Canucks & Beyond
Next entry: Game #1 Audio -- Post-Game Analysis
Previous entry: Game #1 Anaheim vs Vancouver
Road Report: Canucks Fan in Anaheim
by Alanah McGinley on 04/26/07 at 10:49 AM ET
Comments (7)
Pre-Series Notes: Intro to ‘Disney Gone Bad’
C&B Game #1 Notes: Optimism and Reality
The following post was contributed by Canucks fan and Vancouver-to-Los Angeles transplant Jeff Z. Jeff and his wife endured the game in Anaheim in person last night, and he was kind enough to write his thoughts about both the game and his experience in “enemy” territory.
Not a fun assignment after that nightmare, I’m sure, but an awesome job.
By Jeff Z.
Just got home from Anaheim. The drive wasn’t that bad, though it probably helped that my friend agreed to drive. We got to the game in plenty of time. Good thing too, since the Canucks decided to only play the first 7 minutes.
I don’t have much to say about the game itself. You saw it yourself. But it was amazing to see up close how little the guys were trying after the first period. They weren’t fighting for pucks and weren’t
skating hard into corners. It was almost like they were afraid to get hurt. You can’t play that way in the playoffs.
So much could have gone differently if Nazzy had just buried that breakaway. But he just seems to have lost that killer instinct. My one big note: Dustin Penner is massive. Standing in front of Luongo, the poor goalie could barely see. That’s going to be a problem.
In terms of the atmosphere, I have to say it was pretty weak. I was wearing my game-worn Igor Larionov #18 from the 75th Anniversary year. Nobody really said anything to me on the way in. I noticed a lack of Canucks jerseys though.
On every seat was an orange Ducks towel. I immediately threw mine on the ground. But why orange? That is not a Ducks color, nor has it ever been. I don’t get it.
My seat was first row of the first deck, what they call “Club Seats.” Back at the old Pacific Coliseum they called them blues. Right behind the Ducks goal. You’re supposed to get waiter service, but we
couldn’t get one to talk to us until near the end of the period, and she brought us our order in the third! Pathetic!
There were a couple of huge guys behind me, that started heckling early. The Cowan goal shut them up for a bit, and people laughed when I used the orange towel to wipe my butt. I maybe should have saved that bit, as it was obviously premature.
I don’t know what it was, but the guys stopped skating. And then the heckling started big time. Nothing too creative: “What’s a Canuck? Hey, I’ve got a Canuck stuck to the bottom of my shoe! Hey Igor - you guys ever going to get a shot?” After the goals they would jump down next to me and sing their goal song in my ear. But I mostly just tuned them out.
Sometimes it got loud, but it wasn’t nearly as loud as a Canucks game, and nothing like Chicago Stadium back in the day (I was pelted with food wearing #18 during that game!). And the biggest disappointment? Despite supposedly being a sellout, there were blocks and blocks of empty seats. That’s just brutal. Also, with 2 minutes to go, half the building left! I can see leaving early when you’re losing, but can you imagine people leaving early at GM Place when the Canucks are about to win a playoff game? MADNESS!!! These people don’t deserve to move on. 
One guy I noticed did stay was Earl from Battle of California. I spotted his green tee and went down to say hi to him quickly. He had kick ass seats that made me jealous, so I left.
One other note: between the 2nd and 3rd, I was on the phone in the concourse and noticed Matt Cooke walking by. I got off the phone and caught up with him, but he didn’t seem too in the mood to chat. I asked about him, Salo, and Bieska, and he said the latter two should be back soon. I noticed he had quite the limp he was walking with though. :(
All in all, a crap experience, given we lost, didn’t compete, and the fans barely cared. Can’t make Game 2 but hoping for Game 5. But this team has surprised me all year, so there’s still hope.
________________________
Guest Submission by Jeff Z.
Filed in: guest submission, playoff hockey, vancouver canucks | Canucks and Beyond | Permalink
Comments
Hey Earl,
Thanks for clearing that up about the color. I should have guessed the OC connection!
If 7pm is a tough weeknight start time for your crowd, how is 6pm going to be for Game 5? I guess you don’t think it’s going to get that far.
And yeah, I think the crowd needs some work. The noise level got pretty high at points, but there was never any chanting or singing (other than immediately after a goal). I was initially impressed when the hats flew out for Andy, especially since I didn’t even notice he was close to one. But then when the game was delayed because dozens of towels came out too, I was disappointed. I guess I can’t keep comparing the crowd to one in a Canadian city, but you’d never see that up North. That’s a playoff souvenir! They SELL those freaking towels at GM Place!
