A friend of mine was in Vancouver over the Memorial Day weekend -- before the Stanley Cup Finals began -- and snapped this photo of locals driving around the city with a mock-up of the cup.
The Cup, I might add, the local team has not yet won. And I kind of get the feeling that after watching last night's spankdown of the Canucks by Boston, the momentum may have turned in the series to the Bruins. At the very least, it's pretty much impossible to root for the goon squad that is Vancouver after watching the savage hit by Aaron Rome on Bruins' defenseman Nathan Horton.
The NHL -- reacting to the bad p.r. the hit rightly inspired and perhaps out of a desire to protect its players -- suspended Rome for four games, meaning he's justifiably gone for the rest of the series. The Bruins announced that Horton is out for the rest of the series with a severe concussion, meaning he's denied what could be a once-in-a-lifetime chance to play for the Cup.
Not to mention that severe concussions usually cost players who receive them many more than four games. Just ask Sidney Crosby.
As for the NHL, its tolerance and encouragement of extracurricular violence has once again landed the world's premiere ice hockey league in the spotlight for all the wrong reasons. Why the team owners put up with a league run this way is beyond me.
--S.H.
