Become a Bruins Fan Before Tickets are Impossible to Get!

by Susie - December 29, 2008

Rate Guide (1)

2 discussions

Wait. Did you hear the news? The Bruins are actually winning some games? QUICK! You need to become a Bruins fan fast. I mean, you need to be able to say you were a fan before they actually win the Stanley Cup or something. Didn't you do the same thing with the Celtics? You couldn't have forgotten how much they used to suck. But you can't just start purchasing tickets to games and get away with pretending you were a Bruins fan all along. You actually need to act like you know something about hockey. And more specifically, the Bruins. Don't worry, though. All you need to do is follow this guide and you will look like you were right along with the Bruins through every miserable season. And like nobody deserves to see them win more than you do. It's not a fair weather fan if you've been a fan all along. Or at least you look like you have been.

Learn the Basics of the Game

If you don’t know anything about hockey, you are going to need to do some reading. Obviously, watching the game is the best way to learn, but there are lots of terms and things you’ll need to know to fully understand the game and join into intelligent conversation.

You probably should make flashcards and carry them around with you. Study them when you can. Also, if you’re at a game and someone asks you a question you can’t answer, excuse yourself to go to the restroom and take a peek at your flashcards. It will also help if your phone is Internet-ready and you have hockey resource websites bookmarked. In addition, Ask Yahoo can work in a pinch.

Add Comment

So You Wanna Learn the Basics of Hockey?

Why yes, yes you do. You can do that here. Not only is the website written for the absolutely hockey dumb, but it’s written with a splash of humor, too. Check out an excerpt:

“Before the game even starts, there’s lots of background information that you need to soak up. You need to know all about technical mumbo-jumbo, like: the rink, the goals, the players, the equipment, the amount of time in a game, the different leagues, how the season is structured, and the blind peop… we mean, the referees.”

Hehe. I like hockey better already.

Add Comment

TD Banknorth Garden

100 Legends Way, Boston, MA 02114

This one is pretty important. If you want to start attending Bruins games, you need to know where to go. All home games are played at the TD Banknorth Garden. Formerly known as the Fleet Center. Formerly known as Boston Garden (ooh remember when arenas weren’t named after banks or appliance stores?).

Yes, this is also where the Celtics play their home basketball games. You may have also seen a concert or two here. I saw Ricky Martin at the Garden. Which makes me laugh when I see Bruins skating around where Ricky Martin once was.

Add Comment

Pick a Favorite Player

If you’re trying to do this quickly, you probably won’t have time to learn everything about every player before the season ends. So, at least pick a favorite player and learn everything about him. That way you can sound super knowledgeable when someone asks you about the players.

How to pick that favorite player? Well, if you’re a girl, you can always just pick the cutest. Or the one with the best name. That’s why I became a fan of Patrice Bergeron (hi, awesome name). And also Tim Thomas (OK, maybe not so cool, but my high school anatomy teacher’s name was Tim Thomas and he was the man).

Add Comment

Patrice Bergeron

He’s alright, I suppose, but his name rocks. Now all you need to know are his stats:

#: 37 (this is important so you can find him on the ice)

Position: Center (at least I think that’s what C means)

Birthday: July 24, 1985 (ooh, a young one!)

Birthplace: Quebec

Height: 6’0

Weight: 186

Rookie Year: 2003

Goals so far in 2008 season: 4

Assists: 14

Points: 18

There are also whole charts with stats on shots, ice time, and stuff like that. But I think the above information will suffice for now.

Add Comment

Tim Thomas

Wait, is that my high school anatomy teacher? No, just kidding. But it is Tim Thomas. You should know his stats too. I mean, two players is way better than one. It’s going to make you look much more knowledgeable.

#: 30

Position: Goalie (I KNOW that’s what G means)

Birthday: April 15, 1974

Birthplace: Flint, Michigan

Height: 5’11

Weight: 201

Rookie Year: 2002 (wow, he started late)

Goals so far in 2008 season: Um, well he’s a goalie. So, none.

W-L-OTL: 15-3-3 (those stats are really good. You know this because W= Wins. And that means Tim Thomas has won 15 games).

GAA: 2.04 (No idea what this means. I’d learn it though).

Save : .935 (that means he saves .935 of goals. I think that sounds excellent).

Shutouts: 3 (He had 3 games where nobody scored on him. Go him).

Add Comment

Learn the Bruins Ice Girls

Get to know the Ice Girls. At least a little bit. Yeah, you probably hate them because they’re out there skating with the guys, but you may as well get to know them.

