Kwanzaa

I suppose Boxing Day would have been the more obvious way to go for a theme the day after Christmas. But my name is not Obvious Sign Chick.

Royal Stewart

This sign is in support of Canes player Anthony Stewart, who earned a goal on the night this sign debuted (December 26, 2011). Royal Stewart is a tartan with a mostly red background. See how I worked the plaid into the lettering? Clever.

No L

Happy to say this Christmas sign turned out to be prophetic as the Canes defeated the New Jersey Devils on December 26, 2011, when goalie Cam Ward was credited with his first NHL goal.

I'm #2!

I think I forgot to post this Top 10 Caniacs video earlier in the season.

Take Off, Jets!

Bunch a hosers. (For the first Canes vs. Winnipeg Jets game in the RBC Center)

Vapor Trails

First game against the Winnipeg Jets in the RBC Center. Too bad the Canes never got off the ground.

Unhinge the Staal

After all this time, my first Staal sign.

Fry the Frenchies

Made this one during the second intermission on November 23, 2011 for Canes vs. Montreal. There were three French Canadians sitting in front of me hitting on two teen girls in front of them. They were making me laugh until the one guy started chanting "F*** you, Canes" -- at which point I began to call him a "shower"
in his language.

Conquer the Fear

Made this sign for the bout between the Carolina Rollergirls All-Stars (Raleigh) vs. Cape Fear Roller Girls All-Stars (Wilmington). CRG won. Sad to see a lot of skaters retire after this game.

Thankful Not to Be from Buffalo

This one got a nice round of applause from the crowd at the RBC Center.

The Lake Effect

I wanted for this to say something more like "WARNING: LAKE EFFECT CAUSES DOUCHEBAGS," but, well, you know. As far as Buffalo games go, especially ones where the Canes lose, the douchebaggery wasn't quite so bad this time. Maybe because only one goal was scored. :(

Hip to Be Square

I can envision an entire marketing campaign centered around this slogan if only Huey Lewis would consent. But maybe he's not tough enough.

Strike Through the CAPITALS

I'm kind of an editing geek. Unveiled at the Hurricanes v. Washington Capitals game on Friday, November 4.

That Guy Faulk's Night

I made this sign earlier in the season, when Justin Faulk was playing for the Carolina Hurricanes, but since then, he has been sent back down to the Charlotte Checkers, the Canes' minor league affiliate. I should know better than to make signs too early! Seems like players get traded or injured when I make a sign in their honor. Too bad this one only works close to the Fifth of November. Maybe he'll be around next year.

MORON-->

This and similar signs come in very handy when my home arena is overrun with fans for the other team. Unfortunately, such was the case on Friday, November 4, 2011, for the Canes v. Washington Capitals game.

The other side of this sign says, "<--WE'RE NOT WITH STUPID" so that the joke makes sense whether you are seated behind me or in front of me. Towards the end of the game, which the Canes lost miserably, a female Crapitals fan behind me, who was sitting with a particularly annoying male Crapitals fan, yelled, "Who's with Stupid now?"

I yelled back, "Not me. I think that would be you."

I always wonder why visiting fans of the opposing team stand up and yell and cheer for the Storm Squad to shoot them a free t-shirt. If you are a Crapitals or Barfalo fan, why are you begging for a Carolina Hurricanes t-shirt? Maybe underneath the stupid, a proper fan is screaming to get out.

Witches' Brewins

First used at the Canes v. Boston Bruins game on October 12, 2011. After all, Salem is right down the road from Boston. Bahston thinks they're wicked good, but the Canes were wicked better and won 3-2.

Tampa at Bay

Not a great beginning to the 2011-12 season, as the Canes lost to Tampa 1-5. I am told my OMG WTF eye chart made the TV broadcast tonight, and I was pleased to see one of my All-Star Game signs on the Jumbotron at the beginning of tonight's game in the opening video montage of last year's highlights.

In addition, one of my other Lightning signs can be seen in the Flavor of the Game video from tonight's game on the Canes' multimedia site.

Eris Discordia

Introduced at the September 3, 2011, bout between the Carolina Rollergirls All-Stars and the Dirty South Derby Girls from Atlanta, this sign honors CRG player Eris Discordia, who is small but determined and effective. Y'all know I like small athletes.

For those who don't know, "We''ll aways have Paris" is a line from the film Casablanca and is #43 on the American Film Institute list of all-time top quotes from American movies.

Trippisms

Here it is, Caniacs. The year’s best Trippisms.

