Hockey!

The other day, I opened up my NHL app on my phone to see what other roster changes the Blackhawks had been working out besides the big Fleury deal. I hadn't opened it in quite a while, and I was surprised to find a notification that the streaming service for out of market games had changed. No longer would I be paying NHLTV for the privilege of watching most out of market games; instead, the new option would be to subscribe to ESPN+.

At first, I felt a touch of dread, because my husband has an aversion to subscribing to new streaming services. He figures between the ones that we've got, we should have plenty to watch. And that's true, but there are some times that I'd like to watch shows that aren't available on our services. At any rate, my dread proved unfounded. If ESPN+ is how we get hockey, then we subscribe to ESPN+. 

I went ahead and bought a full year's subscription, since it would be at a discounted rate over the month to month. And either way it would be cheaper than the NHLTV subscription. Not only because it was a lower dollar amount, but because we would be getting more than just hockey. Sure, most of the sports also available don't particularly interest us, but there will probably be occasions where I find something cool. 

Now, if only they'd just realize that I don't actually have any local teams and stop blacking out Colorado and Las Vegas. Or at least don't block Seattle for the inaugural season. I think it's ridiculous that teams over 500 miles away are considered my local teams for the purposes of blackouts. I know the rationale, with the regional sports networks needing to be sold on satellite and cable, but it's annoying. 

And I'm definitely curious about how the Kraken are going to do. I didn't see as many big names on their draft as I did on Vegas'. Especially concerning was the lack of a capable veteran goalie. I'm thinking the other teams learned their lessons from Vegas' aggressive approach and made sure Seattle didn't get similar largesse. 

I've checked out the live streaming quality on ESPN+ with soccer. I figured baseball was too slow to give a comparison for hockey, but soccer should be close. It seemed to get a little choppy when the shot zoomed in on fast action, but I had to be looking closely for it. Next up will be the preseason. I sure hope the Delta variant doesn't create problems for this year's hockey season. 

NHL.tv Just Doesn't Learn

A new hockey season is nigh.

And you know what that means...

More shenanigans with the launching of the latest update of the NHL app!

I will give them some credit. The NHL decided to allow live streaming of select pre-season games. Now, the pre-season in itself is not, in and of itself, all that exciting, except for the fact that it's hockey and it means regular season starts soon. But this was a wise move, in that it allowed all the hockey dorks to start screaming about the bugs well before the regular season began.

And, of course, there are bugs.

As the owner of a 3rd gen AppleTV, I had a very special time the last few days trying to figure out how to view the pre-season games that were a part of my  paid subscription package. First disappointment: although the pre-season started on the 25th, the special streamed games didn't start until the 30th. Second disappointment: my NHL app refused to allow me to access the "Today's Games/Scores" section. You know, the part where you actually get to select games for streaming. Third disappointment: the Teams section of the app gave me an actual error message rather than any information about the teams.

To be fair, though who wants to be fair, I was able to stream games on my phone. Sure, the screen is a fraction of the size of my television and the sound quality leaves something to be desired, but I could, technically, get what I had paid for.

And, on Friday, just to be extra special, the vaunted new Support Forum went directly to an error page. So much for reporting my issues there.

So I spent several days exchanging half a dozen emails with NHL Support. The essence of the conversation always came down to them telling me to re-install my NHL app and me telling them that the 3rd gen AppleTV does not have that option, to which they responded, why don't you just download the latest version from the app store? When I got fed up enough to reply with "There is no app store." I got some weird instructions to change my Audio/Video settings from Auto to Standard, which makes almost no sense.

So I decided to check and see if the Support Forum was up and running.

Turns out, there are a lot of people experiencing the exact issue that I was, and getting the exact same runaround from NHL Support.

The difference was, some of them had figured out that if you log out of your account, then you can select a game to watch, which prompts you to sign in. So you can view one game, but if you'd like to switch, then you have to log out again. A workaround, but not a solution.

Still, it was better than what I had and I'm happy to have found it. Sure would have been nice if the NHL Support people were aware of that workaround and told me about it in one of those myriad emails.

