Not news: The Canucks lost last night, ending their playoff run.
Maybe I'm a bad fan, I don't know, but I'm kind of looking forward to not spending my evenings watching hockey...don't get me wrong, I'd be cheering as loudly as possible if they were still playing, but there is so much to look forward to with no more hockey, like more evenings at the park and less "Luongo is evil" chatter.
My kid on the other hand cried twice last night when we explained that hockey was done until the fall. The first time she stopped pretty quickly when we said it would mean lots of park time. The second time she sobbed for a long time. She would miss her Chris Higgins and her Ryan Kesler. And maybe even Robert Luongo. We explained that the hockey players' kids would be happy because they'd get to see more of their dads at night and because she understands that very well, she decided it was okay. But only if they come back in the fall.
Who knows what the team will look like when the new season starts...I do feel badly for Roberto Luongo. Sure he's had some spectacularly bad nights in goal, but more often than not he has spectacular nights in goal - just look at his record. I'm pretty sure he had substantially more wins than losses this season. And he played well in Games 1 and 2...you can't expect the goalie to stop the other team AND score...
Anyway, hockey, have a good summer. We'll see you in October.
Showing posts with label hockey. Show all posts
Showing posts with label hockey. Show all posts
Monday, April 23, 2012
Wednesday, April 18, 2012
Start of a reverse sweep?
One can dream, right?
Let's just hope that with Schneider in net, Daniel Sedin back on the ice and the season hanging by a thread the Canucks can win...we'll be cheering loudly at our house.
[not sure where the photo originated - it was emailed to me by a friend]
Let's just hope that with Schneider in net, Daniel Sedin back on the ice and the season hanging by a thread the Canucks can win...we'll be cheering loudly at our house.
[not sure where the photo originated - it was emailed to me by a friend]
Friday, March 23, 2012
Let's talk hockey
Specifically, let's talk about injuries caused by the opposing team. I ranted a bit about that during the playoffs last year, both when Rome hit Horton and when Boychuk hit Raymond, but it's up for discussion again this week. Just for the record, as a Canucks fan, I felt that Raymond's hit deserved to be penalized, although perhaps, based on the criteria applied to other hits, four games was a big much (but maybe it wasn't, I'll get to that in a second) and I was APPALLED that the league didn't even review the Boychuk hit on Raymond.
Wednesday night we were watching the Vancouver - Chicago game. I really enjoy it when Vancouver and Chicago meet because the rivalry is so intense, it brings a lot to the game. J and I listened to the first half of the first period in the car but we were in the house when Duncan Keith hit Daniel Sedin. J started yelling, "That man has to go to the penal (yes, that's the word she uses, but it's pronounce more like PEN-ll than peenal) box because we don't hit and Mommy, that other man is lying down. Now there is going to be blood on the ice. That man needs a time out." And while, there was no blood, she was right about going to the penalty box
[aside: J loves watching hockey and is just starting to grasp the concept of the opposite teams. She doesn't understand checking because at home and at daycare she has been taught that we never, ever, ever hit another person...so watching the game with her means there's a whole lot of "Why didn't that man have to go to the penal box for a time out? He hit someone."]
It wasn't until the second period intermission that they showed us the earlier hit where the roles were reversed. And I can't say that made me like Duncan Keith any more.
We've been noticing over the last few weeks that the officials aren't calling a whole lot of penalties and that seems to result in games that aren't much fun to watch for a variety of reasons. This game was a perfect example of how a bit more effort in penalty calling by the officials might have prevented a whole bunch of hullabaloo later.
Like, maybe if Daniel Sedin had been called on the initial hit and done his time in the box, Duncan Keith would not have lost his mind and hunted down Daniel Sedin. If that initial hit had been penalized maybe neither the Canucks nor the Blackhawks would be facing the indefinite loss of one of their key players.
Daniel Sedin threw a bad hit. Duncan Keith made a ridiculous decision and if the rumours of his threat of I'm going to make you pay or whatever it was are true, he made more than one dumb decision. And the officials, they lost the plot. I know it is best if the officials don't get too involved because they can kill the momentum of the game and they don't want to be seen as influencing the outcome, but their JOB is to enforce the rules and make sure the play on the ice is safe. I don't know exactly how much NHL officials are paid, but I've heard that starting salaries for linesmen run about $75K. Anyone else making that kind of money under such direct public scrutiny would be without a job at this point.
And then there are the fans. I'm not talking about the rational fans - the ones who can maintain their team loyalty but still see that a player on their team made a big mistake which goes for both sides in this case (check out the anti-Canuck vitriol spewed by a Chicago journalist who can still see that what Keith did deserves punishment). I'm talking about the ones who are saying things on twitter and forums and comment sections of newspaper articles and blogs saying stuff along the lines of Sedin deserved it, glad someone finally gave it to the Canucks etc. No one deserves to get hurt by an intentional play. No one. It's professional hockey, so yes, injury is something of a given, but being intentionally sought out should not be a worry.
Does Daniel Sedin deserve a suspension? Probably. Does Duncan Keith deserve a suspension? Definitely. Did Daniel Sedin "deserve" to get hurt? No way. Should the officials be disciplines as well? Probably, but unlikely. How do we make this go away?
The NHL keeps saying they want to crack down on head shots and prevent concussion and other dangerous hits and injuries, but all they do is hand out these 3-5 game suspensions that are obviously not having much of an effect on the players. I say change the rules. If you injure someone, intentional or not, on an illegal play, you sit until they are able to play again. And THEN you serve your suspension. One or two of those and the players might wake up and change their behaviour.
So now, we wait for Brendan Shanahan to make a decision. And there will be upset people on both sides of the situation. But maybe the attention this hit is drawing will drive some change. And maybe one day people will realize it's just a game and the players are human and cheering when one gets hurt is just not the way to go.
/rant over
Wednesday night we were watching the Vancouver - Chicago game. I really enjoy it when Vancouver and Chicago meet because the rivalry is so intense, it brings a lot to the game. J and I listened to the first half of the first period in the car but we were in the house when Duncan Keith hit Daniel Sedin. J started yelling, "That man has to go to the penal (yes, that's the word she uses, but it's pronounce more like PEN-ll than peenal) box because we don't hit and Mommy, that other man is lying down. Now there is going to be blood on the ice. That man needs a time out." And while, there was no blood, she was right about going to the penalty box
[aside: J loves watching hockey and is just starting to grasp the concept of the opposite teams. She doesn't understand checking because at home and at daycare she has been taught that we never, ever, ever hit another person...so watching the game with her means there's a whole lot of "Why didn't that man have to go to the penal box for a time out? He hit someone."]
It wasn't until the second period intermission that they showed us the earlier hit where the roles were reversed. And I can't say that made me like Duncan Keith any more.
