Real story behind the Coyotes “Whiteout”

GLENDALE, Ariz. — With a white T-shirt draped over every seat in preparation for Thursday's “Whiteout,” it almost looked as if a fresh layer of snow had fallen inside Jobing.com Arena as the Blackhawks went about their morning skate in the faux winter wonderland. It was more of the same Saturday morning, only this time white pompons had replaced the T-shirts.

The other night a co-worker mentioned it seems odd that most everyone in the arena was wearing white except the numerous Blackhawks fans in attendance ... and the Coyotes! They were in their home red uniforms.

I asked some longtime Phoenix employees to explain the deal with the Whiteout. One said the rumor was when the Coyotes were still in Winnipeg, one die-hard Jets fan tried to make it to a game despite whiteout conditions. He never made it and thus the Whiteout became a salute to him.

Good try. Not the case, though.

The real story, I think, is the Whiteout was Winnipeg's response to Calgary's C of Red when the two teams met in the playoffs in the late 1980s.

Now that's no snow job.