Category: hockey

Hockey in the South: A Perk from Winning the War of Northern Aggression?

As some of you already know, I love hockey. I love it on TV and more so in person. As long as I can see the whole sheet of ice to watch plays develop and other shenanigans that occur out of the camera’s watchful eye. But being at a game surrounded by these Nashvillian fans makes watching the game in person very interesting.

I went to Game 2 in the Stanley Cup Western Quarterfinals. Nashville Predators vs. San Jose Sharks. It was a great game to watch. The Preds won 5-2, by the way. Rivalries almost always develop during a series and this is no different. After events of Game 1 I expected this game to be a chippy and penalty riddled one. And it was.

The fans really went after the referees. Which seems to be common among sports. So, I was wondering if the fans (at least hockey fans) hate the ref’s calls because of the heat of the moment (which I tend to fall under when I don’t like a call)? Or are they just ignorant of the rules and how a referee makes calls?

It kind of irks me when I see a play develop and one player is really making a play for the puck and in the process trips his opponent and then the fans jump all over the ref. Sure, it sucks that it happened but it was a play on the puck not on the opponent’s feet. The refs have a hard enough job as it is and if he makes a mistake more than likely there will be a ‘make-up’ call. It happens. We move on. Unless a call shifts the momentum and outcome of the game. But I don’t think that happens very much in hockey in my very humble opinion.

The fights were a big deal, too. The paper here wrote a bunch about the number of penalty minutes and blah, blah, blah. The game ended with 3 pairs of players duking it out (which, as a Predators fan I’m sad to say, we lost those fights). What a better way to keep the momentum way up for the road trip! The Sharks wanted to make a statement by saying, “We may have lost but we can still kick your ass!” And the Preds may have been saying, “We won this game and we will take it to your house and kick your ass!” Hey, it’s the playoffs! And it’s hockey! That the way they roll (as the kids are want to say nowadays).

Another thing about the fans here (and probably anywhere there is a gimmick like this) chanted, “WE WANT TACOS! WE WANT TACOS!” WTF?!?! I was informed by my arena neighbor that everytime the Preds score 5 goals in a game you can take your ticket to Taco Bell to get a free taco. They may want tacos but I wanted the Preds to win more than I want a free Taco Bell taco. When I said this out loud my kind neighbor said “It’s 4-1 we got this.” Need I remind you that it was only the 2nd period and in Game 1 the Preds came from behind to tie it up ultimately losing in double OT. This is hockey! Anything can happen and when it does it happens quickly! Plus, Taco Bell tacos are pretty crappy.

**If my buddy Jeff reads this I kindly ask him to make comments on the game of hockey in my comments section. I always look to him for a different perspective on the game. Not only is he Canadien but he also used to referee in the Junior League (I believe). So, Jeff write something insightful or referee-like in the comments! Anybody else for that matter, too. What do you think?**

The Young Extroverted One’s ‘Hockey Night in Nashville’*

The Young Extroverted One has gone to her first hockey game. Last week we had ‘YEO and Daddy Hockey Night’ on Tuesday. It was the Edmonton Oilers vs. the Nashville Predators but if you asked her she would just shove her stuffed Gnash in your face and tell you that she enjoyed the game.My highlights were sharing the sport that I love with my daughter and the Preds winning. Her highlight was actually seeing Gnash and having him wave at her every time he came out from the concourse to our particular vomitorium to do his bits during stoppages. Around the fourth sighting and frantic waving I do believe Gnash was starting to wear down. I wouldn’t have been the least bit surprised to hear him say, “Kid! Leave me the ‘F’ alone! Sigh.” But he was gracious and his arm, I assume, got very tired.

Well played, Gnash. Well played!

YEO made it to almost seven minutes into the third period! I was expecting to leave earlier. But she was great, the game was great, some of the fans around us were annoying and a little dumb and Gnash was a gentleman sabre-tooth Tiger.

*First, I must beg forgiveness from my friends of the Canadien persuasion when I referenced ‘Hockey Night in Canada.’ Not having DirecTV and the Center Ice Package anymore I sure miss the CBC‘s beloved Saturday night games and mean no disrespect to that fine institution.

All Backed Up

I have a backlog of things to write about. I just need the time to do it. So, here’s a little teaser:

  • The Young Extroverted One’s Spring Break adventures with daddy at the library
  • The Young Extroverted One’s Spring Break adventures with daddy at Shelby Park
  • The Young Extroverted One’s Spring Break adventures with daddy at the new ice cream joint in East Nashville
  • The Young Extroverted One’s Spring Break adventures with daddy at the zoo
  • My missing cooking/baking
  • Good times down at the farm
  • Jesus Christ: Vampire Hunter

Soon to come:

  • The Young Extroverted One’s first hockey game

Goodbye GEC(H) . . . HelLOOO NA

I’m very greatful for the decision by Nashville’s Metro Sports Authority to approve the proposal* by the Nashville Predators to drop the name that has caused people all over Nashville to spew spittal in my face when pronouncing GEC(H). I have always had a problem with that abbreviation since before I moved here. Even more so lately, when the Elder Extroverted Holy One is working on her Hebrew pronounciations.

