Knowing better than to believe the evening papers, I still have to ask this question.
Apparently, Peter Gudmundson is suggesting that the national anthem shouldn't be part of the countdown for every game in the SEL. The quote below doesn't show it, but earlier in the article he had been quoted to rationalize that the anthem caps the enthusiasm of the fans, unless I severly misunderstod what he meant.
As such, I don't go to a lot of SEL games becasue I live in the States, so I ask you guys for your opinion about this. Maybe it's because I have lived overseas for so long and the Star Spangeled Banner is heard before EVERY single game in any sport here that I think Gudmundson's suggestion is idiotic, to put it nicely. However, I understand that the culture and view on patriotism is different, so I'm intrigued to hear your thoughts on this.
------------ Quote from Aftonbladet:
Peter Gudmundson har sin åsikt klar.
– Personligen tycker jag att den ska bort. Det räcker om vi spelar den vid speciella tillfällen, säger Hockeyligans vd Peter Gudmundson.
Men Linköpings starke och kontroversielle pamp, Mike Helber, får svårt att prata när han hör att nationalsången är på väg bort.
– Jag vill ha den kvar. Den skapar stämning i arenan och jag kommer att rösta för att den ska vara kvar. Jag tycker att nationalsången är ett bra sätt att hedra sitt land och eftersom jag kommer från USA anser jag att patriotism är viktigt, säger Helber.
I'm sort of sick of it. Last season it was getting pretty annoying. I was just standing there rolling my eyes and bugging my buddy about it. Maybe I just reached my anthem limit.
But really, the singers at the Scandinavium usually suck. It's always some idiot doing his/her own interpretation of it and sings it in slowmo, or a group of idiots doing it in canon. They need to stick to one person who the crowd can identify with, and who can perform it at a decent pace.
I can't really say that I care at all, but I'm of the general opinion that blind patriotism is irrational and that it's better to unite over ideas and kinship rather than nationality. But petty symbolism doesn't offend or bother me at all.
I'm sort of sick of it. Last season it was getting pretty annoying. I was just standing there rolling my eyes and bugging my buddy about it. Maybe I just reached my anthem limit.
But you guys sing the Finnish national anthem right?
Seriously though, I don't care if they sing the anthem or not.
It's not a Swedish tradition and in most cases it's a real downer when it comes to the excitement before a game. If the anthem was sung like when Djurgården gets all their fans to Hovet or now they do it in Rexhall.. Well then I would be slightly bummed if they took it away but since it's not like that.. I don't care that much.
here in germany whenever they had national anthem, it was the perfect time to go to the toilet, because it was short before the game and most people were already at their seats/in the standings.
Being that I used to go to games in Gävle, I'm in the favor of getting rid of the anthems. The Finns have a decent system, no anthems prior to regular season games, only for the playoff games. And would it really make anyone less patriotic if they didn't overuse their national anthem?
I go to the games in Jönköping. When not representing the company and only there out of my own interest I couldn't care less if they played it or not during regurlar season. I think the Finns have got it right on this one. For playoff games, go for it.
However, as mentioned I often go with various customers (as a former player, coach and a short stint as a ref) I am there mostly to explain the rules for ppl that has not attended hockey before, that and of course show them a good time. Our foreign customers are usually delighted with the pregame show and seem to take anthem singing seriously, I have even reflected over how respectful they are towards us and our country and somehow the singing of the anthem puts some focus on that.
I say keep it. I like the tradition, and yes it is a tradition even if some don't agree. They have done this for how long, 15-20 years at least, I believe it was Leif Boork who came up with the idea sometime in the 1980s, so it's a tradition now. It's not like they introduced it last season.
I like it when different people sing it, at my home arena they've done that the last few years, having it performed by anything from little kids, famous singers, instrumental on electric guitar or trumpet to sung by a choir, just different versions. Many years ago it was however getting old as it was always the same two guys singing it for every single game, and had you asked back then I might not have been this positive about it...
There are better ways, for example the way they do it in Karlstad.
The Färjestad "hymn" is an amazing way to build up to a game with.. that is if everyone sings along.
There are better ways, for example the way they do it in Karlstad.
The Färjestad "hymn" is an amazing way to build up to a game with.. that is if everyone sings along.
Yes but how many teams have those? Besides, let the crowd sing then, happen once when the audio didn't work in Scandinavium, best anthem ever.
I like it showing national pride by singing the national anthem is a good thing. Must say I'm a very patriotic guy so yes its pumping me up for games :-)
In International competitions or in the NHL for example u can easily understand that club teams from US & Canada choose to play their national anthems before the game (In Montréal they even sing Oh Canada in french). In Sweden or elsewhere domestic leauges it just turns out to a silly ceremony. I Vote for reginal chants instead. For example "Värmlandssången" could be Färjestads and so on...
Things are even worse at the Scandinavium now, anthem-wise (as well as points-wise, of course ). Now they just play it off a CD, there's not even a proper live singer anymore. Just ****ing skip it.
I can live with out it. It is more a song for Tre Kronor anyway.
I like "På den sköld du bär" that FBK have as their hymn. Really good and f they want to sing something more classic after that then we have Värmlandsvisan. Having said this, I dont have any problems with the national anthem just that FBK vs another SEL team is not a national event.
In International competitions or in the NHL for example u can easily understand that club teams from US & Canada choose to play their national anthems before the game (In Montréal they even sing Oh Canada in french). In Sweden or elsewhere domestic leauges it just turns out to a silly ceremony.
The vast majority of NHL games are US team vs US team, so it looks silly there as well.
Things are even worse at the Scandinavium now, anthem-wise (as well as points-wise, of course ). Now they just play it off a CD, there's not even a proper live singer anymore. Just ****ing skip it.
I enjoyed it when there were good live singers, but it's ridiculous now when they're playing a recorded version.
Just another example of the incompetence and unprofessionalism that surrounds Swedish hockey. Having the national anthem before a game between two local hockey teams from the same country is just ridiculous (and tedious for the spectators).
In Malmö, there is a tradition of people singing "yes, I want to live I want to die in Skåne (Scania)" at the end. Maybe people think that is disrespectful, but at least it get people pumped up for the game.
It has been a while since the national anthem was removed from HockeyAllsvenskan though.
In Malmö, there is a tradition of people singing "yes, I want to live I want to die in Skåne (Scania)" at the end. Maybe people think that is disrespectful, but at least it get people pumped up for the game.
It has been a while since the national anthem was removed from HockeyAllsvenskan though.
Another example of why Sverige needs to cut Skåne off from its borders. Damn, why couldn't we just let Denmark have had that place?!?!
Another example of why Sverige needs to cut Skåne off from its borders. Damn, why couldn't we just let Denmark have had that place?!?!
Despite the fact that the porrage-throats has a much higher regional pride than the rest of Sweden + that they stands for 20% of the countrys economy. I would never cut them of.
Maybe I just reached my anthem limit. 