We've been noticing over the last few weeks that the officials aren't calling a whole lot of penalties and that seems to result in games that aren't much fun to watch for a variety of reasons. This game was a perfect example of how a bit more effort in penalty calling by the officials might have prevented a whole bunch of hullabaloo later.
Like, maybe if Daniel Sedin had been called on the initial hit and done his time in the box, Duncan Keith would not have lost his mind and hunted down Daniel Sedin. If that initial hit had been penalized maybe neither the Canucks nor the Blackhawks would be facing the indefinite loss of one of their key players.
Daniel Sedin threw a bad hit. Duncan Keith made a ridiculous decision and if the rumours of his threat of I'm going to make you pay or whatever it was are true, he made more than one dumb decision. And the officials, they lost the plot. I know it is best if the officials don't get too involved because they can kill the momentum of the game and they don't want to be seen as influencing the outcome, but their JOB is to enforce the rules and make sure the play on the ice is safe. I don't know exactly how much NHL officials are paid, but I've heard that starting salaries for linesmen run about $75K. Anyone else making that kind of money under such direct public scrutiny would be without a job at this point.
And then there are the fans. I'm not talking about the rational fans - the ones who can maintain their team loyalty but still see that a player on their team made a big mistake which goes for both sides in this case (check out the anti-Canuck vitriol spewed by a Chicago journalist who can still see that what Keith did deserves punishment). I'm talking about the ones who are saying things on twitter and forums and comment sections of newspaper articles and blogs saying stuff along the lines of Sedin deserved it, glad someone finally gave it to the Canucks etc. No one deserves to get hurt by an intentional play. No one. It's professional hockey, so yes, injury is something of a given, but being intentionally sought out should not be a worry.
Does Daniel Sedin deserve a suspension? Probably. Does Duncan Keith deserve a suspension? Definitely. Did Daniel Sedin "deserve" to get hurt? No way. Should the officials be disciplines as well? Probably, but unlikely. How do we make this go away?
The NHL keeps saying they want to crack down on head shots and prevent concussion and other dangerous hits and injuries, but all they do is hand out these 3-5 game suspensions that are obviously not having much of an effect on the players. I say change the rules. If you injure someone, intentional or not, on an illegal play, you sit until they are able to play again. And THEN you serve your suspension. One or two of those and the players might wake up and change their behaviour.
So now, we wait for Brendan Shanahan to make a decision. And there will be upset people on both sides of the situation. But maybe the attention this hit is drawing will drive some change. And maybe one day people will realize it's just a game and the players are human and cheering when one gets hurt is just not the way to go.
/rant over
Friday, June 17, 2011
Redemption
Yesterday I woke up feeling sick. There was a dead, hard ball in the pit of my stomach and it wouldn't go away. There was a lump in my throat. I felt like I'd been sobbing all night, but I hadn't been. I felt like I'd consumed ten times too much alcohol, but I hadn't. I wanted yesterday to go away.
But my little girl made me smile when we were getting ready to go to work and daycare. She told me that the police were outside last night and it was okay because they look after people. Oh, and as an after thought she said so do firemen and ambulances. We hadn't talked at all about what happened on Wednesday night - she only saw one image on TV and we can't see downtown from our place.
But you see, they closed the Granville Street bridge heading into downtown and her window faces one of the on ramps. Through the cracks in the blinds she could see flashes of red and blue lights and she knew what they were. I heard the pitter patter of little feet running to the window, the clank of the blind as she peeked out, the pitter patter back to bed, and the groans of the springs and the toddler as she jumped back in, not wanted to get caught, multiple times on Wednesday night.
Instead of listening to the radio like we usually do in the mornings, we listened to Raffi and sang along at the top of our lungs. By the time we got to daycare, I was feeling better. By the time I got to my office, I had tears in my eyes. As I pulled away from the daycare, I turned on the radio to hear a live interview from downtown. They were interviewing one of the many marvellous people who decided to go down and help restore our city.
I wished I could have gone down to help clean up with J, but alas, downtown isn't close to my office. But in that moment, all of the embarrassment, disappointment, anger, and sadness that had overwhelmed me from the night before started to melt away.
Because we really are a city of good people. Because we have class. Lots of it. Because the rioters really were just a bunch of hooligans bent destroying anything they could and not really representative of Vancouver, BC or Canada. Because the newest generation at my house believes that those charged with protecting us will and on Wednesday night they showed that, without a doubt, they most certainly will.
As the day progressed the stories of the good samaritans, the heroes, started to emerge. The news reported that police had started making arrests and that people - friends, family, employers, acquaintances - were turning in the hooligans from the night before because, despite their relationship, they felt the hooligans' behaviour was wrong and deserved punishment.
And maybe the world wasn't really as horrible and I thought it was when I woke up.
And so, as a Vancouverite, I need to say thanks.
Thank you to the Vancouver Police Department and all the reinforcements from around the region, the Vancouver Fire Department, the BC Ambulance Service for bravely doing your jobs under stressful and dangerous circumstances.
Thank you to the volunteers who went out yesterday morning and reclaimed our city.
Thank you to the people who left the safety of their homes to defend their neighbourhoods.
Thank you to the good samaritans who risked their own safety to protect public and private property and generally protect our city.
A speedy recovery to our injured emergency workers and good samaritans.
Lessons? Our community is stronger than a few thousand thugs. Our community will band together when needed. Our emergency workers are amazing. Social media doesn't allow for much anonymity.
Tonight I'm going to bed with a much lighter heart.
But my little girl made me smile when we were getting ready to go to work and daycare. She told me that the police were outside last night and it was okay because they look after people. Oh, and as an after thought she said so do firemen and ambulances. We hadn't talked at all about what happened on Wednesday night - she only saw one image on TV and we can't see downtown from our place.
But you see, they closed the Granville Street bridge heading into downtown and her window faces one of the on ramps. Through the cracks in the blinds she could see flashes of red and blue lights and she knew what they were. I heard the pitter patter of little feet running to the window, the clank of the blind as she peeked out, the pitter patter back to bed, and the groans of the springs and the toddler as she jumped back in, not wanted to get caught, multiple times on Wednesday night.
Instead of listening to the radio like we usually do in the mornings, we listened to Raffi and sang along at the top of our lungs. By the time we got to daycare, I was feeling better. By the time I got to my office, I had tears in my eyes. As I pulled away from the daycare, I turned on the radio to hear a live interview from downtown. They were interviewing one of the many marvellous people who decided to go down and help restore our city.
I wished I could have gone down to help clean up with J, but alas, downtown isn't close to my office. But in that moment, all of the embarrassment, disappointment, anger, and sadness that had overwhelmed me from the night before started to melt away.
