MONTREAL - PASSION BUCKET

I just returned from calling the stones off of a Canadiens-Bruins tilt in Montreal, and I challenge anyone to name a better city/venue/atmosphere for NHL hockey than the Bell Center in Mount Royal Quebec.

In Montreal there is more singing in the stands than at an ABBA reunion concert.

In Montreal they produce the best musical goosebump factor to start the game since that Alan Parsons Project, MJ intro ("At guard, out of North Carolina...") during the Bulls heyday in Chicago. (The Habs do U2 proud)

In Montreal they start every conversation or announcement in French then switch to accented English (very endearing)

In Montreal a change on the right wing of the fourth line leads sports programming for an entire 24 hour news cycle. (And if its a French-Canadian getting scratched, the coverage is 10-fold and twice as passionate)

In Montreal, fans come early, participate in the ebb and flow of the game/entertainment, and stay thru the final buzzer (er, siren) no matter the score.

In Montreal the fan is the judge, jury, coach, ref, manager, owner, commissioner, colorman, and entertainment coordinator.

In Mount Royal hockey is life.

Dan Patrick would call it a "Passion Bucket" - but he should also add, this bucket chills Dom!