Which country has the most annoying fanbase?

[Yozhik v tumane]

I think @jj cale ran it down, down on the ground, pretty well: he don’t lie, he don’t lie, he don’t lie.

Some things about certain Canadian fans are certainly annoying as all hell. For some reason, for some, they’ve apparently never lost a game to a better team? I don’t know how many threads have been started to try figuring out why Canada didn’t win at a certain best on best. “They snubbed rookie Crosby and Gerber got hot”; “how could you select Zamuner/not let Gretzky shoot/let Bourque shoot/give Lindros the captaincy”; “Richter played the games of his life”; “Liut crapped his pants”, and so on.

Haven’t had too many interactions with Russian fans, but I had a Finn and a Russian in my math class in high school who went into these really amusing shouting matches about hockey and the winter war and Karelia and whatnot. I feel like with Russians, it’s more often you just really, really don’t want to get into politics: I’ve found them nice if we stick to hockey.

I think when American hockey fans are annoying, it’s for much the same reasons that other Americans can be annoying.

Czechs and Slovaks, I agree with the sentiment that they come across like some of the nicest people on the boards. But I guess the only ones I know of are @Czechboy and @alko, so cheers to you guys.

It’s kind of hard not to vote Finland. I’m from the north of Sweden, and I remember when in those world championships with the young Swedish team that lost to Finland 5-1 or whatever, a caravan of Finnish cars with screaming passengers crossed the border only to drive around Swedish towns honking their horns, causing a ruckus and rubbing it in.

I also remember a Finnish internet acquaintance during the 2006 Olympics where we were having playful banter up until the finals (actually, I’m not sure how playful: the guy was really jingoistic when it came to Finnish hockey, and disrespectful towards Swedish players), and that tournament he was right to feel confident ahead of the finals since Finland had up-ended much more intimidating competition. I had my doubts as to Sweden’s chances.

Well, Sweden won, and as I went back to our chat to return some of the boastful shit talk ahead of the game, it immediately turned grim as the guy threatened to kill himself. That’s no fun!

There are some really nice Finnish fans here at the boards, but it’s hard not to notice the delusional loudmouths.

I can see that us Swedes, in relation to Finland, are the worst though: smug, condescending and patronizing. They might have beat us three, five, ten, twenty times in a row, why do we seem to think we’re better? A lot of us, me included, will tend to start rooting for Finland once Sweden’s been eliminated in tournaments, which have to just suck if you actually hate the other team.

 

[Yozhik v tumane]

I also want to hand a dishonorable mention to Norwegian fans. Not hockey fans in particular, but rather winter sports fans, which is almost every Norwegian.

Unfortunately, I was living and working in Oslo during the 2010 Winter Olympics and it’s just a nightmarish experience. You realize how much the Winter Olympics simply are a festival celebrating niche Norwegian interests, and a two week national circle jerk I was caught in the middle of.

Each morning clocking in at work the Norwegians confronted me with some smug “congratulations on the singular gold/silver/bronze, we won five”, I didn’t even f***ing know because no one cares in the rest of the entire world, did you see the hockey game or not? Your team actually put up a fight against Sweden in a sport more than two countries are competitive in, you should pat yourselves on the back for that instead of trying to signify the Nordic Combined to me.

I thankfully had a nice refuge from the national psychosis in my neighborhood sports pub run by a Cape Verdean named Orlando. He was on vacation but had instructed the personnel that there’s a hard no to everyone requesting them showing the winter games. More than one lusekofte decorated, luve wearing jerkass lost their shit and went into a screaming falsetto at the poor barkeep, but they stood their ground on behalf of Orlando and his soccer loving patrons.

 

[Ciccarelli]

Do you mean right now, that a lot of us haven’t noticed it yet but in a few years when Josi is closing in on retirement, we’ll see Switzerland fighting to keep its spot at the Olympics and World Championships while Norwegian and Austrian stars are winning individual NHL trophies and national team medals?

Because it seems to me it’s pretty clear Switzerland’s a notch above Norway and Austria. Over the last decade plus, they might have had the better teams on a good day, with Norway having a fine if unspectacular generation (which unfortunately still is largely expected to lead them) and Austria a few nice weapons in Vanek, Raffl and Grabner. But Switzerland has generally been deeper on every position, and with two WHC silver medals in recent years, I don’t quite see how Austria or Norway can compare.

