Hockey mom?

By Carl

I happened to watch the Flyers-Rangers game from Philadelphia last night, being the Rangers fan that I am. The special guest to drop the ceremonial first puck (think throw out the first ball at a baseball game) was Sarah Palin, perhaps the best known hockey mom in America right now.

I thought I had heard boos, but then the mic pick up switched to the PA system, which was playing some really bad song about hockey moms or something, and even tho I could still hear a smattering of boos, I figured the crowd, which is usually pretty polite to politicians and women, overpowered the few who jumped ugly early.

But I forgot: these were Philadelphia fans, who once booed Santa Claus...

When Sarah Palin dropped the ceremonial first puck at the Flyers’ opener on Saturday night at the Wachovia Center, she was greeted by resounding (almost deafening) boos. Ed Snider, owner of the Flyers, had her introduced to the crowd more as a hockey mom than as the Republican candidate for vice president. She was flanked by Scott Gomez (ed. note: also Alaskan. They actually kissed.), the Rangers center, and Mike Richards, the Flyers center.

While Philadelphia fans are known for not being shy about voicing disapproval, the question has been raised — including by me in an earlier version of this post — whether the appearance was appropriate at a sports event like this.

Note the word "deafening" -- hockey fans know a fraud when they see one!

Oh... that Santa booing? It was at a football game:

Philadelphians did boo Santa Claus -- well, what was a sad excuse for one, anyway. The original Claus (not Kris Kringle) failed to report, and the replacement was a skinny, drunken fan from the crowd at an Eagles game.

(Cross-posted to Simply Left Behind.)