A Love Affair with Sports
Let me go way back in time…1978… early Spring… NHL playoffs, Leafs vs. Islanders, game 7 overtime. The offer is made, “If you want to watch the rest of the game, you can stay up.”
Well, what seven-year old in their right mind could say no! So, not only do I stay up, but I chose a side. Islanders came to be in 1971, well so did I, so lets go Islanders (plus, who in their right mind could cheer for the home town Leafs?)!!! We all know how that one ends for me, but I would eventually be able to smile.
Jump ahead to 1981, (early 1981) new province. Raiders vs. Eagles in the Superbowl. Seeing the Raiders #37 (for those who do not know, Lester Hayes) play football was mesmerizing. It seemed whenever Philadelphia had the ball there was #37. This time, I picked a winner! I will be honest in saying I don’t remember the whole game, but what I do remember kept me coming back.
So as a soon to be 10 year old boy, all I want is to watch or play sports, any sports. Football, hockey, lacrosse, soccer, tennis, baseball, it didn’t matter. I tried my hand at lacrosse early on. We had a girl (sorry ladies) on our team. Yup we were bad… really bad.
Hockey was the next adventure, and after a while I was not half bad at that one. I played for a few years, and derived a great deal of enjoyment out of playing hockey. My father and mother drove me all over the province of Alberta to play in cold arenas (and practice in some even colder ones).

Over the years I developed a real love for hockey, (go Isles), Football (Raiders, Fighting Irish, and the hometown Stampeders of Calgary). I have been to Islander games and Stampeder games, seeing both teams win and lose, multiple times.

The greatest sporting event I have ever watched live was the 1995 World Junior Hockey Championship game against the Czech Republic. Seeing those players that close, what an honour and thrill. Back and forth the game went, until Canada was the eventual victor in one of the greatest games of hockey, at any level, I have ever witnessed.