It's hockey day in Vancouver

and no one - including me - can talk of anything else. There are battles on the street about Luongo v. Thomas, about the refereeing, about clutch players and injuries. We argue about coaches, about players, about general managers. We are, after all, Canadians and hockey is our sport.

I haven't seen any fisticuffs yet - but I'm willing to bet there'll be a whole lot of physical battles before the night is over.

It's interesting because this doesn't have the same atmosphere as the city did during the Olympics. I felt safe walking anywhere at any time during the Olympics, perhaps because the city was filled with families and people from all over the world. Yes, there were more Canadians than anyone else, but everyone seemed happy to cheer for a different country if their team wasn't playing. It felt more... I'm not sure exactly what to call it, but as close as I can get is sportsmanlike. It was about the sport. Yes, we wanted to win but we were also happy to cheer for someone who just put on a good show. I wouldn't want to be on the streets downtown after the game - whether we win or lose. It's not the number of people, it's the type.

These fans, today especially as it's Game 7, seem more aggressive. That might be because there are only (with a very few exceptions) Canuck fans in the city. It might also be because the overwhelming majority of the fans that are here are young men. The level of testosterone on the streets is so high you can almost smell it.

It's been a long season - after all, it's almost the first day of summer. I'll be glad when it's over.

Kate