Dear Canucks fans,
What’s your favourite Australian football team? Who’s your favourite player? How much of his apparel do you own?
If you’re anything like me, the answer to all of these questions is, “Who cares? Leave me alone.” I don’t know anything about Aussie sports, I don’t need to know anything about Aussie sports, and nobody around me knows anything about Aussie sports. So, when I travelled to Melbourne last year, I went with the assumption that they were equally dispassionate about Canadian sports. And, for the most part, that was true… until I stumbled into the AIHL finals and met Canucks superfan Aidan Fox.
I caught up with Aidan recently to discuss his unique love for a sport he’s never played.
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Chris Nash: Fox. Foxy. How are you? How’s the weather?
Aidan Fox: Good, man. Wasn’t too warm today, so it wasn’t too bad.
CN: What does that mean?
AF: It was [only] about 25 [Celsius] today. Should be 33 on Monday, though. What about you?
CN: Today it was one degree and rainy.
AF: Yeah.
CN: Yeah.
AF: Yeah…
CN: Okay, let’s get started! For the record, how old are you, and what do you do for a living?
AF: I’m 26 years old, and I’m a cabinet-maker.
CN: Did you grow up playing any sports?
AF: I played field hockey in primary school. When people think of “hockey” here, they just think of field hockey.
CN: No ice hockey, huh?
AF: Well, we do have ice hockey, but you have to say “ice hockey” and then people say, “Do we have ice hockey?” and you go, “Yeah, we do have it here” and they go, “Where?” and you go, “Docklands” and they go, “Oh!”
CN: Have you ever played hockey yourself?
AF: As in, ice hockey?
CN: Sure, any hockey.
AF: I’ve yet to have a crack at ice hockey. I was going to play it a few days ago - there was, like, a Stick & Puck program - and ALL I want to do is hit a puck on the ice. I’ve been wanting to do it for three or four years now and I still haven’t.
CN: If you were to play [in the NHL], what team would you play for, and what position would you play?
AF: I think I would be a defenceman and, of course, it would be Vancouver.
CN: Tell me the story of how you came to love the Vancouver Canucks.
AF: [It all started] about 14 years ago, with MySpace. I randomly found a friend on the Simple Plan MySpace page or something. I started talking to her and I remember she was from Vancouver and she used to tell me about this team called the Canucks. It didn’t hit me right then, but it was an idea in my head that just grew and grew over time.
And then I watched hockey here a couple years back because my friend had two brothers who played [professionally], so I said, I’ll come down and watch it one day, and then that turned into, “Hey that team 'The Canucks' - I’m gonna Google it and find out more about it 'cause I liked the idea of the tops (jerseys).”
I remember watching Scrubs and Dr. Cox wears the Red Wings top when he’s chilling on the couch and I thought, “That looks really cool. I really want to look into one of them; I’d love to get my name customized.” So I ordered one, and before I knew it I was reading everything I could! I got a subscription to NHL and I was just watching any games. Listening to any games. Anything.
CN: Wow. Simple Plan, eh? Do you still talk to that friend?
AF: Yeah, I have [her] on Facebook now. She doesn’t even like hockey herself. I just remember she was from Vancouver and that always stayed with me. Before I even knew ice hockey, or knew anything about the leagues or the sport, I knew that that team, that name was my name.
CN: Have you ever been to Vancouver?
AF: No, I haven’t been to Vancouver. Haven’t even been to Canada. I’ve been to America twice. I did a tour from New York to LA once: 22 states in 24 days.
CN: Oh my gosh! So there are dozens of teams you could have chosen, from places you’ve actually been to!
AF: Oh yeah. I’ve been to Dallas. We saw Dallas Stars VS the Calgary Flames. And from that game, I don’t mind the Stars, and I hate the Flames. Still, to this day, I hate the Flames.
CN: When does a typical Canucks game come on for you?
AF: A home game is 2pm here. If it’s during the week, I’m at work. I usually listen to TSN 1040; I tune in an hour early to get the pre-game. On weekends I watch [games] unless I have plans, but I try to plan everything around hockey games.
If someone asks me to do something on the weekend, I check to see if there’s a Canucks game. But sometimes I get in trouble with my girlfriend, so I just pretend I don’t have a game, and then I watch it later. I did that yesterday. We went canoeing all day, so I turned off all my notifications and then I got home and re-watched the game.
CN: Are all of your friends as rabid for ice hockey as you?
AF: My group of hockey friends are the best bunch of people I’ve ever met. They’re always at the games; they’re always messaging to make sure you’re coming. They do activities before and after. It’s really fun; I’ve never known a sport to be so involved. I don’t even know if big clubs in America and Canada do that. We have to go out of our way to watch it here.
CN: What do your non-hockey friends think of your love for the Vancouver Canucks?
AF: They give me s--- for it. They’re always like, “Canucks this, Canucks that - he’s on his rant again.”
CN: Who’s your favourite player?
AF: It would have to be Ben Hutton at the moment. I’m currently wearing his customized hat that he made. I got it shipped out from the Rogers Arena store in Vancouver. Wasn’t cheap for shipping, but worth it.
CN: I have zero hats and two jerseys. You?
AF: Yeah, I have eight jerseys. The first initial day I was like, “Canucks. Hockey. I’m doin’ it.” I ordered a customized “Fox” home top. And then, on the same day, I was like, “Well, I’m not gonna get that for a couple weeks, so I’ll look on eBay” and I bought [a Ryan Kesler jersey]. The day I after I bought it, he got traded. I hadn’t even received it yet, and he had left. So he was dead to me from that point on.
Beyond that, I have a Henrik Sedin and a Daniel Sedin. Then I’ve got the white Away [jersey] with my name on it. And I’ve got the third alternate one with my name on it. But my favourite one would have to be the “V” millennium red one. It’s perfect; I love it.
CN: So, do you wear these out around town?
AF: I try not to. It’s usually s--- weather and I get too hot in them.
CN: Pfft. Eight jerseys. Big deal. Is that all?
AF: As soon as I got my [Jeep] Wrangler, I got the customized Vancouver Canucks decal to match the writing so it fit right in. I’ve had that on my Jeep ever since the first week.
CN: How much money do you think you’re spent on Canucks gear?
AF: (wriggling uncomfortably) Oh boy… Um, three grand, maybe? And that’s with me trying to be good.
CN: Would you say you’re Melbourne’s number one Canucks fan?
AF: I hope there’s more than me. I’ve seen a few Canucks tops randomly in Melbourne, which is nice to see.
CN: Do you talk to those people?
AF: Usually, it’s when I’m not wearing my own top, so… nah.
CN: We need to get you out to Vancouver so you can take in a live game.
AF: That’s my goal; I need to do it. But buying a house hasn’t helped.
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