Also, is that why you voted Sweden, you meant to vote for Switzerland?

There is no option to vote Switzerland.

 

[Stewie Griffin]

As a Canadian we definitely are because of the size of our fanbase.

 

[karhukissa]

I think @jj cale
I can see that us Swedes, in relation to Finland, are the worst though: smug, condescending and patronizing. They might have beat us three, five, ten, twenty times in a row, why do we seem to think we’re better? A lot of us, me included, will tend to start rooting for Finland once Sweden’s been eliminated in tournaments, which have to just suck if you actually hate the other team.

Yeah i agree. It's always a great feeling to beat Sweden and it's special, but if Finland's out and Sweden is still playing, i'll root for swedes. Small countries like us have one common enemy, Canada. I gave my vote to canadian fans, they get really annoying especially during WJC.

If Canada loses, it's always because of some excuse or some certain players not playing. And they have to remind that who's the king of the hockey and superior.

 

[Czechboy]

For the Canadian vote I notice 2 things about their fans in general.

Majority of Canadian hockey fans don't watch international hockey. They watch the Jr's in between Leafs games and they watch the best on best (which is roughly every 5 years). Their frame of refererence for any hockey argument is that amazing 2005 Jr team (because that is what it'd be like every year despite having several full squads since and before then that didn't win - that wasn't the only lockout year and those Senior World Championships were also best on best but Canada didn't win that so it doesn't count.lol), good ole 72 and the Canada Cup where Lemieux and Gretzky scored late. I am pretty sure all video of the Russian Canada Cup win have been erased but I sure have seen that Canadian going wide on Dzurilla a zillion times.lol That is the beginning and end of their knowledge. The next tournament they watch would probably be the Spengler.

No Hlinka's, no U18's, no world hockey challenges and Canada just won a few games on the EHT (most don't know what this is and it got very little coverage - pretty sure that was a historic first). Basically they watch what TSN feeds them. Most will skip the Olympics if NHLers don't go. Most didn't watch the amazing gold medal that they just won at the most previous world championships (5 of the last 6 finals btw but most tell me the tournament is geared against Canadians). They vividly remember those 6 Junior golds in a row. They speak of grit and being underdogs when they almost always have the most talented team.

The other one is the 'how many teams can we send' crowd. Eg. it won't likely happen but if Canada had made an Olympic team there would've been a Team B (and C) thread the same day.

This is 100% true btw.. Canada could send 2 teams. Canada has the most depth AINEC. I would love for someone to show me the salary cap for a Team Canada. I'm not even sure Team C would fit in the NHL Salary Cap.lol It's amazing. They've won 3 of the last 3 best on bests and I see no reason for that to slow down - I'd argue they are getting stronger (while the sport gets weaker as we're down to 5 countries which puts it on level with women's hockey, Rugby, Softball and cricket for international competitiveness).

Here is what bugs me.. the rare time Canada loses... the number of posters that come out and say it's because ONE or TWO guys were missing is insane! You're a country that can send 2 teams (maybe 3)... don't bitch about MdDavid with a shin splint it you're going to constantly brag about being 2 or 3 teams deeper than everyone. You can't have both.lol

 

[Czechboy]

more than two countries are competitive in,

Mental note: Don't drink coffee when reading your posts. I spit it right out.lol

 

[Czechboy]

As a Canadian we definitely are because of the size of our fanbase.

absolutely on here that is true. 8 out of 10 posters are Canuck so of course they will have the best and worst posters. Hell at least 2 of Czech posters are Canadian too and I suspect a very good Slovak one is too.lol

 

[holy]

It’s Finnish fans. It’s crazy too cause I was rooting heavy for Finland in 06, but their fans just always gotta be pumping their players tires beyond belief.

 

[IceHockeyDude]

Funny how many Finns vote for Finland. Can't blame us for not being self-critical at least

 

[Czechboy]

Funny how many Finns vote for Finland. Can't blame us for not being self-critical at least

I think FInn's won EHT and the U18 Uni games this weekend.. good time to be a Finn fan!

 

[Czechboy]

It’s Finnish fans. It’s crazy too cause I was rooting heavy for Finland in 06, but their fans just always gotta be pumping their players tires beyond belief.

