| malek |
| quote: | | "I ENJOYED THE the simple, classy ceremony that honored the 1967 Maple Leafs on Saturday night, prior to the Toronto-Edmonton game at the Air Canada Centre. It marked Dave Keon's first appearance at a club-organized event since he swore, in 1975, never again to have anything to do with the Leafs. Some were predicting a 10-to-15-minute ovation for the reclusive hall of famer, but those folks obviously hadn't gauged the Toronto hockey crowd particularly well. Many, beforehand, were reflecting on the endless applause accorded Maurice Richard during the closing ceremony of the Montreal Forum in March, 1996. But, to compare Toronto hockey fans to their Montreal counterparts is foolhardy. First off, the winning tradition in Montreal far exceeds anything that is evident in Toronto, for obvious reasons. The Habs, though they haven't sipped champagne since 1993, have won ten Stanley Cups since the '67 Leafs upset them to win their last championship. Also, there are cultural differences among people in Ontario and Quebec that lead to a more passionate, noisy hockey crowd at Habs games. Here in polite, conservative Toronto, people do not start making a fuss until the Leafs win a first-round playoff match -- at which point Yonge Steet, the main north-south drag in our city, is closed to vehicular traffic. Montreal, because of its rich French-Canadian heritage, is more reminiscient of the culture and custom in Europe. And anyone who watches soccer from England, Italy, Spain or Germany knows how demonstrative and zealous good European soccer fans can be. Montreal's hockey audience reflects that trait, and it frequently carries over to the devotion for past heroes. There will never be a Rocket Richard-like ovation in Toronto for any hockey player, past or present. It just isn't in the genes.." ~ Howard Berger, leaf lover |
|
|
|