Because we really are a city of good people. Because we have class. Lots of it. Because the rioters really were just a bunch of hooligans bent destroying anything they could and not really representative of Vancouver, BC or Canada. Because the newest generation at my house believes that those charged with protecting us will and on Wednesday night they showed that, without a doubt, they most certainly will.
As the day progressed the stories of the good samaritans, the heroes, started to emerge. The news reported that police had started making arrests and that people - friends, family, employers, acquaintances - were turning in the hooligans from the night before because, despite their relationship, they felt the hooligans' behaviour was wrong and deserved punishment.
And maybe the world wasn't really as horrible and I thought it was when I woke up.
And so, as a Vancouverite, I need to say thanks.
Thank you to the Vancouver Police Department and all the reinforcements from around the region, the Vancouver Fire Department, the BC Ambulance Service for bravely doing your jobs under stressful and dangerous circumstances.
Thank you to the volunteers who went out yesterday morning and reclaimed our city.
Thank you to the people who left the safety of their homes to defend their neighbourhoods.
Thank you to the good samaritans who risked their own safety to protect public and private property and generally protect our city.
A speedy recovery to our injured emergency workers and good samaritans.
Lessons? Our community is stronger than a few thousand thugs. Our community will band together when needed. Our emergency workers are amazing. Social media doesn't allow for much anonymity.
Tonight I'm going to bed with a much lighter heart.
Thursday, June 16, 2011
What a nightmare
When I left my office yesterday, I was excited about the Stanley Cup Final. I knew Vancouver had a chance to win and I knew that Boston also had a chance to win. The cup wasn't coming to stay in Vancouver without a fight. And the Canucks just didn't have as much fight as the Bruins. And yeah, that was disappointing. It's been an incredible year with an incredible run in the playoffs and the Stanley Cup would have been the cherry on top. But it wasn't to be last night. So there's always next year.
We sat around the living room looking dejected and a small voice in the bath tub kept saying why aren't the cars making GoCanucksGo honks? Just to rub it in a little. J is disappointed that she has to wait until after she starts at her new daycare before we get to watch hockey again, but she'll get over when she figures out all the fun stuff that happens in the summer.
Then we heard reports of rioting starting. Already. The fans in the arena had barely stopped booing Gary Bettman. The Bruins were just starting their victory skate. The interviews hadn't really happened.
Not winning the Stanley Cup was disappointing and there may have been a few tears shed over that, but what happened next sickened me. I thought I'd put J to bed and then get on with life. But instead we put J to bed multiple times and stayed up way too late staring at the tv screen in disbelief. At midnight I packed it in. I was exhausted from the entire day. That was when we realized we hadn't seen any interview with any players from either team, except one from Henrik Sedin. And guess what, he certainly wasn't talking about the hockey game.
I hoped that the nightmare I watched unfold was just a bad dream and when I woke it would be over. Or it had never happened. Or maybe it was Wednesday morning again.
This morning there were idiots like this guy bragging about the horrible things they did last night.
Which at least was tempered by all the volunteers who went down to help clean up. Look, thousands!
If I didn't have to be at work today, I'd be down there with them. This is my city and I don't want to see it destroyed or abused the way it was last night. I feel sick today. And sad. And I get upset and angry when I look at the pictures and videos...I've stopped. It's ridiculous. And yes, I wished we had won the Stanley Cup, but there's always next year.
We sat around the living room looking dejected and a small voice in the bath tub kept saying why aren't the cars making GoCanucksGo honks? Just to rub it in a little. J is disappointed that she has to wait until after she starts at her new daycare before we get to watch hockey again, but she'll get over when she figures out all the fun stuff that happens in the summer.
Then we heard reports of rioting starting. Already. The fans in the arena had barely stopped booing Gary Bettman. The Bruins were just starting their victory skate. The interviews hadn't really happened.
Not winning the Stanley Cup was disappointing and there may have been a few tears shed over that, but what happened next sickened me. I thought I'd put J to bed and then get on with life. But instead we put J to bed multiple times and stayed up way too late staring at the tv screen in disbelief. At midnight I packed it in. I was exhausted from the entire day. That was when we realized we hadn't seen any interview with any players from either team, except one from Henrik Sedin. And guess what, he certainly wasn't talking about the hockey game.
I hoped that the nightmare I watched unfold was just a bad dream and when I woke it would be over. Or it had never happened. Or maybe it was Wednesday morning again.
This morning there were idiots like this guy bragging about the horrible things they did last night.
Which at least was tempered by all the volunteers who went down to help clean up. Look, thousands!
If I didn't have to be at work today, I'd be down there with them. This is my city and I don't want to see it destroyed or abused the way it was last night. I feel sick today. And sad. And I get upset and angry when I look at the pictures and videos...I've stopped. It's ridiculous. And yes, I wished we had won the Stanley Cup, but there's always next year.
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
Disappointment
At J's daycare they teach the kids to say things like "I'm disappointed" when they're upset that it's someone else's turn to have a toy or a book or a turn on the bike instead of yelling or hitting or pinching.
Tonight, I'm disappointed. I hoped, hoped, hoped that the Canucks would win the cup tonight. But they didn't.
I'm more disappointed by the behaviour of the Canucks fans in downtown Vancouver. It only took minutes for fans to light cars on fire, break things and start fighting. AndreaClaire was here and we cried in our beer together. Now there are sirens racing past our house.
So instead of rioting, I'm going to read some bedtime stories with my baby and then organize my house and clean my kitchen and get some food ready for the rest of the week...
Tonight, I'm disappointed. I hoped, hoped, hoped that the Canucks would win the cup tonight. But they didn't.
I'm more disappointed by the behaviour of the Canucks fans in downtown Vancouver. It only took minutes for fans to light cars on fire, break things and start fighting. AndreaClaire was here and we cried in our beer together. Now there are sirens racing past our house.
So instead of rioting, I'm going to read some bedtime stories with my baby and then organize my house and clean my kitchen and get some food ready for the rest of the week...
And it all comes down to one game...
...and maybe one goal.
A season that started on October 7, 2010 is ending, finally on June 15, 2011...that's a long time for hockey. It's pretty much summer now, even in Canada. But we're still playing (and cheering wildly for) a winter sport.
Regardless of the outcome of tonight's game, I am glad to see this craziness come to an end. It's been two months of elevated heart rates and blood pressure, gnawed off finger nails, ground down teeth, queasy tummies, late-night horns honking, lack of concentration and focus craziness.
Don't get me wrong, it's been spectacular! But I'm ready for normal (and hoping that normal now includes a Stanley Cup for the Vancouver Canucks). My daughter is ready for regular bedtimes - they have been few and far between since the playoffs started because we live on a major street and jubilant fans walk by cheering and drive by honking their horns. I learned early on not to fight this and now J hangs out at her window or sometimes on the deck and yells GoCanucksGo to them.
