Friday, October 31, 2008

We’re Bad, We’re Nationwide

From the OC Register: “Red Wings Nation is growing in Ducks’ neighborhood” Excerpts:

“Duckman” noticed it and made mention of it on the OC Register’s Ducks blog page during Wednesday night’s game against the Detroit Red Wings.
Register columnist Randy Youngman and a few others seated in the high-altitude press box noticed it, too.
When Teemu Selanne sealed his hat trick in Wednesday night’s overtime Ducks victory, the reaction of the 17,174 fans at Honda Center was pathetic.
It took close to 30 seconds before one measly hat went zipping through the air. I didn’t see more than two hats land on the ice.
By night’s end, more octopi had landed on the Honda Center ice than hats. And the Ducks were the winning team!!!
By contrast, it was easy to feel that buzz in the arena that was generated by the Red Wings fans in attendance.
At about 5:45 p.m., more than an hour before the game started, the cluster of Red Wings fans was already growing in section 209, near the tunnel that leads to the Wings’ locker room.
They all wore their Red Wings’ sweaters. They all shared a common bond. It was a bond that was built on their love and dedication to the Red Wings. And their knowledge of hockey.

Yep… that would be “Red Wings Nation,” about which:

“The Red Wings are America’s Team,” said (Jacqui) White, a native of Massachusetts. “I’ve suffered through horrific seasons, devastating losses and have been lucky enough to see four Stanley Cup Championships.” (Ed: Me, too! Me, too! Since 1985…)
[…]
While the city of Detroit is widely known for its burned out buildings and criminal element, the Red Wings Nation West wasn’t created to bash other teams or their fans. This nation isn’t nearly as obnoxious as those who consider themselves residents of Red Sox Nation.

Well, there’s just a lil bit of hyperbole at play in the foregoing. The Wings are hardly “America’s Team”… if only because hockey isn’t near the draw (yet) basketball or baseball is… but they just might be “America’s Hockey Team.” I could buy that.

Question: Isn’t it strange/interesting that the loyalty and dedication of Wings’ fans gets (a) noticed and (b) merits a rather extensive article in one of SoCal’s major newspapers?

Answer: No. Not really. Hockey fans know, beyond a doubt, that the Wings’ fan base is nationwide… even in sunny Southern California. Hockey fans also know that when the Wings are in town…any town… there will be a big contingent of Red Wings fans in the stands. Even casual fans can’t fail to see the distinctive red jerseys sprinkled liberally throughout the enemy arena when the Wings play away games. The only other hockey team with as a loyal a fan base is Les Habitants (arguably… hockey fans are as rabid as they come, no matter where they live)… and those fans generally don’t travel outside of Quebec, unless it’s to Toronto for a game against the Leafs or maybe down to New Yawk or Boston to watch the Habs play the Rangers (Islanders?) or B’s. Montreal is close to those two cities, ya know. So the Wings are fairly unique for a hockey team, in the sense that their fan base, while concentrated in Deetroit, is ultimately nationwide.

Coz that’s just the way we are, Gentle Reader.
(OK… you hadda know this was coming…)


Heh.

10 comments:

  1. I liked this morning's rock 'n roll. And I like this afternoon's even better. I was needed to rock a bit today.

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  2. I should explain that yesterday at art, the girls did not like my music on Pandora, which was Simon and Garfunkle and such. So we listened to Judy Garland genre. I get a bit tired of that sometimes. What is wrong with this younger generation :)

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  3. Din't the ice season just wrap up like last week? Don't those guys take a break? Simon and Garfunkel? Really? They'd get a heavy dose of Lynyrd Skynyrd Pandora here...LIKE IT or leave.

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  4. "Question: Isn’t it strange/interesting that the loyalty and dedication of Wings’ fans gets (a) noticed and (b) merits a rather extensive article in one of SoCal’s major newspapers?"

    Ahh, the Detroit Red Wings, the Barack Obama of the NHL.

    I could go one insult lighter and say the Boston Red Sox of the NHL, but that would be underachieving (something I wish the damned Wings would do sometime).

    Had to do it, Buck!

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  5. I noted the date of this post, saw the strange art work and was certain I would be entertained by a horror story.
    Imagine my surprise when a compatriot (reading over my shoulder) said, "Gee, it is a horror story."
    But he explained the game of hockey to me which I have decided is sort of like basketball on ice skates. Utterly ridiculous. Who snaps that puck to the quarterback?

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  6. Buck,
    I'd put up my Flyers against your Redwings any day!!! I love that at any away game the Flyers go to there are always Orange and Black sweaters in the stands, in some places there are lots. Watch any game with the Cap's in Washington and you will see thousands of Flyer fans in attendance. Same when the play the Devils or the Pen's.

    The cable company out here covers all the Flyers games except those that are put on Versus or the big network during the playoffs. And since the cable company is a partial owner of the team we get really good coverage. The broadcast crew is very good, I love their coverage and they always make a point to show the Orange and Black in the stands no matter where they are at. Even up there in hockey hell, Calgery there are Flyer fans.

    Its fun to watch, Redwings or Flyers, its all good!!!

    BT: Jimmy T sends.

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  7. Lou sez: So we listened to Judy Garland genre. I get a bit tired of that sometimes. What is wrong with this younger generation :)

    Judy Garland!?! Well.. I'll be! Better'n hip-hop, I suppose, but I AM rather stunned.

    Jay sez: Din't the ice season just wrap up like last week?

    June 4th (for Wings and Penguins fans, a bit earlier for others), but who's counting? ;-)

    And I imagine the Lynyrd Skynyrd station is a lot like the ZZ Top station, innit? Lots of LS played on ZZ...

    Jenn sez: There are way too many Montreal fans all over Canada....I'm not one of them!

    So... who IS your team, Jenn? You're the only Canadian commenting here and Enquiring Minds(tm) wanna know. I used to really hate the Leafs, back when the Wings and Leafs played in the old Norris Division. The Wings - Leafs rivalry from those days is sorely missed...

    Andy sez: Ahh, the Detroit Red Wings, the Barack Obama of the NHL.

    I could go one insult lighter and say the Boston Red Sox of the NHL, but that would be underachieving (something I wish the damned Wings would do sometime).


    Ah... but there's a KEY difference between The One and the Wings... the Wings ain't empty suits. ;-)

    Cat sez: Imagine my surprise when a compatriot (reading over my shoulder) said, "Gee, it is a horror story."

    Your compatriot obviously ain't a Wings fan, is he? ;-)

    Jimmy sez: Its fun to watch, Redwings or Flyers, its all good!!!


    Correct-a-mundo!

    You're fortunate to live in a great part of the world, hockey wise, Jimmy (as I've said SO many times before).

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  8. Redwings who? I thought that was just an terrible dream the Penguins had about losing the Stanley Cup.

    Oh...wait...never mind. Sigh!

    *Gold and black shirts are just so much more stylish, in my opinion!*

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  9. *Gold and black shirts are just so much more stylish, in my opinion!*

    Well, I agree... if the subject at hand is bowling shirts. Otherwise? Not so much. ;-)

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  10. I'm agnostic on all three teams, Jenn... except when it comes time for the playoffs, LOL!

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Just be polite... that's all I ask.