A happy moment in history always seems to be a bone of contention for fans of the Tampa Bay Lightning.
When it comes to the Stanley Cup victory, which occurred on June 7, 2004, Lightning fans and their rhetoric turn violent. Social media outlets were filled with people remembering the occasion and a seemingly equal number of them denigrating those who chose to remember the day. It should be stated that, as always, there are well-spoken and rational advocates on both sides.
Let’s take a moment and let cooler heads prevail. Fan A is not a bad person because he chooses to remember the date, nor is Fan B a bad person because she chooses not to. It’s as simple as that. It’s no different than those two people debating the merits of re-signing Benoit Pouliot, though no one is throwing elbows over Benny.
As for my personal feelings: I choose not to acknowledge the anniversary, save for attending an annual Cupiversary party thrown by a friend. It’s not that I don’t think the date is meaningful, but it has definitely lost its luster for me over time. Similar to the “time heals all wounds” cliché we all hear after a breakup, the powerful emotions of June 7 just don’t feel the same to me as they did on that date nine years ago.
The team’s relative lack of success since that season definitely doesn’t help, but that lack of success does make me appreciate the strides the organization has made over the last few seasons. It certainly feels as though the late 2000’s were “rock bottom” and that an era of sustained success for the Lightning is on the horizon.
Let’s remember that we’re all rooting for the same team. Treat each other with respect, engage in productive conversations and remember that agreeing to disagree doesn’t make either person less of a fan. The date will always be a significant one in Lightning history and hopefully the fans will have more dates to celebrate in the coming years.
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