I am certain employers will be glad to have productive employees back...the early game times haven't affected me much because I start early and leave early to pick J up at daycare, but I know lots of people who have been leaving work half an hour to two hours early, pretty much every other day since April. That's a lot of missed time to make up...
And days like today, well, I know my mind keeps flitting back to questions of what will happen tonight...what if...what if not...
Seventeen years ago I was seventeen. I had been away at boarding school for the first part of the playoffs in a state where hockey isn't really followed. But my dorm mother graciously allowed me and the other lone hockey fan (who was cheering for Chicago...we made a deal, as long as our teams weren't playing each other, we'd cheer together) to watch our beloved teams in her apartment on her tv during study hall. I came home in time for the last two series. Our house was full of yelling, cheering, screaming people. I was at my friend Michelle's the night of game 7. It was heart wrenching, then heartbreaking, then devastating [I know, I know, first world problems] but we recovered. And the Canucks recovered. And seventeen years later, here we are again. It's not the same team, but it is the same team.
And so, I am leaving my desk now. Yes. Early. Yes, I'm blogging from work. Yes, my boss told me to leave over half an hour ago. [I didn't...I have to wait for J to wake up from her nap at daycare] I'm going home to cheer loudly for the Canucks with J and with AndreaClaire who is here to cheer all the way from Victoria. And we might venture into the party zone. And hopefully we'll have lots to be excited about. And tonight, tonight I hope the noise and honking and cheering lasts well into the wee hours of tomorrow. And I hope there is a parade for us to go to later this week.
So, boys in blue and green, please:
Play hard
Play safe
Play clean
Win it for the ones you've lost through these series and the late season - Samuelsson, Hamhuis, Rome, Raymond. Win it for the seventh man on the ice - Bourdon. Win it for the fans who have cheered for you since before they really understood the game. Win it for the fans who jumped on the bandwagon, drawn by the excitement and insanity of the playoffs. Win it for the guys of 1982 and the guys of 1994. Win it for yourselves. And your families. And your friends. Heck, just go out there and win it! I believe!
And fans, please:
Cheer hard
Cheer loud
Cheer long and late (or is it early)
Cheer respectfully
Ignore the Boston trolls and welcome the more respectful Boston fans [but let them know we're going to win]
Have fun
And please, please, please, no matter the outcome of the game, don't ruin our city or all the good feelings that have piled up and grown through this playoff run.
A season that started on October 7, 2010 is ending, finally on June 15, 2011...that's a long time for hockey. It's pretty much summer now, even in Canada. But we're still playing (and cheering wildly for) a winter sport.
Regardless of the outcome of tonight's game, I am glad to see this craziness come to an end. It's been two months of elevated heart rates and blood pressure, gnawed off finger nails, ground down teeth, queasy tummies, late-night horns honking, lack of concentration and focus craziness.
Don't get me wrong, it's been spectacular! But I'm ready for normal (and hoping that normal now includes a Stanley Cup for the Vancouver Canucks). My daughter is ready for regular bedtimes - they have been few and far between since the playoffs started because we live on a major street and jubilant fans walk by cheering and drive by honking their horns. I learned early on not to fight this and now J hangs out at her window or sometimes on the deck and yells GoCanucksGo to them.
I am certain employers will be glad to have productive employees back...the early game times haven't affected me much because I start early and leave early to pick J up at daycare, but I know lots of people who have been leaving work half an hour to two hours early, pretty much every other day since April. That's a lot of missed time to make up...
And days like today, well, I know my mind keeps flitting back to questions of what will happen tonight...what if...what if not...
Seventeen years ago I was seventeen. I had been away at boarding school for the first part of the playoffs in a state where hockey isn't really followed. But my dorm mother graciously allowed me and the other lone hockey fan (who was cheering for Chicago...we made a deal, as long as our teams weren't playing each other, we'd cheer together) to watch our beloved teams in her apartment on her tv during study hall. I came home in time for the last two series. Our house was full of yelling, cheering, screaming people. I was at my friend Michelle's the night of game 7. It was heart wrenching, then heartbreaking, then devastating [I know, I know, first world problems] but we recovered. And the Canucks recovered. And seventeen years later, here we are again. It's not the same team, but it is the same team.
And so, I am leaving my desk now. Yes. Early. Yes, I'm blogging from work. Yes, my boss told me to leave over half an hour ago. [I didn't...I have to wait for J to wake up from her nap at daycare] I'm going home to cheer loudly for the Canucks with J and with AndreaClaire who is here to cheer all the way from Victoria. And we might venture into the party zone. And hopefully we'll have lots to be excited about. And tonight, tonight I hope the noise and honking and cheering lasts well into the wee hours of tomorrow. And I hope there is a parade for us to go to later this week.
So, boys in blue and green, please:
Play hard
Play safe
Play clean
Win it for the ones you've lost through these series and the late season - Samuelsson, Hamhuis, Rome, Raymond. Win it for the seventh man on the ice - Bourdon. Win it for the fans who have cheered for you since before they really understood the game. Win it for the fans who jumped on the bandwagon, drawn by the excitement and insanity of the playoffs. Win it for the guys of 1982 and the guys of 1994. Win it for yourselves. And your families. And your friends. Heck, just go out there and win it! I believe!
And fans, please:
Cheer hard
Cheer loud
Cheer long and late (or is it early)
Cheer respectfully
Ignore the Boston trolls and welcome the more respectful Boston fans [but let them know we're going to win]
Have fun
And please, please, please, no matter the outcome of the game, don't ruin our city or all the good feelings that have piled up and grown through this playoff run.
Mixed Up Menu Week
I planned my menu on Monday. Really. And I went grocery shopping. But the Stanley Cup Finals are happening and, who knew, that means life has been wholly unpredictable and strange.
This was the plan on Monday, updated today.
Monday: Nachos withtaco meat, beans, salsa and homemade guacamole, coleslaw, chicken strips, homemade hummus with pita chips and veggies. Extras: beer, quesadillas, pb&j for toddlers who didn't understand why we weren't all yelling GoCanucksGo. By the time it was time to eat, we didn't want to but knew we should. Somehow it was the meat and the veggies that got knocked off the list first
Tuesday: Leftovers - sort of...I cooked the taco meat and we had slapped together quesadillas before going to the pool. Toddler wanted to know why there was no hockey tonight.
Wednesday:Perogies. Hockey play off food. Likely more nachos, maybe that coleslaw from the other night, more hummus and hopefully some veggies. Oh and probably beer. But it won't be salty from sad tears. I hope.
