How hockey is about to affect an election.

edited June 2011 in Spurious Generalities
Anyone following the NHL playoffs can't help but have noticed that the Vancouver Canucks have fallen apart at the seams over the last two games, and could possibly throw away a two game lead in the series. I am not a huge hockey fan, so I watch with somewhat detached amusement as the patrons at my pub look on with dismay.

A few days ago, Christie Clark, our Premier (read as Governor if you are from the U.S.), re lit the Olympic cauldron from the 2010 games, in support of the Canucks. The next day they lost 7-1, a score more likely to be found at a baseball game.

Christie was just trying to be a little more populist, but the talk of a 'jinx' laid on the team by a premature celebration of victory is spreading like herpes at burning man.

Simple fact, if the local sports team wins, more people are happy. The more people are happy at the time of an election, the more likely the currently elected government will win. Many people don't follow politics, they only know if they are mostly happy, or mostly pissed off, and if they are mostly pissed off, they vote against the current government. Something like a local sports team winning or losing a cup/pennant/bag of farts, can tip a close election either way. The election will likely be in the fall, and if the Canucks lose, I have no doubt it will affect the election.

Premier Clark has made a fatal error in making herself a target for those crying in their beer if the Canucks lose the cup. Even if her policies are sound, the hate for her will make many sports fans dig up reasons not to vote for her.

So, ITT, discuss events such as sports matches, that have absolutely nothing to do with politics, but affect the general happiness of the population, and thus the outcome of elections.

C/O
"it is, after all, just a big complicated version of Civ"

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