As fans of the AIHL we are used to seeing import players come and go each season. It’s not so often however that we find ourselves saying farewell to long-term local players, a position Blue Tongues fans find themselves in now with the departure of #96, Dave Upton, who is pursuing a Rugby Union career.
Dave Upton
Dave Upton is one of those guys who can only be described as a freak. Naturally talented at most sports, Dave smashed his way into the AIHL with the Brisbane Blue Tongues at the age of 15, the youngest player ever to play in the league to date. Since then fans have watched Dave grow, not just as an extremely talented hockey player, but as a person.
There are many highlight reel moments over the years including amazing goals, blazing speed and some of the best checking and hittin the Blue Tongues have seen. Fans may remember the massive open ice hit Dave put on a Central Coast Rhino a few years ago in brisbane, or the countless times Dave’s passion and determination shone through as he worked hard to carry the team back into games.
It is fitting and pleasing then to know that Dave’s last game as a Blue Tongue was also a historical one; the Blue Tongues first ever AIHL finals game, a game that was the culmination of 5 years hard work, determination and pure grit by players such as Dave Upton.
Dave Upton’s hit on a Rhino’s player. We apologise for the video quality.
Dave’s departure from the Blue Tongues leaves more than just an empty roster spot, it leaves a “Davie shaped hole” in the very heart of the team, as one fan was recently quoted as saying. A lineup without Dave Upton wont feel like a proper Blue Tongues lineup.
We would like to thank Dave for the time and effort he has put into this team over the last 5 years, and want to express how deeply we appreciate the memories he have given us. Whereever the future takes Dave, we know he will excel and do well.
So to #96, Dave Upton; farewell and thank you for the memories.
As hockey fans we’ve all experienced, or been at the delivery end of less than appropriate behaviour. A major part of being a fan is the passion we have for our teams, and be damned anybody who challenge our team.
But when do we draw the line and say enough-is-enough, let’s be the bigger people. Or, to put it more bluntly, when do we grow a pair and be adults.
Those who frequent the Gold Coast Blue Tongues games know and understand that there is a highly passionate group of fans who sit directly behind the opposition bench, an area that is often considered by travelling fans to be where opposition fans should sit. What people need to understand is that the LizardPit, which we refer to that section behind the opposition bench has always been used by this group of fans, and at no point in time at our rink, has that area ever been an area for opposition fans. In fact, those who sit there, do so for a reason. The Blue Tongues journalist sits there and need to be able to hear the referees and/or the people running the penalty box and we often have a photographer / web updater there who use the gap to get photos.
That said, I want to talk about fan etiquette.
We had a large contingency of fans for an opposition team at a Tongues game recently who took exception of these Blue Tongues fans. I’m not going to mention the team name on purpose, please accept that. On Sunday, instead of approaching the rink or these people and asking them, as adults if they could give up their spot so the opposition fans could all sit together, they went the manipulative route, and deceptively bypassed the rules of our home rink by going in before the general public. How they got in is irrelavent, although it is known.
Here’s the thing… this is an organisation that claims to be high-class and professional, yet in a situation that would have been resolved simply by asking the fans if they could move for one game, they acted unprofessionally, and in the most classless manner imaginable. For future reference, any act of professionalism is going to be marred by the fact that certain people are all talk and no show, which is a pitty.
I can’t help but wonder, what would happen if another team traveled to their rink and did this?
I wish to point out, that the Blue Tongues fans in question did choose to move and be the better people.
In the future, to all involved, please be as professional and classy as you claim and ask, you’d be surprised at how accomodating we can be.
