One of the very first followers I gained on Twitter was "the Professor" Avi Goldberg.
Avi is no stranger here on "The Breakdown" having appeared before as a part of a roundtable discussion during the NHL lockout.
Avi is a professor of sociology at Vanier College in
Montreal. You can read him all over the web, as he is a Contributing Editor at The Barnstormer, and a Featured
Writer at All Habs. He also has his own private blog where he uses his sociological mind to make sense of sport-media culture and the
different ways that we as fans prosume (produce & consume) the contents and
experiences of sport-media culture.
He's a very interesting guy, an excellent read, and today we meet Avi the fan, an integral member of HABS-TOWN.
What got you into
hockey, more specifically the Habs?
Ok, you have to know that I was born in
Montreal but raised in Edmonton. I am a fan of both the Habs and Oilers. With that
out of the way, my first memories of getting into hockey are from family visits
to Montreal for Passover and everyone running to the TV in the middle of the
dinners to check out the score of the Habs games during the playoffs. As a
youngster then, I would sit in the basement of my aunt and uncle’s place in
Chomedey and watch Habs games with everyone. This was my first real exposure to
hockey and the Habs. Since these experiences also introduced me to the
unmistakable voice of Dick Irvin, Kojax souvlaki, and Montreal bagels, it’s not
surprising that the Habs and hockey were so appealing for a young guy living in
the prairies.
Was it Hard to be a
Habs fan living in Edmonton?
I certainly got teased
by a couple of my good buddies. They laughed hysterically as I talked to them
incessantly about Mats Naslund and, later on, Patrick Roy.
The thing about
being a fan back then, without the internet, was that so many people from
Edmonton really knew so little about the Habs and vice versa. Kind of as it can
be with politics in Quebec, most of my Edmonton pals just paid no attention to
the Habs unless there was some reason for it. You have to remember that most of
the attention Edmontonians devoted to visiting teams went to the hated Calgary
Flames. So, most of the time, my love for the Habs was basically mildly amusing
to my Edmonton friends and not so much the source of any serious rivalry or
animosity. Much later, after moving to Montreal, this worked in reverse when a
fellow Oilers fan and I would drive our Montreal pick-up hockey buds a bit
crazy as we would endlessly tell stories of Oiler greatness in the dressing
room prior to and following our games.
Do you remember
your first Habs game?
Since I grew up in Edmonton, my first
Habs game was in about 1988 when I came to Montreal on a winter vacation. A
friend of mine took me to a Habs-Whalers game at the Forum and it was totally
surreal to actually sit in the building I had seen on TV so many times over the
years. The arena was smaller and busier than I expected. I was also surprised
that people were smoking so much during the intermissions. The fries were great
and I think it was the first time I drank orange soft drink in ages. The game
itself, a 2-1 Habs victory, was a sleeper. Still, the banners, the players, those
escalators crossing like two hockey sticks, the beautiful white home jerseys,
and the walk out onto a freezing cold St. Catherine Street in downtown Montreal
after the game made the experience worth it.
So was that Habs game
in 1988 your first NHL game? or had you been to an Oilers game in Edmonton
first?
My first NHL game would
have been an Oilers game prior to 1988, but I cannot truthfully remember a
notable first NHL game.
Do you have a
favorite Habs player ever? if so, whom, and why?
For some reason, I always loved Mats
Naslund. Just liked the fact that he shot left (like me), wore that big helmet,
and had those shifty smooth moves and playmaking skills on the ice. Due to his
26, that was the number I always chose for my jersey when I was on a team. My
Edmonton pals made plenty fun of me for this choice, but to me, Mats was the
man!
Mats Naslund seems to
be one of those forgotten players. We always hear about the Dynasty Era
"heroes", like the Richards, Cournoyer, Beliveau, The Flower, the
“big three, etc. When it comes to players from the 80's, Patrick Roy is the
only constant. Yet, Naslund was a remarkable player who had good numbers, and
it seems like the generation that grew up watching him often mentions him as
their favourite.
Do you think Saku Koivu will go down that way in the history
books, or as something else? What about a current Hab like Andrei Markov?
