Atlanta fans boo O Canada

By Jon A. Dolezar, SI.com

ATLANTA -- A handful of fans at Philips Arena jeered O Canada prior to the start of Friday's Senators-Thrashers game.

This was a response to the booing of The Star Spangled Banner at the Bell Centre in Montreal on Thursday by Habs fans who were protesting the United States' lead role in the war on Iraq.

With the arena less than half full at the beginning of the game due to tight security, only a small portion of the crowd took part in the protest during the Canadian national anthem. Seemingly embarrassed, the remainder of the crowd cheered following the completion of O Canada. The Star Spangled Banner was then greeted with hearty cheers by the sparse crowd.

"It's probably just because of what happened in Montreal," Senators goaltender Patrick Lalime said. "I think it's a bad thing, just like what happened in Montreal. I don't feel it's right to boo an anthem. It's a big thing going on in Iraq and I think people should be all together instead of spreading apart. It shouldn't have happened in the first place last night, and I guess that was just the answer back today."

The Thrashers released a statement released after the second period, which read: "The entire Atlanta Thrashers organization regrets the actions of a small number of fans that behaved disrespectfully during the Canadian Anthem tonight prior to the Thrashers' game against the Ottawa Senators.

"The Thrashers' organization firmly believes this type of behavior has no place in professional sports. We hope that this was an isolated incident and apologize to anyone who was offended, including the Canadian-born members of both teams."

Following the game, both coaches politely declined comment.

"That's not my position to comment on that," Ottawa head coach Jacques Martin said. "I'm just here to coach."

His counterpart, Atlanta's Bob Hartley said: "I believe the team did a statement and I'm going to stick with my team."

Thrashers captain Shawn McEachern said his team talks politics in the locker room, just like any other co-workers chat about current events.

"There are people all over the world protesting," McEachern said. "They have a right to boo or do whatever they want to do. I don't agree with it. An anthem is a time to show respect to the country. No matter what happened up in Canada, you have to show respect for both anthems."

Senators center Bryan Smolinski stood up for the right of fans to protest as they see fit.

"I don't think it was a big issue," Smolinski said. "Everybody has a right to do what they want. It's a free speech thing, and there comes a time when people have to make a stand, whether it's with their voice or whatever."

Fans were appalled by the small contingent of jeering fans during the Canadian anthem.

Long Island native and 13-year Atlanta resident Joel Lacher was disappointed to hear fans in the United States respond to what happened in Montreal.

"I think that booing another country's national anthem is just not a very classy thing," Lacher said. "I don't think that's what this country is supposed to stand for. It's just ironic that we are the land of the free, but if people don't agree with what you believe in then it's not as free as you would hope it would be."

"I think it's rather tasteless," Atlanta resident Tom Crumlish said. "And I thought it was equally tasteless in Montreal last night, but that doesn't make this right. I think it's unfortunate when politics creeps into sports, but to express it at this venue is totally inappropriate."

NHL vice president of public relations and media services Gary Meagher reacted to Thursday's booing in Montreal by saying the fans' behavior was disappointing but did not reflect widespread resentment.

Meagher did not return phone calls Friday night seeking comment about the incident in Atlanta.

The national anthem began being played at hockey games in 1946 to show respect for players returning from World War II. At that time, usually only the home anthem was played.

It wasn't until the 1960s that both anthems were played. It was 1987 before the NHL introduced a rule saying both anthems had to be performed before games involving American and Canadian teams.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

 

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The Associated Press contributed to this report.