Tips in Similiar Scenario as Rockets

The Everett Silvertips and Vancouver Giants are now feeling the brunt of what the Kelowna Rockets experienced on their way and during three consecutive appearances at the Memorial Cup.

People wanted to see them fail.

When the Rockets hosted the Memorial Cup in 2004, fans across the league jumped for joy when the expansion Silvertips surprised the Rockets with a game seven win in the Western Conference final.

Even today hockey fans from Brandon to Portland say the Rockets took the back door in getting to the Memorial Cup, and simply don't deserve the credit for being the elite team they were that season.

Now that the Vancouver Giants are hosting major juniors top prize, again people will be crossing their fingers and toes in hopes that Don Hay's group gets gassed in the 2007 playoffs.

As for the Tips, they are the class of the Western Hockey League this season, a powerhouse in the making that appears to have matured into championship form after 4 short years in the league.
The Tips were not ready for prime time last season. Oh sure they advanced all the way to the Western Conference final before being eliminated by eventual league champion Vancouver, but you could tell even then, that last years team would be a force this season.

Now with Leland Irving one year wiser in goal, and Peter Mueller and Zack Hamill leading the charge, Head Coach Kevin Constantine has all the pieces of the puzzle in place, a combination of speed, skill and mental maturity.

All three elements are essential in winning a league title.

Yet like the Rockets successes in the early 90's, fans want to see a powerhouse fall flat on their faces. The Everett Silvertips are public enemy #1.

Why so much hatred towards the Tips?
It starts with the coach.
They call Constantine a whiner, that he acts like a spoiled little kid when he doesn't get his way if a penalty is called against his team. Others suggest Constantine makes use of his flamboyant ways on the bench by throwing his hands in the air, jumping on top of the boards or slamming the gate as a way of intimidating the officials.

While Constantine won't win may popularity contests, he'd likely get the nod over rookie Kyle Beach. The Silvertips sharp shooter is a cocky, in your face type of player who will beat you up physically, or beat you up on the scoreboard.

With the playoffs quickly approaching both the Tips and Giants will have to take the same mentality the Rockets did when they rolled off three straight appearances at the Memorial Cup.

Lets play for ourselves and our fans, because it's us against the world.