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Lightning fans force Bruins to take down signs at TD Garden 05.19.11 at 10:29 am ET
By Ryan Hannable

Tampa Bay Lightning fans have taken offense to some of the signs that the Bruins marketing department put up at the TD Garden that poke fun at the Lightning and their fans. After receiving numerous calls from upset Lightning fans the team has removed the signs.

The signs removed say things such as, “Lightning fans, which Tampa player is your grandson?” and “The Loch Ness Monster. Big Foot. Lightning fans,” implying that Lightning fans are hard to find.

The Bruins say that the signs were just in good fun. “Nobody should take it personally,” said Bruins spokesperson Matt Chmura. “It’s just a fun-loving character that tries to embody Bruins fans and their spirit.”

The slogans were run by upper-level members of the organization first. “These things are vetted through our organization,” Chmura added.

The Bruins has had signs poking fun at opponents in the past, even in the prior series with the Philadelphia Flyers. One of the signs said, “Never, ever date a Flyers fan, even if she shaves her mustache.”

A Tampa Bay radio station host urged listeners to call the Bruins marketing department and express their displeasure with the signs. “We moved in like Seal Team 6 and shut them down in a way that other teams they attacked have never been able to do,” said Tampa Bay radio host Mike Calta.

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  • Mayo

    somebody call the waaaaabulance…

  • wallcrasher3

    Offended by what? Seriously this is pathetic

  • Aron

    I moved down here a few years back and live outside of tampa and people down here made their own fans take their signs down supporting there own team because their HOA’s didnt like them. Guess tampa people just dont like signs at all

  • kda2boxers

    Seriously, all three of the fans called the marketing department….LOL :)

  • JohnMig

    Kinda proves they’re not real sports fans doesn’t it?

  • Marc

    The Bruins front office should have told them where to stick their complaints instead of kowtowing to this douche.

  • Lightning Fan

    HAHAHA!!! The joke’s on you! You guys are pusses! All we did was harass your management and show them we DO EXIST! They’ll be over 20,000 screaming Lightning fans in the building tonite (waaaay more than the Garden holds!). Your management pussed out. Face it. If Lightning fans don’t exist why did they keep having to add time vs. the Capitals because the scorekeeper couldn’t hear the ref’s whistle ON THE ICE??? Because they are LOUD! That didn’t happen in the Garden! Face it you guys are mad because Tampa teams continue to be a nemesis for your precious Sox and Bruins! And BTW the Rays are leading the division with waaaaay less payroll than the overrated inflated Sox. Why? Because Tampa teams have HEART! That’s why you had to sweat out a 6-5 game, even going into the third with a 3 goal lead! They don’t give up. Enjoy the game, should be another barnburner. You can put the signs back up, we just wanted you to know you were wrong. Will be embarassing if you lose the series, though!

  • http://Enteryourwebsite... New England

    I believe it is spelled B-A-N-W-A-G-O-N F-A-N. I hope the entire state of florida is swallowed up by the sea.

    The flyers fans are more legitimate than these people. They didnt “stand up” to our management about our signs because they are true hockey fans. Take a fucking joke and shut the fuck up.

    Original six. Go B’s

  • Mike

    Tampa fans in general don’t know shit about sports.

    Tampa as a sports city is nothing more than a place for retired new englanders to see live sporting events.

  • Gray

    They weren’t even hockey fans I would hazard.. They were idiots who listened to a Stern or Opie and Anthony wanna-be. Only those three are funny and don’t threaten people.

    They just called and harassed because he begged for it and hes a little man (not in size hes quite ..plump but in wit ? not much there ) with a big mouth and likely some very small other things. Why not put a few letters and phone calls into that radio station.. and see if he likes being unemployed cow head? Id’ say he has the brain of a cow.. but would not wish to insult such a good animal.

    Oh and Lightning fans.. It was so quiet .. did anyone even show up? Could have heard a pin drop in that stadium.

  • john

    wow, lightning fans grow up this isn’t pre school. Also these dj’s are morons.

  • http://Examiner.com Peter

    It really is a shame that the Bruins cannot just support their own team. It is poor judgement for the actual team to participate in such a meaningless and petty name calling event. It will be too bad if the Bruin fans are awarded the CUP this year. This incident and others show why they are just Red Sox on skates. Teams with tremendous chips on thier shoulders who do not know anything about professionalism. Show your superiority on the ice instead of taunting and acting like a 4 year old of the ice. Dissapointing that this is also coming from an original six.

  • http://Diablo2Items Diablo 2 Items

    There is apparently a bundle to identify about this. I suppose you made certain nice points in features also. Could you update me with your next post please?

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