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Here we are, almost a week into owning this brand spanking new Nhl team (It still has that new team smell!), and still we remain The Manitoba No-Names. Yet, if you were to ask 10 people on the street what they think the team should be known as, you’d get a varied degree of answers. Most popular, of course, is the name Winnipeg Jets.
Judging by the massive crowds that gathered at Portage and Main and at The Forks when the announcement was made, you would have thought that the Jets had just won the Chicago Blackhawks . Also, you would have been in the minority if you were one of the few Winnipeggers that do not own a Jets jersey. And good on them for showing that their favourite team really never left, despite the fact that the former Jets are now stuck in the desert where hockey is about as popular as Gary Bettman at a press conference. (Rim shot.) So, it’s time to see what will happen in the next short while regarding the much anticipated moniker. In the meantime, let’s see just what names are being bandied about out there. I’ve heard that the Manitoba Mosquitoes is favoured by some. Really? Are you (expletive) kidding me? Think about that for a moment. Do you really want to associate this city’s team with something that annoys the hell out of us, and that we go to great lengths to get rid of? I’m thinking no. Get real. That idea must be swatted away at once. I’m kind of partial to what my neighbour suggested; Team Moo. That way everyone could chant Teemu! Teemu!, but only if the Finnish Flash should ink a contract and come home to where he began his journey. Of course we can’t ignore what alert Sun reader Elaine Stetina wrote; “In my humble opinion, my husband has come up with the definitive new name for our hockey team: “The Manitoba Golden Jets. Think about it. We have the Golden Boy, the Golden Jet,wealthmass the Goldeyes, the Blue and Gold.
Our colours could be Blue and Gold, enabling the jerseys to represent both hockey and football. Most importantly though, our fabulous fans could still chant ‘Go Jets Go’.”