Phigment

"Flyers and NHL follow me at http://twitter.com/BobHaynesJr"

United States, VA • United States •

Lack of Sportmanship at NHL Arenas

Just returned from the Verizon Center for Game 5 Flyers at Caps. I have some problems with the way people treat other fans at sporting events. I grew up in Philadelphia and have watched the Flyers, Phillies and Eagles since I was 5 years old in 1970. I am a lifetime fan and have watched all these teams through thick and thin.

I went to the game today in DC and watched as fans from both sides treated each other like dirt. Why can't fans just cheer for their team. I counted at least 25 times where the Caps fans chanted "Flyers Suck" and the cheers were not directed to the play on the ice, but to the fans in the seats. This was almost equal to the number of times they chanted Lets Go Caps.

I was physically challenged in the rest room due to the color of my jersey. While celebrating the Prospal goal and just slapping hands with my friends I was hit with a "thunder stick" and when I turned to hand it to the child behind me that I thought dropped it, I watched as the guy two rows back threw an empty cup at me. What the hell? After reading the Washington Post last week, I expected Disney on Ice. He then yelled at me that if I stood up again he would "plant my @ss back in the seat" until his girlfriend calmed him down.

However the attitudes were not limited to just the home town folks. I watched two moron Flyer fans stand in the way of the Caps fans and not let them watch the game during a Caps powerplay. As the usher came down they sat, as he walked back they stood up again. This went on for the last 25 minutes of the game. The ushers should have escorted these morons out on the 2nd trip to their seats.

What happened to just enjoying your team and your friends. The players on the ice don't hate each other. They run the guy through the boards and then show up at a charity golf tournament in 6 weeks and have a great time together. They sign things and give to different charities. Recently when a family friend was holding an auction to raise money for his sick granddaughter, the Flyers sent items including a signed picture and puck from Alexander Ovechkin. A classy move.

As to the Washington Post article again, the video screen at the Verizon Center shows hits where guys get run through the wall, Donald Brashear fighting and knocking somebody out cold. As we left the arena and were walking to our car behind a nice guy and his grandson (all decked out in Caps red) the three of us were screamed repeated obscenities about the color of our jerseys. This poor little 5 year old at a playoff game does not need to hear that kind of crap.

I watched a video of the Flyers fans leaving game 4 (it was posted by ladynic on Hockeybuzz). All you can see is the fans chanting "Lets Go Flyers". All we heard today was "Flyers Suck" - not very classy.

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Notes from the Game Today:

*The Caps came out on fire and really outplayed the Flyers for the first 30 minutes of the game. The Flyers seemed to take control of the last half of the game.

*Semin has a wicked wrist shot and displayed it today on the goal in the 3rd period. What a shot! That thing was a missile!!

*The Caps did a great job of line matching today - you can really watch this live - and kept AO away from Carter's line for the most part.

*Hatcher played really well. I thought he was great even before he scored the goal.

*Coburn can really skate. He started after Federov and beat him down the ice. That was impressive. Also Federov had his arm around him and dragged him down. Sorry Caps fan, it was a grab.

*Ovechkin could have scored a pretty goal in the 1st period if he wasn't trying to draw a penalty by throwing his hands up. I never thought I would see him diving to draw penalties. He beat the defense on the powerplay and instead of finishing dove. The Caps scored right after that on a nice 5 on 3 goal.

*The Federov goal at the start of the 2nd period was a direct result of a great line change by the Caps. Carter's line started the period and was still on ice at 90 seconds into the period. The Caps had changed and got the AO line out as the Carter unit was totally winded.

*I am not sure why the fans are booing Briere. If I were him that would really make me feel great about my performance.

*Does anyone else hate these composite sticks. We counted at least 12 broken sticks today during the play. It is ridiculous. If I coached the team, all of my defensemen and penalty killers would use wood sticks only. By the way at the end of the game as Briere took the last shot that was weak on net, as he skated away his blade was broken.

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