Into my fourth day of my first visit to California and it has come as advertised and then again it hasn't.
I really didn't know what to expect from the Anaheim atmosphere for game one of the western conference quarterfinal. Finding fans in the day leading up to the game was a chore but honestly the Ducks fans broke a few stereotypes.
They are not your laid back surf-loving folk. These people are intense, loud and love their orange. And they are polite you could almost confuse them with Canadians. Almost.
Yes, I knew that the Californians and Manitobans shared a love for a player from Finland. Teemu Selanne is treated like royalty on California soil. The crowd went nuts when the Finnish Flash was shown on the jumbotron and after the game during a chance meeting in the elevator #8 could only ask me about the excitement back in Winnipeg.
"You know about the passion for the Jets. Now amp that up tenfold," I told him.
All he could do is smile.
"Winnipeg is a special place," he said.
I'll give them credit. The Anaheim fans love their team. The Ducks games are more of a rock and roll show compared to Winnipeg. A lot of sizzle and if you check out the Ducks record they have had the steak but just haven’t been able to finish the meal. Early playoff exits the last three years have broken these fans' hearts.
While the Ducks fans are good, the Jets fans are unreal.
Prior to game one, a sea of white and blue took over the largest sports bar close to Anaheim. Fans breaking out in "go Jets go" chants. And every 10 minutes their own version of ‘O Canada.’ Loud, boisterous and respectful.
The suds were flowing almost as deep as the passion these fans have for their team. There is a kinship. Maybe it's because the Jets are new but the fans have an ownership in their team.
"I feel like a school teacher sometimes and it's like the fans are the parents dropping their team off. I get to borrow the players but in the end this team belongs to community," said Jets head coach Paul Maurice.
The couple hundred did their best to belt out "true north" and are representing the city and province perfectly. Ducks fans have never seen anything like it and may be taking some lessons.
Now, to see if this pace can keep up.
