I'll Vote No

Modern plumbing is a fabulous thing. We have great luxuries like flushing and urinal "mints". I find it absolutely idiotic that people would want to move backwards when it comes to sanitation, but it appears that fans of the Winnipeg Jets would prefer to go back to the "good ol' days" when it comes to peeing. It's not all Jets fans, mind you. No, it seems that the only fans who want to jump back in time are of the male persuasion because they are pushing for the return of the "trough" that once lined the walls of men's bathrooms in the old Winnipeg Arena.

Apparently, the long waits for a urinal or bathroom stall at MTS Centre are a downer for fans who have to go. The line-ups are causing some fans to miss portions of the game when nature calls, and that has caused an uprising of some 300+ Jets fans to call for the troughs to be brought back from their final resting spots.

"Oh, it's killer, it's killer, especially when intermission comes. It's very long waiting," Jets fan Don Lavallee told CBC News at the NHL game Tuesday night. I hate to point this out to Mr. Lavallee, but it's always been like this at MTS Centre. While there were rarely 15,000 fans at Moose games, the lines have always been long while waiting for a urinal or stall. In fact, most arenas I have been to experience some sort of slow-down when you're waiting for a place to release some pressure during an intermission.

If you want to sign the online petition to bring back the urine trough, you're welcome to it. Personally, you won't find my name on it. I've stood beside too many drunk dudes who thought it was "cool" to splash you with their urine while they stood there with their pants around their ankles. In fact, it looks something like this:
Not really my idea of fun, especially when your ass is hanging out at the same level as some of the kids in the washroom. It's gross, the place reeked of urine, and getting bumped while you peed always meant there was a chance you were coming out of the washroom wetter than when you went in.

It sounds like the people responsible for these decisions at MTS Centre see the value in using semi-private urinals. I can't see any value of giving into a few people who prefer to pee into the trough than planning their washroom visits accordingly. If you're one of those people who enjoy the smell of urine, like crowding around a metal conduit of urine, and enjoy the risk of walking out with urine on your clothes, sign that petition.

Don't get angry if it doesn't happen, though. Just remember that it's better being pissed off than pissed on.

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!