3/30/2011 his quick release between the legs
3/26/2011 [somebody's] first move is to go down.
3/25/2011 Sooner or later that dam'll burst and they'll just keep on coming.
3/4/2011 You don't want to spend any more time in your own end than you have to.
2/16/2011 Guys just want to bear down for him.
1/13/2011 Just look at that soft area!
1/13/2011 Going to those dirty areas!
1/7/2011 What a release by Eric Staal!
1/1/11 Corvo would like to be underneath Travis Zajak.
12/16/2010 The hurricanes need to get deep
11/13/2010 He and Jeff Skinner go to work down low.
11/11/2010 Briere gets it up.
?/?/2010 The way the Canes were coming, it's surprising there was a lack of...
10/30/2010 Cam thought he was going to have to get vertical.
4/1/2010 Did you see how tight that gap was?
3/31/2010 When he goes down, he stays down for long periods.

A Love Supreme

Sometimes they call Carolina Hurricanes forward Erik Cole "the Cole Train." My other Cole sign is only useful in December, so I thought he deserved another. I trust that y'all know that John Coltrane's "A Love Supreme" is considered one of the greatest jazz albums of all time. I'm not a huge jazz fan; I was just working the pun.

I asked my husband if he'd be ok with me essentially declaring in writing my love for another man in front of thousands of people. He said he was secure enough in our relationship that he thought it would be ok, considering that Erik is married, too. It probably helped that it was the last game of the season and the Canes needed all the support they could get to make it into the playoffs. Alas, there was apparently not enough mojo in my trusty Sharpie, and the Canes did not make the playoffs. With all that money I won't be spending on playoff tickets, at least I can buy a whole lot of new Sharpies and hope for better mojo next year. And I've got a long summer to think up new signs.

Nuts Against Bolts

Too bad the Canes choked against the Tampa Bay Lightning on April 9, 2011, when this sign was unveiled - the last game of the season. :(

Number 53

I noticed that Jeff Skinner shares the same number as Herbie, which is only appropriate, since they are both unusually skilled in a way you might not expect, and since the Love Bug seems to have bitten every Prom Queen wannabe in Raleigh.

This sign is unusual in that I stepped outside my usual Sharpie medium and incorporated Crayola.

How Far They Come

I hate to perpetuate a stereotype about how crude and awful Barfalo fans are when they come to the RBC Center. I'm sure it's only a percentage of Barfalo fans who are like that, right? And the bad ones just make it rotten for everyone? But there I was, walking in to the arena across the parking lot, trying to explain to the newbie fan I was bringing to the game with me why this game was so important and why Barfalo is the most hated enemy of the Caniacs, when I finally ceased talking and just pointed to the nearest loudest Barfalo fan who was in the process of illustrating my point for me.

He was walking along with his girlfriend, obnoxiously loudly talking to no one in particular but everyone within earshot, about how the Canes were going to clean his balls this summer because their season was over. I've heard plenty of season-ending tee-time jabs and seen plenty of golf swing gestures; that's no big deal. But this guy was making obscene gestures related to cleaning his balls in front of dozens of strangers nearby, including children. Then he went on to say something about how it was no big deal, cleaning his balls, because his girlfriend does it for him all the time: "Don't you, baby?"

And the très couth girlfriend, also sporting a Sabres jersey, agreed. "Damn right, baby, all the time." And joined him in making the obscene gestures.

Stay classy, Slugs.

Tan Buffalo's Hide!

This sign had its debut April 3, 2011.

The Sucking Continues

Please be sure to read my previous post about the the sign policy at the RBC Center and the word "sucks." My conversation with the AGM continues below.

----
> Subject: Re: Sign policy during hockey games
> From: larryp@rbccenter.com
> Date: Mon, 7 Mar 2011 18:36:33 -0500
> To: Clever Sign Chick
>
> All good points. Yes the work jerk is allowed.
>
> Thanks,
>
>
> Sent from my iPhone

RBC Center's Sign Policy Sucks

Please enjoy this email exchange between me and the Assistant General Manager of the RBC Center, home of the Carolina Hurricanes, regarding the arena's sign policy regarding the word "suck." Please let me know your feelings about the word "suck." Is it vulgar?

-----Original Message-----
From: Clever Sign Chick
Sent: Friday, March 04, 2011 12:20 PM
To: Larry Perkins
Subject: Sign policy during hockey games

Mr. Perkins:

I understand that you would be the correct person to discuss an issue I have had with bringing signs in to the RBC Center for Carolina Hurricanes hockey games.

Last night at the Buffalo Sabres game, one of my signs was confiscated at the door. The sign that the security staff believed to be offensive said, “CHEER IF YOUR TEAM SUCKS.” My husband informed them that I had been allowed to enter and had held up this sign during numerous previous games. The door man was unimpressed. He offered to let me take it back out to my car, but I was unwilling to walk the half mile there and back again and potentially miss the start of the game, so I left the sign with him at the door.

