hockeyville88 Posted March 14, 2012 Share Posted March 14, 2012 VANCOUVER — Last week, the Winnipeg Jets came to Vancouver with their rabid fans and created a powerful energy in the home of the Canucks. They stood. They cheered. They clapped. And that was just the warm-up. When the game started, they made more noise than the Canucks’ faithful and this didn’t escape the notice of at least one of the Canucks’ players. “I love the Jets and their fan-base,” Kevin Bieksa said before Wednesday night’s meeting with the Phoenix Coyotes. “To see them come in here and out-cheer our fans is great from their perspective. I’m really happy for them.” Bieksa continued, choosing his words carefully but not, as it turned out, too carefully. “But from our perspective it’s a little sad. At times, we get that on the road when we’re in Phoenix or L.A. It seems we have a louder crowd than the home team and I know it gets them down. When you’re at home and the road team has a louder crowd, it’s a little embarrassing. I don’t think we want that to happen to us.” Many fans would agree. Unfortunately, they were in sushi lineup at the Best Buy club and couldn’t be reached for comment. The Coyotes came to town on Wednesday night and it is one of the enduring mysteries around the Canucks that they’ll play in front of more enthusiastic supporters in Glendale, Ariz., than they will in Vancouver. On the road, Canucks’ fans are extremely loud and extremely visible. At home, for reasons which are unclear, they’ve become passive to the point of somnolence. Bieksa first brought this up in a private tete-a-tete about a month ago but, at that time, declined to comment on the record. Then the Jets came to town and he was willing to talk about Canucks’ fans without much prompting. That game, in fact, was revealing on a number of different levels. For starters, any atmosphere was provided by the Jets’ supporters who not only created a wall of sound for their team, they shook the Canucks’ faithful out of their lethargy. The chants of “Go Jets Go” were met with a “Go Canucks Go” which often lasted for as long as 15 seconds. Then it relapsed while the Jets’ fans continued to make merry. Tim Campbell, who covers the Jets for the Winnipeg Free Press, has grown accustomed to the riotous scene at the MTS Centre. After watching Canucks’ fans for one period, he said: “I feel like I’m in a library.” Or worse, a game in Toronto. It wasn’t always like this. As recently as last season, Canucks’ fans provided a rollicking environment at Rogers Arena. The team was winning. It was scoring goals. They haven’t been doing either as often this season but it’s not like they’re in 12th place in their conference and the team is bereft of talent. I mean, this would be understandable if fans had to endure the Minnesota Wild or, lord help us, the Calgary Flames on a nightly basis. But that isn’t the problem. So what is? Is it a question of demographics? That might be a part of it although, when you look around the lower bowl, you don’t see a lot of suits. You see a lot of people in Canucks’ jerseys. You just don’t see them doing anything. Are they complacent? That’s also a part of it. Assuming they remove their heads from their posteriors, this will mark the fourth season in a row the Canucks have gone over 100 points. They’ll also claim their fourth straight Northwest Division pennant which leads us to another point: They don’t really have any rivals in their division and they play too many games that are hard to get excited about. Are they holding up their end of the bargain? Again, that’s part of it but that’s also a league wide problem. In case you’ve missed it, we’re back in the dead-puck era and there has to be a concern over the entertainment value NHL games are providing this season. Bieksa, for his part, acknowledges all these things but he also made an appeal to the faithful. “A lot time when you’re down in the game or you’re going through a lull in the second period, the crowd can give the team a boost. We’ve got to be working together here. We both want the same thing which is the Stanley Cup. So we’ll work for you if you work for us.” Besides, there are better sushi places in Vancouver. Read more: http://www.theprovince.com/Bieksa+calling+Canucks+fans+make+more+noise/6302969/story.html#ixzz1p8n2JjbW We heard the man! Come on people let's be louder!!! Our team has given us some amazing memories over the past few seasons. The least we can do is cheer them on Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PENGUINScanFLY Posted March 14, 2012 Share Posted March 14, 2012 Ok, but I still don't think he can hear me from my house.. The one game I went to this year, there were five suits behind me who only seemed to care about some dumbass business proposal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
