Nananna
Riding The Pine: Tim Bowling’s personal reflection of professional hockey in “Na Na Na Na, Hey Hey Hey Goodbye”
In “Na Na Na Na, Hey Hey Hey Goodbye,” Tim Bowling, an author, poet, and a fishing boat deckhand (Stewart et al 237), articulates how professional hockey has evolved over his lifetime. He laments how a game he was enamoured with no longer captures his complete attention and is not as relevant in his life as it once was. However, Bowling admits he still has a sheepish curiosity for the latest news and highlights (238), is still “mildly attracted” (239) to the game for its grace, beauty, and skill (239), and yearns for a Stanley Cup Final with two Canadian teams; most importantly a final with the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Montreal Canadians – two of the original six teams. Bowling describes the evolution of professional hockey from a game with a tremendous amount of tradition to one that has become a commercialized, violent, glitzy, and “Americanized” spectacle (237). Throughout the essay, Bowling speaks nostalgically about professional hockey, enriched in tradition, in contrast to where it is today: NHL’s expansion, salaries versus statistics, marketing and advertising and machismo (239). He is still very positive about the game and discusses how it involves all walks of life, its political role, Canada’s national identity, and its impact on pop culture through song, lyrics, and poetry (238,239). Revealing his personal bias, Bowling’s use of flashback and nostalgia, narrative, analogies, contrast and subtle use of metaphors emphasize a change in his attitude and contempt toward the game he once cherished.
At the beginning of his essay, Bowling uses a flashback technique taking the reader back to a time where his attitude toward professional hockey changed dramatically. His attitude may have shifted previous to this time, regardless, this game between the Maple Leafs and the L.A. Kings seems to be the defining moment that results in his disdain towards
In “Na Na Na Na, Hey Hey Hey Goodbye,” Tim Bowling, an author, poet, and a fishing boat deckhand (Stewart et al 237), articulates how professional hockey has evolved over his lifetime. He laments how a game he was enamoured with no longer captures his complete attention and is not as relevant in his life as it once was. However, Bowling admits he still has a sheepish curiosity for the latest news and highlights (238), is still “mildly attracted” (239) to the game for its grace, beauty, and skill (239), and yearns for a Stanley Cup Final with two Canadian teams; most importantly a final with the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Montreal Canadians – two of the original six teams. Bowling describes the evolution of professional hockey from a game with a tremendous amount of tradition to one that has become a commercialized, violent, glitzy, and “Americanized” spectacle (237). Throughout the essay, Bowling speaks nostalgically about professional hockey, enriched in tradition, in contrast to where it is today: NHL’s expansion, salaries versus statistics, marketing and advertising and machismo (239). He is still very positive about the game and discusses how it involves all walks of life, its political role, Canada’s national identity, and its impact on pop culture through song, lyrics, and poetry (238,239). Revealing his personal bias, Bowling’s use of flashback and nostalgia, narrative, analogies, contrast and subtle use of metaphors emphasize a change in his attitude and contempt toward the game he once cherished.
At the beginning of his essay, Bowling uses a flashback technique taking the reader back to a time where his attitude toward professional hockey changed dramatically. His attitude may have shifted previous to this time, regardless, this game between the Maple Leafs and the L.A. Kings seems to be the defining moment that results in his disdain towards
Cited: Bowling, Tim. “Na Na Na Na, Hey Hey Hey Goodbye.” Essay Writing for Canadian Students with Readings. 6th ed. Ed. Kay L. Stewart et al. Toronto: Pearson Prentice-Hall, 2008. 237-242. Print. Stewart, Kay L. et al. Headnote to “Na Na Na Na, Hey Hey Hey Goodbye.” Essay Writing for Canadian Students with Readings. 6th ed. Ed. Kay L. Stewart et al. Toronto: Pearson Prentice-Hall, 2008. 281. Print.