Dear Anaheim Ducks, Bring Back The Bear Brass

Dear Anaheim Ducks,

Hope your summer has been going well, it's been far too long since we've seen each other. We get that it's tough when you have to re-sign essentially the entire second line, while filling out the roster with smart, low-risk high potential reward players to build on an exciting run that ended too soon last season.

But we wanted to talk about last season, particularly something really cool and fun during the playoffs that would be a great idea to continue. It was wonderful to hear a live organ in Honda Center again, and Gil Imber played wonderfully during intermissions as well as the occasional break in action to get the crowd fired up. Yet the organ alone wasn't the only great addition to the game day presentation, there were these fine musicians as well:

It was a great find by Kyle that we featured in our Round One - Game Four Social Media Recap after sweeping away the Jets. What was even better was finding out that the Bear Brass were brought on board for the remainder of the playoffs the next round against Calgary. In a game one filled with cool moments, the Ducks absolutely blitzing the Flames, Jonas Hiller melting down and being serenaded by the same crowd he threw shade at when he arrived in Calgary, one that stood out most was hearing Bear Brass play the Bro Hymn after the Ducks scored.

With teams priding themselves in unique traditions, it would only make sense for the Ducks to continue their tradition of supporting local musicians and keeping a flair unlike heard anywhere else around the NHL. From being the first team in the league to embrace Pennywise's 'Bro Hymn Tribute' as a goal song (remember when the Flyers and Islanders tried to bite it?), inviting the Hermosa Beach group to play at the 2007 Stanley Cup celebration, to adopting Orange County group Jeremiah Red's "My Baby" as a victory song and playing 80's OC punk acts like Agent Orange during breaks in action, Anaheim's support for local music is to be applauded.

Which is all the more reason the Ducks should embrace the uniqueness of having Bear Brass as the team's pep band for games at Honda Center. College hockey has a proud tradition, with fight songs firing the fans up before the game and after goals, whole crowd chants along with songs, and a host of full band aided cheers. What better way to capitalize on the energy and excitement surrounding the franchise than by bringing back a group that exemplifies it with their upbeat style and boisterous, catchy sound?

The 2015-16 season has the chance to be very special for the Anaheim Ducks. It only makes sense to add to it by further building the tradition of the orange, gold and black with something that further separates the Anaheim hockey experience from everywhere else in the NHL. Ducks fans already know no one around the league likes us, but we don't care- capture that spirit and energy with the brass group whose sound is it.

Bring back the Bear Brass.

-Eric Evelhoch

Managing Editor, Anaheim Calling