San Jose fans 'boo' Canadian anthem

Before the game started, the Canadian anthem was drowned out by boos from the sellout crowd of 17,496 at the HP Pavilion. As the song progressed the booing decreased and some Shark fans joined in singing O Canada.

It's nothing new, but it hasn't happened in a while, so I'm just wondering if anyone in the US knows why it happened this time. Some of the hosts after the game thought that maybe the commentators for the US feed of the previous game had said something that may have incited the fans. I know no one in the US watches hockey, but anyone accidently leave it on the wrong channel and hear anything?

Anyways, it pisses me off whenever it happens. A few years ago in the playoffs it happened almost every night, I can remember when the Leafs played the New York islanders and the New York fans booed the anthem in every game, and then at home the Leaf fans cheered on the star spangled banner. At that same time in the NBA, the Raps were playing the Pistons in the playoffs and the Detroit fans also booed the anthem. That one pissed me off the most because it was right after the incident in Afganistan when a group of Canadian soldiers were accidently bombed and killed by American forces.

It has happened the other way once that I remember, as a few years ago when the junior hockey championships were in Vancouver the fans booed the US anthem for no reason. A lot was made about that incident and there was a lot of coverage on it up here and it was a huge embarassment.

Its a classless, stupid and disgraceful thing to do, and its got no business in sport. So why does it continue to happen?

Why does it happen? The majority of hockey fans (and other sports fans) are mindless and go along with the trend. I wouldnt try to draw too much logic out of it.

Adds a bit of spice to the game, I don't mind it. The Australian anthem gets boo'd at international rugby/league games, just adds some feeling.

The majority of hockey fans (and other sports fans) are mindless

Well the majority of hockey fans are Canadian and its not Canadians who do it.

and go along with the trend. I wouldnt try to draw too much logic out of it.

Go along with what trend? Its only happened in isolated incidents, all but one of which have been by Americans, all of which have resulted in cheers in their Canadian counterparts building when they come here. It doesn't happen all at once, like if it was done in every game in a playoff series, or if it was always against the same team.They played the first two games of the series in San Jose and nothing happened. So I fail to see a trend.
I've never heard it in the World Championships (usually in Europe) or Olympics, which is where I would expect to hear it, but rather individual teams with players of mixed backgrounds. In this case, of San Jose's players, 12 are Canadian and only 3 are American.

If it happens in international competition, it makes a little more sense, but its still fucking stupid. Booing a team when they come on the ice/field/court is one thing, but why disrespect a country's pride? To me its equal to flag burning.

iKe7in,

Americans boo the Canadian National Anthem and the Canadians boo the American National Anthem. They've done it before in the Bell Centre in Montreal. Don't try to make the Canadian's seem all innocent and the American's are being the big, mean bullies. Both sides of border do it.

it's just a lack of respect for others really....it's probably the same type of person that abuses a referee even if he makes the right call....I would never boo another country's national anthem....

As I recall, the Raptors/Pistons incident caused quite a stir in the old Forum. I believe the thread's been inducted into the HC section.

The majority of hockey fans (and other sports fans) are mindless

Well the majority of hockey fans are Canadian and its not Canadians who do it.

and go along with the trend. I wouldnt try to draw too much logic out of it.

Go along with what trend? Its only happened in isolated incidents, all but one of which have been by Americans, all of which have resulted in cheers in their Canadian counterparts building when they come here. It doesn't happen all at once, like if it was done in every game in a playoff series, or if it was always against the same team.They played the first two games of the series in San Jose and nothing happened. So I fail to see a trend.
I've never heard it in the World Championships (usually in Europe) or Olympics, which is where I would expect to hear it, but rather individual teams with players of mixed backgrounds. In this case, of San Jose's players, 12 are Canadian and only 3 are American.

If it happens in international competition, it makes a little more sense, but its still fucking stupid. Booing a team when they come on the ice/field/court is one thing, but why disrespect a country's pride? To me its equal to flag burning.

What are you doing quoting and respond to different parts of one sentence? The majority of all sports fans are mindless. It's just that simple.

But that point really has no relevance to this discussion.

Americans boo the Canadian National Anthem and the Canadians boo the American National Anthem. They've done it before in the Bell Centre in Montreal. Don't try to make the Canadian's seem all innocent and the American's are being the big, mean bullies. Both sides of border do it.

You are right about that Bell Centre incident, I wasn't aware of that one, and it is just as ridiculous and stupid. The only thing I can point to to possibly explain it (not condone it) is that the day before there was a huge anti-war protest in Montreal, so clearly some idiots let that poor over into the arena.
But don't make it seem like its been doen an equal amounts by both countries. Every time its been done in the US, the next Canadian game has resulted in booes from 12 assholes and 15,000 cheers to the US anthem. And that brings the total up to 2 for canada, while its been done at least a dozen times in the US. Its stupid and disgraceful no matter who is doing it, but the timing never makes any sense.

I don't even know why you're crying about it. Some drunken people booing a song isn't going to affect your national pride at all, it might be disrespectful but most things are these days. Get over it, it happens.

It certainly isn't classy or right, but it happens back and forth. A lot of people in Canada boo the American national anthem and vice versa. It's just a silly little competition that the two border countries have.

You know what is really funny? The Sharks actually have 10 players from Canada on their team so their fans were disrespecting their own player's country.

You know what else is funny? That's the situation with all the teams that have done it. It's stupid, people are stupid.

But that point really has no relevance to this discussion.

It does, it goes to show that people will just follow the trend of booing becuase others are doing, and not to read too much into.

It certainly isn't classy or right, but it happens back and forth. A lot of people in Canada boo the American national anthem and vice versa. It's just a silly little competition that the two border countries have.

What do you mean "a lot of people" in Canada. So far I've only heard of it happening twice, while its happened many times against Canada. Its not a back and forth thing, because almost every time after the Americans do it, the Canadian fans don't retaliate the same way at the next game, and it usually ends there.

You know what is really funny? The Sharks actually have 10 players from Canada on their team so their fans were disrespecting their own player's country.

You know else is really funny? I already said that. And it was actually 12 Canadians in their lineup compared to 3 Americans, 3 Fins, 2 Germans, a Swede and a Russian, run by a Canadian head coach, two Canadian assistant coaches, and put together by a Canadian GM.

Meh, I was watching Around the Horn today and they said they went to Canada a few times and they heard Canadians booing the American National Anthem a lot, too. Honestly? I don't give a rats ass.

It was good to see tonight that Game 6 in Edmonton began with the packed house cheering on the US anthem, and then singing O Canada the loudest I've ever heard. As well, the San Jose mayor apologized for the actions of the fans from game five, so that makes it all better. Hopefully this issue is closed now, unless the San Jose fans imitate the Islanders fans from a few years back and respond by burning canadian flags in the parking lot. But by the looks of it, they probably won't get a chance to redeem themselves this year as they're likely to get eliminated tonight.

But by the looks of it, they probably won't get a chance to redeem themselves this year as they're likely to get eliminated tonight.

Woot! Got that right, Edmonton's going all the way!

I can't help myself, they're the only Canadian team left.