Curse NHL.tv!

I'm sick and tired of NHL.tv.

Actually, I’m not sure that what I’m sick and tired of is NHL.tv or if it is what I purchased last year, which was Gamecenter Live. Even before the All Star break, I was frustrated at the number of times that my Blackhawks would get blacked out for me. As an out of market Blackhawks fan, I expect to be able to watch my team a fair amount. I understand that they, as the reigning Stanley Cup Champions, will be more often on the dreaded NBC Sports Network. I don’t like it, but I understand it.

And, before the app changed, those times would be clearly marked. A nice little logo would appear (either NBCSN or NHLN) and I could curse the fact that I wouldn’t get to watch my team. But ever since that app change, whenever my Blackhawks were being broadcast not only on their normal channels, WGN or CSNC, but also on NHL Network, there would be no convenient warning logo - only NBCSN games are marked. I’ve already complained about that. I still think it stinks.

But what is absolutely ridiculous is that I wasn't able to watch a Blackhawks game from March 3rd until March 22nd. I am paying a lot of money for a service that has blocked me from viewing the 7 straight games of my team:

• 3/6 - NHLN
• 3/9  - NBCSN
• 3/11 - NHLN
• 3/14 - NBCSN
• 3/16 - NBCSN
• 3/18 - NHLN
• 3/20 - NBCSN

I’m beginning to understand why my husband has decided that his team is the Buffalo Sabres. The only times their games get blacked out are when they’re playing the Blackhawks. Or the Avalanche because Boise, ID is apparently in Colorado when it comes to hockey. Or those Eichel vs McDavid matchups. Still. That’s 5 games of 82 (thanks to McDavid missing one of the games against Buffalo with a broken collar bone).

I’m not even listing all the Blackhawks games that I don’t get to watch over the course of the season. These 7 just happened to be in a row, thereby pointing out their hideous unfairness. No, NHL, I don’t want to get a cable or satellite subscription in addition to Gamecenter/NHL.tv/whatever. I want to watch hockey, so I pay for hockey. I want to watch the Blackhawks, and you’re making me mad.

Also, the Blackhawks have been doing awful lately, and I can't help but blame you, NHL.tv. Clearly, without my constant ability to watch my team play, they have been suffering. And, because they have been suffering, they have made me suffer with last night's horrible performance. This is not acceptable NHL.tv. I've got my eye on you.

NHL - You've Gone Too Far

Oh, NHL... I can deal with the NHL app trying to get me to believe that both the teams are on a power play at the same time. I can deal with trying to figure out how to get my computer to play the audio for games (or just go directly to the WGN website). I can deal with the long load times in the phone app.

But I have found my line, NHL. I have found my line, and you have crossed it.

Whenever games are going to be broadcast on NBC or NBC Sports Network, there's a nice little icon displayed on the Scores section of the app. That's helpful. I like it. Because I don't have cable, and if the games are going to be on NBCSN, then I can't watch them. I can watch them on NBC, just not through GameCenter, excuse me, NHL.tv.

And, in ye olden days of a few weeks ago, I could look on the app and also see when games were going to be broadcast on NHL Network. They even used an icon on the Scores section.

Now they do not.

And I have had the excruciating experience of looking forward to seeing my Blackhawks only to discover minutes before puck drop that the game was being broadcast on NHLN and I can't watch it.

I understand that NHLN broadcasts games, and that, as the reigning Stanley Cup Champions, the Blackhawks will have a number of games broadcast on both NHLN and NBCSN. But for the love of Zambonis, NHL, you have to let me know when it's going to happen. I need to prepare - set up the audio and be resigned to catching the highlights instead of live action.

I can't take finding out at the last minute anymore. I know you know I'm out-of-market for Chicago - why else would you block any games aired on Altitude Sports?

Use an icon. Tag it in some way.

Just stop teasing me!

NHL's New App

The NHL has rolled out the revamping of their online properties, and it isn't horrible.

For the most part, I can still find what I'm looking for, just not all of what I'm looking for.

