Anaheim Ducks: We are Ducks Nation and we stand united

Anaheim Ducks fans, like all other fan bases or occasionally squabble among themselves. It happens among friends, significant others, and families. One thing we can’t forget is that we all support the same team.

Last spring our Ciara Durant wrote an article listing reasons why Anaheim Ducks fans should be positive. It’s a great article, and if you haven’t read it yet you should. The overwhelming majority of Ducks Nation is a very supportive group.

It doesn’t mean that there can’t be disagreements. A little discord can be healthy. What kind of a world would it be if everyone agreed on all the same things? There are a few things I’d like to cover that are very divisive.

Not an Original

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The sport of hockey is still developing in most of the United States, more specifically in SoCal. Fans are still learning to love the game, the way we do now. Let’s face it there is plenty of competition for the entertainment dollar around Southern California. As long as someone is a fan, does it really matter when they became a fan?

Anaheim Ducks fans are quite fortunate. The team has been highly successful over the past decade and a half. 12 playoff appearances in 15 years; six division titles, five trips to the conference finals, two appearances in the Stanley Cup finals, and one championship. Fans of most other teams would love for their boys to perform that well.

If a fan is late to the party, so be it. It’s not always a case of jumping on the bandwagon. More often it’s someone new discovering the team. Whether or not they have suffered as long as others, is irrelevant.

Criticism = Disloyalty

I’ve been a sports fan for as long as I can remember. If there is one thing I’ve learned is that EVERYBODY has an opinion. Some positive, many negative, but opinions none the less. It’s how those opinions come out that make a difference.

We have all heard the person who says, “I paid my money, I can say whatever I want.” Yes, you can. Buying a ticket or TV package does mean he/she can say what they want, but so can those who don’t have the same opportunities. What is unacceptable is being rude or obnoxious. Thankfully, those instances are few and far between.

Then there are the fans that criticise other fans for being critical of the team. As I said earlier, everyone has an opinion. If Fan A comes out and says that Corey Perry is done, it’s his opinion. Fan B follows up the post by saying a true fan would support Perry no matter what and Fan A is just a hater. Well, both are right and neither are right, it depends on your point of view. Ducks Nation is big enough to accommodate different opinions.

Not a true fan unless you got good swag

I read a Facebook post earlier today from a fan who said he took flak for not having an authentic Ducks jersey in his previous posted picture. It broke my heart. I know Ducks fans to be good people. In today’s economy, not everyone has the money to spend in the Ducks store at Honda Center. It matters that someone represents, not how much money they spent to represent. A few haters can’t spoil what we have going in the O.C.

As members of Ducks Nation there is much we do agree on. We love and support our team. Whenever our guys take the ice against Los Angeles, and San Jose, we want to kick their butts up and down Katella Ave. Most of all DoE, Ducks over Everyone.