“I don’t know why you like watching that sport, it’s so violent!”
I was sitting in my parents’ living room, taking advantage of their 55-inch flatscreen HDTV. After all, my Anaheim Ducks don’t look quite as good at my house, on my fuzzy 27-inch CRT, even when they’re kicking the butts of their latest opponent. My mother’s random anti-hockey comments are a small price to pay.
Being a hockey fan in Southern California is already hard enough. We’re used to having to scour the internet for news about our favorite teams and players. The usual sports shows never cover hockey, unless Patrick Kane beats up another cabbie. We put up with ridicule from our friends whose cars are plastered with Lakers and Chargers stickers. Southern California boasts warm, sunny weather even during the winter months… much of which its residents would rather be taking part in, instead of spending a beautiful evening indoors at a chilly ice hockey rink.
If this was your backyard, you might think twice about heading to the rink too!
The market is small here. Overshadowed by Hollywood actors/actresses, larger-than-life celebrity athletes, and unrealistic image stereotypes, hockey doesn’t get a lot of attention. Neither do its players, both young and veteran.
But you see, I believe it’s this lack of overt attention that creates a wonderful dynamic between the Anaheim Ducks organization and its fans. The players don’t get recognized on the street… they can walk around in public and live otherwise ordinary lives. I’ve often said people in Southern California don’t recognize a hockey puck, more or less a hockey player.
Those people who DO happen to recognize a player, are usually rewarded by a very humble and grateful athlete, whose warm grin is genuine and appreciative. I can’t speak for all Southern Californian hockey teams and players, but my Ducks have been nothing but the most classy of guys in person. I believe they realize that their fans could be doing a number of different things besides following hockey. We could be spending our money on a plethora of other hobbies and interests besides hockey games. The fact that we are here and we support our boys means more to them than it would to other teams.
“Anaheim Ducks GOOOAAAALLLL!!!”
Our Ducks have given us a lot for our patronage. There’s a bit of an East Coast bias within the NHL, so even the more experienced non-Californian hockey fan might not know much about what our Ducks have achieved. We’ve enjoyed playoff games for the last four consecutive seasons, including a visit by Lord Stanley’s Holy Grail. We’ve been blessed to have some of the best NHL athletes to ever play the sport skate regularly on our home ice. Teemu Selanne, Scott Niedermayer, Chris Pronger… future Hall of Famers that have changed the face of the sport. We’ve enjoyed the contributions that the Anaheim Ducks organization has made to local charities and communities, including programs to grow the sport amongst Southern Californian youth. But primarily, we’ve been given the opportunity to become fans of the best game around.
We’ve been given a team to believe in, for a sport we’ve come to love.
Becoming a Ducks fan is like being welcomed into a large family of people who realize how special the sport and its players are. Your friends and family might find it odd that you’ve grown enamored with such an unlikely hobby, but your Ducks family understands! We’ve gathered in groups online, at watch parties, and at games to make the hockey experience that much more special. I have to say I’ve met some life-friends through my Ducks, people whose friendships extend well beyond the rink. I’ve discovered that not all athletes are egotistical, arrogant celebrity types. I know what it feels like to root for the underdog, and to gloat at the naysayers when they’ve been proven wrong. I’m an Anaheim Ducks fan, and proud of it!
Ducks54 of And he shoots… he scores
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So glad you wrote this piece!
Wonderfully said!
Thanks, SK! Off to read yours now =D
Great article, loved every bit of it.
Ill be bookmarking yours and SKs blogs!
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Amazingly said. I will always be a proud Anaheim Ducks fan. I now reside in the East Coast for school purposes and it’s very much true. The bias of hockey in the East Coast is very much real. It’s been 4 months that I’ve lived in upstate NY now and I had not seen any recaps of the Ducks game on Sports Center–that is, until today. They showed an altercation in the stands when Scotty gave one of the fans a hockey stick. That is why many people have these stereotypes of hockey. It being violent and rough, but you know what? Who cares! I love the sport and all of us Ducks fan’s will continue to love it; even when our team isn’t doing so great.
Well said, DucksFan! Unfortunately, the only press the Ducks will get back East is bad press… which is why we’ll continue fighting off the “goon” stereotype for seasons to come.
Either way, what’s important is that we love the sport, we love our team and they know it!
“I know what it feels like to root for the underdog, and to gloat at the naysayers when they’ve been proven wrong. I’m an Anaheim Ducks fan, and proud of it!”