I'm still not sure where I go to access the audio for games from the website, though I can find it just fine on the app. I've gotten around this by going directly to the radio station's website, because the only time I want audio on the computer is when I'm blacked out of a Blackhawks game, and I know how to find WGN Radio online.

It's odd how some of the new features seem designed for less than avid fans while others seem designed with the avid fan in mind to the exclusion of those less so.

On the one hand, my phone sends me reminders when my "Favorite" team has a game, a few hours before it starts. Thank you, NHL App, but I have those games on my calendar. I look at them; I know when one is going to be on. I look forward to when they aren't blacked out. Why do you remind me of a game I've been looking forward to since the last game?

On the other hand, the standings page on the website no longer designates the teams' conferences in the conference standings, leaving my husband to have to double check with me on the matter of which team is first in the Pacific. Or to switch the view. But those little C's and P's and A's and M's were helpful.

I think that most of the little things will shake out. I was surprised at the mid-season roll out, but not surprised that there were issues, especially with the broadcasts on the first night. Most of the issues I find I can shrug off.

But there is one that bugs the heck out of me.

On the app, in the Scores area, the app will display the words "Power Play" under the names of both teams when one is on a power play. No, NHL App, no. Only one team is on a power play. Why must I click all the way through to stats to find out which team is on the power play? They cannot both be on a power play!

Fix this!

Pro Tip

On September 29th, I received a promotional email from the Idaho Steelheads hockey team. I guess when you buy tickets online, they get your email address and send you junkmail advertisements for ticketing deals for the next season. 

I was actually glad to receive the email. I like going to a hockey game, and the Steelheads offer a fun night out, especially on dollar beer night. Sure, I'd rather go see the Blackhawks, but I can't afford to get myself to Chicago, let alone get tickets to the Madhouse on Madison.

Now, this particular email had a deal that was interesting, though the details were a bit lacking. The tag was "4 games for as low as $56." If that's 4 single game tickets for $56, that's not a super great deal, unless the seats are better than nosebleed. If it's 2 tickets per game, 4 games, then we're talking a great deal. Still, I had to turn the deal down for a very important reason.

You see, this promotional deal only ran through the month of September, which means that they left me less than 36 hours to take advantage. While I'm not living paycheck to paycheck, I'm on a budget. My husband manages our finances well enough to allow us to attend the occasional hockey game, but these aren't spur of the moment decisions. The funds are planned, at least a month in advance, if not far more for big things like our trip to the Washington coast this past summer.

And so, I did the only thing that I could reasonably do in the circumstances. I replied.

Hi,
I sure wish I had heard about this deal sooner. Since there's less than two days left in September, I don't have time to budget for this great deal. :(
I am interested in hearing about other pricing deals since I do love going out to see the Steelheads.
Thanks,
Jeanne

Okay, my initial reaction was a reply more along the lines of:

Pro Tip: When advertising a month long sale, send out emails at the beginning of the month, rather than the day before the end.  

Either I'm reading Kameron Hurley's* marketing tips too closely, or this hockey team's marketing department isn't.


*There are marketing tips on that Twitter feed, but also hilarity and swearing.

Blackhawks Win! But Who Was Watching?

First, congratulations Blackhawks, 2015 Stanley Cup Champions and Bettman dubbed Dynasty.

Now to business: as my Blackhawks have progressed this year in the playoffs, I have kept in touch with hockey. I read articles on NHL.com and on Yahoo's Puck Daddy. As long as my team is in it, striving for the Cup, I'm invested. I'm watching, reading, listening.

But last year, when the LA Kings got a lucky bounce in overtime and eliminated the Blackhawks in the Western Conference Final, I stopped watching, reading and listening. I couldn't bear to watch the Kings beat up the Rangers. It should have been us beating up the Rangers! My hatred for the Kings outweighed my desire to watch playoff hockey, especially with such fine summer weather outside.

