Vancouver Canucks

So the Vancouver Canucks lost game seven of the Stanley Cup finals -- again.

*sigh*

Couldn't it even have been a close game? Had to get crushed 4-0?

*sigh*

And unfortunately there was a riot again, just like in 1994 when the Canucks lost game seven of the finals.

I lived in Vancouver in 1994 and happened to be downtown watching that game at a bar on Granville Street. The game ended, my friends and I lowered our heads in disappointment, and we walked to the Skytrain station and boarded the train home.

So imagine my surprise when 20 minutes later we turned on the TV to see the very spot we’d just been at in chaos as hundreds of people were smashing windows and causing mayhem!! I kept thinking it was a good thing we went straight home after the game. Why would anyone want to be part of a riot of drunk angry fans? It's not like they were making deep political statements or fighting for rights from a repressive regime.

Fast-forward to 2011 and the same thing happened. The police prepared for it as best they could but in the end there were too many idiots out that night.

*sigh*

At least I am hopeful that most of the rioters will be caught and prosecuted. Back in 1994 the police appealed for any photographs of people damaging property and the resulting community support led to the arrest of dozens -- and this was in 1994, before the widespread use of camera phones. I'm willing to bet anyone who is damaging property or causing chaos already has at least 10 different pictures of them on the Internet.

Still sucks that the Canucks lost though. I really believed they would do it this time.

_