What is your favorite hockey memory?

I have been pondering this question for a few weeks. I have been inspired by reading of John Buccigross's blog on ESPN and by reading Keith Jones book "Jonesy". I have had problems putting my finger on just one memory. I have watched, played, coached and parented. As I sit here struggling to piece this together, I have realized this could be the never ending blog. This love affair with the game started over 25 years ago. From sneaking out of bed and turning the TV on in my mother's room to watch the Caps, to going to my first game (Caps vs. Islanders), to talking non stop about the Caps and hockey on a bus ride from our high school to D.C. with a guy I just knew from the football team (Bryan), to playing it in my basement with Rob using nothing by a stick, a tennis ball, a broom, and a baseball glove, to playing at fairfield, to realizing the dream and playing with KNK at Easton, to coaching kids, to passing all of it onto my own kids, and everything in between.

It is easier to break the memories down into groups: Watching, Playing, Coaching, and Parenting. But to say one group out weighs the other is impossible.

So as I struggle to figure this out, I ask you, What is your favorite hockey memory?

What the?

To each his own I guess. In my reading there is one blog soliciting responses on how others see him. Little early for a mid life crisis don't you think? Another blog stating his greatest moment was SSU Hockey Club. What the hell? Has the world gone mad? SSU? Really? What about KNK? Not one mention? All those memories? Wow. Way to put the rest of us in our place. I have played for other teams. I have won championships. I would give it all up for one more moment with the red, white, and black. My greatest moment of my hockey career lasted 3 years. Even though I have been out of your picture for years, I still consider all of those who bleed it my brothers. The big screw you that our Canadian friend has given us, obviously,does not sit well with me. But I guess that he believes he is better that the rest of us. Whatever.

1st greatest game of my hockey career was that 1st play off win. Henry Brown scores a hat trick in a come from behind win against TCCC. That was a total team effort and really defined us. I have had shut outs, I have made great saves, but that was the greatest game.

Picture this

Sat. morning. It is 3:30. Coffee pot is brewing. Kids are stumbling out of bed. I am rushing to get their breakfast ready. Must leave the house no later than 5:00. Everything goes to plan. On the road by 5:00. Dark and foggy I drive. My destination is the hockey game somewhere in ass crack PA. The kids promptly fall asleep 15 minutes into the drive. I wonder about the merits of this endeavour. I curse to myself about the zero visibility and the hour of the morning. 2 hours later and it all comes together. The smell of the rink. The chatter of the kids. The feel that this is a perfect morning. Hockey heaven. The dark and dreary morning falls away to the magical feel of the rink. The sound of sticks clanking together. God what a good day. Final preparations are being put together. Coaches insisting on total team effort. Kids buying into it with no questions asked. Parents nervously chirping. They take the ice. Many kids skating as one. The passion in which they play. Taking the body. Covering the man. Filling the gap. It is difficult to believe these are only 9-11 year olds. It is a close checking game. Chances missed. Team defense a premium. Slowly, our kids take over the game. The come back brings the game back to a one goal game. The drama. The beauty. The power. Our kids dominate the other end. Their goalie is up to the task. The play goes the other way. My kid breaks up the play. He passes it to the man streaking up the side. A break away. A deek. A goal. The kids hold on to score another goal and win the game 4-2. Both teams played great. But that doesn't quite describe the effort. To understand, you would have had to been there. In reflection, it was worth waking up for and driving 2 hours through fog and rain. To describe what I witnessed in one word is impossible. Playoff hockey early in the regular season is a start. Maybe the word is magical. But that still does not do to what I experience justice.

Why I love this woman

This is just one example of why my wife is special. A few nights ago I was telling her that hockey practice for my son was starting now instead of early September. She said, "Hockey season already? Thank god!" Doesn't get better than that. I love this woman.