On Puck Daddy, there was an article lamenting the fact that hockey playoffs simply don't draw the kind of national audiences that even the least watched basketball or baseball playoffs do. The author suggests that the NHL needs to cultivate its star players in such a way that hockey fans are interested in them the way basketball fans are interested in LeBron James. Hockey interest in neutral markets could be raised by such a star player.

But I think the more important point in the article is the "tribalism" of hockey fans.

Internal research from the NHL suggests that hockey fans are “the most tribal” when it comes to postseason viewership. Hockey fans aren’t as engaged in the championship round as the “Big Four” if their team isn’t involved, or if they don’t have a rooting interest.

And I get it. I checked out when my team was defeated last year, not because I'm not interested in watching playoff hockey, but because I was bitter. I didn't want to hear calm, unbiased sports broadcasting about how the damn Kings were doing. I didn't want to hear the excitement of a goal by that team. Or even their opponents.

Petty, yes. Childish, yes. True, hell yes.

And it's really all the fault of the handshake line. Hockey players must be good sportsmen after the end of the series, unlike other sports teams that may slink away after a devastating loss and only face the press rather than their triumphant opponents. Because of this, we, the fans, must bear the bitterness for our teams by turning away from the playoffs themselves to honor the petty, childish behavior that our players cannot openly embody.

But I'm here to offer a solution. It is rare for an NHL game to be broadcast in Spanish (no matter how awesomely they call the goals). That means the SAP is wide open for NBC to hire some funny broadcasters or comedians who like hockey to call the game in a way that the fans of the teams that have been eliminated, or never made it to the post-season, can appreciate without feeling that we've betrayed our teams.

I mean, when you're team loses, you kind of owe it to them not to rejoice when some other (clearly less worthy) team hoists the cup. You turn your back on the entire sport, because you love your team and you hate the other teams.

So, give us a mock-filled hatecast NBC. One that would allow the fans of the unlucky and the almost-rans a chance to embrace the hate-watch that the playoffs must become when your team is gone. One that plays up every mistake and hardly notices a goal. One that would have spent the entire intermission talking about Hedman and Bishop running into each other - but without mentioning Sharp's goal.

Start by getting the rest of hockey fandom on board with watching the playoffs after their teams have been eliminated and the neutral markets will come.

A Fan Is a Fan Is a Fan

Oh, Canada... I thought you were a country where liking hockey didn't have a gender. Women and men hockey fans screaming for (or at, in the case of Toronto) their teams in harmony.

And then you go and do something like this: "Puck bunny watchers are about to skate into overtime. Or at the very least convince their significant others to get into the game one night per week. W Network confirmed on Monday afternoon that its latest reality offering, Hockey Wives, is lighting up the screens come March[.]"

What does that even mean? What in the heck is a "puck bunny watcher" and why do I feel it is horribly insulting? Where has my fantasy of hockey fandom equality gone?

I mean, it seems to me that a puck bunny watcher would be someone who watches puck bunnies... which are supposed to be female hockey fans who only watch so they can stare at sexy men... who are completely covered in armor and padding?

Oh, Canada... you mean you added "puck bunny" to the dictionary? And it means, "a young female hockey fan, esp. one motivated more by a desire to watch, meet, or become esp. sexually involved with the players than by an interest in the sport itself."

Well, heaven forbid that any fan should want to meet the players of the sport they're watching! What kind of REAL fan wants to actually meet players instead of sit in front of a computer tallying up advanced statistics and never actually watching the game for the pure joy of competition and athleticism on display? How dare young female fans desire to watch their favorite players? How dare young women get crushes on handsome professional athletes, as if they have nothing better to do?

Is this show supposed to be a primer for the puck bunny - here's how to get a hockey husband? Or are the lives of women who happen to be married to professional athletes so interesting that the so-called puck bunnies would get their spouses to watch this show?

Come on, Canada. If a woman wants to watch hockey, she will probably be watching hockey, whether you call her a puck bunny or not. If she doesn't, no reality "wives" show is going to turn anyone into a hockey fan.

Can't we just all be fans, screaming for our teams, proudly wearing (or disgustedly tossing, in the case of Toronto) our jerseys and hoping that this could be the night we get to lose our hats?

