How to Appeal to Canadians?

While I appreciate the loads of American and Russian readers that frequent my blog every week, I always wonder with a look of disbelief and confusion why the number of Canadians that read my blog, never mind know I blog, is so low.

As my friend Bryan said, "Good things happen
when Hal Gill steps on the ice."

I had a hockey blog running alongside this blog for many months, however once the focus of hockey purists went from goal scoring and team performance, to analyzing every NHL suspension and being experts in mapping out the intent of each and every player throwing a body check ever I stopped writing about it. Every Canadian had to notice, at least during the 2012 Stanley Cup Playoffs, there was at least one injury incurred via body check in each playoff series, if not every game. The reaction by the general public would be...

1. That player should be penalized!
1. He wasn't penalized!
2. He was penalized, but it wasn't enough.
3. He was penalized, but it was too much.
2. The player should be suspended!
1. He wasn't suspended?!
2. He was suspended, but it wasn't enough.
3. He was suspended, but someone else on another team did the same thing or worse, and he got only a fraction of the time suspended.
3. Through evidence found in this "Zapruder" film of the play in question, I believe he intended to injure the opposing player.

Kings v Coyotes aftermath from 2012 Playoffs; the game
left me feeling sick >_< Last game I saw that year.

I am not interested nor qualified to debate what a hockey player thought through various camera angles. Plus, just because an NHL season enters the playoff phase that should not increase/weaken the response of those in charge of player safety with regard to fines or suspensions. The everyday discussion about the game of hockey descended into heated arguments about suspension length, and "after the fact" thought to action brain analysis; therefore, I stopped writing about hockey. I like hockey, but the politics were too much.

However, hockey is what gets most Canadians talking and reading blogs about the sport. I wrote for many years about the corruption in the game of soccer well before the World Cup came to South Africa in 2010, which I consider the worst World Cup ever, but no one seemed to care too much in Canada, never mind North America, about what I said. It is only when I wrote about something as Canadian as hockey that I get a strong and passionate response from my home country. So, maybe I should write about more Canadian topics to increase Canadian viewership?

PM Stephen Harper speaks at a Ronald McDonald's
Children's Charities Function in December, 2011.

I could talk about Canadian politics? On the other hand, if Breakfast Television taught me anything about breakfast clubs meeting at McDonald's not to talk about sports but only politics, it is that membership is short, small, and explosive. I posted a picture of current Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper to the right of this paragraph; I could use any picture, however I chose this one to illicit a certain response. Now imagine if you felt that way all the time when you read my blog about topics that always made you feel this way? I would get really dull!

What if I spoke about the Canadian economy? o_O ...That would be a short conversation. It is something I pray and think about, even with fear and worrying, nevertheless I couldn't add much to the discussion, unless I use words like "I WON THE LOTTERY!", "MOMZO NEEDS A NEW PAIR OF SHOES!", and "I FOUND FIVE BUCKS IN MY POCKET, SO I'M GOING TO STARBUCKS!" No, I wouldn't do that.

Regardless of where you come from, if you have the same conundrum as I do in reaching out to viewers in your country of residence, please take heart with the following:

1. Someone took the time out to read what you have to say: It doesn't sound like a lot, and you might not know them personally, yet you should take satisfaction your words made a difference in the life of someone on this wacky planet.
2. Borders only matter if you make borders matter: Don't close your mind to people just because they live in a foreign land. You are BIG in that foreign, and eventually you will be BIG here, too. Word gets around, and if you as consistent as you can with your life and principles, things will work out.
3. Hey, was that Stephen Harper wearing a cowboy hat? ^_^
4. Celebrate your heritage: Your readers know how proud you are to be who you are. Now that they are here, show your appreciation by being you.
5. Be open to criticism: Essay after essay, video after video about the Tuck Rule will open the floodgates to healthy, and unhealthy criticism about your writing style. Take what is good, and leave out the bad; don't be afraid to restructure or overhaul your blog. It may take time, but you will be glad you did (By the way, for my NFL loving friends, the Tuck Rule should stay; the refs misapplied it in the Patriots-Raiders game, that's all.) 
6. Have FUN! It's not a chore to write; it should be a passion, and if you can make it a career, then all power to you! ^_^ Good luck, and best wishes!

I hope you found encouragement reading this, I know I did ^_^ If there are new Canadians here, or new readers in general that found this helpful, feel free to comment and rate this blog. Before I go, hello Raider Nation...it's been awhile... o_O