-DLC- Posted March 14, 2012 Share Posted March 14, 2012 I get loud and boisterous when I'm there (so much so that my cheering partner has to remind me to sit down at times). Doin' my part. It's uncomfortable, at times, to hear the silence in the building and I agree that the team can really feed off the energy buzz that's generated. Make it happen boys and girls. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Strawberries Posted March 14, 2012 Share Posted March 14, 2012 all suits at the game Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nizzy10 Posted March 14, 2012 Share Posted March 14, 2012 im not a season ticket holder but when i get a chance to go i take full advantage of cheering the boys on, the only down side is people around me are so dull and it makes it so uncomfortable. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Brahma Bull Posted March 14, 2012 Share Posted March 14, 2012 good on juice. hopefully the team will give them something to cheer about tonight. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darkstar Posted March 14, 2012 Share Posted March 14, 2012 all suits at the game Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
n00bxQb Posted March 14, 2012 Share Posted March 14, 2012 " At home, for reasons which are unclear ..." The reasons are very clear; everyone in the lower bowl is a prude who doesn't want to be distracted from their BBM conversation. I had tickets last year against Calgary in the River Rock Casino section, Center Ice, Row 7. Everyone there was so quiet and when I cheered or booed or did normal fan stuff, I got glares and lots of them. The only time it was "acceptable" to cheer was when we scored. The reasons are crystal clear. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rink on Renfrew Posted March 14, 2012 Share Posted March 14, 2012 It's rather sad nowadays, the fans in the building who cheer loud are the minority. The amount of halfassed fans that populate Rogers Arena is pathetic. I was at the Montreal game and it seemed the Montreal fans were louder and the only time Canuck fans raised there voices is when trying to shut the Montreal fans out. I know there wasn't much to cheer about but the Habs fans started chanting Ole' Ole' Ole' uncontested. That's rather pathetic if you ask me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MJDDawg Posted March 14, 2012 Share Posted March 14, 2012 He's right. Rogers Arena can be emabarrassingly quiet on a lot of nights. Our fans are definately passive and seem to want to wait for a reason to cheer instead of trying to pump up our team at times in the game when our team could use a jolt of energy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ṣpiderman Posted March 14, 2012 Share Posted March 14, 2012 Bieksa wants people to cheer for their poor play? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest AriGold Posted March 14, 2012 Share Posted March 14, 2012 CORPORATE SEASONS TICKETS Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DeNiro Posted March 14, 2012 Share Posted March 14, 2012 I've heard more noise at curling matches... I don't know why some fans go if they're not even excited to be there. Give your tickets to someone who does wanna be there! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
justsayin Posted March 14, 2012 Share Posted March 14, 2012 I go to a fair amount of games. I cheer as loud as just about anyone there. It is difficult to find things to cheer about with the way the whole team has been playing this year. I think everyone just needs that playoff buzz back. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kesler_smash Posted March 14, 2012 Share Posted March 14, 2012 All I know is if I paid a decent amount of hard earned money to see a game live I wouldn't waste the opportunity by screaming out loud "go canucks go" for any length of time. I'd much rather pay attention to the game and cheer when theres a goal, big hit or fight...not cheer mindlessly throughout the whole game, and personally I would also be annoyed by people doing this nearby. And I'm sorry if you are a pro athelete making millions crowd volume level should have zero impact on how you are playing, and if u say it does you need to question your choice of profession. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christophe Posted March 14, 2012 Share Posted March 14, 2012 thats what happens when ticket prices are so expensive that the "real" fans cant afford to go more than once or so a year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Primal Optimist Posted March 14, 2012 Share Posted March 14, 2012 Send me a ticket, and I will scream till i am hoarse! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christophe Posted March 14, 2012 Share Posted March 14, 2012 thats what happens when ticket prices are so expensive that the "real" fans cant afford to go more than once or so a year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trebreh Posted March 14, 2012 Share Posted March 14, 2012 I agree! It was embarrasing hearing the Habnot fans singing "na na na na hey goodbye" chant in out own friggin building. Then the Jets fans come into town and out chant us?!?! pathetic. I dont get the Canuck fans who sell their tickets to opposing teams fans. This is our home building, unless they overpay twice the price, im not selling my tickets to any non Canuck fans. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stick-in-Rink Posted March 14, 2012 Share Posted March 14, 2012 Meh, can't blame fans of recent for not cheering as loud when team is playing like absolute crap. However, it is annoying when you attend games and see many suits at the games on their phones not cheering. I haven't been to a game in like a year, but when I go, I'm sure I'm heard by everyone. Bieksa can gladly donate tickets to some diehards who would love to cheer loudly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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