Does This Hat Make You See Red?

20070127_habshat.jpg

True Story: When I was a kid, my grandpa showed me the emblem of the Montreal Canadians and with a solemnity said: "Do you see this "H"? It stands for "Hector". That's me. You see this "C"? It stands for "Cutforth". That's you. You see these colours? It stands for family. That's us."*

At least, that's what I tell people when I'm cornered in public about my hat in response to their gruff grilling, "Are you really a fan of Montreal?"

Now in Toronto the Good, I have yet to get a proper butt-kicking for wearing the enemy's colours on home-turf, like I would if I was traipsing around in Philadelphia; yet, I get many bewildered stares and some downright harrumphs sent my way by Leafs' fans . If looks could kill...

At first I didn't get why people were behaving so rudely to me on the subway or on the street. The truth of the matter is I don't watch hockey (my father being a rabid fan turned me off the game long ago). I just wear the hat because it keeps my head warm and was incidentally found within groping reach inside my closet. Take my advice: Don't be a hater, be a hatter.

*I took this talk to heart just like I also believed my grandpa when he told me he worked as a double secret agent.

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the "H" is for HIBATANTS. No more, no less. Les HABS pour vie. C'est toutes.
Merci toutes mondes. Manges la merdes and die. Fuckes (???) les Leafs.

Posted by: Ryan C. at January 28, 2007 3:23 AM

They say that there are as many as 300,000 people living in Toronto who started life in Montreal (and slipped-out down the highway in the late 1970's like my family). Where else in the world does a home team's fiercest rival get equal billing in a major mural (College TTC), let alone that it never gets defaced. Ah, multiculturalism....

Posted by: Kevin McLaughlin at January 28, 2007 8:29 AM

Never mind ex-pat Montrealer's any current Toronto residents who spent formative years west of oh, lets say Trafalgar Road, probably isn't really a Leaf fan, for Hamilton kids like me it was one part hating Toronto on priniple and one part that a local boy was between the sticks in the Forum that made most of us Hab fans (and as you went further down the Q E, more went over to the Sabres.

Posted by: Chester Pape at January 28, 2007 6:20 PM

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