Better yet, become one. As long as you can stand on skates and look reasonably OK, you’ve got a huge chance of making the cut!

Just make sure you don’t know them TOO WELL. Otherwise, it might look like you’re not a Bruins fan at all and are just at the games for the girls. It’s a fine balance.

Add Comment

Visit the Hockey Hall of Fame

You totally get bonus points if you actually go to the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto. I only sort of half paid attention when I was there, but in order to be a super fan, I’d need to get a little bit more involved. For instance, I didn’t even have my picture taken with the above, Stanley Cup. I actually don’t think I had my picture taken anywhere in the hall of fame.

But if you’re interested in hockey, or want to pretend to be, there’s lots of cool stuff on the Hockey Hall of Fame. You can learn about some of the all-time best players and see cool memorabilia. They also have fun little hockey games you can play while everyone watches.

Toronto also has a lot of really good shopping, so there’s that too.

Add Comment

Buy Vintage Bruins Apparel

Vintage gear is the best because it makes you look the most old school. If it has the bear on it and is faded-looking, it’s perfect.

Of course, the vintage stuff is the most expensive and isn’t actually vintage at all. Just has a vintage “look.” But if you want to be an old school fan, you need the old school look.

Add Comment

Motley

623 Tremont St Ste A, Boston, MA 02118

Motley in the South End has some of the best vintage Boston Sports gear. Sure, it’s super pricey, but you need to pay extra to look like a long-time fan. And anyway, I think the vintage stuff is way cuter than the cheap apparel they’re mass producing these days.

Add Comment

Buy a Bruins Jersey

Yes, they can be expensive, but to be a true Bruins fan, you should have a Bruins jersey. And make sure it’s an authentic one (true fans can tell the fakes!).

Get a player’s name and number on the back of your jersey. But make sure it’s a player that’s actually really good or a true Bruins legend. Bruins legends include Ray Bourque, Cam Neely, Bobby Orr, and some others.

Wear your jersey to every game. But don’t over-do it with adding a har, wind pants, etc. Keep it simple. The jersey says it all.

Add Comment

Pink Bruins Apparel- NO!

I’m going to strongly warn you against pink Bruins apparel. Trust me, I know, pink is my favorite color too. But true Bruins fans are going to look down on you if you show up to the game wearing this jersey (or anything Bruins pink).

Just try to stick to the true Bruins colors and don’t make your own girly game out of hockey.

(Yes, I think that above jersey is super cute and could actually make hockey a bit more fun, but absolutely not. You will not be liked by the other fans!).

Add Comment

Wicked Bruins Fan Blog

Read lots of Bruins fan blogs and post comments. Then when you’re at a game you can say, “Oh, the other day on the blogs, we were having a debate about…” something. It will make you look cool and knowledgeable.

As a matter of fact, why don’t you start your own Bruins fan blog? Just make sure you kind of know what you’re talking about first.

Add Comment

You can still be a Red Sox fan, but pretend you’re so super psyched that hockey season has begun, you don’t even miss baseball!

Actually, if you really want to be a Bruins fan, you need to kind of pretend the Bruins are all you care about. Patriots game? What? You didn’t even know the Patriots were playing today; you were too busy getting geared up for the Bruins game. Of course you love all Boston sports, because you are a Bostonian and that’s what Bostonians do, but the Bruins are the only thing on your mind during Bruins season.

Add Comment

Guides We Think You'll Like

Discussions

: by mswen 12/29/2008 Reply

Yay! I grew up loving hockey but hating the Bruins (I was a Hartford Whalers fan, you see) but have grown to love my new hometown team. I’m so happy to see them doing so well. Hockey is by far THE most exciting game to watch!

: by Vincente 12/29/2008 Reply

It’s great to see the Bruins going on a run again. They’re a great franchise. Too bad Bourque had to come out here to Colorado to get his Stanley Cup. I still want to move back to the Northeast. Boston is on my list, but I’d be intimidated to play in an adult rec league there. Those guys would destroy me.

All Discussions (2)

About The Author

Susie

Boston, Brookline, Town Of

I love cupcakes, the color pink, writing, technology, blogging, trying to learn Japanese, and walking from one end of Boston to the other. I make it my goal to try one new thing in Boston every week, but sometimes I find things I love so much, I just can't tear myself away from them. Boston...

Become a Bruins Fan Before Tickets are Impossible to Get!

Learn the Basics of the Game

So You Wanna Learn the Basics of Hockey?

TD Banknorth Garden

Bruins.com