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Knuckle Chucker
04-11-2005, 02:01 PM
We had a good time on the Raider fan bus despite the 2 losses. Our bus broke down so we sat on the highway (45 min out of MH) for 3 hours. We arrived at the Arena 5 min before game time. It was only fitting that the Raiders played their worst game of the playoffs. It was a typical game between a team with a long layover vs a team fresh off of a hard fought series.

Game 2 was a different story. For the most part, the Raiders played a strong game. They had the hard forecheck going they were hitting everything in sight. They did everything but score. Again a typical hockey thing: the Raiders press and carry the play for 3/4 of the first period but don't score. MH comes down at the end of the period and scores.

Some random thoughts on Medicine Hat:
-what a great looking city. I thought Red Deer was nice but MH is nicer IMO.
- I got a taste of why the franchise is the tops in the league. The fan base is beyond excellent. The atmosphere in the building is nuts. The fans start chants on their own all the time. Of the 4000+ fans there at least 1000 of them had Tiger jerseys on.
- Speaking of Tiger Jerseys....they sell them (and other Tiger stuff) in The Bay, Zellers and Sears. It would be great if that could happen in PA.
- Speaking of Tiger jersey's....wow do women look hot in black and orange many of the men on the bus made that observation.
- I was shocked at how the fans get on Barker's case. Many don't like him. Grumpy did a good job explaining why.
- I looked for you Grumpy but I didn't see your Jersey. Where do you sit?? We were in sec. 22 the first game and sec. 1 the 2nd game.
- They only have 400 tickets per game and they are all over the rink so as a result the Raider fans were all over the rink. I think we did a good job in spite of this of letting the boys hear us when they scored. One guy had his air horn taken away in game 2. I guess you can't use them there.
- The fans are cocky but friendly. For game 2 our whole row adjusted so my son (11 yrs old) could sit by me. After the game some frendly but cocky female fans offered to come on the bus to cheer us up. We were willing to give them a free trip to PA for game 3 but they backed out :D
- Man do they know how to get on a ref. The chant of "we want a ref" in game 2 was LOUD and the ref made some make-up calls as a result.
- The Raiders deserved to win game 2 but the hockey gods were not with us. However I still think we will make a series of it.

Furback
04-11-2005, 02:21 PM
how were the strip clubs in the hat?

Knuckle Chucker
04-11-2005, 02:39 PM
how were the strip clubs in the hat?

I had my 11 yr old son with me so I didn't try to find them. Some of the younger guys ended up at ezie's and had a good time. When you are on a bus you are restricted to the area of the hotel unless you cab it

grumphy
04-11-2005, 02:57 PM
[QUOTE=Knuckle Chucker]
- I was shocked at how the fans get on Barker's case. Many don't like him. Grumpy did a good job explaining why.
- I looked for you Grumpy but I didn't see your Jersey. Where do you sit?? We were in sec. 22 the first game and sec. 1 the 2nd game.QUOTE]
I sit in 29 row 9, looked for you guys but didn't locate you. There were a few raiders in our section and we could hear them on occation. Since you were here you know we have no bus to PA---damn. :mad: We are an older section so there a few of us in a position to have made the trip, Oh well, they are talking about getting one for game 6, Hopefully we can get away for that one.
I thought the officiating for game two was absolutily brutal both ways, on the other hand Mrs. Smith's little boy, Pat did one of his better jobs in game one, (of course his past has set a fairly low bar) :laugh:
It's a long way from over yet, it's going to be a battle and could quite easily go seven. Enjoy 3 & 4, wish I was there.

Knuckle Chucker
04-11-2005, 03:25 PM
[QUOTE=Knuckle Chucker]
- I was shocked at how the fans get on Barker's case. Many don't like him. Grumpy did a good job explaining why.
- I looked for you Grumpy but I didn't see your Jersey. Where do you sit?? We were in sec. 22 the first game and sec. 1 the 2nd game.QUOTE]
I sit in 29 row 9, looked for you guys but didn't locate you. There were a few raiders in our section and we could hear them on occation. Since you were here you know we have no bus to PA---damn. :mad: We are an older section so there a few of us in a position to have made the trip, Oh well, they are talking about getting one for game 6, Hopefully we can get away for that one.
I thought the officiating for game two was absolutily brutal both ways, on the other hand Mrs. Smith's little boy, Pat did one of his better jobs in game one, (of course his past has set a fairly low bar) :laugh:
It's a long way from over yet, it's going to be a battle and could quite easily go seven. Enjoy 3 & 4, wish I was there.

We heard that the were trying to get a bus together but they were charging $250 per person which is steep IMO. I would have been close to you in game 1 as my ticket was for sec 27 but my son was in sec 22 so I stood above him. I am sure we will see some Tiger fans in PA fan bus or not.

ointhecreek
04-11-2005, 06:17 PM
how were the strip clubs in the hat?
I don't think there are anymore strip clubs in the Hat. The rightous alderwoman Cathy Smith made sure of that! (Damn her!) There is the odd special event at the Sin Bin I think but don't frequent that bar. There are quite a few male dancers on ladies nites tho, go figure.