Yes! Well said. Let’s Go Ducks!
Saying that the only reason that the Ducks are labeled as “goons” is because of bad East Coast press is just biased and ignorant.
Let’s see some of the players on the recent Ducks roster.
Chris “Captain Elbows” Pronger – More suspensions than any other player in NHL history. Gets booed in almost every arena he plays in. Voted “dirtiest player” in a poll of NHL players. When your peers vote you dirtier than Steve Ott and Sean Avery, you’re pretty effin dirty.
Brad May – This guy signed with Colorado and got booed by his home team because he was considered the mastermind behind the Bertuzzi assault on Steve Moore. Only guy I’ve ever seen to knock someone out and continue to attack him after he was unconscious (2007 playoffs vs. Minnesota – Kim Johnsson).
Todd Bertuzzi – Anyone who signs this POS after the Steve Moore incident deserves to go straight to hell.
Rob Niedermayer – His nickname is “Special Nieds.” Awful hockey player. Led the team in penalty minutes during the 2007 cup run.
Corey Perry – I’ll let a Ducks’ fan write about Corry Perry…”I also never ever ever ever ever worry when Corey Perry is fallen on the ice waiting for a trainer — so far in his career, he’s faked it almost every time. He’s got the mouthy attitude of an Avery-like pest but without his own fists backing him up.” For dirtiness factor, just go to youtube and look up “Corey Perry elbows Claude Giroux”
Sean O’Donnell – He now plays for my favorite team, and even I think he’s dirty. You can have him back if you want him.
George Parros – The only guy on the team who is supposed to be dirty. He even looks dirty thanks to his stupid ’stache.
Fun fact – The Anaheim Ducks 2006-2007 team is the first team in post-original six NHL history to lead the league in penalty minutes and win the Cup.
Fun experiment – Pull up footage of any Anaheim Ducks game in the last 5 years. Find me a single game where Teemu Selanne does not bitch and moan to a referee about something. Fair warning, this will take you a really, really long time.
I understand that some teams recruit a bunch of goons as strategy to make them a difficult team to play against. The Philadelphia Flyers and their “Broad Street Bullies” come to mind. However, the difference is that the Flyers organization and their fans know, embrace, and practicaly celebrate the fact that they are dirty. Ducks fans do not. I even recall an article I read two seasons ago in the OC Register where Randy Carlyle was complaining that the refs were being overly harsh against his team. The first user comment….”Ummm, have you looked at your roster lately?” Enough said.
The Ducks are a dirty team. The sooner the Anaheim fans learn and admit this, the sooner non-Duck fans will give them some respect.
^^^From a Kings fan, obviously.
GO Ducks! Fantastic article, btw!
Colin -
Now why would you waste your energy writing all of that on a Ducks post?
Maybe you just like to criticize, which is why you also had negative things to say about your Kings’ guest blogger in his pickmyNHLteam post (which was, as I pointed out in my comment on your team’s page, a good piece of hockey journalism).
Might I suggest writing a guest post in support and admiration of your team? After all, your team actually has some fine selling points this season.
p.s.–John, please add another vote for my Ducks!
Thanks Tara, NYDucksGal, and DucksFan! Go Ducks!!
Colin-
After reading your post which was a complete waste of my time. I am glad to say that you are not a ducks fan because we would not want you! Just because a team plays with grit, passion and an edge does not make them dirty. I love your fun fact about the ducks being the only post original six to win the cup and have the most penalty minutes, was that suppose to make the ducks look bad? To me it just shows how much better we were then our opponents to play the most time down a man and still bring home the cup. I know it must be hard to be a Kings fan and not be able to win the cup even with great one on your team but remember something very important jealousy will get you no where!! If you need proof of how bias the officials are towards the ducks please watch last fridays Det vs Ducks game and tell me that it was even close to fair.
GO DUCKS!!
Pick the Ducks!
The Ducks won tonight, can’t wait until you are a Ducks fan!
lol you Ducks fans are f*cking delusional. That Colin guy provided nothing but a list of factual information that reveals that Anaheim is a dirty team, and so all of you have absolutely nothing to reply with except ad hominem attacks and “LOL KINGS FAN WHAT A FAG”. As a matter of fact, you’re all almost half as dirty as the Ducks.
p.s. Go Wings, bitches.
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