It won't be long before the puck drops for the opening night of the NAHL. The season will start with a rematch of last season's two finalist Blue and Green. Often referred to as "the greatest rivalry in sports", the Doug will be packed to the rafters once again as these two giants go head to head. It's time for a little history lesson. What many people don't know is that this rivalry is also the "oldest rivalry in sports" dating all the way back to the Byzantine Empire. This is true! You can look it up in any history book, but, you don't have to because The Pucking Files is the best source for information on important matters since information was first invented. After the decline of Rome in the third century,the Roman empire moved it's capitol to Constantinople (which is now Istanbul). The Romans brought their passion for sporting events that had entertained the citizens in Rome's infamous Coliseum. The Byzantines built their own mega-stadium called the Hippodrome. It was here that chariot racing reached a peak of fanaticism among the citizens of Constantinople. Two sporting clubs became so popular that they even had important political allegiances in the Byzantine capitol. These two rival factions were known as The Blues and The Greens. This is true and you'll find it in the history books as well as The Pucking Files (which is essentially better than the history books). At the height of the Byzantine Empire in 532 A.D. the rivalry became so heated that a riot broke out between the fans of the Blues and the Greens. It became so violent that the Emperor Justinian feared for his life. He ordered his army to quell the rioting fans and by the time it was over thirty thousand people lay dead in the Hippodrome. Justinian banned the Blue and Green sporting clubs from the Byzantine empire and chariot racing was also banned. Stories of the great rivalry spread throughout Europe in the middle ages. Eventually these accounts made their way to the Americas. It wasn't until the year 1882 that the flames of that ancient rivalry were rekindled on a frozen pond in Concord, NH. Since that first unorganized game, the rivalry has become heated yet again. "The Doug" has replaced the Hippodrome; Skates have replaced chariots, but the passions remain the same. Blue hates Green and Green hates Blue. Many times the Concord PD have been called to "The Doug" to restore peace on Thursday nights. Mayor Jim Boulay has often considered banning hockey, much like Emperor Justinian did back in 532. It seems that the mayor decided that it is better to keep the bloodshed inside "The Doug" than to let it spill into the streets of Concord, which it surely would do, if he were to ban the Blue/Green rivalry. City officials reached an agreement to close the arena doors to the "brutal sport of hockey" for half of the year in order to appease those citizens who prefer a more genteel form of entertainment (i.e.. the Cat Show, the Gem Show, the Model Train Show). Even the Gun Show was found to promote less violence than the Blue/Green rivalry. Senator Kelly Ayotte said, "I would prefer guns in the hands of citizens rather than hockey sticks." That statement will probably cost her the election since Blue and Green have such far-reaching political clout.
So, now that you've been schooled on the history of the Blue/Green rivalry; Go out an prove how smart you are by purchasing a season ticket to Thursday Night Hockey.
