Dropkick Murphys' Ken Casey praises Canucks fans, says Boston would have handled riot crowds differently
The Stanley Cup riot of 2011 might have given Vancouver one of the biggest black eyes in the history of major sporting events, but at least one high-profile Boston Bruins fan was impressed by what he saw in Canucks fans.
The operative word there, of course, is “fans”, not the assholes, fuckwits, and grey-matter-challenged loogans who put on the kind of performance that made you wonder why their parents weren’t sterilized.
In an interview with the Georgia Straight, singer-bassist Ken Casey of Boston’s much-loved Celtic-punks the Dropkick Murphys said that he was lucky enough to score tickets to Game 7 of the Canucks-Bruins final at Rogers Arena. He described the ’Nucks fans sitting around him as completely respectful.
“They were the nicest fans ever,” Casey said. “The real fans were a complete class act. I don’t know much about the city, so I don’t want to speculate, but, to me, based on who I met in the rink, all the crap that happened outside the rink was not by the real hockey fans. I had nothing but good experiences.”
The Beantown-born-and-bred musician knows what it’s like to be on the frontlines at huge games. The Dropkick Murphys’ “Tessie” became the unofficial theme song of the Boston Red Sox during the team’s 2004 World Series run to the championship, the band being invited onto the field during the winning celebration.
Casey said the city of Boston’s attitude toward managing big games is very different than Vancouver’s, with authorities taking a much more proactive attitude to making sure things don’t get out of hand. Vancouver has been widely criticized for not having enough police on the streets once the rioting started Wednesday night after the Canucks’ loss.
“Boston is the exact opposite,” Casey said. “The mayor is so afraid of stuff like that happening that, without provocation, and to be better safe than sorry, they are up there with the riot squad before anything happens. There’s such a show of force as a deterrent that it almost kills the vibe, to be honest.”
Despite the riot, feeling the vibe wasn’t difficult for Casey in Vancouver. While the city streets outside were turning us into Assholeville, he was enjoying the perks of being one of Boston’s favourite sons, celebrating with the Bruins inside Rogers Arena, including getting the chance to hoist the Stanley Cup at centre ice. Watch for a full interview with the Dropkick Murphys frontman, in which he’ll discuss the band’s excellent new album Going Out In Style, this Thursday in the Straight.
Comments
9 Comments
Frankette
Jun 19, 2011 at 9:01am
"The operative word there, of course, is “fans”, not the assholes, fuckwits, and grey-matter-challenged loogans who put on the kind of performance that made you wonder why their parents weren’t sterilized."
Such shock value reporting is great for circulation and keeping the viewers animated but it's degrading to journalism and harmful. When I grow up, I want to be a journalist. I'm learning what not to do here...
Frankette addendum
Jun 19, 2011 at 11:32am
This type of inflammatory commentary is a regular feature here and has been feeding into the very mentality that Mike is complaining about. Hypocrisy alert. I wonder what the demographics are for the people who read Mike's work? Maybe a large percentage are the people who were rioting?
German Rivera III
Jun 19, 2011 at 1:50pm
I personally find it much more entertaining the way he wrote that. It wasn't sugar coated journalism. The people who were rioting were products of a generation who is entirely too politically correct and who know nothing of hard work and consequences of their actions. Either that or they were on that tiger blood...
Frankette
Jun 19, 2011 at 3:56pm
@German Rivera: I don't buy that argument. Please explain the 17 yr old caught trying to light up a police car. http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/story/2011/06/17/calgary-vancouver... He is an elite athlete (possible Olympic contender one day) who got a scholarship to the University of Calgary. I think he knows something about hard work. His actions are also indicative of someone not politically correct. He is now going to learn something about the consequences of his actions, however I am also mindful that there are consequences of cheap journalism.
poopnoodle
Jun 19, 2011 at 7:20pm
The Bruins victory will make the Murphys show Sat nite at the Commodore more enjoyable. Hope Lucic shows. Still won't wear a Bruins shirt thou with having to empty out onto Granville afterward where half the rioters party
Michael74
Jun 19, 2011 at 9:37pm
In this article we again hear the same spin from the Vancouver Canucks, the Mayor and some of the "Nucks" faithful: that the rioters weren't "real fans". This is absurd. They are Canuck fans, and the more ardent ones, at that. Just because Mike Usinger or Mike Gillis doesn't like the actions of some of those buying the team's merchandise and cheering them on, they are nonetheless Canucks fans. Accept it.
omg
Jun 20, 2011 at 10:35am
worst band ever. not only are they rehashing the late 80s/90s whole false celtic punk revival the lead singer sounds like he has two tampons stuffed up his nose, a sinus infection, or is mildly retarded.
Dude
Jun 21, 2011 at 1:05pm
Poopnoodle, I couldn't agree with you more
poopnoodle
Jun 26, 2011 at 5:51pm
good on the Murphys fans for taking the razzing of Bruins fans in somewhat good spirits.
Thats what true fans do not blame every power that be for their shortcomings