Green Men on Road: Vancouver's beloved Sully and Force make the trip to Boston
BOSTON - The Green Men are used to sticking out in a crowd and Monday night was no exception.
Far away from the friendly confines of Rogers Arena, the pair—who go by Force and Sully—sat in enemy territory for Game 3 of the Stanley Cup final between the Vancouver Canucks and the Boston Bruins.
Sitting about 15 rows behind the net, their lime green bodysuits were in stark contrast to the black and yellow colours worn by the Bruins' faithful who surrounded them at the TD Garden. The Boston fans are a passionate bunch and they weren't shy about throwing a few verbal darts the Green Men's way.
"It's been decent so far, it's like a 50-50 mixed bag," said Sully. "Some fans really like us and respect what we do. But others not so much, let's say."
Back home, the Green Men have become local heroes for their often hilarious taunting routines by the glass of the opposing penalty box. They were the rock stars of their section on Monday night as the requests for pictures and hugs during the intermissions didn't stop.
"I follow you guys on Twitter—if only you were Bruins fans," said one excited girl as she posed between the two for a photo.
The duo generated plenty of curious looks throughout the game. Some fans joked they might have a hard time leaving the building.
"They're kind of a pain in the ass," Bruins fan Chris Falaska said with a laugh. "But you've got to respect the guys that fool around, have fun with the game. I have respect for them, they're having fun with the game. Can't hate on them."
Instead of uncorking some fresh antics, the Green Men simply took in the action with the rest of the sellout crowd. The different vantage point presented a few challenges.
"Normally down by the ice you can see everything and it's nice and cool," said Force, who wore a Canucks jersey on top of his bodysuit. "Not so much up here. It's a little hot."
During the season the pair use season tickets that belong to a roofing company they once worked for. They have had to pay their own way for some playoff games, although a travel agency helped them out with costs for the trip to Boston.
"We're so grateful," Sully said. "It's so awesome to be here."
