It does not surprise me that when the Carolina Hurricanes play a team from the higher latitudes, such as Michigan or Massachusetts, in the Stanley Cup playoffs, that newspaper columnists from the north make fun of us.
We are Mayberry. Or, as Dan Shaughnessy of the Boston Globe recently put it, we are "goobers." Same thing.
This is what some writers do when they have no clue about what's south of Foxborough, or they are hurting on deadline for something to say.
I have lived south of the Mason-Dixon since 1971. I came down from the suburbs of Boston to attend college. I have never once regretted it.
Boston is a terrific place to live, but it is a very provincial place. If your whole concept of the South is derived from watching the Andy Griffith Show, then I guess you can't fathom how this region has changed in the past few decades because your worldview doesn't extend much past Hopkinton, where they start the Marathon.
Boston's nickname is the Hub. As in Hub of the Universe. I am not original with this observation: There's an old joke that if a celestial rock obliterated Los Angeles, the Boston Globe headline the next day would be "Hub Man Perishes/As Comet Devastates LA.
I'd like to take Shaughnessy over to Cary's SAS, one of the biggest private software companies in the world. Or over to Research Triangle Park. Or over to Centennial Campus at N.C. State. Or the American Tobacco Campus in Durham. Or to Red Hat.
I know, I know. I'm starting to sound like the folks at the chamber of commerce who, every time there is a slight to this region in an out-of-town newspaper, begin reciting all its cutting-edge companies, its swell amenities, etc. etc. Stern letter to follow.
Truth is, we don't have to defend ourselves. People vote with their feet. Between 2000 and 2006, the population of Boston was essentially flat, up 0.3 percent. It would have dropped, no doubt, except that the Hub's world-class technology companies and universities draw in lots of folks from all over the planet.
During the same period, Raleigh's population grew by 25 percent.
People didn't come here because they made a wrong turn on Route 128 and kept going until they saw "For Sale" signs at Wakefield. They came here because this is where you can get a house for less than $785,000 (the price of a falling-down shack in my home town of Newton), because they can get jobs, because they have grown tired of cranking up the snow blower every third day.
Some of the folks who came to Raleigh, no doubt, have Southie (not Southern) accents. To them, I say, wicket cool that you are heah.
Comments
What is a goober
Tue, 08/11/2009 - 18:09 — LosAngelesI dont even know what a goober is maybe I will ask my Public Relations Los Angeles PR News source on the west coast - has anyone else found a Los Angeles Public Relations firm that we can trust?
Well said!!
Sun, 05/17/2009 - 08:52 — gailmaroldDan - you nailed it! I grew up in Massachusetts and after HS lived in Richmond, VA, Washington, DC, Philadelphia (another provincial city), and central NJ before settling in Cary in 2003. My husband and I have said that we would rather live in tents than ever move back to the provincial, crowded, and still prohibitedly expensive Northeast!! While I grew up a Bruins fan, saw some games in the original "Gahden" and my dad was their doc. from 1980-81, I am rooting for the Canes all the way. They showed more grit in this last series. And with the 'Canes roots being from the Hartford Whalers (city of my birth), it means more. I think a lot of transplanted Northerners have become Caniacs for the same reasons. Thanks for your insight.
With all due respect,
Thu, 05/14/2009 - 17:02 — Ahabs_WrathBut Mr. Barkin, you should'nt be senior editor of cleaning your 2 cat's litter box, never mind the rag of a small town paper. You seem to have the same problem with reading comprehension as your colleague Mr. DeCock. I'm really the last person in the world who would step up to defend Mr. Shaughnessy (but to quote Randy Newman in the apropos titled song "Rednecks", "he may be a fool, but he's our fool"), if you bothered to read his column, his remarks about "goobers" was quite obviously directed to those in control of your Jumbotron which posted that asinine message about winning game 7 while there was still 20 minutes of hockey to be played, on your home ice, in lieu of what the hometown team did in the last series against the Devils in the final minute of game 7. Methinks you protest too much. Seriously, "Goober" is much too good of a characterization for such nonsense. One could make the case that he pulled his punch there. This is such a non-starter it's laughable. To wit, look at how the Capitals fans (as with your burgeoning franchise's fans, not notoriously known for their hockey acumen) acted in the final 2 minutes of a blow out in game 7: a standing ovation along with chants of "Lets Go Caps". Quite the juxtaposition to what was quite obviously a declaration of defeat before game's end by the hometown franchise. Furthermore, despite the fact that you, a senior editor no less, can't seem to grasp this obvious concept, your retort is nothing more than displaced animosity. Yeah, Bostonians view our neighbors to the south through the prism of a 1950's sitcom. Jeesh, what's next a BR549 reference (That's from Hee-Haw, FYI). That's the best you've got? Hello Pot, meet Kettle. It doesn't take a snowblower to knock down that strawman. Oh, and finally, I really can't believe you're a business editor as any self-respecting Chamber of Commerce would blush at your complete and utter lack of insight when it comes to "Free Markets". You're analogy of your adopted region's $785K house vs. your hometown's shack in Newton is laughable. The price on that store of value is set by the market, you should know that. Do you advise your readers to buy GM over GOOG because you can get more shares for the same price? I know all analogies bread down eventually, but c'mon, at least put some logic into your arguments. Between you and your fellow carpetbagger DeCock, no wonder people in North Carolina think us Northerners to be elitist boobs.
Couldn't have said it better
Fri, 05/15/2009 - 07:15 — woodchipCouldn't have said it better myself. Thank you.
Excellent post
Thu, 05/14/2009 - 21:08 — danbarkin (author)I liked the cat litter reference, particularly.
