“He plays to play. He skates to skate. He don’t make a million bucks a year!! He loves the game of hockey!! He loves it.” –Bailey Pruitt, Mystery, Alaska (1999).
They love the game of hockey! The stands are almost empty, except for some wives, a couple of friends and some players waiting for their game to start. They love the game of hockey! They skate, okay, but they love the game! They pass, okay, and they love the game! They shoot, sometimes score, and they love the game of hockey. Then, afterwards, they talk about it because they love the game! And so do I!
Was anyone else freezing their *** off?
I found this totally by accident. I went online one day, after watching Miracle (2004), to look for a 1980 USA jersey. After ordering and re-ordering and emails back and forth, I found out that their pro-shop was right around the corner from where I live.
So, I went there to see the place. I had passed it several times while going somewhere else and finally, I had an excuse.
I met two gentlemen, Tracy and John. That’s when I found out about the league, as these two were part of it. They told me that they play Monday through Thursday at 6:30 p.m. CDT (7:30 EDT) and on Sundays, pretty much, all day starting at 10 a.m. CDT (11 EDT).
Last Sunday evening, I went to watch them play, and for someone who loves hockey like I do, it was great!
Ok, so I didn’t prepare like I should have. Boy, was it cold in there. On a day that was close to 100 degrees in Okieland, I was freezing, and I’m from Detroit.
They had to ask the question…
When I stopped playing 25 years ago, I didn’t think anyone was going to ask me ever again. They asked if I was interested in playing. What a shocker! It almost gave this old man a heart attack.
Now, where I grew up, Hockeytown, there were about two things you could do during the winter. You could clean the house or play hockey at the frozen baseball field. I opted for the latter, of course. No way I was staying home to clean house.
So, I played and played...day in and day out. We started early in the morning and played until we couldn’t see the puck anymore.
Did I freeze? Not like I did the other night in that arena. After one period, I went back outside, in the 90-plus degree weather, and unfroze myself. It took about 10 minutes, and then I was ready for more.
I ended up staying in a sort-of waiting area between the pro shop and the ice rink with the others, who knew better than I, waiting for the game to end.
A Gentleman’s Game
If you think this is like watching the NHL or the IHL or the CHL or whatever pro or semi-pro league you are used to, then you will be disappointed in what happens on the ice. They play by gentleman’s rules.
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