Ok, this is my view on
this. Koivu was a very solid player, worked his ass off, and did not get the
universal support I think he deserved. He got caught in a very unfortunate
crossfire surrounding language, politics, and hockey where some fans in Quebec
clearly needed a scapegoat for the fact that there were no real Quebecois
hockey heroes on the Habs to support and rally behind. Markov, when healthy,
has been a tremendously solid, highly skilled, and valuable player. The problem
with remembering both of these guys as legends, I think, is that neither one of
them is a pure superstar (although Markov is close), and it is also debatable
whether either one of them can be associated with team greatness. We will
always remember and admire Koivu for overcoming cancer, and fans that hate the
fact that he was singled out for not speaking French will always rally behind
him as a victim of nasty Quebec politics.
With Markov we will be aware of his
great skill and the fact that the team wins so many more games than they lose
when he is in the lineup. Think of the different things we can associate with
Naslund, by contrast. The Swede was a quirky and effective player, used a
helmet and stick that were memorable due to their lack of familiarity to
Canadians, and ultimately contributed to an unexpected Stanley Cup victory in
1986. Aside from overcoming cancer (albeit a biggy), I am not sure if Koivu and
Markov feature in a team narrative that will keep their memories alive in a
meaningful way. Then again, with Markov, there’s still time!
Where do you like
to watch games?
If I had the time, I would love to watch
games with friends in a small bar-restaurant where staff and patrons know each
other. I just love the idea of being out in public, lots of others there for
the same reason, enjoying cold beer, and escaping time while watching the game
of hockey.
Do you prefer to
watch with guys? with girls? why?
When I was a younger person, the idea of
watching games with women was virtually unheard of. Now, the passion for hockey
exhibited by women is off the charts, no different from what I see from the
guys. To illustrate, when I first met my wife, Lori, she was in the process of
moving back to Montreal from Toronto and one of the things she was looking
forward to was being able to watch the Habs in Montreal. In the early years she
told me stories of how she would have just died of tension and anxiety if the Canadiens
would have played the Leafs in the 1993 finals instead of the Kings. Though I
would have been into a Habs-Leafs finals matchup, I totally loved the fact that
we were sharing these kinds of conversations. In short, though Lori is not
currently as tuned into the Habs as I am, my ideal situation would be watching
with her and getting my daughter into it with us as well. So, I’m cool with
watching with guys or women. And, if it’s people who are close to me, all the
better.
Do you have any
pre-game rituals or in game superstitions?
No real pre-game rituals but my friends
and I in Edmonton pioneered some major in-game superstitions. It all happened
during Oilers playoff games during the dynasty years. We would usually watch at
Michael Chow’s house and his two brothers would be hanging out with us as well.
So, we’d take our seats for the game, it wouldn’t matter really where we
started off. As long as things were going well, we stayed in our spots. The
moment things started to go bad for the Oilers, we would change seats, so I
might move from the couch to the floor and Justin from the floor to the couch.
We would continue to shift as needed until Oiler momentum would be restored.
Needless to say, I still employ this basic tactic, even if I am watching important
games alone.
What's the best
game you ever went to? what do you remember about it?
I have to say that the two best games I
ever attended were not Habs games but Oilers games. When I was 13, my dad took me to games 4 and 5 of the Stanley Cup
Finals against the Islanders. We sat in the nosebleeds at Northlands Coliseum.
Yelled and screamed our heads off. Saw big bad Billy Smith yanked from at least
one of those games (both of them ended up as 7-2 Oilers victories). The place
was deafening and it was an absolute euphoric feeling to see this amazing young
team inch close to the championship after having been thoroughly destroyed by
the Islanders in the Finals the year before. My dad couldn’t score tickets to
the Stanley Cup clinching game but we watched at a family friends’ place. The
memories of those two games with my dad will forever live within.
If those were the
best Oiler games you've been to, what's the best Habs one and why?
Though I am a huge
hockey fan, I truly have not been to nearly as many live games as I would like.
The most exciting Habs game I attended was during the 2004 playoffs, second
round against Tampa Bay, the eventual champions just before the lockout.
The
Habs were down 2-0 in the series but played strong in game 3. They trailed by a
goal heading into the 3rd. I joked with my friends just before the
period that Patrice Brisebois, simultaneously hated and admired in Montreal,
would be a hero of the game. In the dying moments of the game, Ryder and
Brisebois(!) did score to put the Habs ahead. For a few moments, I was a real
man for making that prediction. Sadly, with less than 30 second left,
Lecavalier scores for Tampa Bay to send the game to OT. While I wanted to be
optimistic heading into OT, I just didn’t think the Habs would pull it out. No
surprise when Brad Richards scored 1:05 (I looked it up) into the extra frame
to pull TB up 3-0 in the series. The loss was depressing in the end, but there
was some great tension and drama, making it a pretty fun night. The less-than-friendly
banter we exchanged with two Tampa Bay fans that made their way up to the game
helped to create an all-around playoff hockey experience in MTL.
