Sports Then and Now

Hockey is a unique sport, in that the fans can get up close and personal with the game, separated by a mere inch of Plexiglas. This allows for all kinds of great fan/player interaction that you don’t get from other sports. There are two types of fans who sit behind the bench at a hockey game; Fans who like to see the intricacies of how the game works, and crazy weirdos who want to be on television. There’s no better way to ensure you’ll be on the broadcast than to do something wild behind the bench. Here’s how to make sure you get attention:

Insult a team by mocking what their state is famous for

Are any of them not in alcohol rehab yet?

Be an adorably feisty child

Come to the game looking exactly like the head coach

 One of the funniest fans behind the bench of all time was Paul Maclean’s lookalike in Ottawa. It turned out it wasn’t a prank or his twin brother, it was just a guy that looked like him.

Be well endowed

Like, really well endowed

Let people know who you are

Dress as a crotchety Muppet

Hopefully we’ll see more of this when the new Muppet Movie comes out next year.

Or get involved in some friendly wagering with the backup goalie 

Marty Turco placed a bet with a fan while sitting on the bench. His team lost, so he paid the fan (after scribbling “Turco Rules!”)

Or, if all else fails, be that jerk in the crowd who gets hit by his own shoe 

The creativity of hockey fans never ceases to amaze, and as long as they keep sitting behind the benches, hilarity will ensue. Here’s to many more years of great fans, and the great players and coaches who tolerate them.