Gainey asks Canadiens fans not to boo US anthem
BROSSARD, Quebec (AP) — Bob Gainey is asking Montreal Canadiens fans to stop booing the United States national anthem.
Just because the hometown team is on the verge of being swept out of the Eastern Conference playoffs by the Boston Bruins, fans shouldn’t take out their frustration on their neighbor to the south.
Gainey, the coach and general manager of the struggling Canadiens, urged those who booed Monday during “The Star Spangled Banner” before Game 3 to find other ways to voice their support for Montreal.
“I feel like there’s a confusion there with our fans,” Gainey said Tuesday. “They feel like booing the anthem is supporting our team, in that the anthem represents the Boston team.
“And I think if they could separate those two things, then we could respect the anthem of the United States of America and they could still participate loudly in whatever way they want to disrupt the Bruins.”
Many fans booed the U.S. anthem at the Bell Centre on Monday night, even though others tried to drown them out with chants of “Go Habs Go.”
Similar booing has been heard during the playoffs in recent years. In the past, the Canadiens responded with a taped appeal on the scoreboard from Hall of Famer Jean Beliveau, asking fans to respect the anthems of the U.S. and Canada. That curtailed the booing somewhat at subsequent games.
Instead of replaying the tape, the Canadiens hope Gainey’s appeal will be enough to stop it this time, a team official said.
Bruins goalie Tim Thomas, a native of Flint, Mich., said he wasn’t put off by the booing but also appreciated Gainey’s remarks.
“That sounds like a very classy thing he did,” Thomas said.
“I’ve heard it before,” he added about the booing. “The same thing happened last year and it happened just about every time I’ve played here. I was prepared for it. I knew what was going to happen and I just ignored it.”
Boston leads the best-of-seven, first-round series 3-0 and will attempt to sweep the series Wednesday night in Montreal.
What I find funny about this, is that the night before in St Louis (for the Canucks/Blues game), Blues fans booed the Canadian anthem and you don’t hear anything about that. But when it’s a Canadian crowd that boos an American anthem people are up in arms about it. Double standard I tell ya.
i think your right you neber here someone complainig for booing the canadian anthem but dont touch the poor americains they deserve so much respect??? ha
Not to nit-pick, but booing and/or chanting over the anthem is disrespectful. When I stand for the Canadian anthem I ALWAYS remain respectfully quiet. When MY anthem comes on, I sing along. Period. Is this really so hard to understand? Booing an anthem is a complete disgrace, and Montreal should be ashamed. Funny, for the last few years Montrealers lamely tried to claim it was a political protest against George Bush. Well, with Obama in office, what is your excuse now? Only one I see is a lack of class by a LOT of you.
Are people now going to say that ALL Candiens fans booed the anthem? I don’t think it’s fair or right to classify all Canadiens fans as disrespectful or rude because a group of people thought it would be a good idea to boo the US anthem.
And I could say the same thing about the American Blues fans at their game the other night, I only saw a lack of class by a LOT of them. It’s a complete double standard. Why were the Blues fans booing the Canadian anthem? I don’t see anyone from St Louis asking fans not to boo the anthem, it’ll be interesting to see if they do it again tonight.
Hey Kynch,
First off, I want to apologize for the few idiots who booed the American anthem at last night’s game. It was an embarrassment, a disagrace and totally unacceptable regardless if it was aimed at the Bruins.
Tracy, I understand your frustration concerning the booing at the Canucks/Blues game, but two wrongs don’t make a right. We can’t control the behave of others but we can certainly contol are own behave and strongly condemn the lack of good judgement by uneducated, arrogrant people.
We have a rich history with each other’s countries and should have a mutual respect for each other. I can’t understand why it is so difficult to show that respect when the anthems are sung/played…….regardless who is the President or which team we are playing,…….etc.
In the end, these people only portray Quebecers/Canadians in a very poor image throuhout the world!!!
Good luck trying to sign any UFA players, especially solid American born players!!!
I’m sorry but could you please stop putting everyone in the same basket? This is not even about the real fans and supporters. It’s about a bunch of people that loves to cause trouble and don’t have any respect for anything. I don’t believe that everyone at the Bell Center did it and I, in my living room, didn’t do it either ;)!
