Earlier today I was telling a friend of mine that I was starting up a blog again. He looked over the first few posts and returned with the typical snide remarks that come with over a decade of friendship... andof course, comments I would've said to him if the roles were reversed... one of which was "I never knew that for entertainment value a game at the AJL was the best bang for your buck in town". On one hand he was being a smartass... on the other, he has a little leeway with me as he lives in Cape Breton, where Jr.A hockey is non-existent. As he supports all levels of hockey on the island, there is no doubt he would do the same for the MHL if a team was within reasonable proximity (as he did with the old CB Islanders back in the day). On the other hand, it got me thinking... there are alot of people who live within a reasonable distance of the Arthur J Leblanc Arena that genuinely do not realize what is in their backyard.
I will preface the following remarks by saying that I in no way feel any fan should strictly favor Jr.A over any other level of the game, higher or lower. As a person who has supported virtually all levels of the game in the past as both a fan, broadcaster and overall friend of the hockey community, I realize that sometimes a persons preferences - or even personal situation - can dictate what rink they decide to bide most of their time in and that is a decision I completely respect. Those people are in general not turning a blind eye towards all that the local hockey scene has to offer. It doesn't mean however, that it's not happening in other corners of the community.
I don't know how many times I've talked to local hockey fans whom I see at every Wildcats game and hear the same thing when the topic of the Commandos is broached; "The games are too far away."... "I don't like the rink"... "The team's not that good" and finally, my personal favorite, "It's only Jr.A". I'm still waiting to see which of these arguments will ever hold any water from a fan's perspective.
I will agree that the rink is a bit out of the way. However, we live in Greater Moncton... not Greater Toronto. I live in a neighborhood that's in the farther reaches of Riverview. I can get from my driveway to the parking lot of the AJL in 25 minutes, without driving like a maniac. That's about 10 minutes longer than it takes me to get to the Coliseum. This isn't counting the extra time it takes to get into and out of the Coliseum parking lot.
I know a good many people who will travel several hours to watch higher levels of hockey between more mediocre (for that level) teams playing less important games. My rationale is if I can travel 8 hours to watch the Boston Bruins play the Tampa Bay Lightning - two teams who I have no particular fondness for - in a game with exactly zero impact on the NHL's overall picture, I can drive a little under a half an hour to watch the Commandos play any team in the MHL where the standings are usually more tightly bunched than that of the pros.
On at least a half dozen occasions, I've heard the excuse of "I don't like the rink" being thrown around. Ironically, as a broadcaster, I can't stand the place at times. The building was simply not designed for calling a game. Whereas the modern, wide spanning steel trusses allow fans to take in a game in a post-free atmosphere, one of those trusses cuts right through the center of the press box... which means if there's a scrum in the near corner on my right side and the officials insist the guys keep playing (which they always do), I stand to lose circulation in most of my lower extremities from leaning over the bench in the booth while jockeying for a better view of the action. However, when watching from the stands, the AJL offers one of the best views of the game in town. There are very few bad seats... far fewer per capita than the Levesque or the Coliseum... and the bare tin roof (i.e. no sound deadening tiles in the rafters such as what's at the Coliseum) allows for a noisier atmosphere when a decent crowd gathers. It doesn't do wonders for the PA announcements, but that's a small price to pay for the ambiance it allows in it's stead... just listen VERY carefully when the 50/50 numbers are called and you're in like flint. Long story short, if you don't like the rink, there's a good chance you've never set foot inside it... unless you were doing play by play.
Same goes for "The team's not that good"... because this year, they aren't too shabby. They just happen to be in the midst of a season where the league is hosting both the Fred Page Cup (Truro) and the RBC Cup (Summerside), which means certain teams (Truro and Summerside) are loading up their teams like it's a nuclear arms race. Despite this, there remains a fair amount of parity in the league. In the Eastlink Division (formerly the Maurice Bent Division), five points separate second from fourth. In the Roger Meek Division - where the Commandos reside - just four points separate second from fourth... and there's an extremely good chance those figures will not waiver much between now and March.
What this means is more often than not, going to the AJL means seeing a close, hard fought game between two evenly matched teams. Therefore, it shouldn't be much of a surprise that six of the first 10 homes games in Dieppe have gone beyond regulation... and two others were games sealed with a late empty netter. In a league where .500 should by rights place a team in the 5-6 range in the overall standings, the 8-8-0-3 Commandos find themselves sitting in 8th... but only five points out of a tie for fourth.
Even when the team is at the beginning of a rebuilding cycle, as it was a couple of season ago, all I can say is this... Jr.A has a cycle, just like major junior. The cycle is slightly different due to adjusted overager and import rules... but still, virtually every other team has it's up and down years as well. It's an unavoidable fact of life. Point is, this team is probably better- and more exciting to watch - than what a lot of people give them credit for.
Lastly, the one I hear is "It's only Jr.A"... which reminds me of people who throw around the saying "It is what it is". I find many people who say that haven't a sweet clue what "it" is in the first place. It's just a nonsensical reason for not doing something. I'd much rather have people say "I don't feel like going". Fair enough. You have other options or other duties to attend to. You're raking leaves, you're spending the day with your family, you have a date in court (told you not to hide in those bushes, didn't I?). Once again, "It's only Jr.A" is reasoning for people without reason - and more importantly, people who haven't watched this level of the game and more specifically, haven't seen this team in action.
I find there is also a misconception out there that since the MHL has curtailed the brawling that once permeated the league, the circuit has lost it's allure. It's not that... the people I see at the AJL now are a lot of the same people who were at the 4-ice and Levesque several years ago. The notion of the league not being as attractive because of the demise of - for lack of a better word, goonery - comes from, once again, people who never went to begin with. I suspect however, that if those who truly appreciate the game in general decide to make the arduous trek to the far flung corners of St.Anselme, they will not leave disappointed... maybe just regretful that they didn't make the trip sooner.
They play tomorrow night. An exciting young Commandos team vs. the always pesky Campbellton Tigers, who in the last week have doubled their win total thanks to a three game win streak that has pumped new life into that team and has brought them a few steps closer to Dieppe in the hunt for the last playoff spot in the Meek (what was I just saying about parity?). Even if you aren't there tomorrow, pick any Sunday afternoon and come on down... chances are they're playing. Their schedule never conflicts with the Cats when they are at home, not does it with the Aigles. The tickets are cheap and the beer even cheaper... and you just might find a new appreciation for a level of hockey you never thought could be so good.
I mean, what have you got to lose? After all, it's only Jr.A...
Awesome post Will!! Thanks.
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