Please pardon my somewhat ignorant state, but why is there so much passion behind the QC effort to have the Nordiques return, especially from non-Quebecers?
I do realize that there's a hugely passionate fanbase up there, but wont there still be Lindros/French-type issues? Isn't it still a very small market overall? Hasn't there already been a team there that left? Sure the money thing has been mitigated and perhaps QC shouldn't have seen their team leave over something like that, but is there anything happening in QC that should draw the league's attention from trying to expand in to new markets?
It's pretty much guaranteed that QC is going to get a team via relocation if not expansion, why is everyone so absolutely awestruck that the two western teams might happen first?
There's still Nords fans out there, tons of them, and I get why they don't want to wait any longer than necessary to get their team back on the ice. I don't understand why people are going to blow a gasket or stop watching hockey altogether if it doesn't happen at this very moment. Could someone try to explain it to me? I'm assuming it's a Canada vs US thing, and that the idea of another desert team in the US before QC is an issue, but I'm really hoping it's something beyond that that I don't see.
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"ignorant state" huh? You certainly dont come across as that BattleBorn and indeed, most Ive known from Vegas & Nevada in general, pretty savvy, street smart people. And no offense intended, but ya, somewhat insular. Focused inward and I dont mean that as criticism. We all have lives to lead, mortgages to pay etc. Only natural to be more concerned about local, municipal & state affairs rather than whats goin on in some far flung state or province.
There are just all kinds of reasons why people not only in Quebec City obviously but so too throughout the province & across Canada as well as in hockey hotbeds in primarily the Great Lakes region & NE US are so passionate about this issue. On many levels its transcendent of just hockey & sport, touching on socio-political issues, Quebec's place in Canada & North America & so on. I wont get into all of that, completely derailing the thread, and so just from a cultural perspective & the game of hockey itself from amateur through pro & the NHL, Quebec City holds a very special place in that crown of jewel's that Canadian hockey fans in particular treasure so much and are proud of.
I could bore you with history, but in a nutshell though a smaller market, the rivalries between Quebec City & Montreal along with the rest of English Canadian teams is as old as the hills, a healthy outlet for a number of frustrations, just a naturally competitive situation that goes back in time to the enmities between France & Great Britain. Talkin deep waters here, battle ongoing on those frozen waters for over 100yrs. Quebec City has produced and or developed many many of the games greatest stars & legends. To say that
Hockey in Quebec is a Religion is an understatement. Thats exactly what it is. On par with the most rabid Montreal Canadiens, Dallas Cowboys, say the NY Yankee's or Boston Red Sox, Manchester Uniteds fanbase. People talk of the old Leafs vs Habs, Boston vs Montreal rivalries well guess what? None of those come close to the Nordique vs Canadiens rivalry. That was akin to the 72 Summit Series everytime they met, the Playoffs all out War.
The Nordique provided a sense of place & pride for Quebec City on a grander scale. They know the game intimately, cherish the sport, most start playing it a very young age, home to the oldest & Worlds biggest & most prestigious amateur tournament, annual Quebec City Pee Wee Tournament; support hockey at all levels from amateur to Junior, for many many years Senior & semi-pro and so on & so forth. Quite literally part of the Cradle of the Game itself along with Montreal & the Ottawa Valley Region. Quebec City, that north easterly portion of Quebec is the Capital of French North America, over 90% francophones, everything from music to literature, the arts etc quite unique & distinct though much of it does have Celtic roots. Its in fact a market, a huge market entirely unto itself but one that does as well feed the economies of english Canada & the US.
So your not just talking about a small market city of less than a million, your actually talking about a market well in excess of 3M throughout the province of Quebec, countless hundreds of 1000's more in places like New Brunswick, Ontario, Manitoba & BC, really all of the provinces where there are not insignificant numbers of francophone communities. Multi-generational deep roots, french often second rather than first language but still. More recent domestic immigration from francophone Quebec to wherever and so on..... As for the Lindros situation, Id suggest you head on over to the History of Hockey Board where you'll find a thread discussing precisely that matter.... hope this helps, looks like you guys'll be getting a steady diet of the NHL in not too long awhile, important to understand the history, nuances, what gives & what goes' huh?
