Hockey? Yeah, hockey!

As you read this today you are probably sick and tired of hearing me blab weekly about the NFL. So I will hold off on the Conference Championship post until this coming Friday. Today, let’s talk about my adventure into a sport I know little about, but respect greatly: Hockey.

Hockey is a sport that we all know, but don’t all pay attention to. It really shouldn’t be an afterthought for sports fans, it has nuances that contribute to an artistic flow on the ice. If that last bit of sentence seems too delicate to you, just remember it is the only sport that allows you to put fist to face for a couple of minutes. I am what you call a casual fan of hockey, and by casual I mean I check the standings so I know at least who is winning and losing. I lightly follow the Detroit Red Wings mostly just to talk trash to Colorado Avalanche fans, being the antagonist that I love to be. A few months back I met up with some friends who were headed to an Avs game, and as I sat back and listened to them talk, I realized how very little I actually know about hockey. As Caitlin, Gordon, and Jason were discussing the greatest Russian NHL player ever, I just soaked it all in. The wealth of information they were tossing around was tremendous and reminded me that even though it’s considered the red-headed stepchild of American sports, its fans have a very cult like obsession. And I don’t mean cult in a bad way, I mean cult in the sense of “It’s OUR sport” type of vibe.

Many people say one of the biggest issues with hockey is it being hard to follow because the puck is too small, or the game flow is so fast. Listen folks, those are excuses, it’s not that difficult at all. If you have trouble keeping up with the puck, watch the players without it. Like any other sport, watching the players without ball/puck is poetry in motion. Watching the players without the puck helps you and I understand the little things the game offers up. There are so many things to watch that it’s impossible to get bored watching, line changes, coaches, fast breaks, penalties, and the way plays set up.

I know many of you watch hockey, it’s very surprising to me that I didn’t get more into it. I have many friends who are deeply rooted in the cult of hockey. I would be lying if I said I wasn’t excited about learning more about this mysterious sport, so I hope you guys can come along on this journey with me. Yes to this point the dominate sport on the blog has been football, specifically the NFL, but it is time to really start writing about all the sports, because they are all important. But I have to put in a lot more work for hockey, and if watching a sport is any kind of work, than it’s the best work out there. Gordon, Jason, and any of you other hockey fans, be prepared and expect tons of questions as I learn more and more. If you are a reader that doesn’t really know hockey yourself…let’s make this transition as smooth as the Zamboni leaves the ice!