I went to a Latvian rally, and a hockey game broke out
Cats: Uncategorized|The Latvian hockey fans lived up to the legend they have become in this town.
This place hasn’t been the same since fifteen hundred Latvians arrived last weekend for the International Ice Hockey Federation Championship.
Lucky me managed to snag seats for the Latvian - Norway match.
The hockey was good but the fans were the main attraction. They turned the arena on its head with their drums, primal stomping, horns and LAT-VI-JA! LAT-VI-JA! chants. And the team answered the call with a 4-1 win. Fans roared like thunder.
Canada is the favourite of the championship. On Saturday they murdered Germany 10-1.
After that game, I noted the absence of tut-tutting like we saw in Torino 2006 when the women’s hockey team dominated with high scores.
Followers of hockey will recall the dressing-down women received from Canadian commentators when the women beat other teams like this. They were told to tone it down and stop scoring so many goals. It didn’t look good. It lacked class. It was unCanadian to dominate like that.
But not a peep when the boys won 10-1. I guess it’s ok for the boys to win big but not the girls. I guess that’s Hypocrisy Night in Canada.
The Canadians will no doubt win the championship, but the Latvian fans have won the hearts in this town.
Go Latvia!
May 11th, 2008 at 5:18 pm
You survived a day without the computer! How did it work?
May 11th, 2008 at 8:10 pm
I went to the Finland-USA game today! And I’m going to the Canada-Finland game tomorrow!!!! I’m SOOOOOOO excited.
May 11th, 2008 at 9:34 pm
I have been overloaded with other things and just now made it back to your blog to see what’s been happening. Glad you liked the panties/wrapping paper comment, and the theme selector is pretty ingenious. I have set it to Zen - the others are just too busy for me.
May 11th, 2008 at 10:13 pm
You have to love those fans that really get behind their teams. especially when they travel to support them.
So no blow back from the boys acting like unCanadian score dominators? Sheesh.
May 11th, 2008 at 11:12 pm
Jacy, I was having twinges but for the most part it was relaxing
Deepsea, you’re back. Yeah! My daughter was at the USA Finland game. V. Controversial
Moxie, I snorted and snorted and I’ve quoted you several times. Glad you got to see all the themes. I think I’ll leave them all up.
Barbara, I just haven’t spent that much time thinking about LAtvians until now - now watching pittsburgh and philly on the telly. Go Penguins
May 12th, 2008 at 11:31 am
Moxie, check out K2. It’s the old style.
May 12th, 2008 at 12:19 pm
It was super controversial! Finland supporters FAR outnumbered USA supporters. I was a little torn myself, but supported Finland as they skated better. The US goalie was fantastic though.
May 12th, 2008 at 2:58 pm
Have fun tonite, Deepti
May 12th, 2008 at 4:06 pm
How is that fair? If the other team lays down like dogs, you still have to keep the puck moving. Ten goals is the other team just giving up entirely and the fact that there is no mercy rule in hockey, is not their fault.
May 12th, 2008 at 4:30 pm
I love going to sporting events so much better than watching them on television. I’m going to try and take in a football game here, considering I can hear the roar of the fans from my flat, across town, I’m guessing its a good show.
May 13th, 2008 at 6:24 am
WP, it was an embarrassing moment for Canadian sports when the media beat up the women olympians for scoring too many goals. It’s happened with the men before, but there was never a word. I guess some people think hockey is a boys game.
Allison, that would be the NEwcastle United supporters you hear chanting. I love the football “songs”. They don’t do that in N. America so much.
May 14th, 2008 at 12:47 am
I think it’s more of a case that girls should “comport themselve like ladies and not kick ass.” I reiterate, if you play at anything beyond the highschool level, show some damn pride and try your hardest. That the Germans who always pride themselves as being the best that Europe has to offer (sports-wise, I’m not getting into other things), played like some Caribbean team that never took to the ice? Whew.