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nivek_wahs
02-17-2006, 12:40 AM
PATS/WARRIORS NOT WHAT IT USED TO BE!
by: Rod Pedersen (LeaderPost)

It may be the mark of the new WHL, but the fiercest rivalry in junior hockey has become more of an amicable relationship than many fans would like!

As the Regina Pats and Moose Jaw Warriors enjoy turnaround seasons from last year, the worst in the history of each franchise, they still have a ways to go in terms of building up contempt for each other.

The stories are legendary. I was in the Agridome in the late 1980's when Warriors' super-pest Theoren Fleury got kicked out a game and wound up swinging his stick at unruly fans on his way underneath the stands.

We've certainly had dust-ups in the past that rival that heated night, not the least of which were the 2004 playoffs when Pats' goalie Dustin Slade allegedly speared a fan in the face after being kicked out of Game 1 of that eventual Warriors' sweep. Why did he not face further discipline?
The Civic Centre security guards admitted the fan had provoked Slade's attack and he was simply defending himself.

Back in the '80s, Pats broadcaster Kevin Gallant said on-air the Warriors were a "Mickey Mouse" organization for turning their scoreboard off right after a game and Kevin hadn't written down the final shots on goal in time. He was threatened physically by Warriors fans and brought a bodyguard to the next game. That bodyguard was former Canadian Welter-weight boxing champ Pat Fiacco. You may know him.

Who can forget the time Pats' forward Ryan Thomas had a group of buddies in the Crushed Can and they attacked the Warriors' mascot "Puckhead" and when its mask fell off, we were stunned to discover it was a woman!

That was the first of a home-and-home series, and the next day threats directed towards the Pats' K9 mascot were phoned into the office and for the first time in the history of sports, a team's mascot was a scratch for the game!

In this storied rivalry, there has always seemed to be a villain whether it be Fleury, Slade, or Warrior forward Sean O'Connor. One night at a ceremonial faceoff in Regina, O'Connor actually battled for, and won, the draw against Regina's Chris Schlenker. That didn't go over well with Regina Mayor Pat Fiacco who was dropping the puck, he was rumoured to have mentioned he wouldn't have minded taking a swing at the Warrior captain.

O'Connor was at the centre of it again in that same era when he hooked Pats' goalie Donald Choukalos around the neck and Chocko chased him all the way to centre ice.

Good times.

And of course on the last day of the 2003 regular season, the Pats and Warriors engaged in a full-scale line brawl instigated by Regina meathead Britt Dougherty, which wound up getting coaches Bob Lowes and Curtis Hunt suspended for the first two games of their respective playoff series.

Ah yes, the good old days.

But now it's a love-in. Pats GM Brent Parker is touting his Warrior counterpart Chad Lang as "Executive of the Year" in the WHL for his job in turning around that team. But can't the same be said for Brent?

But of course Parker is never immune from stirring it up and this week while he was extolling the virtues of Lang and coach Steve Young on my Sportsline program I pointed out that both men hailed from Regina.

"Maybe that's why they've turned it around," smiled Parker.

It's not exactly beating up their mascot, but these days it'll have to do!

patsfan33
02-17-2006, 03:00 AM
maybe someday the old rilvary will come back, i miss those rock em sock nights at the dome.....but one thing sure hasn't changed...most warriors fans respect for pat fans is still little to none...i swear the crushed can is and has been the only place that I've continually felt extremely unwelcome in...almost gives ya the chills...ha ha..i remember the good old days when wearin a pats jersey to that barn was a death wish...ah the memories

nivek_wahs
02-17-2006, 03:59 AM
but one thing sure hasn't changed...most warriors fans respect for pat fans is still little to none...i swear the crushed can is and has been the only place that I've continually felt extremely unwelcome in...almost gives ya the chills...ha ha..i remember the good old days when wearin a pats jersey to that barn was a death wish...ah the memories

Been there... done that... Even though I am 6'5 and 300+ pounds I don't like going there or even walking around by myself. I have never been physcially attacked or anything but the verbal abuse that I have taken there is unbelievable. And I seriously wouldn't like my odds if anything were to happen (100ish Pats fans vs. 2000+ Warriors fans). Ha ha... Even though I don't drink the security guards seem to be drawn towards me and anyone I'm with :thumb:

Number_4
02-17-2006, 10:15 AM
Usually when I go to the crushed can its a interesting night. I usually sit with my brother and his friends, who are all Warrior fans. I cant remember what section we sit in, but its the section on the very end of the arena, the one closest to Zellers (does that even make sense? lol) Anyways, there is a few season ticket holders in that section that are to say the least Pats haters. I seem to always end up in the row behind these folks. I had my dads cowbell one game, and the lady turned around and actually threatened to shove the cowbell in a dark place... It doesnt matter what we do, we just always seem to piss of this lady. And I can remember some of my friends who have actually gotten in fights after the games. One time, my brother was just bashing the Pats horribly,the players, coaches, bus, i mean everything, then in the second intermission he started talking to the guy sitting next to him, who was a new Pat players dad. The player had just been traded to the Pats from BC. I think it was Landon Jones, but I cant remember for sure. He was actually really cool about it, and said it was nice there is such a rivarly. It was just so funny to see the expression on my brothers face.

Triton
02-17-2006, 10:36 AM
Yeah the Raiders/Blades rivalry has kinda gone down the toilet.I wish it was like it used to be in the mid 90's..that was scary.The playoff matchup last spring kinda propelled it,but this season it's as dull as ever.

Dwight Schrute
02-17-2006, 12:22 PM
Yeah the Raiders/Blades rivalry has kinda gone down the toilet.I wish it was like it used to be in the mid 90's..that was scary.The playoff matchup last spring kinda propelled it,but this season it's as dull as ever.
yeah its sad the rivalry with the blades is all but gone. there is more of a rivalry with the wheatkings.

Hatguy
02-17-2006, 04:06 PM
Hey guys it'll come back, I've always loved the Pats/warriors games. We just have a bunch of sissies on our teams. I'm coming to Regina tommorrow night to watch the game and we better see some fights. Yes a lot of Warriors fans are jerks, but hey you gotta love their dedication to our team. Hope for a good game tommorrow evening! :thumb:

patsrock83
02-17-2006, 07:33 PM
it is always a good time with the security guards that hate us even tho we are the ones taking the abuse....and the classiness of the fans is unbelivable, they shouldnt even have a team.

patsfan33
02-18-2006, 12:27 AM
...a couple years back I wore my Pats jersey up to their barn and actually got spit on...typical, i wasn't suprised...needless to say the security guards didn't think it was that big of a deal.... I've hated that place to the core ever since :thumb:

Fight Guy
02-18-2006, 12:39 AM
Though I havent worn a Pats jersey there before(yet), me and my brother or dad havent had any problems cheering for the Pats surrounded by Warriors fans. But that may be because we're pretty big and probably dont want to f*@k with us. :karate: :thumb:

Fight Guy
02-18-2006, 12:40 AM
Funny...I didnt know it was Ryan Thomas and company that attacked the MJ mascot. I bet that never came out till this little article by Pederson.

skinnyhead
02-19-2006, 04:19 PM
i dunno yesterday was my first game at the brandt center and i know we have some ******* fans but when u throw popcorn and beer at 16 year old warrior fans the brandt center doesn't seem that friendly either(except that one guy that shook my hand and was very polite)

patsfan33
02-19-2006, 05:44 PM
ya I've heard some of the things pat fans pulled last night...real low...i was embarrassed to hear about it...i guess both barns house a few fans that really need to grow up