Growing up in Southeastern Virginia, hockey wasn’t exactly the king of sports, so I was on the weirdo list because I actually liked it. (Of course, I like soccer - the real football - so no surprise there) We had the minor league Virginia Red Wings for a while, caught a few games. I didn’t really get deep into it until my junior year at high school (O, Lord, so long ago!) when I simultaneously followed the NY Rangers (F*** off, Isles!) and the Capitals. I even had a Fu Manchu ’stache like uber-defenseman Rod Langway for a while. Talk about getting smack from my friends! Anyway, interest peaked at the last time I can recall the Rangers winning the Cup when Mark Messier was still on board. Whoo! What a finish in Game 7! Jumped off the couch and I don’t know how I didn’t wake the neighbors.

I drifted away for the usual reasons such a steady job, supposedly becoming a responsible adult, but the main resaon was the fights. I know contact is part of the game, but the fights just got boring. I was fed up with the fights stopping the flow of the game and wasting time on penalties. I am still amazed that guys like Lemieux got anything done, because the goons made them targets. It’s kind of like the knock against some of the bigger soccer leagues: winning at all costs leads to conservative defensive play emphasizing negation rather than creation. Net result is you end up with players whose main qualifications are running fast and hitting hard. No flash, no skill just brute force. It may win games, but it sure is boring. I could appreciate a good hard check, but when that’s all they do, the goals seem like accidents.

Still, what you said about grit, integrity and love for the game is true. It is refreshing and heartening because it does seem like more than many sports (are you listening, MLB and NBA?), hockey players have more emotional investment in the playing of it. I still remember Messier’s teras after that SC win years ago. There is heart there, and I can dig that.

Game on indeed. For old times’ sake, I hope it ends up with the Rangers or Caps in the Final. Who knows, maybe someday I’ll get back into the game. (And by that time, I may be over my broken heart with the O’s; that ‘96 ALCS still hurts!)

Some of my favorite sporting event memories include Skipjacks home games. Lets get minor league hockey back in Baltimore. I miss those Jacks!

Baseball and Pro-Basketball players are a bunch of overpaid whiners who play such a boring brand of sport.

Baltimore is a blue collar town… check out the playoffs, you’ll be happy that you did.

At the game on Friday, a fellow held up a sign, “Welcome to DC, the world’s new Hockeytown”. The sport may be built of old school bricks, but that shiney red on the outside is a brand new game. Let’s go Caps!

Those that laugh, just don’t know.