Rock Star

Yesterday's showing for Obama was impressive. Approximately 200,000 Germans cheering and hanging on every word of the speech. Of course the free beer, free food, and free rock concert probably helped. Yes, Europeans love this candidate for President. Unfortunately, Obama is running for President of the United States not President of Europe. His speech made the Germans go nuts. His talk of "citizen of the world" and his vision for a "remade world" or new world order has left people scratching their heads here where it matters. Though the photo opts. were great, his trash talk of America was not. "I love America but..."speech revealed a great deal. His decision to not go see the injured American troops at the hospital in Germany revealed even more. He said it wouldn't be appropriate. Like bashing your home country on foreign soil was. However, it doesn't matter. He already believes that he is President. He was making policy promises to govt. officials in the middle east. Trying to wheel and deal like he was the President. Where the hell does he get off? He was suppose to be on a fact finding mission. He was suppose to be finding the real story of what is going on in other countries. Not trying to dictate American policy. Just pure arrogance.

Yes, I would be saying the same thing if McCain was out there proclaiming himself as the President. Simple fact is McCain is humble. He understands he is not the President. He also understands this election will be won and lost here in America. It is amazing, after all the media coverage that Obama is getting, the two candidates are still at 50%-50%.

The economy is falling!

The recent economic disaster is hitting Americans hard. With gas prices at around $4.00 and houses not selling, this country is in crisis. People in this country have had to change the way they spend their money. With more and more people living paycheck to paycheck businesses in America are faltering. Prime example: The movie industry. This past weekend, Batman just made $155.34 million over 3 days. Horrible. Apple's IPhone is sold out. Apple can't keep up with demand. All signs of a sliding market place.

Seriously, there is not the economic horror show the news media want people to believe. It is all election year doom and gloom. We suffered through the same misinformation last election year. Even during the mid-term elections there was this news the economy went bust. Did the economy slow down? Yes. Is it the great depression? No. Gas prices are up and homes aren't selling like they were. Is this permanent? No. This is a temporary situation. Like the tides, the free market rises and falls. I would even suggest, like in past elections, once the votes are in and the ballots counted, the economy will magically be fine again.

But people are getting laid off. But businesses are closing. Poor Starbucks has to close shops. Are these products of a slipping economy or these products of other forces? Would these closings even make the news if it wasn't the hot button election year story? In Starbucks case, it is a product of over extending. Some of the towns they put stores in can barely support Taco Bell much less a gourmet coffee establishment. The fact is unemployment still hangs around 4%. The lowest in the world.

So when you hear the economy is falling, the economy is falling, take it with a grain of salt. It is just a scare tactic during an election year.

Tainted Legacy

Not wanting to be in a backup role, this pro athlete caused a painful break up for an organization and the fans. Once a leader, a role model, and a mentor, this athlete has decided to wear the victim's mantle. He refused to see his part to play in the reduced role. He pouted like a 2 year old. Arguably the most loved player in his team's history, Olaf Kolzig turned his back on his team and his fans.

Was he handed a raw deal? Was he unfairly treated? Or was he the victim of his own design? What happened to Godzilla was tragic in a way. He played his career in Washington and refused to go anywhere else when the chances became available. You don't see that in sports anymore. When the Caps turned the corner this past season and went on an unholy rip through the hockey world, Ollie was benched. He was benched in favor of Huet, a goalie the team traded for at the deadline. There are strikes one and two. Strike three came in the playoffs when Huet started to struggle. The Caps didn't play Kolzig. Kolzig was more suited to play against the Flyers but was denied his chance. A day after the Caps were removed from the playoffs, he packed his things, took his name off his locker, and wasn't heard from again.

He wasn't heard from again until Tampa Bay announced they had signed the 37 year old goalie to a 1 year deal. In my quest for answers, I saw an article saying Kolzig and his agent didn't return any of the Caps calls. To say he was angry about how things went down in DC is an understatement. But can you fault the Caps? Ollie's play, at times, wasn't what it was. His GAA was on the rise and his save% was on the decline. This inconsistent play caused management to seek another goalie. I don't think the idea was to replace Kolzig but to ease the burden on the 37 year old. Huet arrived to the team and the two goalies played every other game for a while. After a poor performance in Chicago, Ollie was benched in favor of Huet.