Thursday:Salmon Perogies with veggies and coleslaw (regardless of the outcome of tonight's game, I'm done with grocery stores for a few days...somehow I've been to the store every day this week)
*Friday: Homemade pizzas
*Saturday: Something quick for J and her sitter, out for me and Alex
*Sunday: Probably burgers for Father's Day but it depends on whether or not Alex's family is over...
*Subject to being totally tossed out the window for a Stanley Cup Parade
Next week, back to normal. For more (less wishy-washy, hockey dependent) menu ideas, check out I'm an Organizing Junkie.
This was the plan on Monday, updated today.
Monday: Nachos with
Tuesday: Leftovers - sort of...I cooked the taco meat and we had slapped together quesadillas before going to the pool. Toddler wanted to know why there was no hockey tonight.
Wednesday:
Thursday:
*Friday: Homemade pizzas
*Saturday: Something quick for J and her sitter, out for me and Alex
*Sunday: Probably burgers for Father's Day but it depends on whether or not Alex's family is over...
*Subject to being totally tossed out the window for a Stanley Cup Parade
Next week, back to normal. For more (less wishy-washy, hockey dependent) menu ideas, check out I'm an Organizing Junkie.
Tuesday, June 14, 2011
Dear NHL and Boston Bruins fans - you suck
So, normally I wouldn't wade into the mud on something like this but I'm annoyed. I'm beyond annoyed. I'm disgusted.
DISCLOSURE: In case you didn't know, I'm a Canucks fan, as is my two and a half year old.
My Vancouver Canucks are in the Stanley Cup Final. But I'm ready to stop watching. There has been so much nonsense in this series, it's unbelievable. I'm not going to defend the Canucks or the Canucks fans - diving, biting and beer and peanut throwing are hardly positive attributes. Aaron Rome's hit on Nathan Horton was horrible. I felt so sick after that happened. While I find it hard to believe there was malice in the hit, I do think it deserved a suspension.
Boston hasn't been much better - hacking, sucker punching, blatant (unpenalized) cross-checks by the goalie, racial slurs to fans, a Boston restaurant telling Canucks players there's no food for them.
The officials, well, I think they have been downright horrible. The inconsistency is unbelievable. The non-penalty calls (anyone remember a puck being DEFLECTED over the glass that was called a delay of game?), the non-calls, the "this cross-check doesn't count, but the next one might" calls. And it's not like they're necessarily favouring one team over the other - I've seen things go both ways.
But what really got me was the hit last night on Mason Raymond. I'm not even talking about the hit, I'm more disgusted by what happened immediately after the hit.
First of all, hockey is about rivalry as much as it is about the game. But, in my experience, no matter where two teams are playing, when someone gets hurt, typically, the arena goes silent. Then when the injured player gets up and shakes it off, gets up and is helped off the ice or in the most chilling cases, is wheeled off on a stretcher, the fans applaud politely and players on both teams bang their sticks on the boards or the ice. They do not chant "flopper." Not only that, you can still hear them chanting after he's been on the ice for over a minute. Instead of clapping, they start chanting "Let's Go Bruins" and booing.
Secondly, where was the spinal board? WHERE WAS IT? When a player hits the boards like that a spinal board should be MANDATORY. One of the first lessons you learn in first aid is to NEVER EVER EVER move someone suspected of having a head, neck or back injury. Unless of course they are potentially in more danger if you don't - electrocution, falling trees, you know, things that weren't an issue in the hockey arena. My back has been aching in sympathy all day. I don't care who it was on the ice - Bruin, Canuck, who cares - injuries need to be treated with care. I sure hope that moving Raymond didn't injure him more or prolong his recovery time.
Third, back to those Boston fans. They are trolling the message boards and commenting on new articles and telling the Canucks to suck it. The Vancouver Canucks got what was coming to them and they deserved it. No. That's wrong. No one deserves to be injured like that. Horton didn't deserve to be injured on the play with Rome. While some Canucks fans didn't agree with the suspension (either the length of or the suspension in general), I didn't see any of them saying, good, Horton and the Bruins deserved that.
Fourth, Mike Murphy, you are so inconsistent and make the NHL look like a goon show. When you commented on the Horton-Rome incident this is what you said (from the Globe and Mail):
This has nothing to do with Rule 48. This is just an interference penalty, an interference hit. If it was immediate after he released the puck, it would be a legal hit. We have them all the time.
AND
So the key components are: the late hit, which I had it close to a second late. We have our own formula at NHL Hockey Operations for determining late hits, and it was late. We saw the seriousness of the injury with Nathan on the ice last night.
That's basically what we deliberated on. We tried to compare it with some of the other ones in the past. But it stands alone. It's why we made the ruling.
So according to NHL rules it wasn't head shot and the suspension was determined by (1) a late hit and (2) the severity of the injury.
I'm not disputing the severity of the injury. A concussion is bad news all around. And the hit was late. Fine. Now you've set a precedence.
Let's now apply those same two rules to the Raymond-Boychuk incident. Which was (1) a late hit and (2) caused serious injury. I don't know when Horton will be back but four to six months is a long time and that sounds severe to me. Also, having experienced a fractured vertebra myself, I know it's a painful and difficult road to recovery.
But Mr. Murphy, instead this is what you had to say about that hit (also from the Globe and Mail): [It was an] awkward collision between two players battling for space/room. Come on Mr. Murphy, you suspended Rome for what you called a legal hit because it was late and there was serious injury. In the same vein then the Boychuk hit should warrant a suspension. I don't care how long, but suspend him.
I hate to jump on the conspiracy train, but some consistency would be nice. I won't even get into the Marchand pummeling of Sedin which resulted in a misconduct for Sedin and the resulting comment of "I felt like it" from Marchand (around 2:15). Or any of the other inconsistent circus side shows that have gone on (for both sides) in this series. There's all this talk about how the NHL wants to eliminate blindside hits and goonery, but it's just talk. This hit and non suspension prove that.
So NHL maybe over the summer break you can figure out a way to officiate the game in a fair manner. Because at this point, it looks like it might be more fair to let the teams police the ice themselves. And while you're at it, get a good, solid policy for using spinal board. Please.
DISCLOSURE: In case you didn't know, I'm a Canucks fan, as is my two and a half year old.
My Vancouver Canucks are in the Stanley Cup Final. But I'm ready to stop watching. There has been so much nonsense in this series, it's unbelievable. I'm not going to defend the Canucks or the Canucks fans - diving, biting and beer and peanut throwing are hardly positive attributes. Aaron Rome's hit on Nathan Horton was horrible. I felt so sick after that happened. While I find it hard to believe there was malice in the hit, I do think it deserved a suspension.
