by Leo Suarez

Go Canes!

I’ll be at the game tonight, game 3. There is such a great energy in this city when the canes make the playoffs and I’m having fun going along for the ride. It will never touch the college basketball scene around here but maybe one day every regular season game will be on the TVs at bars and restaurants each night, no questions asked. I don’t want to continue to beat the downtown arena idea even more but while making tailgating plans earlier today, I had a thought. I think the tailgating culture out at the RBC center is great but would definitely die out if the arena was in an urban area.

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8 Comments

  1. Oh I totally agree – the tailgating culture would definitely be dampened in a big, depressing way. I guess you and I should know, huh? Seeing as how we first met over a tailgate and what not…

    Hope you’re doing well! Welcome back :-)

  2. I disagree about hockey never touching college basketball. I’ve lived in Raleigh pretty much my whole life (25+ years). In that time I have NEVER witnessed the entire city getting behind ONE team like they have the Canes. This is something entirely different from ACC basketball, which divides city loyalties between 3+ teams, and I think it’s time Raleighites started recognizing and appreciating it. ACC basketball has NEVER been about Raleigh–it’s about the state and the region. But the Carolina Hurricanes are about Raleigh, my hometown. Even when NC State wins big games (which, sadly, is rare) the city is split about how to respond. No, the ONE unifying team in this town is the Carolina Hurricanes. GO CANES!

  3. I’m with Matt.

    If you haven’t noticed how the community has been with this in relation to b-ball then you haven’t been paying attention.

  4. Tailgating would definitely be impacted, agreed. Although NCSU has done a lot to beat it down itself in the past few years which hasn’t helped.

  5. Actually, the Carolina Hurricanes are about the region and each school is really for the alumni. Yeah, citizens in Chapel Hill become heels fans and people in Raleigh become State fans too. That is going to happen anywhere. Do not for one minute think there are no Canes fans in Charlotte or Greensboro. They make the drive out to Raleigh to see the games and cheer just as loudly as the rest of the fans in ‘the big ATM’.

    From what I have seen in the last few years is that a State, Duke, or Carolina basketball game will be center stage on all the TVs in the bars and restaurants that I go to downtown while a regular season Canes game is either ignored or no one asks for it to be played. Maybe you see differently, and that is great, but even in this split population there are more vocal basketball fans then hockey fans. The local media may play a role in this as well. I’m not complaining cause these schools have been in the area for 100+ years compared to the Canes’ twelve years so it just makes sense.

  6. Leo, I have to agree with you – not that it brings me any pain to do so :LOL: I think that the Canes deserve a little more support from the downtown crowds. To be fair, this area is still attracting new residents and students from other areas. Those who like hockey may not be Canes fans, for one.

    To contrast this, the reaction seems to be slightly different in some North Raleigh bars, based on what I see there. Maybe in a few years things will change. Certainly, it will be nice if we get a decent arena downtown, but I fear this may be viewed as a risky move, unless another local entity (i.e. NCSU) supports it. This is one of the main reasons why we got the arena where it is today – along with the promises for developing West Raleigh by developers :(

    Anyway, let’s hope that Canes continue to perform well, like they’ve done in the playoffs. Tonight’s game is certainly important and I hope that the fans will be there to cheer for another victory against an excellent team.

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