Poetic justice

[MaddDog]

It's one thing for the people of Quebec to cheer on the Canadiens.  It would be another if they booed the Avs.  Did they?  I don't know if they necessarily hate the Avs so much as, like the pre-Nordiques era, liked the Habs.  I know some people in Hartford still like the Canes - we had a poster who fit that bill.  It might be different with a Canadian team that moves to the States, though.

Well, I think I'm an exception to the rule, though... being a combination WhalerCane fan. The people I personally know in CT who used to like the Whale don't really get into the 'Canes at all; there's no TV coverage of the team here OR they just have no desire to follow the franchise now that it's in NC. So, fans who root for their relocated team from afar are the minority rather than the majority, IMO. I doubt most Dev fans from the state of NJ would continue to follow the team if it moved to another city, although the other options are VERY horrendous - root for the Rangers or Philthy?? I'd assume some might switch to the Isles or get so disgusted with the NHL that they just didn't adopt ANY team (much like many Whaler fans).

I really can't comment on the Qu

[Derek21]

Iceman, it's not just Devil fans that hate what the Avs have become. I loathe them too. What Kariya did last summer with Selanne was a joke. They are getting exactly what they deserved.

There are a few Avs' players I respect like Sakic, Hejduk, Tanguay, Blake, Aebischer and Liles. But watching the best player in the game flop around and whine to officials ticks me off. Forsberg doesn't need to do that to be the best player. But he insists on being a faker and abuses the rules. I cannot stand that.

I liked the Avs a lot better when they had Drury, a hockey player that played within the rules and was smart. He was likeable. No coincidence that it's gone downhill for Colorado since they traded him.

As for Quebec fans, I'd imagine some did follow the Avs because of their loyalty for the remaining players from their final team like Sakic, Forsberg and Foote. But I'd also imagine some have to be bitter because when Colorado bought them, Quebec was on the fringe of becoming an Eastern Conference powerhouse. Who knows what would have happened had they stayed in the East? I'd imagine some have to feel sad that they never got to see their team win a Cup. They were built the right way.

One other comment regarding the Avs' current plight. Their season ended when Blake went down a few months ago and missed time after the All-Star break. Blake was on his way to the Norris and was one of the MVP's of the team. Since returning, he hasn't been the same player. They weren't winning anything without a healthy Blake.

[LOTCB]

There are a few Avs' players I respect like Sakic, Hejduk, Tanguay, Blake, Aebischer and Liles. But watching the best player in the game flop around and whine to officials ticks me off. Forsberg doesn't need to do that to be the best player. But he insists on being a faker and abuses the rules. I cannot stand that.

You criticize Forsberg for being a faker when your boy Kovelev is up for an Acadmey award??

Edited April 27, 2004 by Legend Of the Clown Banner

[NJDevs4978]

The Avs can't lose fast enough for me and it has nothing to do with that stupid Bourque thing.

Hell I'd probably actually (gasp!) like the Avs a little now that there's no Waaah around to hate if it wasn't for the Kariya/Selanne thing. Kariya jumped the Ducks after Game 7 of the Finals because the Avs were 'closer' to winning a Cup (how's that working out ) AND to get a big free-agent contract after this year while Selanne dvcked us around last year, not that it mattered since we won anyway but still he didn't want to come here. Plus now the Avs also have turds like Barnaby and Worell that I don't particularly want to root for either

Of course from what I've heard of their announcers they'd annoy me too if I had to listen to them. What a shame, McNab was a professional here (at least from what little I remember of him, then again Doc makes anyone else sound good next to him) and he's turned into the ultimate lapdog homer there. I probably wouldn't be crazy about their fans either if I had to deal with them on a daily basis.

And yes GR it's not just Devils fans that hate the Avs. Wing fans do, plus I'm sure Duck fans do after the Kariya/Selanne fiasco. At least some Canadiens fans do, because Colorado stole their team But Devil fans DID have to listen to all that pro-Bourque coverage in 2001 so that doesn't help.

[El Diablo]

McNabb was a homer here too...coupled with Thorne... Ay Carumba !!

[littleton_devil]

Avs are only a hated team by the Devils fans.

They have a strong fan base both in Denver ...

... and Canuck fans and Stars fans and Flames fans and Oilers fans and Red Wing fans and Shark fans and Kings fans and Blackhawks fans and O.U. fans (BOOMER SOONER!) and Chicago Bear fans and St Louis Cardinals fans and at the moment, most of their own clueless, wagon-hopping, trend-lemming fans!!

They have a strong base in Denver, you say? Every spring, once their beloved Dives are eliminated, in this town, hockey becomes as distant a memory as the 1929 Yankees! These are trust-fund fans who inherited a winning organization, pal ... someday you'll eventually see genuine hockey/Avs fans, but not until some of these kids that are growing up with the Avalanche are old enough to vote -- until then, following the Aves is a trend thing!

MrSheeps and Don Whiting, email me if you're ever in town ... the beverages will be on me!

Two closing (DIVE fans) thoughts ... again:

1. ENTITLEMENT

2. SEVERE Oxygen deprivation!!!