Boston hasn't been much better - hacking, sucker punching, blatant (unpenalized) cross-checks by the goalie, racial slurs to fans, a Boston restaurant telling Canucks players there's no food for them.
The officials, well, I think they have been downright horrible. The inconsistency is unbelievable. The non-penalty calls (anyone remember a puck being DEFLECTED over the glass that was called a delay of game?), the non-calls, the "this cross-check doesn't count, but the next one might" calls. And it's not like they're necessarily favouring one team over the other - I've seen things go both ways.
But what really got me was the hit last night on Mason Raymond. I'm not even talking about the hit, I'm more disgusted by what happened immediately after the hit.
First of all, hockey is about rivalry as much as it is about the game. But, in my experience, no matter where two teams are playing, when someone gets hurt, typically, the arena goes silent. Then when the injured player gets up and shakes it off, gets up and is helped off the ice or in the most chilling cases, is wheeled off on a stretcher, the fans applaud politely and players on both teams bang their sticks on the boards or the ice. They do not chant "flopper." Not only that, you can still hear them chanting after he's been on the ice for over a minute. Instead of clapping, they start chanting "Let's Go Bruins" and booing.
Secondly, where was the spinal board? WHERE WAS IT? When a player hits the boards like that a spinal board should be MANDATORY. One of the first lessons you learn in first aid is to NEVER EVER EVER move someone suspected of having a head, neck or back injury. Unless of course they are potentially in more danger if you don't - electrocution, falling trees, you know, things that weren't an issue in the hockey arena. My back has been aching in sympathy all day. I don't care who it was on the ice - Bruin, Canuck, who cares - injuries need to be treated with care. I sure hope that moving Raymond didn't injure him more or prolong his recovery time.
Third, back to those Boston fans. They are trolling the message boards and commenting on new articles and telling the Canucks to suck it. The Vancouver Canucks got what was coming to them and they deserved it. No. That's wrong. No one deserves to be injured like that. Horton didn't deserve to be injured on the play with Rome. While some Canucks fans didn't agree with the suspension (either the length of or the suspension in general), I didn't see any of them saying, good, Horton and the Bruins deserved that.
Fourth, Mike Murphy, you are so inconsistent and make the NHL look like a goon show. When you commented on the Horton-Rome incident this is what you said (from the Globe and Mail):
This has nothing to do with Rule 48. This is just an interference penalty, an interference hit. If it was immediate after he released the puck, it would be a legal hit. We have them all the time.
AND
So the key components are: the late hit, which I had it close to a second late. We have our own formula at NHL Hockey Operations for determining late hits, and it was late. We saw the seriousness of the injury with Nathan on the ice last night.
That's basically what we deliberated on. We tried to compare it with some of the other ones in the past. But it stands alone. It's why we made the ruling.
So according to NHL rules it wasn't head shot and the suspension was determined by (1) a late hit and (2) the severity of the injury.
I'm not disputing the severity of the injury. A concussion is bad news all around. And the hit was late. Fine. Now you've set a precedence.
Let's now apply those same two rules to the Raymond-Boychuk incident. Which was (1) a late hit and (2) caused serious injury. I don't know when Horton will be back but four to six months is a long time and that sounds severe to me. Also, having experienced a fractured vertebra myself, I know it's a painful and difficult road to recovery.
But Mr. Murphy, instead this is what you had to say about that hit (also from the Globe and Mail): [It was an] awkward collision between two players battling for space/room. Come on Mr. Murphy, you suspended Rome for what you called a legal hit because it was late and there was serious injury. In the same vein then the Boychuk hit should warrant a suspension. I don't care how long, but suspend him.
I hate to jump on the conspiracy train, but some consistency would be nice. I won't even get into the Marchand pummeling of Sedin which resulted in a misconduct for Sedin and the resulting comment of "I felt like it" from Marchand (around 2:15). Or any of the other inconsistent circus side shows that have gone on (for both sides) in this series. There's all this talk about how the NHL wants to eliminate blindside hits and goonery, but it's just talk. This hit and non suspension prove that.
So NHL maybe over the summer break you can figure out a way to officiate the game in a fair manner. Because at this point, it looks like it might be more fair to let the teams police the ice themselves. And while you're at it, get a good, solid policy for using spinal board. Please.
Friday, June 10, 2011
Boooo Boston...Go Canucks Go
Our apartment looks out over a main street. When the Canucks won tonight a few things happened.
1. We could hear a dull roar from the fans on the street across False Creek
2. Horns started honking and people started yelling.
3. J got very excited and decided this was the time to tell the world who her NHL hockey team is.
She stood at her window and yelled anytime horns honked or jersey clad people went past.
Somewhere along the line, she learned thumbs up and thumbs down and (mostly) used them correctly.
Tonight was unreal...I can't imagine what it will be like if the Vancouver Canucks win the Stanley Cup!
1. We could hear a dull roar from the fans on the street across False Creek
2. Horns started honking and people started yelling.
3. J got very excited and decided this was the time to tell the world who her NHL hockey team is.
She stood at her window and yelled anytime horns honked or jersey clad people went past.
Somewhere along the line, she learned thumbs up and thumbs down and (mostly) used them correctly.
Tonight was unreal...I can't imagine what it will be like if the Vancouver Canucks win the Stanley Cup!
Wednesday, June 08, 2011
It's Wednesday
Which means we're a lot closer to the weekend than we were on Monday.
I wrote a very lengthy post to the universe about the gong show that has been my day - you know, barometric pressure migraine, bed sheet laundering, toddler bathing, milk curdling, disappearing bike, and toddler-daycare-meltdowning all before 9:00 am (most of it before 6:45 am) - and then deleted it.
Because, whoa, way too much whining.
Tylenol and a latte with an extra shot calmed the migraine and fixed the caffeine deprivation brought on by the lack of uncurdled milk. The washer and dryer and Alex will ensure the sheets are ready to be put back on the bed before bedtime, the toddler is clean and has, by now, I hope, forgotten her bike was left at home and that I am horrible for leaving her at daycare.
The sun is shining. We've been whining about our extended winter for so long, it's good to have some vitamin D streaming down on us. It means the sun is out when I get up in the morning and J and I can play at the park for hours after dinner. It means summer is coming (I'll try not to whine too much about how hot our place gets) and summer is good.
And it's Hockey Night...I am hoping for a better outcome (on a few levels) than Monday night's game...so GO CANUCKS GO...let's go into Friday's game up 3-1....
I wrote a very lengthy post to the universe about the gong show that has been my day - you know, barometric pressure migraine, bed sheet laundering, toddler bathing, milk curdling, disappearing bike, and toddler-daycare-meltdowning all before 9:00 am (most of it before 6:45 am) - and then deleted it.
Because, whoa, way too much whining.
