A Twitter version of myself recently commented:
“Plenty of room for temporary Canuck fans on the bandwagon. You’re not obligated to watch the whole marathon to cheer on the final sprint!”
I couldn’t agree with me more! As my Vancouver Canucks attempt to exorcise their Chicago Blackhawks‘ demons tonight, some longtime Van Can fans will bristle and even insult those short-term cheerleaders who only come out for big games. I do not understand this resentment. Hockey is entertainment, and so, as far as I’m concerned, you’re welcome to take part in as much or as little of it as you like.
(Admittedly, I can be caught teasing those newbies who try to sound like hockey pundits and make hockey proclamations that are beyond their comprehension level, but that’s a whole other snobbery.)
Similarly, I don’t resent those of us who only watch Olympic sports every four years. It may be tough on those athletes that they don’t get daily cheering, but, sorry: this is entertainment. I’ll watch when I find it entertaining, and I happen to only find cross country skiing to be intriguing when Olympic medals are on the line.
I may also watch a movie sequel without “supporting” the original, or view Harry Potter without reading the book. I don’t have a problem with me doing that, and neither should Canuck loyalists resent occasional supporters. Not only are they not hurting anybody in the process, but their fresh enthusiasm adds excitement to the hockey battle for the rest of us. In fact, it seems to me if they were there all year long, the playoffs wouldn’t be nearly as fun.
However! If the Canucks lose tonight, I will have to aim my disappointment somewhere, and so I’ll have no choice but to join in the mocking of those clamouring for the bandwagon exit.
In reward for you reading (or at least glancing) to the end of this post, I offer you in the video below the result of the game in blog post.
Spoiler Alert: I likely wouln’t be sharing it if it didn’t go our Canuckly way.
i agree!! i mean, us bandwagoners need love too!! (some [ie. the desperantic ones] more than others)
Well this may be considered sacralidge but…
to give another perspective on this matter,(speaking as a non-bandwagoneer) I sometimes find it strange how much I know about something I care so little about. Don’t get me worng, I’d like to see the Canucks win because it would be good for morale & the local economy. But it really is difficult to remain as uninformed about it as I would like to.
Though I haven’t watched the Canucks much this season, I’m happily jumping on board and not feeling guilty, as I’ve decided to claim an exemption for myself.
I first become aware of the Canucks at age 11 when my Dad was excited for the ’82 team, then had to suff through games co-opting the show ‘Disneyland’ on Sunday nights, then followed the team on-and-off for the next 29 years, I feel gets me in on some sort of grandfathering clause.
Yeah, I’m all good with the bandwagon jumping. Especially since I’m a classic jumper mostly depending on how well they’re doing and who the players are.
However, how do you deal with a schizoid bandwagoner? Trevor swears he’ll never watch them again in one minute, then is throwing them air kisses in the next. “EAT IT!!! EAT IT!!!” can be heard bellowing from our living room for both Canucks triumphs and failures.
How often are we hearing the phrase “how ’bout those Canucks” these days? I often feel obliged to play along as if I care. Its tantamount to that similar silly question “Nice weather, eh?” that ppl tend to ask when its sunny. One feels like they should agree even if they don’t like the sun or don’t care about the weather.
Verrry interesting. I see this topic has touched a nerve and shows the need for more categories than just “Devoted fan” and “Bandwagoner”. Let’s add:
“Desperate Bandwagoner” (Trademark Lechuchotement) for those seeking romance on the bandwagon.
“Forced Bandwagoner” (Trademark v) for those who would rather not board the wagon, but are pushed on by the monotheistic people around them.
“Retired-Fan Bandwagoner” (Trademark Tarrin) for former devotees who have moved onto other obsessions, but would nevertheless like to know they can see their team again when they feel the inclination and city-pressure.
“Bi-polar Bandwagoner” (Trademark Meggles) for the fan whose love of the team when they win is only matched by their hate of the team when they lose.
I believe this demonstrates that there is no wrong way to be a bandwagoner. They are all approved by me. I feel a little sorry for the Forced Bandwagoner, but I think such shared cultural experience binds us culturally (the “bindwagon”) and so, as you say, gives us one more piece of small talk to escape the less nuanced weather talk.