Hooray! Oops!

The Avalanche wasted no time damaging the Stanley Cup. (Screen grab via @Sportsnet/Twitter)

I doubt if anyone really cared that just minutes after winning the Stanley Cup last night, the Colorado Avalanche players managed to bang the cup on the ice and flatten one side of the base; the players in Tampa Bay were insanely happy and so were their fans back in Denver.

A hockey fan way back when the Oklahoma City Blazers were a thing (1990s), I rapidly drifted into other interests and didn’t pay much attention to hockey again until the Avs made it to the playoffs this year. By the time they lifted the cup last night, I was jumping up and down like everyone else in Denver — albeit all by myself. The illegal fireworks I heard around the neighborhood actually sounded exuberant and celebratory (but don’t check back with me about fireworks on the 4th!).

Joy!

Local news showed crowds in the streets downtown but there appeared to be no rioting and widespread damage as so often follows a big sports championship. I’ve never understood why celebrating crowds resort to rioting and was extremely pleased that Avs fans, for the most part, just opted for dancing in the street. There were a few illegal fireworks, and I saw two individuals carrying around a street sign/post they’d stolen. But no rioting, looting, shooting, burning.

A celebratory parade has been scheduled for Thursday.

Congratulations, Avs!!

4 thoughts on “Hooray! Oops!

  1. congrats to you! (and this from a red wing fan)). I drank from the cup once years ago, another story, but it has been through a lot of hell and who know’s what in its time )

... and that's my two cents