Tylenol and a latte with an extra shot calmed the migraine and fixed the caffeine deprivation brought on by the lack of uncurdled milk. The washer and dryer and Alex will ensure the sheets are ready to be put back on the bed before bedtime, the toddler is clean and has, by now, I hope, forgotten her bike was left at home and that I am horrible for leaving her at daycare.
The sun is shining. We've been whining about our extended winter for so long, it's good to have some vitamin D streaming down on us. It means the sun is out when I get up in the morning and J and I can play at the park for hours after dinner. It means summer is coming (I'll try not to whine too much about how hot our place gets) and summer is good.
And it's Hockey Night...I am hoping for a better outcome (on a few levels) than Monday night's game...so GO CANUCKS GO...let's go into Friday's game up 3-1....
Monday, June 06, 2011
Blerg
I'm supposed to be watching the Canucks game, but I can't watch...I've felt somewhat sick to my stomach since the first five minutes when Horton hit the ice. I don't care about the "was it late or wasn't it", the "was it a legal hit or wasn't it", I just hate seeing players not moving on the ice. I felt a little better when the CBC announcers announced that the Bruins said he was in hospital and moving all his limbs, but it was still scary.
And now I can barely watch the game. Which is probably a good thing since they're trailing 4-0. I'm hoping we'll tighten the score before the game is over and maybe win games 4 and 5...Stanley Cup win at home? YES PLEASE. [I can hear the game...it's on in the other room and I keep dashing in to see what's happening]
I also haven't done a menu plan yet today because ugh. It's summer here finally. And our place faces due west. It's hot.
And I hate making food in the summer. So if you have any suggestions for toddler friendly, warm weather food, I'd love to hear them....please. Or we'll be eating granola and yogurt all summer.
And now I can barely watch the game. Which is probably a good thing since they're trailing 4-0. I'm hoping we'll tighten the score before the game is over and maybe win games 4 and 5...Stanley Cup win at home? YES PLEASE. [I can hear the game...it's on in the other room and I keep dashing in to see what's happening]
I also haven't done a menu plan yet today because ugh. It's summer here finally. And our place faces due west. It's hot.
And I hate making food in the summer. So if you have any suggestions for toddler friendly, warm weather food, I'd love to hear them....please. Or we'll be eating granola and yogurt all summer.
GO CANUCKS GO
Tuesday, April 26, 2011
And exhale...
I feel like I've been holding my breath ALL DAY. I didn't realize it until I let out a big breath about five minutes ago.
My baby girl is going through a growth spurt right now and seems to have some growing pains tonight. So, I ended up spending most of the the third period of the hockey game in her room rubbing her back. I did happen to come out just in time to see the tying goal.
And I was back in her room for the overtime. I decided if I couldn't hear anything, I was just going to assume that the game was still tied...
And then a horn honked. And then two or three horns honked. And a little almost asleep voice said "What's that?" And then our building erupted in cheers.
And I knew. The Canucks won. And all of a sudden my body relaxed and I started to breathe again. And J went to sleep.
And this just sums it up....I love this picture! Nashville is here on Thursday...here we go again...
My baby girl is going through a growth spurt right now and seems to have some growing pains tonight. So, I ended up spending most of the the third period of the hockey game in her room rubbing her back. I did happen to come out just in time to see the tying goal.
And I was back in her room for the overtime. I decided if I couldn't hear anything, I was just going to assume that the game was still tied...
And then a horn honked. And then two or three horns honked. And a little almost asleep voice said "What's that?" And then our building erupted in cheers.
And I knew. The Canucks won. And all of a sudden my body relaxed and I started to breathe again. And J went to sleep.
And this just sums it up....I love this picture! Nashville is here on Thursday...here we go again...
Angst, tenterhooks, stress, and disquietude
Do you know what today is?
I'm sure it's a lot of things, but if you're a Vancouver Canucks fan, it's do or die day.
Game seven.
Round one.
I know they *CAN* win, it's just a matter of if they *WILL* win.
So, in honour of game seven, I'm going to sit at my desk and fidget and fret all day. It's a good thing I have yoga at lunch today...I'm hoping that will calm me down a bit...
Other Canucks fans out there, how are you doing today!?!?!
I'm sure it's a lot of things, but if you're a Vancouver Canucks fan, it's do or die day.
Game seven.
Round one.
I know they *CAN* win, it's just a matter of if they *WILL* win.
So, in honour of game seven, I'm going to sit at my desk and fidget and fret all day. It's a good thing I have yoga at lunch today...I'm hoping that will calm me down a bit...
Other Canucks fans out there, how are you doing today!?!?!
Wednesday, April 13, 2011
It's hockey night tonight!
I thought it was Tuesday today. Until I went for a walk at lunch time and all kinds of people were wearing Canucks jerseys. Then I remembered.
Game 1 of the playoffs!
Now I have Stompin' Tom Connor's hockey song stuck in my head. J's favourite Youtube version is here.
I'm looking forward to an evening of hockey and my confused toddler chanting "Go Rockets Go!" Last year during the playoffs, she stayed with my parents in Kelowna for a week and they have Rockets seasons tickets. So now, J yells "Go Rockets Go" at any and all hockey games.
It can get a bit awkward at Vancouver Giants games...you know. But tonight, it will be endearing and the Canucks better win.
Game 1 of the playoffs!
Now I have Stompin' Tom Connor's hockey song stuck in my head. J's favourite Youtube version is here.
I'm looking forward to an evening of hockey and my confused toddler chanting "Go Rockets Go!" Last year during the playoffs, she stayed with my parents in Kelowna for a week and they have Rockets seasons tickets. So now, J yells "Go Rockets Go" at any and all hockey games.
It can get a bit awkward at Vancouver Giants games...you know. But tonight, it will be endearing and the Canucks better win.
Monday, October 25, 2010
Go Rockets Giants Go
We did do some fun stuff this weekend, not just boring, old fall cleaning.
On Saturday we went to a Welcome to the World party. J thought it was great. She "held" the new baby for a few minutes and then had a blast eating chocolate cupcakes with chocolate icing and drawing with the new baby's big sister using the fancy new crayon she got as a big sister gift.
But the big event was Saturday night. J had no idea we had a surprise planned for her. On Friday night she had a blast cheering for the Canucks on TV and kept saying "I go hockey. I say Go Rockets Go!" (She's been to lots of games, starting when she was about four months old) I asked her if she's been to a game and she said she had, with her mommy, daddy, Auntie Rebar and Oncle Jado. We were surprised she remembered the Paralympics and not Easter with my mom and dad, but she did know that my dad taught her how to say "Go Rockets Go!"
She got her puppy out and got us to zip him into her rain coat so he wouldn't get wet on the way to the game.
