We Want The Cup!

Everyone in Vancouver has got Cup fever. This city has gone insane. Today marks Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Finals against Boston Bruins. I went to work in a Canucks t-shirt. Most people at work were sporting their gear. Our store assistant manager talked at a mile a minute about getting everyone together to take a "Canucks" picture. We did just that. I couldn't wait for my shift to be over. It was semi- slow at work anyway ... everyone was probably busy getting ready for the game.

I kid you not. I heard there were people staking their spots in their favorite pub - or any pub for that matter - as early as noon time. They would go there for lunch. And stay. The game started at 5pm.

I continue my mentality of "If I don't care too much, then they will win." (No, not really). So, after work, I took the same amount of time to get out of work, and agreed to swing by Jen's place to pick her up before we headed off to a pub where our friends were saving us seats. We watched her dog, Barney, scarf down his dinner. Took our time at her place before we headed out.

We made our way to "Vancouver" Pizza. The place was full. We sat close enough to TVs for a perfect view of the game. I still continued my "If I don't care too much, they will win" mentality. I even chatted with Jen and Bran for a bit. We gobbled up more greasy food.

And with only 18.5 seconds left of the third period, Raffi Torres of the Vancouver Canucks scored the winning goal of the game! The place exploded. Everyone was screaming and hi-fiving and cheering.

GO CANUCKS GO!

Afterwards, Bran and I took the skytrain down to City Center. Not that I was expecting to see much other than more people screaming and yelling and cheering, but heck, I have the next day off... might as well soak in the moment. We tucked our hands into our sleeves and dodged anyone coming at us with their hands out for a hi-five. Sorry, let the game spirit live inside of us but the germs and bacteria can stay where they are ... and not on my hands. The police were saturated. Even ambulances parked all ready. But, there was no crazy rowdiness. Everyone was just pure happy and pretty orderly. No crazy drunks (I've seen drunker people at work). And no pushing and shoving.

After a quick stroll up and down Granville St., we called it a night.

THREE MORE TO GO...