Pre Season Jitters

Well, today is the day.  It has been 97 days since Boston won the cup.  It has been 97 days since the riots in Vancouver.  It is nearly 100 days later, and I am still emotional at the thought of starting another season of hockey.  Can I put my heart through this again?  I don't think I really have a choice.  I could try to ignore it, but the passion of the fans in this city, this lower mainland, it's off the charts!  I would not be able to ignore it entirely even if I wanted to.  I could boycott the radio and television and that wouldn't even help.  As the season progresses people jump on the band wagon by the thousands and eventually the shear magnitude of the masses of fans makes it impossible to ignore.  

So here we are.  September 20th, 2011.  Our emotions have had the summer off, but for those of us who are really into it, we didn't take the summer off.  No, we waited until the earliest possible date when it would not be deemed insane or foolish to don our Canucks Jerseys and hit the streets in our blue and green.  We listened to the radio and watched the TV for any coverage of the young stars prospect camp.  We checked the Vancouver Canucks website often to read of any news, and to watch entertaining videos of our beloved team.  We took to Twitter and Facebook and followed the progress of our team as they prepared to wow us yet again in what is now the current NHL season.  

After a summer of tragic losses that far outweighed the loss of the Cup itself we join together, players and fans alike.  We don our blue and green.  We hit the ice and take to the streets.  We come together as one team with a new hope in our hearts.  A hope for things yet to come. 

It may only be pre season, but anyone who knows anything at all knows that this is where the magic begins.  Hitting the ice tonight in two different games in two different cities, our new and improved Vancouver Canucks face off against their closest North West Division rivals, the Calgary Flames, hoping to return the favour for the double whammy they got served at the beginning of last pre season.  Good luck boys!  We've got your backs.  Make us proud.

Here's to the memory of those lost.

Here's to a new season.

Thanks for "listening."