Do you have any
funny or interesting stories that are somehow related to the Habs?
I have a fairly good and interesting
Oiler story if you want to hear it, but the best Habs story I can muster is the
time I was invited to a Habs game by Rob Zamuner’s sister. This happened when Zamuner
played for Tampa Bay. Again, the game itself is basically non-existent in my
memory, but I do remember hanging around after the game waiting for Zamuner to
come out of the dressing room to meet us. We kind of stood around like idiots
as Habs and Lightning players, coaches, media people walked by wondering what
the two geeks were doing there. Zamuner came out, chatted with us for a bit,
then headed back to join his teammates. It really wasn’t that exciting but it
was certainly interesting standing around in the bowels of the Forum with all these
famous people walking right beside us and feeling like a complete clown for
being there.
I'll bite, what's
the interesting Oiler story?
In grades 11 and 12, I
dated the niece of the Oilers Assistant General Manager. This meant
unprecedented access to games and to one private Stanley Cup victory party
after victory over the Boston Bruins in 1987-’88. After the celebrations and
interviews died down at Northlands Coliseum, the team went to a smaller banquet
hall in another events building just next to the arena. My girlfriend and I
attended the party at which a meal was served, music blared, and everyone in
attendance got to mingle with the players and view the Stanley Cup up close.
Similar to my experience in the bowels of the Forum, my girlfriend and I were a
little shy about really interacting with the players, but for a couple of hours
we were right there watching the guys celebrating their big win. As we were not
A-list guests, we were assigned to a table with the unheralded Keith Action and
Marty McSorley. At best, we shared a little small talk when they weren’t
talking to each other or to their families. There certainly was champagne
making the rounds, but the players were on very good behaviour. I’m sure the
real partying and debauchery happened the moment the players left this official
team function. Needless to say, we were not invited to join the after
party!
Last season, the
Habs decided to keep Alex Galchenyuk and Brandon Gallagher in Montreal at the
time, what did you think?
Did they meet your expectations?
How do you think it
relates to Jarred Tinordi, Nathan Beaulieu and Michael Bournival this season?
Previously, I was conditioned to think
that, based on failings of the past, young guys should go back to junior or the
farm and develop properly. I had this view even though I was also aware of
teams that allowed young players to play right away and with great
consequences. Based on this, I was very skeptical about keeping the Gallys up,
but they (especially Gallagher) were more than respectable. Galchenyuk and
Gallagher are exciting, enthusiastic players and they’ve picked up where they
left off last year and I think it worked out great. With Tinordi, Beaulieu, and
Bournival, as long as Therrien lives up to what he says about giving them real
time to play and providing them with teaching and guidance, I say keep them
here.
Is there anything that Brian Gionta
and Andrei Markov can do to earn another contract in Montreal?
Here’s my preference/prediction. To me,
the Habs need to go a little further along in terms of a generational change in
its playing talent before it will be a serious contender for the Stanley Cup.
What this means is that, as much as I respect Gionta, I see him in more of a
caretaking role, helping the current team get to its next and better version,
than as the leader who’ll be first to hold the Cup since 1993. In Gorges,
Subban, Gallagher, and even Lars Eller, I think there is good captain material
just ahead. As for on-ice, I hope there will be a younger and bigger forward
who will ably take Gionta’s place. Markov is a little trickier for me,
especially given the amount of time he’s been with the team, and even given the
way he’s looked on the back end since being paired with Subban. If the guy
plays the season like how he’s looked in the last few games, I’d sign him to a
two year deal, as long as the money is ok. Let’s say he’s good, and let’s say
all the young D talent develops as you want them to in the coming couple of
years, how bad would it be to have Markov in the role that Bouillon is in right
now? Gionta’s time in Montreal will honourably come to an end. Markov, assuming
he stays healthy and productive (big assumptions!), will re-up and be there for
at least one good run to the Stanley Cup.
For more from Avi Goldberg, follow him on Twitter @AviGoldberg