Burke on Canucks fanbase: “…There’s this little group out on the side that manages to be heard…”
By Zach Laing
4 years agoFormer Vancouver Canucks GM Brian Burke joined The Starting Lineup on Sportsnet 650 this morning where he was asked about what the Vancouver market is like comparative to others in the country.
And in his first appearance of the year, Burke took aim at what he called a small group of Canucks followers.
Burke, as is well known, is never all that shy from offering up some brutally honest feedback no matter what medium he is on. And this time was no different.
Q: Is Vancouver different from any other city?A: “Yes, yes, yes it is. It’s different politically, it’s different weather-wise and it’s differnet sports fan-wise, but it doesn’t change the fact it’s a great hockey town. 85 percent of the people get it, they know the game. I loved working there and I loved living there, but, as the GM, you get an email from someone ‘are you thinking about this?’ and it’s out of left field, trading this guy. That’s what you have to deal with. It’s not the average fan, but it is different, there’s this fringe there. Anyone will tell you there’s this little group out on the side that manages to be heard and it’s an annoying part of the market, but I always focused on the 85 percent.”
He sure doesn’t shy away from mentioning this group that makes up what he calls a small portion of the Canucks fan base, but certainly doesn’t identify who they are. Is he referring to maybe more of the diehards? Or maybe a group that would trumpet the trades of certain players?
Every market certainly has its groups of fans who could be considered this “fringe” group he mentions in the brief clip shared online. Burke would surely know the market in Vancouver having served as the team’s director of hockey operations between 1987 and 1993, before returning to GM the club between 1998 and 2004.
On Twitter: @zjlaing
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