2011 Stanley Cup Riots: History Was Made

 - Vancouver, British Columbia - No doubt, you have heard about the rioting, looting, and civil disobedience that took place in my hometown, Vancouver, on Wednesday night. It was shocking to see the place that I've called home my entire life be denegraded into that of a third world war zone. I've spent so much of my life downtown, feeling safe and secure from any threat of assault. Vancouver, overall, is one of the safest cities I've ever been to, and I love it dearly. Thus when I see masses of people trashing it supposedly because the Canucks lost, I cannot help but feel like there must be something more here.

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Vancouver: The City of Losers

 - Vancouver, British Columbia - I love hockey. I have since I was 7 years old, when my father first introduced me to the sport. It wasn't long until I was begging him to sign me up for a team, the West Vancouver Thunder, as I wanted to play in the National Hockey League. My love for the Canucks was solidifed into a part of who I am after the 1994 Stanley Cup run, which resulted in a crushing Game 7 loss to the New York Rangers. I have always loved my Canucks, and I have always believed that one year, they will re-pay my 19 years of support with a championship. Unfortunately, after the 1994 Stanley Cup run, the team began to fall apart and became basement residents of the National Hockey League. They were so bad in fact that there were concerns about the attendance and whether it was financially viable to keep a team in Vancouver any more. Nobody wanted to go to the games to watch a bunch of losers. Being a teenager still and being in a family of five kids, going to games wasn't really an option financially, but I watched every game possible on the television in support of them. From time to time, we did receive free tickets from people who didn't want to go, or couldn't find anyone else to take their tickets. I loved going even when they lost, sometimes badly.

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Vancouver in Flames: This is What We Live For

 - Vancouver, British Columbia - I am, at the moment of writing this, watching the most disgraceful event I have ever witnessed in the history of my city. It is Wednesday, June 15^th, 2011. My feelings on this are very fresh so you'll have to forgive me if I don't word my thoughts as eloquently or tactfully as I might otherwise. For those of you who don't know, the Vancouver Canucks just lost the Stanley Cup to the Boston Bruins. I could say a bit about that, but that really isn't what I want to talk about. That was just the catalyst. The moment the hockey game ended, the crowds in downtown Vancouver took things way too far. They began to riot. At first it didn't seem too serious as the outrage seemed quite contained and the police were ready for it. After all, it had happened before when the Canucks lost in 1994. I don't have much memory of that event, but this time around it is a pitiful display of humanity. Cars had been flipped over and were being torched by the crowd. Things got more grim when people moved onto property damage, smashing windows all around Vancouver. As the night progressed, they moved onto looting.

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The Stanley Cup Finals and Other Inconsequential Things

 - Vancouver, British Columbia - Hello everyone. My name is Doug Ferguson and I am Canadian. Also... I'm not a hockey fan. Believe it or not, I'm actually afraid to admit that around most people at this point of time. I live in Vancouver and at this time the Vancouver Canucks are in the Stanley Cup Finals for the first time in 17 years. I can't believe it's been that long. The city is in a state. Every time the Canucks win, horns blare and people scream and parade the streets. Whether or not you're a fan of hockey, you know what's going on. It's completely unavoidable. I live in a city on the brink of complete insanity. The whole time I can't help but shake my head at it all, though I have to admit, I would like to see my home team win the Stanley Cup for once.

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