Blackouts in effect

I really try to be a loyal Canucks fan. I do Tiger-like fist pumps when I see they are winning and I drop f-bombs when they lose.

The thing is, I'm tired of having to check the internet or wait for the ticker to see what is happening in the game.

If you live in Vancouver, it is almost impossible to miss a game. Whether they are on Hockey Night in Canada, TSN, or on Sportsnet Pacific, the games are always available save for a few games a year that are on pay per view.

Even those pay per view games are easy to find at any bar in BC. It's a good situation to be in as a Canucks fan.

It's not great as a Canucks fan if you live in Toronto. Sure, you get games on TSN and HNIC, but the forty or so games on Sportsnet Pacific are blacked out and good luck finding a pay per view game in a bar in Ontario.

We pay a good amount to be able to watch a ton of channels on Digital Cable. Included in the package we pay for is every Sportsnet channel by region.

Not included in the package is all of the games that are on those channels.

I'm not sure who is entirely responsible for the games on Sportsnet West, East, and Pacific not being availalbe to viewers who subscribe to those channels. Maybe it's Rogers trying to squeeze even more money from people like me are already paying or maybe it's the NHL trying to con people into forking out to get the NHL Center Ice.

Whoever it is, there is no way I can afford the type of money it costs to get the NHL pay per view package. I love the Nuckers, but I'm not paying for those games and then going sit there and listen to the mediocre at best play-by-play by American broadcast teams during Canucks games.

I want Shorty and John Garrett calling the games or else it's no deal.

We get a ton of sports channels, every movie channel, and a ton of On Demand content (which is pretty much the coolest thing that has happened in my television watching life). Rogers cable has been pretty damn good overall.

The blackouts for Canucks games are just not cutting it though.

I'm tired of not being able to beak Taylor Pyatt. I'm tired of not being able to watch Bobby Lou in all of his brilliance (so is everyone in Vancouver right now, please get healthy). Most of all, I'm tired of being a part time fan who can't truly follow my team.

The fist pumps become unintentional ceiling punches and the f-bombs become full on snap shows when you get to actually watch the game.

Isn't that what being a fan is all about?