I have been a season ticket holder since 2001, and I bring signs in to every game I attend (probably 15-20 games per season). I am known as Clever Sign Chick. I have read the policy about signs on the RBC Center website and as described within the “Guide to Fan Etiquette” that was sometimes distributed by ushers during games. My signs are well within the size limitation, and I never hold up a sign when puck is in play, or even when there is a fight or when any other interesting thing is going on that I suspect someone behind me might want to see. I want to be a good fan and follow the rules, especially because I have been exposed to several fans who don’t show good etiquette and make the experience a bummer for those around them. My goal is to create fun signs with puns that make people smile. Occasionally, the messages might irritate fans of the opposing team, but it’s done in good fun, and they are usually good sports.

Like You're Not Special

This sign was also inspired by Charlie Sheen, who said this week that he was tired of pretending like he's not special. I debuted two Sheen-inspired signs at the game on March 3, 2011.

Tiger Blood

Thursday, March 3, 2011 was the biggest Canes game of the season so far. The Canes hosted their most hated rival, the Buffalo Sabres. The Canes were in eighth place in the Eastern Conference, just within playoff range, while the Sabres were in ninth, just outside. As usual, the RBC Center was overrun with Sabres fans. Thank the Hockey Gods the Canes won. But it was a nail-biter that went into OT.

This sign was inspired, of course, by wild comments made by Charlie Sheen in interviews this week. I wasn't sure folks would get it, but I've received several compliments on it. It was shown on the Jumbotron. I was also caught on camera, I think for the first time, utilizing my Fool/Moron sign while pointing to a bunch of fans of the visiting team. A friend of mine who was at the game but sitting in another part of the arena commented, "You are a brave woman."

What can I say? It's MY house!

Yinz Ain't Welcome Here

A Friday night game against the Pittsburgh Penguins meant that the Pens fans came out of the woodwork and overran the RBC Center (February 25, 2011). Sure, I was equipped with my Cheer If Your Team Sucks and Cheer If You Eat Boogers signs, but (fortunately) they came in handy only the one time that the Penguins scored. I decided I needed more ammunition and scribbled this sign on the back of another one during the first intermission. ("Yinz" is Pittsburghese for "y'all.")

It came in really handy when one Pens fan in the next section over stood up waving his towel, chanting something and trying to get all the other nearby Pens fans to join him.

"I got somethin fer you, buddy," I mumbled to myself and pulled out this sign. He was good-humored enough to laugh when he saw it (confirming my previous assertion that Pens fans are not as bad as Buffalo fans). He pointed it out to whomever he was with and chuckled, but he kept trying to rouse his fellow fans. So then I shot him with the Moron/Fool sign. He chuckled at that too.

Several minutes after that, a chick behind me tapped me on the shoulder. I am always afraid I have irritated someone behind me, even though I make sure never to hold signs up when puck is in play, or even when there is a fight or something interesting I think people might want to see. Or else when I get tapped, I think some opponent fan is going to say something snarky to me, so I was bracing.

But this chick, whom I've never spoken to before, apparently has regular seats there behind my regular seats. She told me she is normally there with her boyfriend, but he couldn't make it that night. She had texted him earlier, fretting over how many Penguins fans were invading our arena. When she tapped me on the shoulder, it was to show me her boyfriend's texted response, which was something to the effect of:

"Don't worry...sign girl will take care of them."

And I did, with the Yinz sign -- and some help from the Canes, who won the game 4-1.

The win and the text made me feel pretty awesome.

Kitty Got Claws

Found this in the archives. Guess I forgot to post it earlier. Kitty Crowbar (aka Jesse King) skates for the Carolina Rollergirls. More importantly, so does her ass.

DC Marvel

Made this sign for the Carolina Rollergirls vs. DC All-Stars roller derby bout on February 19, 2011. I suppose I could use it at the next Hurricanes v. Crapitals game. Do you think there will be enough geeks in a hockey arena to get this? I mean, they did unveil the Guardian Project a couple weeks ago.

Pull the Plug on DC

Made this sign for the Carolina Rollergirls vs. DC All-Stars game on February 19, 2011. I am contemplating its appropriateness for Crapitals hockey games as well. What do you think?

Be A Pain, McBain!

Made this sign for the Canes vs. New Jersey Devils game on February 19, 2011. I feel guilty if I don't have a new sign for each game I attend. Sometimes it's hard to think of a new sign related to the opponent, especially if it's an opponent that plays often in Carolina, as does New Jersey. So then I also consider making signs for Canes players or signs related to nearby holidays or something. Jamie McBain is a rookie, so I'd never made a sign for him before. He also has an easily rhymable name.