The only caveat is Finn fans on HFboards... not sure what they are like away from here!

 

[holy]

The only caveat is Finn fans on HFboards... not sure what they are like away from here!

HF is the new Metaverse.

 

[jj cale]

For the Canadian vote I notice 2 things about their fans in general.

Majority of Canadian hockey fans don't watch international hockey. They watch the Jr's in between Leafs games and they watch the best on best (which is roughly every 5 years). Their frame of refererence for any hockey argument is that amazing 2005 Jr team (because that is what it'd be like every year despite having several full squads since and before then that didn't win - that wasn't the only lockout year and those Senior World Championships were also best on best but Canada didn't win that so it doesn't count.lol), good ole 72 and the Canada Cup where Lemieux and Gretzky scored late. I am pretty sure all video of the Russian Canada Cup win have been erased but I sure have seen that Canadian going wide on Dzurilla a zillion times.lol That is the beginning and end of their knowledge. The next tournament they watch would probably be the Spengler.

No Hlinka's, no U18's, no world hockey challenges and Canada just won a few games on the EHT (most don't know what this is and it got very little coverage - pretty sure that was a historic first). Basically they watch what TSN feeds them. Most will skip the Olympics if NHLers don't go. Most didn't watch the amazing gold medal that they just won at the most previous world championships (5 of the last 6 finals btw but most tell me the tournament is geared against Canadians). They vividly remember those 6 Junior golds in a row. They speak of grit and being underdogs when they almost always have the most talented team.

The other one is the 'how many teams can we send' crowd. Eg. it won't likely happen but if Canada had made an Olympic team there would've been a Team B (and C) thread the same day.

This is 100% true btw.. Canada could send 2 teams. Canada has the most depth AINEC. I would love for someone to show me the salary cap for a Team Canada. I'm not even sure Team C would fit in the NHL Salary Cap.lol It's amazing. They've won 3 of the last 3 best on bests and I see no reason for that to slow down - I'd argue they are getting stronger (while the sport gets weaker as we're down to 5 countries which puts it on level with women's hockey, Rugby, Softball and cricket for international competitiveness).

Here is what bugs me.. the rare time Canada loses... the number of posters that come out and say it's because ONE or TWO guys were missing is insane! You're a country that can send 2 teams (maybe 3)... don't bitch about MdDavid with a shin splint it you're going to constantly brag about being 2 or 3 teams deeper than everyone. You can't have both.lol

Your points are valid here, on the flip side European fans, not all of them but a sizeable share are just flat out as bad and here is their never ending act.

Conspiracy theories. I mean they adore them, every time Canada wins something they can't resist bringing up how the fix was in, I've heard the most outlandish stuff on a regular basis. Even when you beat them convincingly they will point out any play, no matter how small, as proof Canada has somehow circumvented the normal procedures and organization of a tournament and the whole thing is on the take. And you can't win no matter how you try with them, if you lose on big ice to european teams they can't stop saying Canadian teams are useless on big ice, if you do win on big ice they say Canada always should win because they have the most talent (all the while being angry if Canadian fans talk about how they have the most talent) Ref bribes, schedule rigging, heck......even cameras being in the way have been touted as proof of tournament rigging. It's really bad around here and from my experience with other sites it's the exact same thing. There's always an excuse for why Canada won (usually of the cheating variety) and at best you get a back handed compliment even when you beat them by 4-5 goals.

what else? well, quite a lot but at the risk of turning this post into a novel I won't name them all but I will throw in one more. The complete inability to comment positively on the great players from not just Canada but the U.S also. If the player isn't from their country they rarely if ever gush about them, i've noticed You just rarely see that in game threads or player discussion. You don't get that attitude from either Canadian or American posters and maybe it's because these players play in the NHL but they are quick and generous is making comments or talking about a player or a play a player has made from any country in a glowing manner, even on the GDT threads in international matches. You spend time on the international game threads here and you can't help but notice the difference, Canadian and American fans will talk about when one of the opposing teams players has made a great play and about how highly they think of them as hockey players but rarely do you see this reciprocated by most european posters. There just seems to be more respect on the Canadian/North American side on this matter.

European fans are no angels here and I would call them as a group just as problematic as any other.