Kolzig remained the ideal leader, teammate, and mentor through the remainder of the season. He did say he was not happy about his benching but he didn't let that hurt the locker room. However, once the season ended the pout came out. He turned his back on the organization and the fans. To the people that chanted OLLIE, OLLIE, every game, the silence was deafening. The breakup was and still is very painful. Now, the greatest goalie in team history goes to play for the hated Lightning. It would be one thing to go to a contender to try to win a cup or go to another team to be the starter. Ollie the Goalie goes to Tampa to be the backup. This smacks of payback. Yes, the Lightning have added a lot of pieces but they are not a contender yet.

Kolzig's decisions have made me wonder if the break up is permanent. Once he is retired, will he allow the team to honor him? Will he let the team retire his number? Will he ever speak to the fans? In the short term, his legacy is tarnished. I came to this conclusion as I attempted to explain to my son why Ollie left us and why he went to play for the enemy. The hurt on his face said it all. Ollie, after all, was the rock the team was built on. To my son, Godzilla was always there. The long term will depend on Kolzig. When he comes home to DC he will be cheered and honored by the fans and the team. The rest is on him.

Tribute Part 2

Killer climbing the glass.
Dances with pucks.
Spitting on B's floor.
Dinner at The Rock with Joe B.
Random acts of vomit. (too many to list)
Cheese or lettuce. (cheese)
Wet nuts or Dry nuts.
The flipping of the board.
A shirtless Pooh.
B, Pooh, and Killer all lined up in order at the pisser.
Which line was the best line of the 3rd season?
5 point blank shots in OT. (4 saves)
B's yearly trip to the Cayman Islands. (in the middle of the season)
The Missle.
A very drunk apology. (very, very drunk)
Its all about the red, black and white.
Having a hangover and trying to stay awake in church the morning after a game.
The cold "locker" room.
Carl.
B waiting tables at Denny's.
The wanted poster.
Feel the anger!
Wearing hockey socks instead of wool caps. (yes, we started it...didn't market it...but started it)

Random memories to pay tribute to an evil empire.

"Hey...are we going to Denny's after the game?"
Capture the magic.
10 commandments. (which I still have)
Skating Salisbury at midnight.
The Wednesday meeting.
Rick Flair and the ripping of the shirts.
Cigar burns on the face.
3 toes and loving it.
Game videos, beer and Taco Bell.
Buying off the Dollar Menu with nickles and pennies.
"What happened to my plant?"
"Are you working it?"
Hockey Puss.
Bleeding nipples and the tennis court.
Invisible dead squirrel.
Flying club and "being cold."
The $100.00 table.
The Hockey Handbook.
Slap Shot.
No goal 2 years in a row due to a hole in the net and a fat cheeseburger eating ref.
Fairfield, WI-Hi, and Parkside.
My basement.
Flaming toilet paper.
"So ya see...I was on ass..."
Jan's skates from the Hall of Fame.
Red jackets that smelled of old beer and old cigars.

If anyone has any random thoughts please add them. Tribute part 2 will be posted soon.

This time of year causes the great itch. There are a few out there that know what I am talking about. The itch that causes you to think, why not? Makes you believe you could have one more run in you. Makes you pull out the old equipment and just stare at it. Makes you remember past glory. This itch consumes your thoughts. This itch to play hockey again.



For me it started by pulling the net out of the garage and teaching my boys the basics. As they soaked it all up like little sponges and wanted more, I began to feel the fire inside again. Watching my one son put on the goalie equipment and loving every minute of it, stoaked the flames. I realized the fire was out of control when I caught myself, during my daily workout, doing my goalie stretches and side to side drills. I have caught myself riding down the road rocking out to songs, thinking only about the games I have played.



I try to rationalize this. I try to work it out in my head. I haven't played in 3 years. My knees are beat to death from past seasons. The game has changed in the time I have been out. I would be fooling myself to think I could play again at the level I was at. But...There is always a but. I have been out for a couple of seasons before and returned to win. I am in the best shape of my life. There is no reason why I can't work myself into game shape. Again, fooling myself. I try to escape the flames that burn at me. I can't. All the boys want to do is play and watch hockey. My youngest runs around with a hockey stick in his hand like a mini Dale Hunter. The boys demand the NHL channel or any hockey movie around the clock.

I can't escape. I don't want to escape. The smell of the rink. The sound and feel of my blades on the ice. The feel of the puck slamming against my pads. I do miss it. The fire burning out of control. I am fooling myself.