Back in Safe Hands

I love hockey.

Lying on my parents' couch recovering from the flu & a fever I nervously listened to the 1997 Stanley Cup Playoffs... rooting on the team I adopted as my own well before the Coyotes came to Phoenix (pause to mention my parents are both from Michigan and I cheered for the Wings long before they were putting together winning seasons - so save all your bandwagon comments). Listening to the final game on an AM radio gave that night a nostalgic feel... once I moved to college, cable TV thankfully allowed me to watch my team play through the greatest Playoffs in Pro sports; twice more hoisting the cup as I followed along at home.

6 years after their last championship I would have easily paid $100 for an AM radio with the broadcast - as you can imagine Hockey isn't a big ratings boost in the Middle East, compounded by the our losing ESPN three months ago (I didn't realize how important SportsCenter had become in my life). Instead I sat in front of a work computer monitor, rubbing the sleep out of my eyes and holding my breath for each 30-second score update. Sure - the outcome was satisfying, but the experience was terribly diluted. Most people buy the championship commemorative DVDs to look back at the defining moments in a series. I'm buying the DVD to salvage the Stanley Cup experience.

Now comes the painful few months between the Stanley Cup presentation and College Football kickoff - hopefully Rugby Union or International Darts League can bridge the gap better than the NBA Finals and Baseball do back home. Offense completely intended.

For more info on what makes Lord Stanley's Cup the best trophy in all sports: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stanley_Cup