No, This Situation Is Nothing Like Winnipeg, Quebec or Hartford

We in Atlanta see it daily. There is a fan blog in the AJC, our local paper, and the Typical comment from our northern neighbors echo what you guys hear. At first I would politely state “Hey, we lost the Flames in 1980, we know what you are going through” and after so much of being called stupid rednecks (even though most of the 6.5 million people in the Metro Atlanta area are northern transplants) or being told we don’t deserve Bettmans “Failed Southern Experiment” it starts to get to you. I’ve been to Toronto a few times and I absolute love Canada. Would be better if all the rude and obnoxious Hockey fans up there went away. We love the game and just like the Yotes once decent ownership (in this case the NHL) comes along the Thrashers will surprise everyone, just like the Yotes did last year :)

How fat we all are. All Coyotes fans are fat apparently. And a burden to the health care system. o.O this is just one example of the ridiculousness I’ve experienced. I’ve been walking around with a target on my back ever since I became a fan of this team. Even before the BK 2 years ago. But I’m still here & I’m still fighting & I love my team more than ever. I even went and got a shirt made with “TheYotesDiva” printed on the back – here: heres my target. BRING IT ON!!!! i just make the fart noise at them now. Because thats how ridiculous this has all become. But with this type of hatred being spewed at us – how can we ever be able to establish a solid fanbase? This needs to stop. Now.

Hey guys.

I just wanted to hop on to say that I know exactly how you are feeling. We here in Nashville get bashed, trashed and laughed at because we support a southern team. Saying that they hope that we fold (I’m looking at you, Vancouver fans who were upset that we blanked you 3 – 0), that they hope we move to some random Canadian town because they “deserve it more” than we do. That we have “four fans”.

Doesn’t matter. Can’t let those fools get beneath your skin. You know what comments like that make me do?

Scream louder during games.

Got your back, Coyote fans.

I really think the worst thing in all this is the possibility of those idiot haters actually winning.
Definately an example of the good guys losing.

I feel for any fans losing their team(I’m a Minnesotan and will hate Norm Green until the day I die). However I do think the Coyotes should move, while there are great fans of the team it just seems like there aren’t enough of them. They have been in the bottom 5 of attendence like 7 out of 10 years, and never higher than 20th. The idea used to be once they start winning, the fans would come but it just hasn’t been the case. The Yotes had a good team last year, and a good team this year but the fans still are not showing up. Couple that with the ownership issues, and I personally think its time for the NHL to move on. The NHL can work in warm weather places but for whatever reason, it doesn’t seem to be working there. This has nothing to do with the fans they do have, cause they are as great as any other fans, but the number of fans in the market just doesnt seem to be enough to make them viable.

Since Travis posted his thoughts last night, I have seen the predictable. That would be an internet flame war between fans of two separate countries and two separate cities. There are plenty more that have been very understanding and respectful, therefore the troublemakers have been fewer in number than many realize.

My hometown team is the New York Rangers. They are my first love and remain as such. I fell in love with hockey during the second half of my high school years even though the first game I ever watched on television was when I was just 9 years old. By the time I went to college, hockey overtook all other sports I enjoy and has been far and away #1 ever since.

Back then, the NHL did not readily make available to American viewers games played in Canada, including those memorable ones when Wayne Gretzky played in Edmonton. If you were lucky to have cable television, you’d get to see an occasional game. Otherwise you resorted to game highlights on ESPN. But I did appreciate how much hockey is a religious part of the Canadian way of life. I get it, hockey reigns supreme there. But what some up there don’t understand is, just because it is not regarded the same way or at the same level in the United States, it doesn’t mean there are plenty of those who love the NHL at least as much.

That said, I now bring up the debate between the old city and the current one. I remember seeing Winnipeg Jets games on television, especially when the Rangers played them at Winnipeg Arena. They were special to watch, about as much as when they played the other Canadian teams. There is something about seeing those particular games where you appreciate it more than others, perhaps because they are played in another country and see how they celebrate the game. Just look at the TV ads alone and it gives you that impression…

I recall very clearly when the Jets were on the brink of leaving Winnipeg. I hated it. I was going to miss their White Outs, that unique goal horn (which is still played at MTS Centre) and the painting of Queen Elizabeth II hanging from its rafters. During the final game, I knew I’d miss seeing the Jets because of their fan support as well.

However, when I heard the Jets were moving to Phoenix, I was absolutely overjoyed that is where the team was headed. My personal connection to that city is one of the driving reasons why I love the Coyotes. I nearly moved to Arizona when I was just 7, but my family’s business decided to stay in the New York area. I love hockey, the NHL and seeing it come to Phoenix was a dream come true. Yes, I wish it wasn’t the Jets, but I could not be picky back then. It was a team that called Phoenix home. The Coyotes continued the White Out tradition and it was done out of respect to the Jets years. Some diehard Jets fans will dispute that claim.