In Defense of Goobers Everywhere
Thu, 05/14/2009 - 16:56 — proctorIf Dan Shaughnessy of The Boston Globe had just capitalized "goobers," then he would have been paying all of us Carolinians quite a compliment. I know if I were more like Goober Pyle of "The Andy Griffith Show," chances are I would be working in an auto repair garage somewhere rather than playing street music as an out-of-work newspaper editorial writer.
But let's go out and win a couple for Mayberry and the Hurricanes. We can prove to all those erudite editors of The Boston Globe that we in North Carolina have long since had a proper admiration and respect for the charms and heritage of the City of Boston. Remember the episode of "The Andy Griffith Show" when Andy, Barney and Goober work together to get that wild mountain man Ernest T. Bass all groomed and dressed up for the big social party at Mrs. Wiley's? They even teach Ernest T. to say politely to his hostess: "No coffee, tea or punch for me, thank you."
When Mrs. Wiley encounters this newly minted gentleman, she corners Andy and says that she is not to be fooled because Mr. Bass undoubtedly could not have been from around Mayberry because he must have been "definitely Back Bay Boston." And prophetically, in regard to our Hurricanes-Bruins hockey series nearly half a century later, Ernest T. in that episode at the party wins plaudits from all around until he is unable to prevent another fellow from breaking in on a dance with Miss Romina and resorts to punching him out right then and there. Then the Mayberry locals run into a spate of bad luck because of this incident just as the Hurricanes hockey players did after the on-ice unpleasantries near the end of Game 5 in Boston.
Mrs. Wiley exclaims: "That creature!" At least no one in Beantown called our Canes "creatures."
So how can the Hurricanes use some Mayberry secrets to get their offense going again in time for Thursday's decisive Game 7? Simple--if they could just get a hold of a batch of Aunt Bee's pickles, then that would surely bring them a wake-up call that could send them skating victoriously into the next playoff series for the conference championship!
Then they can tell all the good people of Boston: "It's me, it's me, it's Ernest T.!"
David McKnight
Whoever this guy is, his
Thu, 05/14/2009 - 16:30 — jahshuaWhoever this guy is, his editor should rip him for writing such juvenile schlock. To insult opposing teams fans with slang in a professional newspaper?! He can point out the fact about what was displayed on the jumbotron all he wants. But he should leave the idiotic insults to his readers.
It's very simple why we get dumped on
Thu, 05/14/2009 - 14:22 — xpukguyIt's because we keep responding to the nonsense. Why do Hurricanes fans keep getting upset whenever ESPN mentions the Hartford Whalers? Two reasons: 1. Because they allow it to get under their skins; 2. Because the team itself refuses to recognize its history prior to the move to N.C. unless it involves Ron Francis or Glen Wesley. It keeps getting brought up that the Colorado and Phoenix franchises are not mentioned as their former teams (Quebec City and Winnipeg, to many around here who don't know the facts), but those franchises embrace their history -- good, bad, indifferent. If the Hurricanes would teach the populace that, yes, they were an original team in the World Hockey Assocation and, yes, they actually started in -- hold on now -- Boston, then there would be less dumping on and less responding, which would then make ESPN and others like Shaughnessy and Ryan and Mitch Albom and others who dump on us look even more stupid than they do.
Our team, our tradition since 1972.
In all undeserved fairness
Thu, 05/14/2009 - 14:05 — John_BurnsI think he was talking about the Scoreboard operator essentially giving up at the beginning of the Third Period of Game 6 by putting up a graphic promising a victory in game Seven.
"Goober" would be one of the nicer words I used in reference to that when I saw it.
In all undeserved fairness
Thu, 05/14/2009 - 14:05 — John_BurnsI think he was talking about the Scoreboard operator essentially giving up at the beginning of the Third Period of Game 6 by putting up a graphic promising a victory in game Seven.
"Goober" would be one of the nicer words I used in reference to that when I saw it.
As A Dang Yankee
Thu, 05/14/2009 - 13:38 — esteban1949who also came & stayed some 20 years ago ( aside from trips back to spokane to visit some family) and have always been a life long Hockey fan who played on the city park rinks and ponds in Chicago as a kid who later had a silly dream of becoming a NHL Referee but became a cop instead.Who still longs, sighs & says "gee if only", like many middle aged retirees like myself do from time to time.But in my time here, i wasn't really following much NHL Hockey as i was still tied to the WHL & the Spokane Chiefs. but did catch a few games from time to time and heard about a team called the Hartford Whalers. So i found time in my busy schedule to watch a game or 2 ...but still had my head & heart with the Chiefs...but after a while i was in limbo as my personal life and charity work was keeping me so busy, i had all but forgotten about hockey until i finally retired ( for the 3rd time) when the Canes were battling for the Cup in 2006. While i am educated, have a couple of college degrees ( one from a college where they play REAL Football) and do try to stay active in local community affairs and the like...so does that make me and others like me a goober ?? I don't think so !! But as my youngest grand- daughter who goes to Salem College tells me...You an old guy...what do you know ?? Funny thing...I am still signing all those tuition checks! See i must be a " goober" for doibng that ...huh ?? Go Canes !!
What Column Will Shaughnessy and Ryan Write if Bruins Lose
Thu, 05/14/2009 - 12:42 — abramsdougGiven the fact that Shaughnessy and Ryan have guaranteed a Bruin victory tonight and that in their minds there is no reason even to drop the puck in Game 7, what columns will they write if the Hurricanes win? If that happens, I predict they will suddenly attack personally each player and assign blame to the coaches and officials.