The BEST sport of all time...and I am going tonight!
When I moved to the Chicagoland area I was asked one question all the time. "Cubs or Sox?" Well, my answer is "for what?" I am not a big baseball fan although the White Sox winning the World Series was fun. Fact is, there are very few sports I really enjoy watching. The key word here is watching. I like to bowl, but I don't like watching. I mean lets face it, golf is boring as hell to watch on TV. In my best golf announcer voice "the ball is about 20 feet from the hole with a 2 degree slant to the left. I hope he doesn't hit it too hard..."
Could it be Baseball? Football? Soccer? Basketball? Golf? Curling? Swimming? no it's Hockey! Ice Hockey to be specific. Fact is, I had the opportunity to see the Cubs and White Sox many times and declined. I am not interested in sitting in a freezing cold football stadium either.
Why ice hockey? Lets think of the talent, and physical and mental abilities involved with ice hockey.
First, people have to stand and skate on 2 thin strips of metal on ICE thus making them farther off of the ground. I have a hard time standing on skates on bare ground let alone moving backward and forward on ice. I tend to use my backside more than the skates when on ice.
Second, everyone has a lethal weapon. A long stick with a flattened curved end which depending on the player could be sharpened to a razors edge. Sticks are moving into skate paths, arms, faces again while attempting to ice skate.
Next comes the puck, keeping in mind this is vulcanized rubber. Now you would think that vulcanized rubber would have some give to it when you are clipped in the ankle by it going 100 plus miles per hour. No, you see pucks are frozen before the game even starts, making it rather solid. For you scientist out there, bounce a frozen and a room temperature puck.
We aren't done yet boys and girls, you see besides standing on ice on two pieces of metal, watching for sticks and keeping an eye on the puck, you have to attempt to place this puck gently or by bazooka into the net protected by a very fast reflex guy with more pads and a bigger stick than any other player. His body mass alone is about 1/2 to 3/4 of the entire net. So, you buddy while following the rules passes it to you without a blue line issue (oh yeah, there are rules). You manage to dodge from being made a blob on the giant plexiglass wall all the way around the ring and catch the frozen puck flying at you at 100 MPH, keep control of the puck while the sticks hit your forearm, and attempt a slapshot into the net with 3 other team players and a goalie blocking it. (long sentence I know...used for effect)
If you really upset someone, boxing on skates. Gloves off, sticks thrown and fists as well, until someone falls down. That is just in the stands. Hockey fans are very vocal in their approval or disapproval, very unlike cricket or polo. A cup of beer is like having a water balloon ready to be lauched. That's why guys always buy two.
Now, I can play sports, like bowling (if that is really considered a sport) and not enjoy watching bowling. However, I do NOT play hockey. It is the best game ever played and I love to watch it.
Tonight, I see the Blackhawks. I was a long time Capitals fan, but when in Chicago...
edit: Well, due to personal and work-related crap going on, we had to bail on the Blackhawks game. Probably better... It is sleeting, and I would surely get into a fight tonight with all of the beers I need.
Could it be Baseball? Football? Soccer? Basketball? Golf? Curling? Swimming? no it's Hockey! Ice Hockey to be specific. Fact is, I had the opportunity to see the Cubs and White Sox many times and declined. I am not interested in sitting in a freezing cold football stadium either.
Why ice hockey? Lets think of the talent, and physical and mental abilities involved with ice hockey.
First, people have to stand and skate on 2 thin strips of metal on ICE thus making them farther off of the ground. I have a hard time standing on skates on bare ground let alone moving backward and forward on ice. I tend to use my backside more than the skates when on ice.
Second, everyone has a lethal weapon. A long stick with a flattened curved end which depending on the player could be sharpened to a razors edge. Sticks are moving into skate paths, arms, faces again while attempting to ice skate.
Next comes the puck, keeping in mind this is vulcanized rubber. Now you would think that vulcanized rubber would have some give to it when you are clipped in the ankle by it going 100 plus miles per hour. No, you see pucks are frozen before the game even starts, making it rather solid. For you scientist out there, bounce a frozen and a room temperature puck.
We aren't done yet boys and girls, you see besides standing on ice on two pieces of metal, watching for sticks and keeping an eye on the puck, you have to attempt to place this puck gently or by bazooka into the net protected by a very fast reflex guy with more pads and a bigger stick than any other player. His body mass alone is about 1/2 to 3/4 of the entire net. So, you buddy while following the rules passes it to you without a blue line issue (oh yeah, there are rules). You manage to dodge from being made a blob on the giant plexiglass wall all the way around the ring and catch the frozen puck flying at you at 100 MPH, keep control of the puck while the sticks hit your forearm, and attempt a slapshot into the net with 3 other team players and a goalie blocking it. (long sentence I know...used for effect)
If you really upset someone, boxing on skates. Gloves off, sticks thrown and fists as well, until someone falls down. That is just in the stands. Hockey fans are very vocal in their approval or disapproval, very unlike cricket or polo. A cup of beer is like having a water balloon ready to be lauched. That's why guys always buy two.
Now, I can play sports, like bowling (if that is really considered a sport) and not enjoy watching bowling. However, I do NOT play hockey. It is the best game ever played and I love to watch it.
Tonight, I see the Blackhawks. I was a long time Capitals fan, but when in Chicago...
edit: Well, due to personal and work-related crap going on, we had to bail on the Blackhawks game. Probably better... It is sleeting, and I would surely get into a fight tonight with all of the beers I need.
Comments