So from the beginning dating back to July 1, 1996, I have also been a Phoenix Coyotes fan. I’ve gone through the ups and downs with the team. When they were doing well, big crowds at US Airways Center in downtown Phoenix. When the Coyotes’ fortunes went south, so did the attendance. Obviously due to business reasons, the Coyotes couldn’t continue to play downtown and eventually went to nearby Glendale. I was again happy the Coyotes could open a new chapter in club history with a re-branding and new arena. But the wins didn’t follow. I grew frustrated like every other Coyotes fan here. Jets fans obviously began to give Arizonans the “I told ya so” where they think fans don’t support the Coyotes or hockey doesn’t work there.

It is bad business decisions, a very poorly run franchise in especially recent years by Jerry Moyes, the lack of marketing and especially poor on-ice performance is what has pushed the Coyotes to where they are today… on the brink of either being saved or complete collapse where they have to move again. Since Moyes made his disgraceful move to put the team into Chapter 11 bankruptcy AND the Jim Ballisie debacle, Jets fans as well as Canadian fans in general PLUS their print and broadcast media have done their part to campaign for the Coyotes to move back north, that including Winnipeg. So we are where we are.

Even before the Coyotes were facing the threat of relocation, I have supported Winnipeg in seeing the NHL return there. I have followed the “Return of the Jets Campaign” run by Darren Ford. While Phoenix fans don’t think kindly of him, I do appreciate his efforts and hope his dream becomes a reality. But there is one thing I don’t want. NOT AT THE COYOTES EXPENSE. My next dream would be one day we see both Phoenix and Winnipeg with teams and even develop a healthy rivalry, similar to the one between the Dallas Stars and Minnesota Wild… the one “old team vs. new team” thing. I feel like lately I have had to be a peacemaker between those that salivate at a Jets return and those vehemently wanting the Coyotes to stay in Phoenix. Without any shred of doubt, I support the Coyotes staying FIRST and won’t ever change.

So for a final note, the Canadian media, its talking heads, SOME Canadian fans and the minority of Winnipeg hockey fans need to back the hell off. You are making ruining the reputation of the good people from there. Stop with the onslaught of slander toward Phoenix, Glendale and the state of Arizona. Your support of Goldwater Institute exists for only one reason, for them to kill the Coyotes sale to Matthew Hulsizer and in turn move the team back to Winnipeg. We see this with Mike Phelan’s Facebook group. That MINORITY gives Winnipeg, the province of Manitoba and the rest of Canada a bad name. We appreciate your love for the NHL and wanting it to return to your city. BUT don’t troll the Phoenix Coyotes’ Facebook page, the Arizona Republic web site and any other internet site that covers THIS hockey team. It makes Arizona based hockey fans and others like me who live elsewhere even more determined to see this team stay AND not see you get what you want. Stay patient and leave Phoenix fans alone. That includes you Gary Lawless, David Shoalts, Damian Cox and a number of others from a media standpoint. The fans? You too. You want the NHL to come back? Stay patient and stop the maddening venom you spew at Phoenix. It makes you deserve a team that much less. Save yourselves from a worsening reputation and back off if you know what’s best for ALL of us fans. That way, there is no bloodbath in the years to come with or without NHL teams in BOTH cities.

I think you know my views on this subject, as I have been consistently stating them on every website that I comment on. I have nothing else to add to the sentiment of your post.

I know that you are aware of fair-mnded, reasonable people on our side of the border who completely reject the xenophobia and childishness of some of our countrymen. It is sad, but there it is.

THAT BEING SAID:

I hope all of you are bracing yourselves. However this current situation turns out, there are going to be a number of Canadian “fans” [and I have used those quotes for years, you gimmick-stealer :-) ], especially the large number of immature kids aged 12-30 or so who are going to disgrace themselves with their conduct – either obnoxious gloating, or hideous lashing out – when all is said and done.

hi I’m from winnipeg, and it very much does disapoint me how many people have taken this whole thing personally and are making comments that should be made. I personally agree one hundred percent with the article you wrote and i can understand that there is a love of the game there. I do hope you know how excited it makes me with the possiblity of a team coming back here.

