Pair travel from Michigan to Manitoba to see first Winnipeg Jets game; take home memories and new friendships

It isn’t an easy trip to get from Detroit, Michigan to Winnipeg, Manitoba.

For Josh Mertens and Justin Hochstein they flew to the ‘Peg via Toronto (after driving there from Detroit) in order to see the Jets take on the Maple Leafs last Saturday night.

Josh is a subscriber on our Illegal Curve YouTube channel who comments during our shows and who occasionally communicates with me on twitter. He recently let me know that he and his friend Justin, who is both a Red Wings fan as well as a supportive friend, would be coming to Manitoba to see their first Jets game at Canada Life.

But how did it all get started? How does someone from Michigan become a Jets fan?

Josh answered this question and then spoke about his experience coming to Winnipeg for the first time in a Q & A we did after he got back home.

Q: How did your Jets fandom get started?

JM: I am a hockey fanatic and also a huge Wings fan. So I wanted to adopt another team that had little cross over to the Wings, this was around the time it was rumored hockey was returning to Winnipeg so I said if they return I am getting behind them. It was my love for the game that got me into them. I still remember how awesome that first preseason game was!

Q: What made you pick a game in January when there was a good chance it could have been freezing? (Luckily it wasn’t, by Manitoba standards, at 0 Celsius/32 Fahrenheit).

JM: My buddy Justin wanted to come with me but he needed to do it before February for work purposes so January was really the only time. HOWEVER we both wanted to experience a hockey game in the winter in Winnipeg but the weather was actually not awful.

DM aside: Perhaps that could be the new city slogan “Come to Winnipeg, the weather is actually not awful”.

Q: What was your experience like? (Both at the game and in the city during the weekend).

JM: My game experience was awesome aside from the loss and aside from all the Leafs fans (I would like a return trip against another team). I loved the arena, it’s an awesome building to watch the game and I was picturing how awesome it would be to see a playoff game here. Everyone should see a game in this arena. The fans were great and I loved chatting with people about Jet players which I can rarely do. It was great to get their viewpoints.

JM: As to the city it is without a doubt the most friendly, gracious and kind city I have ever been in. The positive attitude in the city was inspiring. And the humbleness of the people here is something special and something I have never seen. It’s a rare thing but it’s alive and well in Winnipeg. Detroit and Toronto could learn from Winnipeg.

Q: What was your biggest takeaway?

JM: I really have two big takeaways. One is I have a much better understanding of the First Nations people of Manitoba and really Canada. I always thought it was a great gesture to recognize that before games, but meeting some of these people and knowing the history and where things are gave me a fresh perspective.

JM: The other one is just how important the Jets are to the community, how much True North has invested in new buildings, construction, etc. I talked to several people who said how important it is to them and to the city. Several people said to me the Jets even going to the final and not winning it would be the biggest thing to ever happen. They said it was exciting to see all the great changes the Jets have brought to Winnipeg. It’s more than a team it’s a culture was my take away.

My thanks to Josh for sharing his thoughts and experiences coming to Winnipeg.