For the first time in any blog I've written, I'm going to apply a bit of the knowledge I gained as a Media Student to the opening of this chapter. I will get to the hockey eventually, but any opportunity to use my education these days is welcomed and I promise it will make sense... I hope.
I'm going to write for a bit about Propp's "Theory of Narrative". Propp, whose first name I forget, might be Ian, can't remember, looked at stories, tales, anecdotes and came up with a theory that everything that entertains us, very roughly follows the same patterns in the way things play out.
(Having begun writing this, I realise that I may butcher "Ian" Propp here by paraphrasing him, but what the hell.)
Everything we consume, whether a movie, a soap, an advert, a music video and even songs to that matter, contain the same or similar mixture of elements to one another. Propp devised a list of all of these functions used in the myriad of storytelling mediums that we absorb.
These include: An underdog, a problem or problematic situation, a goal to be achieved, a villain, love, obstacles caused by the villain/ preventing the achievement of love, love being in danger, a show down between lead and villain,positive or negative resolution.
There are more aspects in Propp's list, as obviously not every story ever told has these components explicitly, but these themes are the most commonly used and are the ones that engage us the most. That is why you could be contorversial and say that the genius film "There's Something About Mary", is technically the same as something as awful as "The Notebook" for the sake of a loose argument.
Both centre around a troubled male lead who, having initially made embarrassing advances towards his prospective love, has a fleeting romance, that come to an end through bad choices. Both then go on to attempt to win their women back but are thwarted by villainous new lovers, only for everything to be reconciled in the end.
In terms of audience, both of these films could not be further apart, but the sentiment of both is still the same. They seem like polar opposites, but only the presence of testicles caught in flies and semen in the hair really set them apart in narrative terms.
(I realise that I have just admitted to knowing a lot about the least manliest film ever on a board dedicated to one of the manliest sports in the world. Please be considerate in your abuse.)
I'll try and reel it in now. Propp's "Theory of Narrative" can also translate in to the ever pantomime becoming world of sports. With increased media coverage on all athletic performance, being good at the sport is giving way to the controversy and misdemeanours involved. We as Clan fans are enjoying the determination and effort of the boys in purple week in week out. But at the back of our minds, any time we see the Bruces get checked or high sticked, we want a fight. There's nothing wrong with that as it is a part of the game which is allowed.
And in part, we can credit this to the things outlined in Propp's theory. Our leading men are trying to achieve their goal and are thwarted by villainous opposition and, due to what we are used to costuming in films, TV etc, we expect a battle. Occasionally we get it, but more often than not, the high ground is taken and the battle is won by netting the puck more than the adversary.
By doing this, the Clan become Heroes in their 60 minute battles. Heroes who have expectation from the puck drop to the buzzer. No one that frequents Braehead Arena of a weekend can say that the Clan haven't played like Heroes this season. You can even use Propp's narrative to tell the season's story for Richardson and his Purple Army. Go, try it, I'm not lying.
This FINALLY brings me to the point of this Blog. To a man, Clan have exceeded any expectations we had at the start of the season. The PlayOffs, wins over the top teams in the league, a likely midtable finish, an ever increasing crowd and most importantly, a product of quality.
All this has been made possible by players who have performed heroics all season long. I'm not going to give a stat attack here, but rather my own take on the players who have been imperative to our season. I may miss out your personal favourites, but the beauty of Propp's narrative is that, for your own story, you get to pick the characters.
JF Perras: Netminder and in my eyes, the one man who is capable of keeping us in the mix come the PlayOffs. The current EIHL Player of the Week and a contender for Player of the Year at the upcoming Awards Dinner, JFP has been outstanding all season, with last weeks displays against Cardiff and Coventry amongst his best games for us. Keeping him for next season will go a long way to determining how our second season goes.
Jordan Krestanovich: After what I felt was a dodgy start, Jordan has been very influential in the recent good run of form. I think his fitness or lack of was key to begin with, but once he found his groove, he stuck in it. It's very rare he fails to find the net and he even travelled halfway round the world to play for us when his Visa expired! His turn around in form was also augmented by the return of...
Kyle Bruce: His influence since returning from injury has been phenomenal. Without him, the squad lacked confidence and bite when under the cosh, but with him Clan have looked stronger and harder. The fact that so many games were lost in November and December while he was absent is mirrored by our playoff berth and midtable certainty while on the ice. The fact that he'll throw down where Bernier wouldn't also adds a bit of character to him. If Perras has been our most solid man, Bruce has been our most inspiring.
Bruce Richardson: The Coach clearly loves it up here and has become a player who others would love to have but hate to have him against. An antagoniser he may be, but his style of play and his diminutive stature make him the perfect coach for us. His terrier like aggression on the ice and his manner off it seem poles apart, but Coach Bruce is a man who knows how to get what he wants from his men.
Brendan Cook: Cookie is the flair player, the speedster and the spearhead of most attacks, feeding off of Krestanovich and vice versa. His points tally this season will surely grow in the final weeks of the season and he will be pivotal come the PlayOffs.
My lunch break is soon to end, but honourable mentions go to Bostock, Landry, Chaumont, Wathier, Campbell, Walker and Will for his shut out v Edinburgh.
Perhaps he'll get another outing tomorrow night to make it 2 from 2 v the Caps.
All of the above have become our heroes in the story of our season, the wins in the small battles are aiding us towards winning the war of the PlayOffs. I wonder how Propp would have told the story?
Mon The Clan!
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