Having said all this, maybe we should make a list of what we think each sides positive traits are as a group here. Why always focus on the negatives?

 

[DingerMcSlapshot]

1. Canada
2. U.S
3. Finland

 

[Lartsaman]

As a finn I think we finns are probably the most irritating, at least some finnish posters here are very hard to follow. Russians take politics in to sport, I dont like that very much. For Swedes I have no opinion, they are neutral. Czechs and slovaks have allways been nice and friendly.

Actually I like north american fans, they can be arrogant at times, but at least canadians are usually very classy after they win.

 

[ViD]

The countries where hockey means the most. Canada and Finland

/thread

 

[hockey20000]

on here American and finland especially for world juinors.. the czech always friendly and polite though

 

[Czechboy]

Your points are valid here, on the flip side European fans, not all of them but a sizeable share are just flat out as bad and here is their never ending act.

Conspiracy theories. I mean they adore them, every time Canada wins something they can't resist bringing up how the fix was in, I've heard the most outlandish stuff on a regular basis. Even when you beat them convincingly they will point out any play, no matter how small, as proof Canada has somehow circumvented the normal procedures and organization of a tournament and the whole thing is on the take. And you can't win no matter how you try with them, if you lose on big ice to european teams they can't stop saying Canadian teams are useless on big ice, if you do win on big ice they say Canada always should win because they have the most talent (all the while being angry if Canadian fans talk about how they have the most talent) Ref bribes, schedule rigging, heck......even cameras being in the way have been touted as proof of tournament rigging. It's really bad around here and from my experience with other sites it's the exact same thing. There's always an excuse for why Canada won (usually of the cheating variety) and at best you get a back handed compliment even when you beat them by 4-5 goals.

what else? well, quite a lot but at the risk of turning this post into a novel I won't name them all but I will throw in one more. The complete inability to comment positively on the great players from not just Canada but the U.S also. If the player isn't from their country they rarely if ever gush about them, i've noticed You just rarely see that in game threads or player discussion. You don't get that attitude from either Canadian or American posters and maybe it's because these players play in the NHL but they are quick and generous is making comments or talking about a player or a play a player has made from any country in a glowing manner, even on the GDT threads in international matches. You spend time on the international game threads here and you can't help but notice the difference, Canadian and American fans will talk about when one of the opposing teams players has made a great play and about how highly they think of them as hockey players but rarely do you see this reciprocated by most european posters. There just seems to be more respect on the Canadian/North American side on this matter.

European fans are no angels here and I would call them as a group just as problematic as any other.

Having said all this, maybe we should make a list of what we think each sides positive traits are as a group here. Why always focus on the negatives?

You're seriously not trying to pretend that a camera with TSN (Toronto Sports Network) wasn't planted there?lol

Your points are valid. I know, personally, I was quite high on Team Canada at the World's and kept pointing out that Brown, Manciapane and Kuemper were a notch above. Sure enough, they were! I saw Honka doing some Makar like skating at the last EHT game and commented on that too. But I'm a bit different.. I'm generally a fan of all the nations with an obvious bias for Czechs first. I can legit watch a Swiss-Belarus game for placement and really get excited.

I think it'd be funny to do a positive traits one because you just know it'll turn into insults before the end of page 1.haha

 

[GermanSpitfire]

Pound for pound probably the Finns.

Canadians are annoying but its the same as the Maple Leafs in that there are so many of them you’re going to run into a few at some point.

I find most other fans are realistic about their national teams though.

 

[jj cale]

You're seriously not trying to pretend that a camera with TSN (Toronto Sports Network) wasn't planted there?lol

Your points are valid. I know, personally, I was quite high on Team Canada at the World's and kept pointing out that Brown, Manciapane and Kuemper were a notch above. Sure enough, they were! I saw Honka doing some Makar like skating at the last EHT game and commented on that too. But I'm a bit different.. I'm generally a fan of all the nations with an obvious bias for Czechs first. I can legit watch a Swiss-Belarus game for placement and really get excited.

