Why you should be a Bruins fan

We all know that the Bruins season is about to officially on Oct. 9th. Of the hockey fans I know, most of us are Bruins fans, and at least one of us is a dirty Canadiens fan. However, it doesn't seem like a lot of my friends, or the Boston area in general, are excited for the Bruins to start. I am discouraged and disheartened by this.

The other day I was lamenting this very fact. I was approached by two guys, who noticed that I was visibly upset. They asked me what could be the matter. I asked them "Be you angels?"

They said "Nay. We are but men. Rock!"

It was then that I realized I needed to spread the word. I present to you 10 reasons why you should be a Bruins fan.

1. Asian reporter Naoko Funayama (pictured). Learn to love her. NESN did.

2. They have the "utes". Seriously, this team is loaded with young talent. Players such as Kessel, Lucic (pronounced Loochich, or Loooooooooch), Krejci, Wideman, Bergeron, Sobotka, and Lashoff are all under the age of 25. These guys will be on the team for a while, are incredibly fun to watch, and incredibly awkward in front of the camera.

3. Loooooooooch. See, told you that's how it's pronounced. This guy is a reason on his own. Remember Cam Neely? He who was unstoppable in NHL '94? Lucic is the closest thing to a modern day Neely as you will find. He hits more people than Plaxico Burress, and can score more than Mark Elia with a pocketful of 20's in Amsterdam. Ok, maybe not that much. Seriously though, the kid's great.




4. That made me think. NHL '94 is the greatest video hockey game ever. Maybe it's Ice Hockey for Nintendo. I need to spend more time on this. Expect a future post.





5. Tickets. There's a funny thing about Bruins tickets. They're available. Yes, you can actually buy them a week before a game. Unfortunately, a lot of them are expensive. But if you time it right you can get a balcony ticket for about $25. I think that buys you a first down at a Pats game.

The balcony is a great spot to watch hockey, for fans and non-fans alike. You can see the play develop, the glass-line doesn't ruin your vision, and Alex Ovechkin won't try to jump through the glass at you when he scores. Point, balcony.

6. Bandwagon fans. They don't exist. Through 90% of last season, only diehard fans existed. Believe me, I know. I was told to shutup over and over when I tried to engage people in Bruins conversation. When they made the playoffs, though, people were coming to me with questions such as the following:

What's icing? - (the mick's topping of choice)

Who's Clode? - (the coach. he looks like Alfred Hitchcock, the French version sans monacle).

Why does the goalie flop around like a beached whale? (Great question, I've been asking myself that for two years)

Is it always this exciting? (yes, as long as they don't play the Devils)

Needless to say, people appreciate when you know what you're talking about. Plus, it's definitely rewarding when your fandom is rewarded with success.

7. What the hell else are you going to watch in February?

8. Playoff hockey. Nothing beats it. Best theatre in sports. Game 6 of the series vs. the Canadiens last year was one of the best sports experiences I've ever had. I legitimately know 3 non-hockey fans who saw that, and were amazed. Then they asked me to stop drooling and leave the bar. It's a good thing Game 7 never happened. You hear me!!! I couldn't go this whole list without one Sports Guy ripoff!!!!

9. No more Rob Simpson. He was the creepy, shaggy-haired moron who looked less comfortable in front of a camera than Schlonger with a shirt off. He brought nothing to the table and had no future. His firing means that NESN could hire...

10. Asian reporter Naoko Funayama. You love her already. Mission accomplished.