Fan Culture and the Tampa Bay Lightning

I was lucky enough to score some free Lightning tickets for the game they played vs. the Atlanta Thrashers on Tuesday night at the Ice Palace St. Pete Times Forum. These were $230 tickets and came with free VIP parking. There was free food and booze. Is was all very Epicurean. 

Anyone who watches hockey knows that since the Stanley Cup win, the Bolts have been...hit-or-miss. But on this glorious night, with free brick oven pizza and terrible domestic beer in my tummy, the Bolts beat the Thrashers for the first win of the season, 3-2. 

I should also mention that sporting events are excellent opportunities to observe people, and that, as a communication student, I am fascinated by the way people communicate collectively at sporting events.

Everyone shouts "boo" at the guy who just tripped Marty St. Louis in the exact same tone, at the exact same time. Everyone instinctively knows when to clap when the organ plays the "Let's go [insert name of team here]" (clap, clap, clap-clap-clap). 

But what struck me most at this game was listening to the commentary coming from the row behind me. Three middle-aged gentlemen who had presumably shelled out a couple Benjamins for those seats, and not one of them seemed to have ever heard of hockey or been to a game. 

I pictured how it all played out:

"John, look! Those gentlemen are on ice skates and using big sticks to hit a rubber object."

"By God, how did we get here?" 

"I don't know, John, but I kind of dig it."

Here are some gems I overheard from these fellows that made me appreciate the fact that going to sporting events isn't only fun because of the game. It's also fun because you get a rush from being a part of the crowd, and you occasionally also get entertained by the human version of Statler and Waldorf:

"Atlanta is really good." (A blatant mistruth.)

Upon hearing "Mony Mony" play between periods: "Billy Idol is a good singer, but this is definitely not him!" 

"Is Lecavelier in?" (This was the third of three periods in which No. 4 had, indeed, been in.) "No, he's out. He's injured." (I clearly see Vinny receive a pass from another teammate on the ice.) "Wait, there he is—No. 4." (Good job, buddy. You just won the easiest game of "Where's Waldo" ever played.)

"They don't sound excited when they announce an Atlanta goal." 

They also talked about tennis—a lot.

So, a nod to the Lightning for their first win of the season, 3-2 in OT against the Atlanta Thrashers. And to the gentlemen in Channelside Club 12, row B, seats (I think) 11-13, thank you for the laughs.