I'm not stalking you.

Photo: hdwp.net

When I was in elementary school, the only thing that I halfway liked to play in gym class was scooter hockey.  We sat on these little square scooters with wheels (no handles) and played hockey.  It didn’t have a million confusing rules to remember like stupid softball or kickball.  (Three strikes you are out, but you get four balls?  Consistency PEOPLE!)  You just had to stay in bounds and remember to shoot at the goalie who wasn’t wearing the same color as you.  But, of course, I never actually took a shot anyway.  But it was fun.

Toledo Storm Promo (Note: My asbestos friend isn’t in this pic. She probably had something really important to do–like Algebra Class)

I never thought about hockey again until high school.  My asbestos friend was taking modeling classes and became the spokesmodel for the Toledo Storm ECHL hockey team. Ya, I’m not quite sure how that happened.  The title of spokesmodel meant that she got to go on the ice between periods and wear a leotard/tuxedo thing (showing off her gams), and assist with the fan games.  I was pretty impressed by this.  Especially the three times I got to go with her and watch the game for free.  No one else at our high school was impressed by this.  They probably didn’t believe her.  Or were just jealous.  F’em.

My asbestos friend as the Toledo Storm Spokemodel, 1993-1994 Season

Hence, a big crush on hockey players ensued.  I started listening to the Storm on the radio (hockey on the radio is a little boring *yawn*).  I also started watching the Detroit Red Wings play.  I got a Steve Yzerman poster for my room, because he was the cutest.

While I live in Michigan and the Red Wings are one of the best teams and it is logical for me to be their fan, it wasn’t always practical.  Many times the Red Wings would play on a cable channel that we did not get.  Or my mom would not want to watch hockey.  She apparently is still traumatized from having to listen to it when her dad watched Molson Hockey Night in Canada in 1959.  Ask her. Actually, you don’t have to.  She will tell the story anytime I mention liking hockey.

View from the Penalty Box: Henrik Zetterberg

Now, I don’t like to watch hockey, just for the sake of watching it.  I like to have a team to root for and to know a few of the players’ names, at least.  I discovered that almost every Saturday night on CBC (a station out of Windsor, Canada), that they would show a Vancouver Canucks game.  They are in the Pacific Time zone, so the games would have a later start time.  This was perfect!  By then, my mother was already asleep on the couch.

I learned a few players’ names.  I have tried to catch a few games every year, so that I stayed knowledgeable.  I learned that the green guys in full-body morphsuits are crazy.

View from the Penalty Box: Osgood takes the ice

My only problem comes when Vancouver and Detroit play each other.  I don’t know who to root for.  I would love to go see them play each other sometime at Joe Louis Arena.  I would love to own a Canucks jersey.  Actually, I would love to have a Red Wings one as well.

You know what is the best thing about hockey?  The fights:)

Photo: shop.nhl.com
WOW! How cool would this be?