My heart felt as if it was almost full to bursting on Wednesday night as the sound of 15,000 strong singing Oh Canada with pride and excitement filled the MTS centre for the second pre-season home game of the new Winnipeg Jets.
A few months ago I did not believe that I would ever actually see the Winnipeg Jets return. I thought it had been too long and that even if a return of the NHL came it could not mean a return of the beloved Jets. I didn’t want to get excited, I told myself it was a bad idea and that I didn’t care if they came back, but I did.
I wanted it just as fervently as many others in this city but after years and years of hearing rumors and promises I could no longer bring myself to believe it had a chance. I had fully prepared myself for it to once again to be nothing but false rumor and false hope. I wasn’t in the least prepared for it to actually come true.
Even when it was 100% confirmed that the Jets were coming home I still somehow doubted it. Watching the first pre-season game on TV I started to get excited as I began to realize what had happened but it wasn’t until Wednesday night that it really hit me full force. When I heard that amazing burst of pride that the singing of Oh Canada brought followed by the loudest and most rousing chorus of “GO JETS GO” I have ever heard I was finally able to believe that this is a return of not just NHL hockey but a return of The Winnipeg Jets.
The logo, the players, the coaches and even the arena are long gone but the fans never left. They were all still here just waiting and now that the wait is over they are making up for lost time.
The decibel level as well as the sheer level of excitement is one of the highest I have ever seen live or heard broadcast. To put it into perspective for my fellow Canadians this return of The Winnipeg Jets rivals for Manitobans the same levels of pride and excitement that all of Canada felt during that final men’s game of the Vancouver Olympics. It really is that good.
The decibel level as well as the sheer level of excitement is one of the highest I have ever seen live or heard broadcast. To put it into perspective for my fellow Canadians this return of The Winnipeg Jets rivals for Manitobans the same levels of pride and excitement that all of Canada felt during that final men’s game of the Vancouver Olympics. It really is that good.
We are welcoming home a loved friend after a 15 year absence and we are doing it very, very loudly.