When working for the, what was once, Raleigh Entertainment and Sports Arena (now the RBC Center) we never called it the RESA (reesah). We just simply called it the Raleigh Arena or the arena. Affectionally also known as ‘hell hole’ because it seemed like that the first year we opened but now I reserve that nickname for my current place of employment.

Hopefully, the nice residents of Middle Tennessee won’t resort to shortening the Nashville Arena down to NA (nah). You could even just say ‘arena.’ Because, hey, it’s the only real arena in town. At least the only place the Preds play.

So, I wish I could say I’m running down to the Nashville Arena to watch a hockey game tonight but I have to work. Sigh. In honor of the most appropriate, even if it’s temporary, name I’m going to say that I am going down to the arena to catch a hockey game soon!

*read the article here or here

Black Mountain Ramblings

I’m sitting here in the fine home of our dear friends, currently stealing someone’s wi-fi (thanks whoever you are!) and enjoying the scenery here in Black Mountain, NC. I have certainly missed this quaint town on the verge of being surrounded by gated communities spoiling the ridge tops of these Blue Ridge Mountains. I’m not really sure if it’s B.M. or just the area because we really enjoy Asheville too. Whenever the Elder Extroverted Holy One graduates I’d really like to be back here.

It’s not that we don’t like Nashville. We really do enjoy being there. I think it’s the community feeling that we miss the most.  As we pulled into the Ingles parking lot to pick up some wine* for our host family the EEHO saw and greeted three or four people she knew. I only see one person that I know when I go into the Inglewood Kroger every couple of weeks and that doesn’t guarantee they’ll speak to me (or me to them . . . what can I say? I AM an introvert!).

Just driving from one place to another in this place we have seen people that we know going about their business. It’s comforting to experience that kind of thing. In East Nashville it’s more like, “Hey!  There goes that kid who broke into my car last week!”  Definitely not the warm and fuzzy feeling that one gets from a small, mountain community.

I guess the one thing that’s going for Music City is that we wouldn’t have to pack and move again. Plus, the hockey team. Oh and the museums and concert venues. Add to that the fact that I have a job that is year round. Oh well, maybe we’ll stay. I swear to you out there in the blogospherical universe I will have seasons tickets to Predators hockey if we stay!

*It is SOOOOO nice to be able to buy wine at the grocery store and not some nasty liquor store.

The Adventures of Pete and . . . well, just Pete

So, the Nashville Predators added Peter Forsberg to their roster. At first I was excited and then it kind of spiralled down from there. Not quite despair. It seems that David Poile is building a team for Lord Stanley’s Cup. Nothing wrong with that but what about the future?

Now, I’ll be the first to admit I haven’t been following hockey as avidly as I used to when I had DirecTV‘s Center Ice package (insert longing ‘sigh’ here) so my observations aren’t as educated as they used to be. But, Forsberg is getting old. He’s on the tail end of his wonderful career. Is he still as spectacular as he was 7 or 8 years ago? Probably not. So, I’m not so sure this was a wise choice.

Selfishly though, it’s pretty awesome. As long as I can get some tickets and see some games! Which is probably why Poile made this call. Butts in the seats. Which kind of pisses me off. Nashville has this kick ass team and no one is going to see them. Plus, if you were a hockey fan you’d recognize the talent (both old and new) on this team. If I had the opportunity I would be there every night.

I miss hockey so much.

My Own Private Idaho


Well, not a whole private state, state of being or otherwise. Just a room. Where I can put up my hockey/green bay packer/beer paraphernalia and the Holy Elder Extroverted One need not worry about the general public witnessing that part of my somewhat man-ness.

I didn’t want to suggest the move upstairs. At least, out loud. But, this move does make a little more flexibility with a room downstairs and makes a little better use of space upstairs. This may seem like some sort of den of testosterone that I can escape to so I can feel more like a man and not a father/husband. It’s not. It is going to be more of a place to exercise my introvertedness (Like I need any help with that!). I don’t need to retreat from being a father/husband because I love being those things. I wasn’t much of a manly man before marriage and fatherhood so it’s not me trying to get those things back. I guess I need a place to decompress after a day of dealing with stuff/people at work.

I don’t get to climb the stairs (into my hole of solitude) very often because of other responsibilities and that’s okay. It sure is nice when it happens. Which is where I find myself at this moment. A much needed day off of work and home alone. I have things that need my attention but I have some time right now to do some chilling out, reading blogs and writing one. Not a good one mind you. More like blogorrhea which is more of a problem for you because you’re reading this. This is the fruit of my introverted den of lonliness. Enjoy!