Waiting for Hockey

Okay. I gave football a real try. I learned the rules. I learned player names and even coach names. I watched the network pre-game shows and even picked games last year through the Fox Sports website. I root for the Bears, but since I live in Boise, I hardly get to watch them.

When I was young, it seemed my whole extended family obsessed over football. I didn't understand the game, and I hated it, because no one talked to me when the game was on, and no one wanted to explain to me what was so fascinating to them about it.

I especially hated the fact that the game clock could have two minutes on it, but the game itself could drag on for a good twenty to thirty minutes while I patiently waited to get my dad's attention (or not so patiently).

I hated football with a passionate ignorance. I reveled in my lack of knowledge.

But now I can follow the game. I understand what's going on, and, from an educated point of view, I can now state, without passion, that I'm over it.

Sorry, football, but you bore me.

The only thing you've got going for you is that you're on right now, and I've still got a few weeks until hockey begins.

Surprise Contender

There was one other option available for my NHL playoff watching pleasure, but I didn't mention it before, because it is a limited option.

At the Rec center, there are some treadmills and stationary bikes that have televisions, but the channels available are limited. NBCSN and NHL Network are unavailable, and they carry the majority of the games. However, in the first round, there are too many games for NBCSN to cover them all (NHL Network doesn't get as many because they aren't NBC owned, I think). The spillover generally falls on CNBC and sometimes MSNBC. Both of those channels are available at the Rec.

That's how I ended up on a stationary bike for about two and a half hours on Monday night, watching the Blackhawks earn a shutout against the Blues and rekindle my hope for this playoff series.

I hadn't even considered that there might be a Blackhawks game on CNBC, because last year they seemed to reserve that channel for the Ottawa series. But this year the 'Hawks are not President's Trophy winners. This year they came in third in the central, and so I guess that means they qualify for broadcast on basic cable.

Works for me.

I think it's much better for me to get on a bike and pedal off over 800 calories than to go to a bar and drink down 800 calories worth of beer - plus any snacks that my husband might convince me were necessary. Instead, we sat side by side on two stationary bikes and pedaled our way through the game.

Since we had biked to the Rec from our apartment, we ended up being a bit late and missed Toews' goal early in the first period. Which means that we had to wait until the game was nearly over before seeing a goal.

Oh, but the wait was worth it.

I was dripping sweat, wearing my Blackhawks t-shirt and booty shorts, and I did not care who stared at me when that empty net goal was scored and victory was assured. I raised both arms, clenching my hands into fists and let out an exultant, "Yes!" or two or three...

I actually liked having something to do with my nervous energy instead of twitching or standing up and swaying like I have done in bars when watching important games. Every time the 'Hawks were on a power play, I was pedaling faster, willing them to get the puck in the net. The same thing happened when they were on a penalty kill, only this time I was urging them to clear the zone.

In that final two minutes, even though I had started slowing down from the aches in my legs from more biking than I'm accustomed to, I ramped it up again as the announcers reminded the viewing audience of the last two games in the series where the Blackhawks gave up goals late in the 3rd only to have lost in overtime. I would have bit my nails to the quick if I hadn't been clutching the handlebars and pedaling, willing that empty net insurance goal to go in.

Unfortunately, there aren't any more Blackhawks games scheduled for CNBC this round - I would love to do this again, even though Tuesday was a very long and tired day...

The Playoffs Are Here!

For six teams, the playoffs begin tonight, but for my Blackhawks, it’s going to be Thursday night against the St. Louis Blues. I really hope that the Blues continue their slump and go four and out. In fact, I'm expecting that, so it should totally happen, right?

Overall, I’m feeling a bit bittersweet about the playoffs. After a whole 82 game season of having NHL Gamecenter, I’ve grown used to watching hockey (almost) every day. I’m too cheap to buy cable or satellite TV, especially at the package levels that would get me NBC Sports Network, so that means my watching-hockey-on-TV-from-the-comfort-of-my-home-every-night days have passed.

