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A letter from Flames fans on respect and the Red Mile

We encourage you to join in on the fun of the Red Mile, but stay classy Calgary.

Published

5 years ago

on

The return of the Red Mile has revived the people of Calgary, giving the City a feeling of hope and joy in the midst of some hard times. And everyone is joining in on the fun.

At least, they’re trying.

Seems like it has been a bit more difficult for ladies to feel safe and enjoy the festivities along 17th Avenue.

Times have changed since the 2004 cup run, when chants of “Shirts off for Kipprusoff!” carried through the streets and were met with lifted shirts and bare chests. Nowadays, the new motto of “Show your cans for Monahan,” has been met with disgust and has left women feeling sexually harassed.

Calgary Flames execs feel ashamed of such fans (which make up only a handful of the C of Red), and are speaking out – preaching respect towards all Flames fans along the Red Mile, and in the City. (The quotes from management in this piece from The Score are spot on).

A handful of fans may be tarnishing the reputation of a great fandom (I’m not biased, I swear), but there are pretty great people out there as well, who have managed to turn this thing around.

“Show your cans for Monahan” may have a life yet, with an ingenious spin.

That’s right. We could turn this thing into a positive for the Calgary Food Bank. At the very least, ladies, you could always bring some cans of soup to the Red Mile to show off to the people taunting you.

Remember, cheer your butts off tonight. But be respectful.

If you want to be a part of the red mile, you are a Calgary Flame. We need all kinds of fans. We need babies, we need ladies, we need men, we need all kinds of fans.

– Bob Hartley, Flames preach respect on ‘Red Mile’

Final parting words from Brian Burke (Bob Hartley and Martin Gelinas’ videos found here and here):

by saltysyd

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