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Meltzer's Musings: 8/13/11 |
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Do you have any irrational pet peeves when it comes to the Flyers or hockey in general? Things that you know aren't really a big deal, yet still bother you every time you see or hear them? Here are some of mine:
* The change in cadence of the "Let's Go Flyers!" chant at the arena over the years, so that it now essentially sounds like the "Let's go Rangers!" chant at Madison Square Garden.
* Personalized jerseys with the name and number of a player from an era other than the style of the jersey design. For instance, sometimes you'll see "Clarke-- 16" on a black jersey.
* People who scream "hit somebody!" and "shoot!" nonstop during a game. There are times when I miss being in the stands, rather than the pressbox. But that's an aspect of sitting in the crowd that I don't miss.
* Announcers who consistently mispronounce players' names.
* The deafening volume of the PA system in most arenas, to the point where you can't hold a conversation and hear what the person next to you is saying.
* The emphasis on constant "entertainment" during stoppages of play and intermission. I have always loved the mites on ice and youth hockey shootouts featuring local youngsters. That's timeless. What I dislike is the vast majority of in-arena "hosts," and just about any vignette associated with them.
* People's lack of knowledge and/or respect for team history. Actually, I don't really consider this one to an irrational pet peeve. I consider it to be a downright disgrace.
The Flyers are among the very best in the NHL at honoring their history in a genuine way, so this is not directed toward the organization itself. However, there are many NHL clubs, personnel (including some players) and fans who really couldn't care less. Two quick stories with Philadelphia connections:
During the 2010 Stanley Cup Final in Philly, the NHL set up its credentialing trailer outside of the arena. Everyone who had a media, shareholder or team personnel pass had to have their photo ID made up in the trailer. Standard stuff. But the personnel in the trailer kept Flyers legend and Hockey Hall of Famer Bill Barber waiting an inordinately long time before he was allowed to get his badge, and a female intern asked him to show ID and more or less substantiate that he still worked for an NHL organization.
He was polite and gracious about it, because that's just his character. Barber will always be a humble and unassuming sort of person. But something is amiss when, before a Stanley Cup Final game in Philadelphia, a fairly obscure hockey writer like myself gets a badge and enters the building orderly fashion and Bill Barber (who was already there waiting when I got there) is kept waiting.
Second story: Flyers Hall of Famer Joe Watson used to come around the locker room after games on a relatively frequent basis (although not nearly as much anymore). Apart from having his name on a banner inside the arena, his photo is on the wall atop the locker room, along with photos of every other team HOF inductee.
A few years ago, I asked Watson if the Flyers players knew who he was. Before I could even finish the question, he responded, "I don't know. Well, a few of them recognize me but I don't know about the rest. Older players like (Mark) Recchi know me. I've had a couple players say to me they hope someday to have their name up there [in the rafters], and I say if I could do it, so can they. I'm sure a lot of the players don't know or care who I am, but that's OK. I retired a long time ago, before most of them were born."
You can't tell the story of the Flyers' organization without mentioning Joe Watson. The guy was not only an original member of the team, a two-time NHL All-Star Game participant and a member of both Stanley Cup teams, he's also been employed by the team in a variety of different capacities for virtually its entire history (minus the brief period of time he was finishing his playing career in Colorado).
Part of the responsibility of Flyers team leaders in the locker room is to emphasize the honor of playing for the club and representing it proudly. It doesn't matter whether the top names of the past played or coached when you were a child or even before you were born. You should at least take the time to know what they contributed and to show proper respect on that basis, especially if you are being counted on as a team leader.
I don't want to single out any recent Flyers players by name, because you don't know for sure what's really going on in someone else's mind or their life at a particular moment in time. But sometimes it's pretty easy and telling to look at someone's body language. There was at least one recent player who clearly could not have cared less -- he seemed overwhelmingly bored, although he managed to force a smile -- when the team brought out some of its most honored alumni.
Philadelphia Flyers Blogger •NHL.com • 
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