Helpful Hockey Tips For Vancouver Canucks Fans Who Jump On And Off The Bandwagon

The road for the Vancouver Canucks may (or may not) lead to the Stanley Cup.

Bandwagon jumping helps minimize the hurt when things become difficult. Like sidestepping a Todd Bertuzzi check instead of taking the hit, bandwagon-jumping can help reduce the pain.

And bandwagons are wonderful things. You can jump on them and off them as many times as you like. There's no rule, and there's no real consequence to your actions. However, your hockey-savvy community is able to recognize the bandwagon jumpers, and they tend to frown upon those who keep changing their team loyalties.

So to help minimize the effects of bandwagon-jumping and help preserve your own integrity, here are some helpful suggestions to help disguise your bandwagon-jumping practices.

Wear Reversible Team Jerseys

Get your mother to sew an opposing team's jersey inside of your Vancouver Canucks jersey. If the team loses the game that night and you start to despair, simply remove the jersey and turn inside-out. No one will ever notice that you changed sides. If the Canucks win the next game, turn it back outside-right. Remember, flip-flopping is a natural reaction when your team fails to win.

Wear Team Canada Clothing

Wearing Team Canada apparel shows that you support the game of hockey, regardless of the team. And no matter who wins, there will always be Canadians on that team! You can celebrate a Canucks victory or defeat without embarassment. Wearing Team Canada apparel is neutral...like Switzerland...but that doesn't mean you should wear Swiss apparel. That's just wrong. (Sorry Martin Gerber).

Don't Wear Facepaint

If you're a Vancouver Canucks hockey fan, it's hard to resist putting on the blue, green, and white make-up (or the silver, blue, burgundy, white), showing the city how much you love your team. But if you're going to jump off the bandwagon, it's difficult to quickly and easily remove all that paint from your face. Instead of wearing Canucks facepaint, instead wear a cheap plastic Kirk McLean goalie mask that can be easily disposed of when the team loses. No one will ever know who you were cheering for that night.

Don't Taunt Toronto Maple Leafs Fans

It's perfectly natural for hockey fans to tease those who love the Toronto Maple Leafs. In fact it's usually encouraged. But if you're worried about being branded as a bandwagon-jumper, you must be a little more cautious if you're going to taunt Bud-lovers. Toronto fans never forgive, and they never forget (like when they last won the Stanley Cup back in 1967). If you ever jump off the bandwagon, the first people to remind you of your team's failures, and your own character weaknesses will be Maple Leafs fans.

Minimize Your Team Support At Work

If you cover your workstation with Canucks flags, posters, and newspaper clippings, it's difficult to be an effective bandwagon-jumper. First you have to remove all of your Canucks adornments, and deal with the disdain of your co-workers. If you're going to jump, keep it simple and just maintain a Vancouver Canucks screensaver or background wallpaper on your work computer--something that can easily be removed or restored when necessary.

Don't Overdress Your Vehicle In Canucks Team Colours

The more stickers and decals you place on your car, the harder it is to remove them. Instead of slapping a ton of Vancouver Canucks bumper stickers on your fenders, opt for those cheap Canucks team flags. These can easily be put away if you decide that you can no longer support a team that can't score on a power-play. And, they can just as easily be re-attached to your window when the Canucks win game #2 and your team confidence is restored.

As a bandwagon-jumper, it's important to have a plan in place, whether the Canucks win or lose. If they go all the way and win the Stanley Cup, you'll enjoy the winning feeling as much as the truly committed fan. But if they let you down, like the 2003 team that blew the 3-1 series lead against the Minnesota Wild, at least you have something left to criticize those overpaid, under-achieving floaters who stole a little piece of your heart.