The Dark Side

The Canes play New Jersey so often that it's hard to come up with new signs for them, so that's when I reach for something topical in the news. The Force finally awakened in the third period of tonight's game, and the Canes defeated the dark side. Tonight some New Jersey fans were actually really nice and asked if they could take photos with some of my signs, so took their pictures. (That's right, Buffalo: even New Jersey fans suck less than you!)

Incidentally, this is not the first Star Wars-themed sign I've made. See here.

Bless Their Hearts

The classic passive-agressive Southern saying is perfect when the other team scores, when you're surrounded by fans of the opposing team, or even when the home team fans quaintly attempt air guitar while hamming it up for the camera.

#1 in Tailgating

I made this sign for the last home Canes game of the 2013-14 season on April 10. The Canes didn't make the playoffs, but I managed to find something to boast about.

Give 'Em Hail!

I was actually thinking about all the snow and cold temperatures we've had lately when I thought up this sign. Hail is actually uncommon with hurricanes, but it's all weather related, which seemed appropriate for a Groundhog Day weekend.

More Shots

New for the 2013-14 season, this sign would have been useful countless times in the past. Sometimes the team just needs to get out of their heads.

Hooah-Canes

Occasionally, an idea for a sign hits me while I'm AT the game, and I scramble during the intermission to make one in 20 minutes' time. Saturday, March 9, was Military Appreciation Night, and this idea hit me during the first period. I can't believe I had both red and blue Sharpies in my purse.

Someone asked me if it should be spelled "Oorah-Canes" instead, but no, I went by the authority of the Army soldier sitting next to me. It's definitely the Hooah-Canes I support.

Freebies Galore

Last year, Papa John's offered discount pizza the day after a Hurricanes win. They continue that promotion this year, but there are four other restaurant promotions this year, too, and it's been a challenge to keep up with them all.

1. The day after a Canes win, you get a 50% discount off your online order at Papa John's with "secret" code CANIAC. North and South Carolina only.

2. Each night they pick a different Canes player, and if he scores a goal, you get free chips and queso at Moe's the next day. (I think you have to say something like, "I'm a Caniac.")

3. If the Canes "put the biscuit in the basket" during a power play, you get a free Bo-berry biscuit at Bojangles. (I think you have to say something like, "I'm a Caniac.")

4. If the Canes win two or more games in a row, you get a free hurricane sushi roll at Kanki. I think you have to purchase something else.

5. If the Canes score five goals in a game, you get a free cookie at Subway. I think you might have to print a coupon somewhere for this one.

So far, by my reckoning, the maximum number of discounts resulting from a single game has been four out of five. I eagerly await the night we hit the jackpot with all five. I have faith!

Discount Pizza

Sometimes local businesses partner with the Canes to offer promotional discounts and freebies under certain circumstances. For example, several seasons ago, if the Canes scored a goal in the last minute of the first period, all fans in attendance could get a free gallon of windshield washer fluid by presenting their tickets at, I want to say, Advance Auto Parts. Last year, and I think this year, if the Canes score five goals in a game, anyone who asks can get free queso at local Moe's restaurants the next day.

New this year is the offer of a 50% discount on online orders from Papa John's the day after a Canes win. The offer is good for online orders in North and South Carolina and Georgia, with the secret code "CANIAC." Therefore, "I want discount pizza" means I want the Canes to win.

I didn't realize I hadn't blogged this sign yet and forgot to take a picture at the arena. It appeared on the Jumbotron during the first period tonight, and I got my wish.

I don't know how long this promotion will be in effect and how long this sign will make sense. But to this day, my husband is still known to yell, "I WANT FREE WINDSHIELD WIPER FLUID!" after the one-minute warning in the first period.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Visiting Time

The inspiration for this sign was the Interjections! episode of Schoolhouse Rock. Hurray! I'm for the other team!

I attended the Hurricanes vs. Nashville Predators game in Nashville on December 4, 2010. This and a pre-fab "Let's Go Canes" sign were the only ones I took because I wanted to be able to fit them into my suitcase. (I had to cut down my regular size poster board to fit.)

Unfortunately, the Canes lost 2-5, but I still had a great time in Nashville.

Rosey is Rad! Vote for Chad!

Two of my signs are featured in a video web ad for the upcoming 2011 NHL All-Star Game, hosted by the Carolina Hurricanes.

Hurricanes video production staff contacted me through Facebook and asked if I'd make two signs, both basically saying "Vote Chad LaRose for 2011 NHL All-Star Game." I had a couple of days to come up with ideas. I sent them three or four, and they picked two. (I actually thought "DON'T LEAVE CHAD HANGIN'" was more cleverer, but I guess that was deemed too esoteric for the masses.) I made the signs, brought them to the Canes locker room, and got to hang out during filming.

The ad with my signs is actually the fourth in a series of four, all of which were shot one morning last April.

All-Star Ad #1 – Seat Selection (Extended Version)
All-Star Ad #2 – Exercise Bike
All-Star Ad #3 – Ping Pong
All-Star Ad #4 – Signs (featuring signs made by ME!)

I could barely contain my chuckles behind the scenes. Chad LaRose seemed perfectly natural as the funny guy in front of the camera, and Eric Staal was a great straight man.

Now, I'm not one to boast (bad karma and all), but it was pretty steamy hanging out in the locker room with such hotties as they changed shirts. I even got to help one of the stars with a wardrobe malfunction -- so close I could see his belly button lint! He had some difficulty keeping a towel around his waist. I'm talking about Stormy the Ice Hog, of course.

Why did the Canes need ME to make signs? I'm not 100% sure, but one should never underestimate the value of good penmanship.

Yes We Can!

I created an Obamicon and then blew it up and printed it onto four 8.5x11" pieces of sticky paper, then affixed them to foam board.

Honeymoon

What kind of hockey fan am I? Scheduling my wedding during playoff season? But my husband is an Army Reservist, and he ended up deploying to Iraq two and a half months after the wedding. We really didn't have much of a choice.

We planned a two-day event in the mountains of NC, in a giant cabin and surrounding buildings that would accommodate 75 of our friends and family. As the Canes moved deeper into the playoffs, it became evident that we would have to miss one home playoff game, May 14 against the Devils, the night all the guests were arriving and socializing. The cabin didn't have TVs. Some of our hockey fan guests were ready to drive into Boone to try to catch the game at a sports bar, but we managed to get audio of the game over someone's laptop. My fiance and I were so nervous about the karma of missing the game. Ultimately, it would be the only home playoff game we missed through the whole playoffs. We were greatly relieved to hear Chuck Kaiton call the 4-1 victory.

We had sold our tickets that night to my fiance's boss, who brought his wife. Afterwards, they told us that the other fans in our section were all concerned because "Where is the Sign Chick?" When my fiance's boss explained we were getting married, the reaction was, "Well, did you at least bring the signs?"

Sign Language

The Carolina Hurricanes have a program called Hurricanes U for fans who want to learn about hockey. I took both the undergraduate and graduate courses. We had a ceremony on the ice before a home game. This was one of the signs I held up during the ceremony.

Not With Stupid

Can't believe she agreed to pose for this photo.

Snow Day? Sno Way!

Hubby and I decided to utilize his 4-wheel drive and made our way to the game during a snow storm. That was fun.

Think +

Not one of my favorite signs, but I do always try to stay on the right side of Karma.