly,
doesn’t matter,
if you watch it,
play it,
only follow,
the NHL,
junior championships,
or the Olympics,
love of hockey,
or at least,
awareness,
is part of our collective,
DNA,
perhaps it is our contribution,
to the human genome,
Be patient with BB, high school biology was a loooong time ago and there was no such thing as a human genome then, so what I’ve learned is from watching Charlie Rose, thus, limited, enough said:-)
I’m lucky,
I am a Montrealer,
and I have access,
to the greatest hockey team,
there is,
The Montreal Canadiens,
historically,
if not recently,
although, last year was pretty darn great!!
The Montreal Canadiens,
are one of the legendary,
sports franchises,
on a par with,
The Yankees,
The Celtics,
The Packers,
they mean as much to us,
collectively,
as those teams mean,
in their neck of the woods,
actually,
they mean more,
they are tied up,
in our culture,
our history,
our pride,
they are our team.
The Canadiens,
spelt the French way, because originally, they were a French team,
are as popular,
with the French,
the English,
the new immigrant,
even if you don’t,
speak either official language,
you are one of us,
if you wear,
the red sweater.
The Canadiens have many,
nicknames,
The Habs,
short for the Habitant,
goes back to our settler, agrarian, peasant roots, Habitant, is french for peasant , it also means hick, in our vernacular.
Habs is the most popular,
of their designations,
probably,
because anyone,
can say in any,
language,
Go Habs Go.
They also go by Le bleue, blanc, rouge,
( blue, white, red, although no Anglo says that)
Le tricolore,
La Sainte-Flanelle,
a particular favourite of mine, goes back to a time when the sweaters were made in a woolen blend and all French Quebecers were Catholics and many things were named after saints:-) I like this old-fashioned designation, because I’m old fashioned! and it reminds me of my roots, my ancestors, my grandfather who I adored.
there are many more,
nicknames,
I’m sure,
but,
I can’t think of any more,
right now,
besides,
you must all be bored,
I think The Habs,
are Montreal’s,
Québec’s,
Canada’s,
Team,
some may disagree,
and think,
The Toronto Maple Leafs,
are Canada’s team,
heresy,
but,
hey if people want to root,
for a team that hasn’t won,
The Stanley Cup,
since 1967,
who is BB,
to judge.
Hockey,
Beer,
and bitchin’,
or at the very least,
mentioning,
the weather,
are the great Canadian,
unifiers,
transcends,
everything,
and contribute,
greatly to who,
we are,
I think.
Later girls,
BB
Glad to inspire a hockey post. I’m a sports fan so I don’t mind the fanaticism of others…:-)
Down here in the great Ole U. S. of A., there is only one thing that we agree on–no matter what else is happening either here or elsewhere in the world, we only care about Sports! Yea Team!
Glad to know what Habs stands for…Cool.
I must admit, that anything that I know about hockey I have gotten it from ESPN. Your enthusiasm almost makes me want to watch a game. Unfortunately, your love of the game hasn’t made that little puck any bigger…:-)
Enjoy your team’s moment….
They have glasses for that, you know:-)
Blah, Blah, Blah…it should be required in all sport that the thing used for scoring points be big enough for folk to see….!
No one has to hunt for the basketball, baseball, football (both American & British),…but that elusive puck…I’m sure that’s why few Americans who live outside of Detroit watch hockey–“Not that there’s anything wrong with hockey…:-)”
Enjoy your hockey induced euphoria!
Hum-I was wondering- Does that make you, the Puck Police-wink,wink:-)
I’m sorry, I couldn’t resist- plus, I like to get the last word-it’s a sickness, for which I am actively seeking help:-)
Puck Police, Yes I like it…anything to help you folk with the sizing;-), Last word? HA!
I never knew where the Habs’ nickname came from until now… Thanks! To be honest, hockey never meant much to me except during the brief two years when I played on my school’s team… I was absolutely terrible at the game, but liked playing… And had a mad crush on the goalie (of course).
Crushes on goalies, see, it’s all part of the national obsession:-)
I am Canadian by implant and so my love of sports tends to gravitate towards activities that are done on the grass and not on the ice. Having said that if I were to ever choose a hockey team to cheer on it would be the Habs – and now I know where “Habs” originates! Thanks 🙂
You’re welcome, Go Habs Go:-)
I guess you folk do love the Canadiens…your political parties are moving their debate to accommodate the opening playoff game? All I say to that is…Really? Really?!!!!…”Not that there’s anything wrong with that…”
I know!! But, when they ask “the man on the street” here in Québec, if they would watch the debate or the hockey, an overwhelming majority pick, hockey. But, hey it is the playoffs and it is Boston:-) Says, a lot about our political apathy and our common national obsession. But, if you had to listen to Stephen Harper and Micheal Ignatieff in French, I’m pretty sure, you go with hockey, your difficulty in following the puck
notwithstanding, I know I would:-)