Fighting for Hockey Tweet by Tweet

Greetings Caniacs! This week has been, well let’s just say the word I would NOT choose is “great.” I was all ready to have a lively discussion with you all after spouting my personal opinions on fighting in hockey and the role of enforcers, and then my week went to hell in a hand basket. Since I have personally used the phrase “I want to punch someone in the face” multiple times this week, I think it’s best I wait to weigh in on the topic and my anti-fighting stance. Yes you read that correctly. And I think we all see how that would have worked out. “Do as I say not as I do!”

I have been looking forward all week to seeing the boys out on the ice this Sunday in the red/white scrimmage at the Caniac Carnival. So I got really excited when I heard through the twitterverse that Eric Staal would be doing an interview on 99.9 the Fan,”the flagship station of the Carolina Hurricanes” at 3:15 today. I missed the beginning of the chat but apparently Staal did some on-air chirping to the hosts Adam Gold and Joe Ovies about how they needed to talk more about hockey. Tuning in midway I heard our captain sounding enthusiastic about the new season and like the fun Eric Staal I have seen in videos with him and his brothers. When pumped for intel on whom he would pick for his team if he was to choose for the scrimmage, Cam Ward not being an option, he told us that he wanted “Rosebud,” because he has a big mouth and he needs a guy with a big mouth on his team. Yes. Rosebud.

It was then the interview took a turn that no one wanted to hear. The “We don’t really ‘do’ hockey here so I don’t know what to ask you” portion of the interview. That’s right. Eric Staal was asked about Sidney Crosby’s noggin. “Have you talked to Sidney lately?” What? Are Sid the Kid and Staal bffs? Strangely I don’t ever recall hearing either of them discussing grilling ribs and hanging out in each other’s man caves playing Mario Cart. While I am sure Eric has an opinion on headshots (they hurt?) asking him if he has talked to Sidney Crobsy is the most random yet predictable question ever. Eric politely answered the question, (he has texted him few times over the summer), and wrapped up the call with a nice reminder to “keep talking about hockey!”

Staal was great. I was grinning from ear to ear at his sign off. I was ready for a nice wrap up by Ovies and Gold. Eric’s call had barely disconnected when one of them said something like “Should the ACC go ahead and extend something to Texas Tech with the talk about Texas.” Huh? I was confused. What did that have to do about hockey? Absolutely nothing. I wasn’t expecting them to sit there and talk about hockey for 3 hours, but I wasn’t expecting a random topic shift with no segue, especially leading into commercial. So I did what any irritated Caniac already in a bad mood would do. I tweeted about it.

"Um yeah @AGoldFan @joeovies when Eric Staal hung up the phone and said “keep talking about hockey” he meant it. You didn’t make it 30 secs."

I guess I didn’t think anyone would actually read it. But something magical happened. All of the sudden I looked at my account and it was full of retweets! New followers popped up on my profile. The responses starting come in. I was suddenly occupying the “amen corner” of the twitterverse! My comments obviously struck a chord with the other Caniacs. I did get responses from both of the broadcasters.

"@AGoldFan What did you wish for us to discuss? The NHL’s ridiculous pre- and postgame twitter ban?"

Then my reply came from Ovies (another faithful Caniac had chimed in on the discussion as well.)

"@joeovies @lgc_com Relax, ladies."

I have no idea why I responded in the way I did. That’s right I was way too calm.

"To @joeovies I am relaxed! But fans do not feel the hockey love. Just calling it like I see it. It’s noticeable to us. Obviously not just me. I just got a bunch of RTs and new followers. And Teemu Selanne was a worthy follow up topic."

Joe responded to me again explaining that football was king and when the season cranked up they would resume their regular chats with John Forslund and Chuck Kaiton. I let him know I am a huge football fan as well but I am also a southern hockey evangelist and would like to see hockey covered to help grow the sport. I think we all know that part about me being relaxed was a lie. Why didn’t I blow my top at the “there, there don’t you fret about it little lady” response? I don’t know. I just know that if you call yourself “the flagship station of the Carolina Hurricanes” you shouldn’t act like hockey has cooties when you go back to your regular programming.

I guess I should just be happy they called me a lady. Former NHL goalie @jamiemclennan29 once called me “bro.” But at least he didn’t change the subject to football.

Thoughts on the local media coverage of our Carolina Hurricanes or the interview with Staal? Leave us a comment! (unless you are a local broadcaster and want to go all Chuck Norris on me.) I think it’s a “given” that I am not referring negatively to the awesome that is Mike Maniscalco.  Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter: @CardiacCaneFS, @Esbee92 & @Caniac176. Just don’t tell us to relax!