So The Bruins won their first Stanley Cup in 39 years yesterday. I was on the edge of my seat and rooting for them since they eliminated the Habs in the first round.
So here is the logic of my choices: I am a proud Montrealer so obviously, my favorite NHL team is the Montreal Canadiens. I have pulled for them since...as long as I can remember. I have seen 2 Stanley Cups come to Montreal in my lifetime that I remember. They also won it in 1976, 1977, 1978, and 1979, years I was alive but don't really recall. So that's really 6 Cups in my lifetime. I also pull for the Boston Bruins. There are two main reasons: one is that I have now lived in Massachusetts for 12 or so years and have a great attachment to the area. Secondly, one of my best friends (of over 20 years) is also a die hard Bruins fan. As much as it killed me at first, I wanted to join my friend in cheering on a team. I started really liking them in the Neely, Bourque era. Because of this, they have been my second favorite NHL team for about 20 years. I pull for the Bruins 76 games of the regular season (they play the Habs 6 times a year). And because of my beautiful daughter, I am now a Worcester Sharks fan. They are local and easy to get tickets too.
My favorite sport is football. I am more of a NFL fan than a CFL fan or NCAA Football. My favorite team? Growing up in Montreal, you got most of the National broadcast of the NFL. In the early 80s, America's Team was on more often than not. Being 5 and thinking a star as a logo was pretty cool, I clung to the Dallas Cowboys. And I have been a fan of them ever since. I have seen them won 3 Super Bowls. They also won one when I was 2 and lost one when I was three. I really don't remember those two. But I am loyal to the Cowboys. Living in New England, I learned to cling to the local team, the New England Patriots. I went to a few games when I moved here in 1999. I pull for them, as long as they don't face the Cowboys, which only happens every 4 years. I have been here for 3 Super Bowl win and one loss. Not bad, I guess. I do watch some CFL when I can and I pull for the only team I can pull for: The Montreal Alouettes. I have been to many games up in Canada and I even saw them when they were the Concordes (Montrealers will remember them). I have seen 3 Grey Cup championships in my lifetime. I watch them when they sneak them on NESN or the NFL Network. I also follow them online when I can.
I am not a huge baseball fan but I have seen more Montreal Expos games than I can count. I am an Expo forever. And yes, I know they were forced out in 2004 by MLB and scummy Bud Selig. They never officially won any World Series but they were going to win in 1994 until they pulled the plug on the season. They were going to win and to me, they will be the 1994 World Series champ forever. Again, being in New England, I pull for the Red Sox but that didn't start when I moved here. I started to like them in 1986. Why? Well the New York Mets had stolen my favorite Expo, Gary Carter. I was pulling against them. So I was rooting for the Red Sox then. After the you know what happened, I pulled for them in the AL. Just because of that incident. The Sox won in 2004 and 2007 and I was very happy to live here during that time.
Basketball? Never been a huge fan. I liked the Celtics when they had those fun Championships game against the Lakers in the 1980s. And I didn't like the purple and gold. The green seemed nice and simple. I was happy to be here in 2008 and watched some of the games. Honestly, I just can't watch basketball that much. I'll pull for UMASS and BC just because they are local.
Soccer? Montreal has had several teams: the Manic, the Supra, and the Impact. I don't watch a lot of soccer but I will always pull for the local teams. Next year the Impact will join MLS. I have always pulled for the New England Revolution due to them being local. Starting next year, I will pull for the New England Revolution all the time except whern they face the Impact. As for European soccer, I do not have any attachment to any particular team except Feyenoord in the Dutch league. If you want to know why, one of my friend is Dutch and that's his favorite team. Loyalty.
Finally, a small paragraph on my citizenship. I will be a Quebecer and Canadian forever. I have been in the US for 12 years and could go for my citizenship. I have yet to do it for a specific reason: in the US citizen oath, you must forgo all other citizenships...And I will never do that. I love America, and it is my home...but letting go of my citizenship of Canada? Never! I may have to break down and do it so I can vote and make it easy for my girls. We shall see.
Hope this made sense!
