What about french canadians, even though I'm not one of them, I know many. Maybe you can give everyone here some info on french canadians. You seem to be quite convinced that being french has something to do with this.

Keep watching center ice...you are ignorant.

As much as I hate to stick up for another teams fan base I think it should be pointed out that plenty of American fanbases have booed the Canadian national anthem, including many fans of the Philadelphia Flyers. Montreal fans are annoying if you're the out of town team or an out of town fan. But isn't that what good fans do? Do we not take pride in the "most intimidating label?" No, they shouldn't have booed our national anthem and no, we shouldn't have booed theirs; it turns out that there are nitwits everywhere though.

I also think it's a plain fact that American hockey fans are generally less knowledgeable than their Canadian counterparts. Canadians grow up surrounded by the game as a deeply rooted part of the culture, it's not the same here. I'll happily give props to Habs fans, no one is as vocal or as active, but I love it when the Flyers waltz in and shut them up.

I had season tickets for 9 years to the Flyers so I've seen some of the things fans do. I've also watched a lot of Canadien games on Center Ice for the last 3 years or so as well as most other teams (yeah I watch some of almost every game most nights) and I don't see anyone else act and react like they do, and not in a good way.

Be more specific. The wanting of penalties is what is swaying you here?...I hope not.

Yea, the only fans in Cali that care about their team.

This is kind of a random thread to bump at this point, but I'll bite anyway. The economy is one of the most ridiculous excuses I've ever heard. Why do the Pistons do so well in attendance? I'm assuming Pistons tickets are at leasts comparable to Red Wings in price. I'm sure their attendance has struggled (relatively) but how would the Lions still get around 60,000 at their games? Economy hasn't hit Lions fans as hard?

I don't know what it is, and frankly, I don't really care (forgot this thread existed), but Detroit fans abandoned their team. The economy is no excuse.

good point, no excuse to abandon your team

I too think that Montreal is rightfully #1 (although I absolutely despise that fan-base for several reasons, many of them listed in this thread), but you forgot to point out a clear difference here. Flyers fans booed the Canadian anthem in DIRECT response to Canadiens fans booing ours. Flyers fans have never done that before and it is painfully obvious what they were doing. While still wrong, it's not nearly as bad as Canadiens fans, who do it repeatedly, un-provoked. Even on the average night they chant "go Habs go" during the anthem which is disrespectful enough.

They are as loud and passionate about their team as any fan-base in hockey, but they also rioted after a 1st round victory, threw beer at Flyers players, and continue to disrespect our anthem on a regular basis, and those are things I can't respect. Most classless fan-base in hockey, bar none.

I'm just surprised that we are doing this all over again. Didn't the smarter minds on this site agree last year that we were looking at a small percentage of morons that are linked to the whole booing garbage? Fan base for a proffessional franchise has a little more substance than that, at least that is my opinion. So if I may....the 5 or 6 thousand idiots who show up to the Bell center every game(of which 3 quarters are probably season ticket holders , and will be back for every game) should not be the measuring stick for a fan base that is 100 years old. Most of the Montreal fan base cheer their team on with dignity and respect others. Some of also provided 11 000 thousand families with a Christmas basket last year so that they can have a piece of meat on the table on the 25th of december. Others also raised over 200 000 thousand dollars for The Montreal childrens hospital ,(every year) to improve cancer treatment for children under 16. Some more idiots also collect over 40 000 pints of blood(every year) to help others who need transfusions. All activities sponsored by the Montreal Canadians with help from many fans who get no pay for these types of events. I may not be the sharpest tool in the shed, but fanbase for me means a whole lot more than just rivalry and outcome of a hockey game.

Just IMO, I think the Leafs have better fans than the Habs but I don't really want to get into it.

from what ive seen over the years of habs fans...theyre pretty much the worst and lamest. all in one shift they can go back and forth a few times from absolutely ecstatic to booing their plyers.

habs suck a$$ and so do their fans....i cant wait to see their team next year hahaha

Beaten by Carolina for chrlst sake? OMG what a bltch slap. The French Canadians are arrogant douche bags

Im not surprised we are that low most of our "fans" are d-bags and look at you funny when you are yelling.

