The Leafs and the Hip

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The Leafs and the Hip
by Jody Vance
–mapleleafs.commentator
March 5, 2006

Certainly watching the Leafs in HD is reason enough to order LeafsTV but we are upping the ante in March.  Make sure you are dialed in March 6th and 16th.
Both games feature one of the premier players in the game in Washington’s Alex Ovechkin but it’s also the debut of our much anticipated series titled “The Hip and Hockey”.The Tragically Hip and The Toronto Maple Leafs finally come together officially on LeafsTV.
These two quintessential Canadian treasures are woven into the fabric of our Nation.  Think about it, it would be tough to find a Canadian hockey fan who can’t sing a few lines from “50 Mission Cap” – the story of Bill Barilko – or any of the many hockey anthems penned by Gord Downie and company.The band lives for hockey and in our series they will share fantastic stories that prove their passion for the game.  From the rink they built off of their studio in Kingston to the tale of their tour in Mexico when they twisted the arm of a bar owner to switch his satellite from soccer to the Leafs game.  It is no surprise that this Kingston band have become synonymous with The Toronto Maple Leafs … rarely is the blue and white not represented en masse at Hip shows.When you watch “The Hip and Hockey” on LeafsTV you will see first hand just how much this game means to the band – PLUS you will hear from TML Players who feel the same way about The Hip.  Late last year we had exclusive “all access” of the band’s sound check for their sold out show at The Phoenix.  We rounded up a few boys from the Leafs to come along and of course the result was something special.  Take Andrew Raycroft for example.  Here’s a Bellville/Kingston boy who grew up on a steady diet of the Hip.  Then consider this … Gord Downie, typically very camera shy, became a kid in a candy store when he met his idol in Andrew.  Yes, Downie is a Bruins fanatic.  (He is forgiven of this due to the fact that Harry Synden is Gord’s god-father).  Suffice it to say Mr. Downie was just as in awe of Raycroft as the goalie was with the rock star.
Here is a “taste” of The Hip and Hockey coming soon to LeafsTV.