Retire the Flyers

Tonight they retired Rod Brind'Amour's #17. I don't think the man could have asked for a better evening. It was 75 degrees in Raleigh today, the house was packed, the Cup showed up for the occasion, and the Canes pulled off a close 3-2 win against the Flyers, with the game-winning goal scored by his former BBC linemate Erik Cole. Full moon Friday night, too. Woo hoo!

Happy Ice Hog Day!

I wasn't sure I'd have a new sign for tonight's game against the Bruins, what with the All-Star hangover I had after the weekend, but then I remembered it's Groundhog Day tomorrow, and I couldn't let pass the opportunity to incorporate one of my favorite holidays into a sign. That the Carolina Hurricanes' mascot is an "ice hog" plays very well with the groundhog theme, and the weather phenomenon of the Hurricanes fit right in, too. Unfortunately, the Canes lost tonight, so I'm the one who feels like heading back underground!

Barfalo Not Welcome

The idea for this sign hit me months before the All-Star Game. I unveiled it tonight at the Super Skills Competition and got numerous thumbs up from strangers. Several people wanted to take a picture of it in the stands and as I walked through the parking lot. Too bad the cameras showed no love. Maybe there will be more attention during the All-Star Game tomorrow.

Welcome, Y'all Stars!

It didn't look like any of the fans got any love from the camera men in the house at the Super Skills Competition tonight. There was no t-shirt gun or slingshot, no Storm Squad members (I saw them walking around in the concourse, but they weren't inside in the stands, by the tunnels, or on the ice), nothing going on during the TV time outs. Really it was kind of boring compared to a regular Canes game. I hope the All-Star Game itself has more going on.

Sir Walter Likes Team Staal

The statue of Sir Walter Raleigh currently resides outside the Raleigh Convention Center, where some of the festivities surrounding the 2011 NHL All-Star Game are to be held this weekend. On the All-Star Wide Open website, there was a pic of Sir Walter decked out in hockey pads and holding a stick. I figured it must have been photo-shopped because Sir Walter is larger than your average hockey player. But the image inspired another random act of cleverness.

Even though it was as I had expected, I was disappointed Sir Walter wasn't actually wearing goalie pads when I went downtown to see him in person, but his typical attire - whatever those floofy pants are - still worked with the sign I had made for him. I was just going to climb up there and hold the sign for the photo op, but then I decided to leave it there. Sir Walter himself asked me to make him a sign, after all. No, really, he did. He's on Facebook.

Anyway, I hope nobody charges me with vandalism. I didn't think it could be construed as vandalism; it seemed harmless enough. Walt is a tough guy. He can take it. It's not as if I beheaded him or something.

Home of the Over-Chicken Sandwich

Raleigh is decked out for the NHL All-Star Game with team flags flying on lamp posts on Fayetteville Street downtown and with fancy decals installed in the windows of businesses all over town. Most of the decals are graphics of various all-star players from around the league.

It just so happens that the player whose image graces the Chick-Fil-A at North Hills is none other than Alex Ovechkin, lovingly dubbed "the Over-Chicken" by opponent fans around the league. Coincidence?

Anyway, I could not resist the photo op. Chick-Fil-A: Home of the Over-Chicken Sandwich.

Leafs Are All Bark

Unveiled at Canes v. Toronto Maple Leafs on 01/24/2011. Plenty of Leafs fans in the house. Too bad they went home unhappy. And the rest of us get to enjoy free queso at Moe's since the Canes scored more than four goals. Final score: Canes 6, Toronto 4. (+/-2 from the refs.)

Square Rabbit - Refs Not Welcome

Raleigh is all decked out for the All-Star Game with team flags flying all the way down Fayetteville Street and fancy graphic decals in windows all about town.

And then there is the little Square Rabbit bakery/catering/takeout joint downtown, whose owner chose ME and my fabulous low-tech skill with Sharpies to help welcome hockey fans to her fine establishment.

If you visit the Square Rabbit this week, please let me know if you see any hockey-related specials on the menu. I might have had a hand in those, too.

Big Apple

Made for the Canes game against the New York Rangers on 1/20/2011.

Eat Boogers!

I felt that my usual "CHEER IF YOUR TEAM SUCKS" sign needed a little refresher. I was very pleased that there were two Atlanta Thrashers fans seated just below me on whom I could unleash this sign on 1/9/2011.

I like how I managed to catch a baby in the background of the photo.

Byfuglien Ain't So Tyfug!

Dustin Byfuglien plays for the Atlanta Thrashers (or did when I unveiled this sign at that Canes V. Atlanta game on 1/9/2011). Byfuglien is pronounced like Bufflin.

If BYFUG = buff, then TYFUG = tuff.

Byfuglien ain't so tough.

He looked right at this sign before the start of the second period. I almost felt a little guilty. Then I was afraid he'd score and laugh in my face or something. But the Canes' karma held out, and we won 4-3 in OT.