The down side is that we, the supporters, are painted as dummies because of them.
I agree with the fact that people only talk about it happening in Montreal and not in St Louis. But we really don’t need to pity the americans or the canadians… respect has to come both ways.
Tatie,
Unfortunately, the people who were booing are in the minority, but their actions will always overshadow the belief and reality of the majority.
It doesn’t make it right and is very frustrating for people like you and I!!
We can do great, positive things in life which, unfortunately, go unnoticed but the first time something negative happens, it will almost always get more attention……….shameful but the reality of the situation.
As far as the St. Louis situation is concerned, we, as Canadians seem to take theses things with a grain of salt while Americans tend to be more insulted by these things (and rightfully so!!).
Tracy, for the record, St. Louis never has had any “class”. That crowd does not represent the hockey cities fans who understand this.
Are you saying Montreal is lacking that same class? You are indeed, by exuding the mentality of justification. And on that note; what credit does Montreal deserve for mutual respect? Not much considering recent examples, and many from the past.
As a relocated New Englander, I play with a few habs fans here in California, and of course they are great people, one of which is my neighbor. My only point is that not everyone who is disgusted with this behavior sees in black in white. I don’t think every habs fan is booing, but to what degree and percentage does it happen? Very high.
Last years playoffs, in response to the booing of the US anthem, the Bruins faithful stood and applauded the Canadian anthem, and of course afterwards and during the game chanted USA.
Some Montreal fans think this is a “shot” back…that standing and applauding then chanting USA was done in mockery. That is silly, the fans in Boston showed the habs fans you can cheer passionately for your team, or your nation, without insulting or disrespecing the opposing team or the nation they “stand for” as habs fans see it.
I agree Habster, the habs will continue to have a difficult time signing any quality UFA’s so long as the fans continue show a lack of respect in many departments.
Go Bruins.
Hey All,
I attend all the B's home games as well as some road games with Kynch and we have both always 100% agreed that the "USA, USA, USA…" chant is #1 completely misplaced (It's Bruins vs Habs not USA vs. Canada in a World Cup) & #2 is rather stupid given the mix and amount of Canadian and Internationally born players that the B's currently have on their NHL roster, which at last check was around 4 players U.S.(Hunwick, Wheeler Kessel & Thomas) TOTAL & 14from Canada! Again STUPID! So in the end I think we need to agree you can't account for morons regardless of place of birth and take these DOPES as representative of the true fandom of both cites.
I'm just sorry that these incidents of stupidity continue to happen and take the spotlight away from the ice which is where any series but more so this one should be.
Maybe we should just all meet at Hurley's for a Pint or the Queue de Cheval for a scotch & cigar and discuss the GAME together sans DUMMIES :-)
Until then though keep well & Go B's Go!
“Tracy, for the record, St. Louis never has had any “class”. That crowd does not represent the hockey cities fans who understand this.”
That doesn’t matter if they are a hockey town or not, the point is that they booed the Canadian anthem and no one said anything about it. No one asked their fans not to boo. But as soon as a Canadian crowd does the same thing everyone starts pointing fingers and saying how disrespectful it is.
That’s my point.
Boooooo!!!!
…one consolation is that the French expression for a booing crowd is something along the lines of “la folle protest”. For an American listening in it would sound like “the fools protest”. Either way it’s an accurate statement.
First of all, …I let me be clear. I NEVER said ALL Montreal fans were booing. And I didn’t comment on the blues incident, because I didn’t hear it myself. If they did do it, and I have no reason to not believe you, then they are equally as wrong as anyone booing the US anthem. But to the poster that claimed it was “nobody at the game” that was booing….HUH?
As far as this bigot A-hole Rob, it’s pretty obvious he is one of the minority that thinks booing another countries anthem is perfectly acceptable. Ignorance and hate speech are pretty much internet-tough-guy Rob’s only contribution to this site (or the world as far as I can tell). I for one would not allow this filth on my blog, and frankly, I’m amazed Rocket allows this nonsense on this otherwise intelligently written blog.
Happy Earth Day to you Kynch! …..(and Merry Christmas to your dad Grinch)
Coronary Angina and Rampant Hemmoraging Hemmoroids to all the rest of the Anal Retentives in your household!
Ho, Ho, Ho, …Hoe.
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