For the playoffs are aired only on NBC networks. And while I’m glad to see that they’re planning on airing two games on Sunday, as well as one on Saturday, on the free over the air national broadcast I’m still disappointed that I can’t watch every single game at my leisure, pants-optional, at home, for a reasonable price. I’ll have to strike out to a place that provides visitors with cable or satellite television viewing for the mere price of a pitcher or two of beer.

The first year I was into hockey, that place was Hooters. The next two seasons, my husband and I would head over to Table Rock, as it was in easy walking distance of our apartment at the time. But now we’re in a new apartment and the choices are different. So this year, I’m going to hold a playoff of my own and pit nearby sports bars against each other for the honor of being my new go-to spot for the NHL Playoffs!

Round one will include the newly installed Tilted Kilt (I hear the food is terrible at this chain, but it is close), Busters Sports Bar (I know nothing about this place), Cheerleaders (relatively close, I hear it's got good food), The Refuge (found using Google Maps, looks a wee bit fancy), the Ram (also on the fancy side) and the Eastside Tavern (biking distance, which might count against it).

From these, a comprehensive testing will reveal those that make it to round two, based on atmosphere, beer, price and distance from my apartment.

Round two will be a hard fought battle for the right to be the place where I toast the Stanley Cup Champions.

Unless those Champions are not my Chicago Blackhawks.

In which case, the prize will be the right to be the place where I drown my sorrows in anticipation of a better playoff run next year. . .

You Might Be a Blackhawks Fan...

If you have an urge to scream and yell whenever you hear "The Star Spangled Banner" (that's the appropriate response, right?)...

If you compare every other anthem singer to Jim Cornelison and find them sorely lacking (breaking glasses is a pretty neat trick, no?)...

If your go-to term when something is awesome is "Hawks win!" ("hey man, I just got a promotion." "That's freakin' Hawkswin!")...

If you find yourself in a sticky situation and wonder what would Jonathan Toews do (be serious?)...

If you find yourself in a party situation and wonder what would Patrick Kane do (unicorn mask?)...

If you think it's normal for the visiting team to have at least as many fans in the stands as the home team (as long as they aren't visiting the UC - how I love hearing "Let's go Hawks" when they're the visitors)...

If you you know which teams have former Blackhawks players on them and find yourself especially rooting for them (when they aren't playing the Hawks - I've got an especially soft spot for Winnipeg now that they've got Byfuglien and Frolik)...

If you you know which teams have former Blackhawks players on them and find yourself especially rooting against them (when they aren't playing the Hawks - not even a former Blackhawk could get me to root for the Canucks)...

If you find yourself more than a bit conflicted about the Olympics (U-S-A, all the way! Oh, wait, maybe Canada? But Sweden's got a sweet defensive pairing, and there's Slovakia, you can't rule them out with Hoss on board, and then there's the Czech Republic)...

If you get vaguely disappointed when no one points out when there are "tree minutes left in the tird period"...

If you find yourself celebrating those Hawkswin moments in your life by singing the beginning of "Chelsea Dagger"...

That's Hockey...

I've been lucky since I started getting into hockey.

When my husband first got me into watching it, I naturally wanted to pick a team to root for. And, just as naturally, I picked my hometown Chicago Blackhawks.

The year was 2010, and the Blackhawks took home the Stanley cup for the first time in almost fifty years. It was a good time to get into hockey, and a better time to be a Blackhawks fan.

But the next two seasons were tougher, as we faced first round exits from the playoffs, and then the lockout kept the NHL exhibition game that Boise was going to host. Sure, that wouldn't have been the Blackhawks, but the chance even to see the Dallas Stars and the Minnesota Wild in preseason would have been pretty cool.

And, of course, the Blackhawks then dominated the shortened season on their way to a second Stanley cup since I've been a fan. Not too shabby.

They're doing well this year as well, currently sitting atop the league standings. They've lost games, but in an 82 games season, that's inevitable. Even bad losses, like the one recently against the Maple Leafs (7 to 3... painful), are going to happen over the course of a season. The important thing is bouncing back, which the Hawks have done.

