Is it Time to Stop Booing Rick Nash?
By Clint Linn
Rick Nash came back to Nationwide Arena on Saturday and Sunday for the NHL All-Star Skills Competition, and the NHL All-Star Game itself. Each time he was introduced you could audibly hear there were more boos than cheers coming from the fans enjoying the show. This was in direct correlation to the majority of fans in attendance being fans of Nash’s former team, the Columbus Blue Jackets. There are two factions of fans on each side of the “to boo or not to boo” controversy surrounding Nash.
Mar 21, 2014; Columbus, OH, USA; The New York Rangers and the Columbus Blue Jackets get into a scrum after Rangers left wing Rick Nash (61) shoves Blue Jackets goalie Sergei Bobrovsky (72) after a save in the second period of the game at Nationwide Arena. Mandatory Credit: Rob Leifheit-USA TODAY Sports
The first faction strongly believe in booing Nash every chance they get. Nash spent 10 seasons as the best player on the Columbus Blue Jackets. He donned the “C” after the 2007 season and wore it until he showed that he never deserved it in the first place. These fans believe he stabbed the Blue Jackets and its fans in the back, not to mention he punched Sergei Bobrovsky in the face. Our officer Bob!
I understand wanting to be on a good team and play for championships – nobody wants to lose all the time and never have a chance at hoisting Lord Stanley’s Cup – but to me the way he did it is what still stings. The jaded believe he requested a trade and then handcuffed the Blue Jackets with his no trade clause, making the process drag on and on.
The saga lasted all summer until Howson struck a deal with the New York Rangers, sending Nash to Broadway and in turn receiving Brandon Dubinsky, Artem Anisimov, Tim Erixon and a 1st round draft pick.
The other faction of fans, and I believe the smaller faction of fans, will say “don’t boo Nash. The deal brought two pieces that are mainstays on the current team plus a young, talented player via the draft.” To those people I say – you are welcome to your opinion, if you do not want to boo Nash, that is totally up to you and I respect you for it. In the same breath though, I feel if you want to boo Nash by all means boo away.
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Neither side should be overly angry with the other side for their beliefs, after all the word “fan” stems from the word fanatic, and that is what sports can do to people, make them fanatics. I sit whole heartedly on the side that Nash tried to do what was best at first, then turned heel and painted a Broadway Blue stripe down the backs of the Union Blue faithful.
I, personally, will continue to boo Nash whenever I get the chance until my heart tells me I no longer need to. As for the fan that wants to cheer Rick, be my guest. For you are a bigger person than me and has learned how to properly deal with their emotions.
I would also like to tell those people, na-na na-na boo boo stick your head in doo doo.
Let me know which side you represent. Do you boo Rick Nash every chance you get, or have you gotten over the fact that Nash is a goon? Let me know in a comment below or on twitter @UnionandBlue.