Tale of One City, or Tale of Two Jerseys, Part Two:

So this is the Cincinnati Mighty Ducks (you think so, Tapeleg? It only says right there), the cross town competition to the Cincinnati Cyclones. That’s right, Cincinnati supported two different minor league hockey teams. Cleveland couldn’t even support one. Ha! Take that, Cleveland! But, of course, support dwindled, the Clones folded, and then, the next year, the Anaheim Mighty Ducks took their toys to Portland, Maine, to go play with the Pirates and Comedian Bob Marley. Sure, Anaheim…Portland… Sure, that makes sense. The jersey you see here was from that final season.

Look at that duck. Look at him. I know you want to look away, as he strikes hockey fear into your fragile heart, but you have to look. That is one tough duck. Did you know ducks could get black eyes? No, because you have never punched a duck. Not in the face, at least. But this duck, he has seen it all. He’s seen into the souls of the hockey players around him, and he knows what makes men tough. This is one rough and tumble duck, sometimes using two sticks to get his point across. He will look at you, the deep hard look. Then he will look some more He will ask you, “Do you want to go?” But you don’t speak duck, so yo don’t know what he said. But, in your heart, you know. You know he is ready to go, any time, any place. That is one tough duck.

Holmqvist? Doesn’t he play for Chicago? Yes, he does, traded to the Hawks last season. Mikael Holmqvist was the Ducks first round pick in 1997. He played in Europe for a long time before playing in the US. His first year in the states, he made it to the NHL. Not bad. But I don’t know much about the story here, and some of the details lead me to believe there is a story. Like why did he play in Europe for 7 years before playing for the Ducks? Why was a number one pick traded after two years (one being the lockout) with the organization?

I don’t know. Maybe Earl Sleek at Battle of California can help a little. All I know is, I have his jersey. I get one question overall about this game-worn jersey. “Aren’t the Mighty Ducks in California?” Yes. Yes, they are.

Update: I’m an idiot. That’s not really an update, but a continuation. Apparently, my small brain can not handle two Cincinnati jerseys on the same blog, so I screwed up with the title of this post. I corrected it, so if you get two posts, of something strange with links, I am very sorry. I call myself on the carpet, and will be kicking my @$$ later.