Hockey fans in Philadelphia demand to listen to speech

CNNSI.com ^ | 9/20/01 | AP

[Texas2step]

PHILADELPHIA (AP) -- With President Bush on the big screen, hockey suddenly didn't matter anymore, not to the Philadelphia Flyers and New York Rangers or the thousands of fans in attendance.

The start of the third period of the NHL exhibition game was delayed and then called off Thursday night as fans demanded to watch the President's speech to Congress instead of the game.

[timestax]

THANK YOU GOD! BILL CLINTON IS NOT OUR PRESIDENT THIS DAY .

Amen!!

This would make a good bumper/window sticker.

[Texas2step]

Yeah, hockey rocks! Go Stars!

[Centurion2000]

I sure wish they had done this in Dallas tonight at the Stars game .... Dallas won 4-2 but I couldn't help but wish that I'd been able to listen to the speech.

[Texas2step]

It was meant to be an understatement. Words cannot describe what I believe is occuring in our country! This is but one part of a greater whole.

[Texas2step]

C2...I agree. I think this was just one of those things that happen. The teams happened to be between periods when the speech started, and some bright someone decided to broadcast it through the scoreboard screens. After that, President Bush just took over, and there was no way after the opening of that speech was someone not going to listen to the rest. You knew from the very beginning that this was history. When he talked about the state of the Union, and that America had shown that the state of the Union was just fine, wow!

[onyx]

Thank you, thank you, for posting this! I am going to e-mail it to friends around the country. I am profoundly proud of the players and fans! In Philadelphia to boot!

[Freakazoid]

"It's our reality right now," Leetch said. "It's not part of a movie, it's part of our life now. There's no denying it or trying to get away from it." Incredible!!! wha da country!!!

[oneway]

Pretty damn kewl isnt it...makes all those tough thankless days pounding the pavement in protest feel not for waste...All that hardwork and sacrafice we did during the election is so poignent now

[jf55510]

There were six fights in the game as the team combined for 112 penalty minutes -- 96 in the first 16 minutes.

Three weeks until the greatest sport in the world begins, happy days. :-)

[Texas2step]

Actually, it's just two weeks. First puck drops October 4, I believe.

[Brimack34]

And I still wish we had the Minnesota North Stars up here!!

[Semaphore Heathcliffe]

THANK YOU GOD! BILL CLINTON IS NOT OUR PRESIDENT THIS DAY

bump

[Semaphore Heathcliffe]

Yeah, hockey rocks! Go Stars!

bump

[GOPforever]

And the Dems said that "W" would be a one-term forgotten president. After that speech and the reaction, at a hockey game no less, it's gotta be eating them up.

[Mo1]

Another thing .. Philly is a Union Town .. they went big time for Gore .. even all the dead people ..

So for the fans in Philly to do this .. speaks VOLUMES in their support for President Bush and Our Country

God Bless America

[Mike Darancette]

THANK YOU GOD! BILL CLINTON IS NOT OUR PRESIDENT THIS DAY

How about Gore? He would have freaked out and turned Kabul and Bagdad into glowing craters by this time, to little purpose other than making ALL billion Muslims our sworn enemy for all time.

[Luke21]

Great pic. I've been a Flyer fan since 1973. The baseball tribute in Philly Monday night was awesome also.

[Texas2step]

Another hockey "Rocks!" Bump!

[Libloather]

Hedz up...