38 Comments
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Jake Deyo's avatar

For what it's worth, I saw that fight and the cause behind it exactly the same way. Regardless of how a person feels about the politics, it was obviously the US team starting a fight over things completely outside of the game and they deserve to get called out for that. And if someone calls you a "libtard", you can be pretty confident you're doing the right thing.

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Jim Moore's avatar

Hi Jake, good morning, thanks for reading. Yeah I just didn’t get it at all. I don’t mind being a libtard who can’t believe our country put that guy in charge once let alone twice.

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Zach B.'s avatar

100% right. Being called a libtard is a badge of honor these days.

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Jim Moore's avatar

Well, I guess I’d much rather be known as a libtard than a Trumper that’s for sure.

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Ed's avatar

Normally I don’t necessarily like fighting in hockey, but when I watched Saturday I thought it was great. It got me jacked for the game. I think Canadians have a right to boo the US national anthem. Isn’t that what we stand for? The right to express yourselves and then take the consequences. Go Team USA.

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Jim Moore's avatar

Fair point Ed, more than fair. Thanks for reading.

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Monty Weld's avatar

Agree with Jim

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Jim Moore's avatar

Hey Monty, thanks for reading.

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Christopher Campbell's avatar

Jim, excellent piece. You are a liberal. Good for you. I used to be right of center. I have no idea what that makes me now. (Independent Classical Liberal?). I don’t see you as a sheep. You are standing up for the traditional values of respect that our country used to espouse and strive to be. Good for you! Total and complete respect. Chris

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Jim Moore's avatar

Hi Chris, thanks, I guess I’m old school and think that our president, regardless of what he does with the economy and everything else, should be respectable and have some class. Plus he’s somehow made it OK to be condescending and flat-out rude to people. Just not OK with me.

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Christopher Campbell's avatar

100 Percent!

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JVB's avatar

You were right, Jim.

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Jim Moore's avatar

Well, maybe so, sure seems like there’s a maybe not in there too though.

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Sheldon Spencer's avatar

Awesome take, Jim.

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Jim Moore's avatar

Hey Sheldon! Hope things are going well for you. Thanks.

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Scott Powell's avatar

Hey Jim hell yeah they should boo. Our President is talking about taking them over and imposing moronic tariffs. Treating them like an adversary instead of one of our closest allies. As far as the fights go, part of the game and regardless of the current political climate would happen anyways probably because the US and Canada are bitter rivals on the ice in International play.

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Jim Moore's avatar

Great game last night, goaltending was amazing for both squads. Emotional playing of O Canada. Have a good weekend, Scott.

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Nick Conte's avatar

Although I do not agree with booing anthems in general, I do understand and believe Canadians have the right to boo the anthem at a competitive sports game, just as Americans have the right to throw down the gloves. Both can be true! People need to take a deep breath

Thanks Jim

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Jim Moore's avatar

That’s a good way to look at it objectively, Nick. Thanks for stopping by the Substack site, greatly appreciated.

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Nick Conte's avatar

Plus the final is in Boston, and I’m fairly certain the retaliatory boos will rain down during the Canadian anthem

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Brian J. Shaw's avatar

I just thought it was the opening scene of a movie.

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Jim Moore's avatar

A good movie or a bad one, Brian?

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Brian J. Shaw's avatar

Bad but good, Jim?

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Adventures In Aviation!'s avatar

Most ridiculous start to a game.

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Jim Moore's avatar

Yeah, not sure if anyone had ever seen anything like that before.

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Adventures In Aviation!'s avatar

Much better than “Allstar Game”.

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Adventures In Aviation!'s avatar

Team owners had to be cringing at the prospect of player injury

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Jim Moore's avatar

I’ll bet they were but it’s turned out to be a good thing for hockey.

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Sean's avatar

You're right on with your take. The buffoon in the white house makes it embarrassing to be an American. Anyone calling you a "libtard" isn't nuanced enough to understand why our anthem was being booed.

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Jim Moore's avatar

Hard to believe what’s going on in our country right now. Thanks for reading and commenting, Sean.

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Jon W.'s avatar

You hit the nail on the head Jim! Don’t get discouraged by those who choose to call names in disrespectful fashion. You spoke from the heart and that is ok. I appreciate your honesty.

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Jim Moore's avatar

Thanks Jon. I guess it would be pretty much understood that I’m a Democrat when I’ve been a journalist most of my career, but I’ve never said much of anything about politics for reasons as I stated in the post. But now that I’m retired and given the bizarre developments with Trump being president again, hard not to stay quiet anymore. Besides, there’s no one left to fire me when you’re not working anymore unless Puck wants to can me, I guess that’s a possibility.

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Doug Dennett's avatar

The question I have, and I understand that fighting is part of hockey, but in what other sport would this be celebrated? What baseball team will brawl with the Bluejays first and be celebrated? Or Team USA beating the shit out of Canadas national basketball team at tipoff in the next Olympics? It’s unique to hockey for sure but in no other sport would this be celebrated.

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Jim Moore's avatar

Hi Doug, in other sports, there’d be fines and suspensions and outrage. Not sure why it’s simply OK in hockey. I always get a kick out of the officials just skating around and watching these guys duke it out before they intervene.

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Zach B.'s avatar

Jim, i completely agree with you.

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Jim Moore's avatar

Thanks Zach, and thanks for reading.

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Gregg Fresonke's avatar

I would call it patriotic virtue signaling… the crowd in Montreal disrespected the USA booing our national anthem and team USA sent a message back and went on to kick their ass 3-1.

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Jim Moore's avatar

OK, Gregg, can see where you’re coming from. Thanks for reading.

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