Ambrose will rib me when they lose, and while a part of me is upset that they've lost, I always answer: "That's hockey."

That's just what happens. No one, no team, is perfect all the time.

You can't always win.

But even the teams at the very bottom of the standings have won games. No one loses all the time either.

You hit. You miss. You do it all over again.

You get lucky sometimes, when the pucks all seem to bounce your way, and you get bad luck sometimes when the deflections result in own goals and turnovers.

I like that the seven game playoff format allows for luck and lets hard work over the long haul be the proof of excellence. Luck is mitigated a bit, or at least you need to be lucky for longer than just one game to earn Lord Stanley's cup.

And before you know it, the next season has begun and the fight begins all over again. The wins, the losses, the luck and the misfortune.

That's life.

Reverse Psychology

Not long ago, I attended a USHL game between the Indiana Ice and the Chicago Steel. I have not, as yet, attended many hockey games, and this was my first time sitting close to the penalty box, directly off one corner in fact, and only three rows back from the glass. Seated in the first two rows were 8 boys, ranging in age, I'd guess, from 6 to 12, though I'd not wager on the accuracy of that.

The penalty box next to them, and off to one side and in front of me, was the visiting team's sin bin, and the boys in front were locals, rooting for the home team, the Indiana Ice. While I hail from Boise, ID, I grew up in the Chicagoland area, and just had to root for the Chicago Steel, especially with the crossed hammer C's on their sleeves that closely resembled the crossed tomahawk C's of my NHL team, the Chicago Blackhawks.

During the sluggish first period, these boys were more entertaining than the game. Whenever a Steel player would get a penalty, they would talk quietly among themselves, and I could hear them daring one another to in some way tease that player.

"I'm going to call him a lady," one might say.

"Yeah, me too," another would chime in. All would agree to yell, just as soon, of course, as the player was leaving the box (not that all of them would). To them, the player had something of the quality of a caged predator. They wanted to poke it, to see how it would react, but they also feared retaliation, though of what kind I can't fathom, seeing as they were behind a sturdy sheet of plexi-glass.

The penalized players either ignored the boys or seemed to take the noise good-naturedly, at least, before the only goal of the first period went to the Ice. During the second period, the Steel seemed a little more on edge. One player even squirted the barrier between him and the boys with his water bottle, which did cow them for a little while.

But once the equalizer went in for Chicago near the end of the 2nd period, the boys started getting more rowdy. Now, I think that the boys' rowdiness was influenced by the increasing boldness of the older crowd. As the game wore on, and more beer was consumed, more and more yelling was done by men who certainly seemed old enough to know better. In fact, one of them even dropped the f-bomb on the crowd. I found it fascinating how the boys clearly knew that a bad word had been said, but they didn't repeat it or even laugh. They were as shocked as most of the rest of us that someone would yell that in public.

It was when the third period began that the most interesting interaction between the boys and the opposing team occurred. The opening face-off had one Tyler Hill drawn up right near the boys. Soon after the puck drop, and the subsequent swirl of action that led to a Chicago possession, one of them, on a theme the older men had already harped upon, yelled, "This ain't ballet, this is hockey! I'm talking to you, Hill!"

Hill then snagged the puck and gained the zone, snapping one past the Ice goalie, who has one of the best names for a goalie that I've seen so far, Snair. I must admit, I whooped it up and did some yelling myself, "That's right, tell him he's playing ballet again!"

I've found that superstition is at least half the fun with sports watching. Even watching from home, we try to communicate to our players what they should be doing, or coaches or even the fans watching live. We wear the lucky clothing, unwashed all season, or even for multiple seasons. Some pray, some curse, some hold their breath. We all have the idea that we can, by our very selves, influence the outcome of a game being played miles away from our own location on this earth. But being there, in person, and watching a game increases that sense of personal influence, and let me tell you, not one of those boys said the word "ballet" again that evening as the Steel proceeded to win in a shoot-out.