I think it'd be funny to do a positive traits one because you just know it'll turn into insults before the end of page 1.haha

I'll always associate you with Canada's win at the last WHC. Cripes, you put all of us to shame in the faith department with that team (granted you had no skin in the game but still, you believed in them and you said so, and it turns out you were right)

That tournament is always going to hold a high ranking in my exclusive special club of great Canadian victories and there was no way I ever thought that would be possible with the way we were playing all through the round robin. And when I think of it you are always going to be associated with it for me. And yes, I can attest to your faithful watching and enjoying games from all the tournaments where your team isn't playing. One that stands out to me was that gold medal game between Russia and Canada a couple of years ago and there was this small contingent of us who watched it together and were just back and forth commenting here in the GDT and it was a fantastic game and we all had a blast, I had a blast and Canada didn't even win. All we did as a group was enjoy the good hockey and enjoy it for what it was. No bitching or fighting or any of that stuff, we just stuck to what was happening in the game from an individual player and flow point of view and that was that.

It was the best GDT experience I've ever had on here.

 

[BigBadBoar]

It really depends on where you meet the fans and what the pre-selection is like. Many Czech fans are complete morons who can spend entire days ranting about the refs, the Canadians, the Russians, our coach, their coach, our goalie, their forwards, the puck being too flat and similar. However, those guys usually are desperately bad in English so they can't come and discuss hockey here. If you looked at Czech hockey forums, you would see eruptions of stupidity there.

 

[Czechboy]

I'll always associate you with Canada's win at the last WHC. Cripes, you put all of us to shame in the faith department with that team (granted you had no skin in the game but still, you believed in them and you said so, and it turns out you were right)

That tournament is always going to hold a high ranking in my exclusive special club of great Canadian victories and there was no way I ever thought that would be possible with the way we were playing all through the round robin. And when I think of it you are always going to be associated with it for me. And yes, I can attest to your faithful watching and enjoying games from all the tournaments where your team isn't playing. One that stands out to me was that gold medal game between Russia and Canada a couple of years ago and there was this small contingent of us who watched it together and were just back and forth commenting here in the GDT and it was a fantastic game and we all had a blast, I had a blast and Canada didn't even win. All we did as a group was enjoy the good hockey and enjoy it for what it was. No bitching or fighting or any of that stuff, we just stuck to what was happening in the game from an individual player and flow point of view and that was that.

It was the best GDT experience I've ever had on here.

I remember you and I enjoying a world hockey challenge medal match... The Canada Z team vs the Czech d one. Iiss those tourneys with 4 Canada's and a few euros plus an America.

 

[ZEBROA]

The Canada play dirty against Sweden comes from 70s when there not at all hidden tactic was to try to scare with assaults that took players out of the tournament. Phil Esposito was a real douchbag. Even trying to beat up our reporter. Those tactic are long gone. Fading with each tournament since then. But aiming for Sundin teeth after he undergone a 8h surgery did not help. Or talking out Forsberg. Single stupid plays light some fire from the past. Now days, many times Swedish players play dirtier. Old truths many times sticks. Like soft euros and chicken Swedes.

 

[A Bundy]

I also want to hand a dishonorable mention to Norwegian fans. Not hockey fans in particular, but rather winter sports fans, which is almost every Norwegian.

Unfortunately, I was living and working in Oslo during the 2010 Winter Olympics and it’s just a nightmarish experience. You realize how much the Winter Olympics simply are a festival celebrating niche Norwegian interests, and a two week national circle jerk I was caught in the middle of.

Each morning clocking in at work the Norwegians confronted me with some smug “congratulations on the singular gold/silver/bronze, we won five”, I didn’t even f***ing know because no one cares in the rest of the entire world, did you see the hockey game or not? Your team actually put up a fight against Sweden in a sport more than two countries are competitive in, you should pat yourselves on the back for that instead of trying to signify the Nordic Combined to me.

I thankfully had a nice refuge from the national psychosis in my neighborhood sports pub run by a Cape Verdean named Orlando. He was on vacation but had instructed the personnel that there’s a hard no to everyone requesting them showing the winter games. More than one lusekofte decorated, luve wearing jerkass lost their shit and went into a screaming falsetto at the poor barkeep, but they stood their ground on behalf of Orlando and his soccer loving patrons.

I second that, and I am Norwegian as well Not so much hockey, but other winter sports. Norwegian hockey-journalists reporting from abroad can also annoy efficently, but they are not many and not really hockey-journalists either.