She was pretty excited when we got there - she started looking for the blimp and it's been, oh, six months since she's been to a game.
Obviously she's her father's daughter...sportscaster in the making?
Hmmmm....what to write...not sure that was the right move...
We had a great time! She stayed awake (and happy) through the whole game and conked out in the car. She ended up sleeping in her clothes.
She slept in until 8:30 on Sunday morning which gave me 15 minutes to read my book. When I went in to get her up, I asked her what she did the night before.
"I go hockey. I sleep my clothes." So it obviously made an impression!
Oh, and by the end of the night she was saying "Go Giants Go!"
On Saturday we went to a Welcome to the World party. J thought it was great. She "held" the new baby for a few minutes and then had a blast eating chocolate cupcakes with chocolate icing and drawing with the new baby's big sister using the fancy new crayon she got as a big sister gift.
But the big event was Saturday night. J had no idea we had a surprise planned for her. On Friday night she had a blast cheering for the Canucks on TV and kept saying "I go hockey. I say Go Rockets Go!" (She's been to lots of games, starting when she was about four months old) I asked her if she's been to a game and she said she had, with her mommy, daddy, Auntie Rebar and Oncle Jado. We were surprised she remembered the Paralympics and not Easter with my mom and dad, but she did know that my dad taught her how to say "Go Rockets Go!"
She got her puppy out and got us to zip him into her rain coat so he wouldn't get wet on the way to the game.
She was pretty excited when we got there - she started looking for the blimp and it's been, oh, six months since she's been to a game.
Obviously she's her father's daughter...sportscaster in the making?
Hmmmm....what to write...not sure that was the right move...
We had a great time! She stayed awake (and happy) through the whole game and conked out in the car. She ended up sleeping in her clothes.
She slept in until 8:30 on Sunday morning which gave me 15 minutes to read my book. When I went in to get her up, I asked her what she did the night before.
"I go hockey. I sleep my clothes." So it obviously made an impression!
Oh, and by the end of the night she was saying "Go Giants Go!"
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
Playoff time
Well, round 2 of the Stanley Cup playoffs starts tomorrow and for some reason this year I can't help but thinking of a certain Canucks playoff run 15(!) years ago. I was away at boarding school on an Island in the Pacific where most people had no idea about hockey and couldn't figure out why I was so excited about it...I spent the first half of the playoffs cheering for the Canucks all alone.
We had some strict rules surrounding television viewing which included no TV between the hours of 8:00 pm and 9:30 pm and 10:00 pm and 5:00 ish pm. Being a few hours behind the west coast this meant that a lot of the Canucks games where during class time, especially once they started playing on the East Coast. And since TV time was limited and there was only one TV in the dorm, I had to get creative on how I was going to watch these games.
It turned out I was in luck! The son of the teacher who lived at the end of my hallway watched hockey! All I had to do was convince him to watch the Vancouver games. Now, he seemed so old to me then...I'm thinking he was, oh, 24 at the most, but when you're 16...Anyway, long story short, many afternoons I could be found in their living room watching hockey while other students got help with school work in the dining room or made long distance phone calls from the phone in the kitchen.
It was a relief to get home not only have clear and easy access to the Canucks games, but also have a whole family (not to mention friends) who would cheer along with me! That I was a hockey fan was a source of great amusement to some of my boarding school friends. It just made me more Canadian than they already thought I was. One friend in particular tried to claim that since it is the NATIONAL Hockey League, all those Canadian teams, past and present, must actually belong to the USA. My counter - since Lord Stanley gave the Stanley Cup with instructions it should be presented to the top team in Canada, cities like New York, Boston, Detroit and Chicago must have ceded from the Union to join Canada.
No such bantering this year, but I'm happy to be in a hockey friendly place with people to cheer with me...and maybe, just maybe we'll have even more to cheer about than we did in 1994!
We had some strict rules surrounding television viewing which included no TV between the hours of 8:00 pm and 9:30 pm and 10:00 pm and 5:00 ish pm. Being a few hours behind the west coast this meant that a lot of the Canucks games where during class time, especially once they started playing on the East Coast. And since TV time was limited and there was only one TV in the dorm, I had to get creative on how I was going to watch these games.
It turned out I was in luck! The son of the teacher who lived at the end of my hallway watched hockey! All I had to do was convince him to watch the Vancouver games. Now, he seemed so old to me then...I'm thinking he was, oh, 24 at the most, but when you're 16...Anyway, long story short, many afternoons I could be found in their living room watching hockey while other students got help with school work in the dining room or made long distance phone calls from the phone in the kitchen.
It was a relief to get home not only have clear and easy access to the Canucks games, but also have a whole family (not to mention friends) who would cheer along with me! That I was a hockey fan was a source of great amusement to some of my boarding school friends. It just made me more Canadian than they already thought I was. One friend in particular tried to claim that since it is the NATIONAL Hockey League, all those Canadian teams, past and present, must actually belong to the USA. My counter - since Lord Stanley gave the Stanley Cup with instructions it should be presented to the top team in Canada, cities like New York, Boston, Detroit and Chicago must have ceded from the Union to join Canada.
No such bantering this year, but I'm happy to be in a hockey friendly place with people to cheer with me...and maybe, just maybe we'll have even more to cheer about than we did in 1994!
Monday, April 20, 2009
Rockets and Giants and how that impacts our household!
Last night we took Baby J to a hockey game. A Vancouver Giants-Kelowna Rockets playoff game to be more specific...
J is pretty good at games. She doesn't cry and she eventually sleeps - she even likes to cheer sometimes! (See below) What J doesn't know is that Mommy and Daddy cheer for two different teams when the Giants and Rockets meet.
Daddy is trying to impress on J the importance of choosing a team to cheer for...she looks confused in her Rockets t-shirt with the Giants towel.
Here she is, cheering. She really does cheer...she waves her little arms and legs and squeals along with the crowd! I guess right now it's okay if she cheers for both teams!
Interestingly, part way through the game the Easter Bunny put in a delayed appearance and brought J this little Easter gift. I guess she might have to wear it to next Saturday's game...we'll see!
J is pretty good at games. She doesn't cry and she eventually sleeps - she even likes to cheer sometimes! (See below) What J doesn't know is that Mommy and Daddy cheer for two different teams when the Giants and Rockets meet.
Daddy is trying to impress on J the importance of choosing a team to cheer for...she looks confused in her Rockets t-shirt with the Giants towel.
Here she is, cheering. She really does cheer...she waves her little arms and legs and squeals along with the crowd! I guess right now it's okay if she cheers for both teams!
Interestingly, part way through the game the Easter Bunny put in a delayed appearance and brought J this little Easter gift. I guess she might have to wear it to next Saturday's game...we'll see!
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