Friday, November 2, 2007

The Game

I went to the hockey game last night (Vancouver vs. Nashville). I have to be honest, I don't follow hockey at all, in fact I could only name one player on our team - Trevor Linden. I have a hard time watching it because I don't understand what is happening, or why they do things a certain way.

For example, how do they determine which red dot to use for the the face-off? Does the captain have radio communication in his helmet with the coach like the quarterback does in football? What is offside? How do you get to be one of those ice bunnies who skate around with snow shovels and scoop up the loose ice? I had more questions, but I think this will give you an idea of my level of understanding.

Vancouver lost 3-0 and though they spilled thier own blood twice during the game (literally), they didn't seem to be making much of an effort. They skated slowly to get to the puck when it was open for the taking, thus handing the puck to Nashville on a silver platter. They passed the puck to thin air more than to their team mates and they got alot of penalties. This is the team that almost won the Stanley cup not so long ago? I think not...

Oh yeah, and it would have been nice if they told people that the game started at 8pm rather than the 7pm printed on the ticket!!!

I was glad to go to the game though, I've been to Nashville and seen the stadium where their team plays. I went inside, but at the time it was set up for some indoor sports game - soccer on trampolines or something weird like that.

One last observation about last night. Near the end of the game, alot of people just got up and left. None of them saw the 3rd goal because it happened in the last 10 seconds of the game. Why did they all get up and leave? Were they so disgusted with the Canucks that they couldn't bear to stay and show thier support? I don't think so - if that was the case, then how have the past 180-something games been complete sell out crowds? I think they all wanted to rush to their cars and try to beat the parking lot mayhem and skytrain line-ups.

Once again, people are in such a rush to save time, or get ahead that they miss the big picture. Did any of them stop to think about how lucky they are to have the money to spend hundreds of dollars on tickets to the game, and the $4.00 cup of water and $5.00 handful of nachos? That they have someone in their life to go to the game with?

They were more concerned with getting home before everyone else so they could go to sleep and get back to their regular routine tomorrow. Go to work, eat, sleep, for another X amount of days until they have the opportunity to go to another game and leave before it's over.

I think I was one of the last people out of there. And there was no traffic on the way home.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

LOL! They leave if your team is losing to beat the traffic when everyone leaves at the end of the game. Same thing happens when the Mets are losing!