Breaking News: Chatham Maroons Salute Fans
The Chatham Maroons salute their fans in a game earlier this season. Phewf, glad they did that after winning that meaningless game – Photo by Helen Heath
Personally, I almost missed it heading out the door to beat traffic, but I’m told that this is significant and relevant hockey news, which needs to be reported on.
I learned the importance of the salute last week when the Toronto Maple Leafs “failed” to salute their fans following a win. Let’s flash back seven words exactly, win. The Leafs had been ridiculed by media and fans for back to back losses prior to salute-gate. Then, after winning, the very thing fans and media desired most in the world, the Leafs were again ridiculed because they failed to lift their sticks after a game.
What? Does that even make sense? They win a game, so now, let’s make them feel bad for it.
I just don’t understand. Leafs fans fill the building when they lose, and fill the building when they win. Toronto is notoriously one of the quietest arenas in the NHL, fans have been throwing their jerseys on the ice to show displeasure for the team, and last time I checked, the bodies in those seats paid to watch what happens from puck drop to the final buzzer.
The New York Rangers were the first team to do the fabled salute. Since then, many teams have decided to thank their fans by saluting after wins. Why not after losses though? The fans paid to see a game, should players not thank them every game.
And there in rests the problem. Somewhere along the line, in our narcissistic society, fans started believing it was all about them. Sure, without the fans, there is no money to play the players, and then we’d digress into the stoneage of people just playing for fun, and we can’t have that.
Luckily in Leaf-land, should all those furious fans decide to stay home, the seats would still be filled, and likely by people hoping to see a victory, not a celebration.
The game of hockey, is about skilled hockey players, competing as a team, in pursuit of a championship. Therefore, a win, which puts a team, in this case the Toronto Maple Leafs, one game closer to a championship, should be thanks enough to fans, who inevitably, cheer in hopes of their team winning that same title.
It seems strange writing this article, because I hate the Toronto Maple Leafs, but I support the players on this one. If you don’t want to salute, skate off the ice, and go prepare for the next game…which the Leafs happened to win again.
Don’t let fans and media pressure you into waving your stick in the air. Go win a hockey game, and keep winning hockey games, and fans will show up – salute or no salute.
Despite all this, I was relieved to see the Chatham Maroons salute their fans Sunday night. I just couldn’t imagine having sat through 60-minutes of 3-2 hockey filled with beautiful goals, big hits, and one heck of a fight, to not see “my” salute.
The next time the Toronto Maple Leafs are up 4-1, like they were against Detroit the other day, I hope there is outrage when fans rush to get out two minutes early to beat the traffic, and there darn well better be a standing ovation, hands in the air with 100% attendance, at the final buzzer.
After all, a fans job is to cheer, and a players job is to play, not the other way around.
It’s the media that has beat this topic to a pulp. As a die hard Leafs fan, I really could care less about the salute, and from the many die hard fans I’ve talked to, they share my lack of caring. And I don’t blame the fans that throw jerseys. If you pay upwards of $200 a ticket, and $200 for a jersey and see them get blown out twice in a row, then why not voice your displeasure in someway. But again another reporter reports on this topic, looking for something to write about, and then people complain about The Toronto Maple Leafs.