Cut the crying....Hockey needs a new jingle

It is a sad day in the hockey world folks, no not because the 2008 NHL Playoffs have officially ended, or because Gary Bettman has decided he wants to expand further into the States, not even because Pierre McGuire has signed a 5 year extension to stay analyzing for TSN, (but i'll admit, that's almost as sad) it's a sad day because we all realize in the midst of all our grumbling, there really isn't much to complain about. Take the latest blowup for proof:

Hockey Night In Canada has threatened to drop it's iconic theme song known as Canada's second national anthem from its broadcasting, sparking an outrage that has left many old-fashioned oldies looking for answers. it sickens me to think that so many hockey fans are getting their knickers in a knot over a song so old,it would put granddaddy's fiddle solo to shame.

One excerpt in Canwest News Service profoundly amused me and left me to conclude those doing the sports articles were either under a 10 minute deadline or were actually a Woman's Libber enthusiast filling in.

"The show's signature music, a trumpety flourish that has set the nations nerves on edge for nearly 40 years..."

So tell me, when was the last time a trumpety flourish sonatina has left you with the image of hard body checks, highlight reel goals and blood, sweat and tears? all it's done is left me with a greater yearning for the opening faceoff when all will be heard is Bob Cole's aged voice...*ahem*

The catcalls didn't stop there.


"That's part of our history, part of our life, part of the enthusiasm for the game...When you heard that, you thought Canada, you thought hockey..."


Back in 7th Grade, it was in band class I had the privilege of hearing or 'playing' that song for the first time... as we played it I wondered, did my instructor get this wrong? what's with the title? so when do we get to exciting part? surely it was a mistake...But no... i was forced to conclude that in fact, this song, with about as much intensity as knitting club at Granny Annie's, was indeed a symbol for hockey, for our country.


CBC in my view has forever been a broadcasting corporation which has failed to keep up with the times, complete with coma-inducing documentaries, its very own top ten of classic Sonatina's, as well as a ninety-something year old broadcaster (hello there Bob Cole, how's your *pick a body part* holding up today?) belting out the play by play. It is for this reason that many people or -excuse me- all people under the age of 75 get turned off by the programming.

The Hockey Night In Canada song is no different. They managed to brainwash you into thinking that it's all about tradition, all about remembering back in 1977 when you and your Dad made it a Saturday night ritual and heard that trumpet sound out like an alarm clock...Hurray...Hurrah for the past how about a little of the future?...a little modernization?

A poster on Faceoff.com said it best when her insightful post subsequently backfired, saying the song would be sadly missed because its "as much a Canadian icon as the beaver on the nickel"

Canadian icon yes, but let me ask you this....

How many of you reading this have come across a beaver in Canada within the last year?

Anyone?


Point taken.


BleacherBuff