See you at Game 5!
Posted by Jeff on 04/26/07 at 10:36 AM ET
Oh, I won’t be at G5, got a conflict, but wear your jersey with pride! I was pretty impressed with the Vancouver segment of the crowd tonight--definite cheers were heard when Cowan got them up early.
Yeah, I’m still laughing at that P.A. announcer: “Uh, folks. This isn’t a towel trick.”
Some jerk in the section next to me even threw a bag of peanuts on the ice. J.S. Giguere was pretty quick to skate over and start sweeping them into one neat pile, though.
Posted by Earl Sleek from Los Angeles, CA on 04/26/07 at 11:04 AM ET
I wasn’t going to comment on the food throwing jerks, but glad you brought it up.
As for J.S., I’m not surprised he rushed out to help - had to break a sweat somehow, right?
Posted by Jeff on 04/26/07 at 11:54 AM ET
As for J.S., I’m not surprised he rushed out to help - had to break a sweat somehow, right?
No kidding. For all the work poor Giguere had last night, you’d think he’d have been looking for a challenge. 
Posted by Alanah McGinley from British Columbia on 04/26/07 at 01:27 PM ET
By the way, Jeff—you weren’t the only person questioning the orange color in the arena last night.
Posted by Alanah McGinley from British Columbia on 04/26/07 at 01:33 PM ET
Jeff, excellent report! Yes it took me this long to read anything that was related to G1..still in my not so happy place…
Not only a great report but a mini interview with Cooke, nice.
And you’re absolutely right, fans that quiet, that sparse and that throw orange towels on the ice after a “HAT” trick do not deserver to win the series…
Posted by Dev from a state of depression on 04/26/07 at 07:58 PM ET
Add a Comment
Please limit embedded image or media size to 575 pixels wide.
Add your own avatar by joining Kukla's Korner, or logging in and uploading one in your member control panel.
Captchas bug you? Join KK or log in and you won't have to bother.
Most Recent Blog Posts
Preparing for God to Lace ‘Em Up
Sundin Commits to Getting on a Plane
Cheering Team Canada Without Being a Douche About It
Canucks Trade for Jason LaBarbera
Dancing with the Canucks Stars!
About Canucks & Beyond
Alanah McGinley has been blogging hockey since 2003, sharing opinions, rants and not-so-deep thoughts with anyone who will listen. In addition to writing Canucks & Beyond and helping manage Kukla’s Korner, Alanah is one of the founders and co-hosts of The Crazy Canucks Podcast, as featured at Canucks.com.
She has contributed pieces to FoxSports.com and the New York Times Slapshot blog, as well as other stray destinations in cyberspace.
Email:
Alanah’s Twitter: Not really hockey-ish. [LINK]
Other Canucks Blogs
Good report, Jeff.
I’ve never really been a guy who defends Duck fans, and I’m not going to start now. It is what it is--an ignorant (but improving) hockey crowd that is entirely too enamored with the chant “Refs you suck!” and often more interested in cell phone chatter and telling the guy in front of you to please sit down than much of what is going on in the game.
As for the empty seats, it definitely was noticeable, because every empty seat had an orange towel draped over it (orange, by the way, is a ‘highlight’ color on the black uniforms, and has to do with Orange County, though not many people know that). Attendance did improve as the game went on, but I think you can blame some of that on the 7 pm start time (always a chore to get there on time), the short-notice of the NHL schedulers, and an Angels game across Katella.
You’re never going to be terribly heckled or bothered wearing the other team’s uniforms in Honda Center. I brought a Canuck-rooting friend next to me, and other than a few one-liners, he had it easy too. I think that it’s a weaker fanbase that sits in the lower bowl, but yeah, it’s a pretty tolerant bunch.
All that said, I think there have been improvements over the last few years--maybe in a few more it will be even better. But as a general rule, I’m not a Duck fan because of other Duck fans; rather I’m a Duck fan despite other Duck fans.
Besides, what other NHL city could a guy like me get awesome seats like that? Nice to meet you (briefly) last night, sorry for the weak crowd.
Posted by Earl Sleek from Los Angeles, CA on 04/26/07 at 10:28 AM ET