I can understand this post....coming from british columbia. Just another immature opinion from a canadian outside of Quebec. Maybe I would have a chip on my shoulder as well if I was surrounded by winners like yourself in b.c.

OK...lets not then.

.....If the a$$ is on a good looking female ....that can be a compliment.

Looks like you're the one spouting immature opinions here. All I see you doing is going around insulting everyone you disagree with.

Because I know you'd cry about it if I didn't think the Habs had the best fanbase.

I was at 2 PHI v Toronto Playoff games in 2004, a substantial amount Philly fans booed O! Canada at both games. For the record though, I don't think it makes any difference who does it first, it's the wrong thing to do in either case (especially after one of your team's players comes on the jumbo-tron and asks you not to boo. Jesus people). Anyway it doesn't really matter, as I said before, there are nitwits everywhere.

It must've not been that substantial of an amount because it got no media coverage that I know of. When it's been in Montreal, it's been at least half, if not the majority of the building. As an American, I don't see how you wouldn't be outraged at that. There is a HUGE difference between doing it for whatever reasons those anti-Americans in Montreal do it, and doing it in response to that like they did in Philly (which was still a small minority of the crowd). I think it's terrible either way, and under no circumstances would I ever boo the Canadian anthem, but it's a stretch to say they're the same things when Montreal fans have a history of doing it and Philadelphia fans don't.

Listen, I'm not getting in a prolonged argument about this because I really could care less (I'm not outraged, just a little disappointed), but I was at those games and I hadn't started drinking yet so I know what I heard and it was substantial enough to be embarrassing and inappropriate. Also, the "it didn't happen if the media didn't make it a story" approach doesn't work for me.

I'll second that. I was also there in '04. Every city, especially those with passionate fans (like Philly and Montreal), have their fair share of morons.

Who cares who's team is more passionate, or teams fan base is better. Everyone there mostly is there for one reason. To watch their team win.

Do you think I am really waiting for your opinion to know that we have good fans in Montreal? Don't over estimate yourself.

I don't think that I deliberatley insulted anyone. There was some stupidity that went on last year but then again , we got carried away a little back then. But if you feel that I am the insulting type or that I have insulted you, then I apologize.

You obviously do care based on the rest of your posts what other people think about your fans.

Sure I am a proud fan, it's the whole ranking thing that I find stupid.

Probably the price of the tickets (I don't live in Detroit anyway).
And if they would abandone their team, there wouldn't be 1,4 millions ppl in their Stanley Cup parade.
Wings fans are not the best but their aren't that bad

It seems they base the whole thing on the people that are at the games. That neglects the fact that a fan base is spread over more than a city. Manitoba has a rabid Flyers fan base. On this board we have fans from England, Finland, Australia (& yes, NS) and all over. I believe a true fan is one that stays with their team in good times and bad as opposed to one that is on & off the bandwagon.

Smart.

+10000

How is the economy a ridiculous excuse? Wings fans were always supportive of their team, but the economy in Michigan has been the worst in the US for a little while now. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to realize that the economy likely has an impact on their attendance. Hockey is one of the most expensive sports, but yet is the least popular of the big sports in the US. It's hardly surprising to see a hockey team suffer in attendance before everyone else sees the same drop.


Well in all fairness you can say the same thing about Philly sports fans.

Wait... what? When did I ever deny that that happened? I said I don't think it happened on as large a scale as it has in Montreal, but I didn't ever deny that it happened, and say that if it wasn't covered in the media then it didn't happen. I just said that if it was as pronounced as it's been in Montreal, it would've been covered. I'm not asking you to get into a prolonged argument about anything. I just stated my difference of opinions. Isn't that how this whole thing is supposed to work?

It's one thing to go to the parade... it's another to go to games.

All you have to do is look at their basketball team. Same city. Relatively same prices. Same amount of games. Different attendance.

That's why it's not the economy. It's not rocket science...

As for Montreal, I watched the shootout tonight with the Islanders. After NY won the shootout, the Montreal fans chanted the name of the rookie O'Byrne who apparently made some sort of mistake that led to the Islanders tying goal near the end of regulation. The kid is a rookie and this is how the fans treat him, what a-holes. They chanted his name like you do an opposing teams' goalie after he lets one in. Oh an let's not forget how they criticized Koivu because he didn't speak French, pompous *****.