I may be able to provide you will come insight as to how they can call the southern franchises and experiement.
part of it may have t do with the fact that if say the atlanta thrashers were to be bought and moved away from atlanta… it would be the second franchise to fail there in under 50 years.. moving a new franchise there could be considered and experiment>

as for you calling winnipeg a snowy igloo land of whatever the heck it is you called it…. well you just sound like an idiot and clearly have no idea where winnipeg is in canada. maybe comments like that are why winnipeg citizens make cruel comments to you… we’ve been hearing stuff like that for ages

and when i sayd should be made i mean should not..

you’re right you could say that moving a team back to winnipeg could be a experiment… but i’m sure it’s an experiment with a solid hypothesis and facts to back it up…
as for people calling you fat.. well that’s just a ridiuclous reason for you to not have a team… frick i think i’m fat but whatever… doesn’t mean i don’t want a team

anyways while i am very sad because clearly your community is very upset about this. we dont’ know what’s going on in the future.
You do seem to have a very strong support in gary bettman.. as much as you may hate him for considering moving the team, he clearly has communicated that he’s trying to keep the team there.
I’m sure if it were the thrashers he probably would have given us the team very quickly (just for the reason that the nhl could not sustain 2 teams) and it would be very interesting to see a jets, coyotes duel… but regardless. i apologize for other winnipeggers comments.

people forget that we didn’t choose to get the Jets. the Jets were available to be moved and we happened to be the destination. we didnt take anything. if the jets weren’t moved they would have be died and Doan would be playing for another team.

Not to mention the other markets that have lost teams. Like Denver and San Jose. I still remember asking my mom for Rockie Hockey Tickets in June, where are they now? They are classic examples where losing and bad management loses a team not the city it is in. Phoenix is the similar in that bad management and losing has brought us to the brink of being moved. But we are winning now and have a buyer who is willing to make the changes needed to make this successful. I would like to see us emerge from the brink like the Penguins did and be a successful thriving Team.

As a Winnipeg Jets fan. I can feel your pain. I was 16 when the team up and left. It was a bitter loss and no one here has ever forgotten what Bettman did. He has given Phoenix more lives than a cat has and that is a trillion times more than afforded to the citizens of Winnipeg. Perhaps that is where some of the anger is coming from. Either way it’s not right. I personally haven’t seen many direct verbal confrontations but I’m sure one side isn’t solely the aggressor.

I’m a Winnipegger currently going to school in Oklahoma. I’m planning on staying here, but that doesn’t make me any less excited by the possibility of the Jets returning.
I was 13 when the Jets left Winnipeg. I remember going to the “Save our Jets” rally at the Forks where better than 50,000 people showed up to voice their support for the team and give whatever money they could afford. That week in the summer of ‘95, the grassroots movement raised over 4 million dollars in a week, which was enough to give us one last season to say goodbye. I bawled my eyes out when the Jets skated around the rink after losing Game six of the Western Conference Quarterfinals to the Red Wings. I was devestated. I mothballed my love of hockey that day as I could never choose another team to root for. I was a diehard Jets fan then, and I still am today.
I apologize for the rudeness you’ve experienced, but you have to understand where it comes from. All of us have gone through a rough breakup, so let’s use that as an example; You may not like your ex, but you HATE the person they end up with. You always secretly hope it will fail. Winnipeg got DUMPED HARD by the NHL. Our love and devotion wasn’t enough and we just didn’t have the cash to keep that golddigger interested. But now that seems to be changing.
I’m sorry you have to hear from people in Winnipeg and around the NHL lashing out at Phoenix fans. Regardless of where you are, a hockey fan is a hockey fan and I never want to see a team ripped away from a true fan. But please try not to take it personally; the attacks are towards the general Phoenix resident who- I think we can all agree- doesn’t care about the Coyotes one way or another. Just like the new boyfriend, who’s probably a great guy, we just can’t get around the hurt from being spurned. No one likes to feel inferior and the NHL really has done a number on Winnipeg’s collective self esteem.
I think you’ll see the majority of Winnipegers become gracious winners if the Coyotes do repatriate, but while this tug of war is going on over the team it’s going to be ugly.
All the best.

SWomebody call the WAAAAAAAAMBULANCE!

I am sorry that Pkoenix fans are going through this and I hope its over soon. The Canadian fans have acted poorly on many blogs and I am suck of it. Being a Winnipeger I just cant believe the stuff I have been reading.

 I have a lot of opinions on Winnipeg getting a team again and I went to the save the jets site and spoke my mind with my honest thoughts, using approipriate language and expressing what I thought the impact would be to my family and I. Guess what ? I was called a troll and kicked off the site. A Winnipeger ! I had season tickets every year the jets were here including the WHA jets. And they KICK ME OFF ? How dare they.

Winnipeg fans do need to back off and stop bashing the loyal yotes fans and all the rest of the crap. I said this on another thread. Winnipegers of all people should be using empathy twords the yotes fans. It makes me so fing mad and embarased. I sure hope this all ends soon and the team stays in Phoenix so the taxpayers and fans get somthing for the millions they have allready shelled out. It would be a shame if you lost them.