Tiny Wolves, Little Tigers, and Mini-Mite Panthers…

So, I should mention that I inadvertently stumbled across a youth hockey program that’ll take a 3-year old player on the roster.

The “season” starts May 11th and runs for 8 weeks. I’m pretty excited and I hope Duncan’s enthusiasm as it stands now is still present on May 12th after the first practice.

The downside to this program, and it’s a big one, is that it’s just barely local.

Okay, it’s about an hour from home…

Yeah, it’s a haul.

While I’m less than thrilled about that part of it, I’m trying to look at it like a test run of what’s likely to come.

See, youth hockey involves a TON of travel. It’s just not as popular as soccer or baseball where there are dozens of teams at each age level all under one Recreation Department’s control so… even when they’re youngsters, hockey teams are generally of the “travel team” variety.

The other advantageous part is that, in the fall when he’s 4 years old, he’ll be able to “transfer” to a team (more on that inna sec) that plays out of a rink 15 minutes from where we live. This summer’s experience will make that commute, provided he still wants to play, feel like nothing at all.

Now, when I started playing soccer as a 5-year old, the team that I played for (Go Crickets!) and the league we were a part of were governed by AYSO which is the American Youth Soccer Organization. Our uniforms even sported their logo.

Since I was only in kindergarten at the time, I’m not sure if my parents had to sign any sort of contract other than the standard “We won’t sue if he gets hurt” form that would have been submitted with the payment.

When I moved to Connecticut, I just played in a town rec league. Yeah, just like a local group that threw something together without an organizing body calling the shots. Oddly enough, even at 7 years old, the players in this program were far, far,far more advanced than what I was used to in the AYSO.

I went from a stud to a dud. I suppose I shouldn’t be shocked that an organization with endlessly long tentacles did a terrible job of developing talent…

(Insert any anti-ObamaCare, pro-assault rifle, or big government arguments you want in the comments here… I won’t bother responding beyond questioning how one can play both sides saying big government is stemming from an apparently unqualified community organizer… Yeah, whatever… Healthcare is good, guns are bad, and I’m indifferent on the size of the government.)

Anyway…

So, fast forward 30+ years and change the sport to hockey.

Youth hockey in the United States is, as far as I can tell, governed from coast-to-coast by USA Hockey. In order to join a team, I had to register Duncan with them, which I did about a year ago, and he was given an ID number that’ll be attached to him until he’s 18, I’d assume.

Thankfully, membership is free for those 6-and-under.

And by signing on with this team next month, I’m totally serious about the “signing” part. As a 3-year old, he’s signed a contract with this specific hockey program under the guidance of USA Hockey.

In order to play for a different team in the fall, his “contract” will need to be “released” by his current team and then “approved” and “transferred” by USA Hockey to the new team — if they still want him.

This is for a FOUR YEAR OLD!?

I’m not certain on the reasoning for so much paperwork and, well, processing. I suppose that since, unlike school districts or town rec leagues that have residency requirements, hockey programs draw players from neighboring towns so you don’t want one team scooping up talent on the fly from other teams as if they’re minor league feeder programs without any governing body involved.

No joke, little kids have contracts that are “traded” just like the professionals.

While I’m sure it is all just paperwork and I’m thinking about this a little too much, can you imagine if there’s a dispute with a program? Like as if they won’t release your contract?

I am aware that it does happen, denied releases, that is, but I’m clueless as to the circumstances. Payment issues, perhaps… I dunno.

I just think it’s a bit much.

Sure, it’s a money making venture for USA Hockey to collect a fee from every player in the country to “grow the game” or whatever, which I totally understand and support, but even for the kids under-6 years old that aren’t paying that membership fee? Really?

Oh, and get this… Figure Skating is the same way…

Hopefully being a registered USA Hockey member doesn’t mean that he can’t play for Team Canada when the time comes…

Posted on April 20th, 2013 at 7:09 am by Brainy Smurf
Smurfling, Sports | 1 Comment »

Vicarious Days Ahead

So we’re counting down the days now until my first born turns 4.

(the second born actually turns 2…tomorrow!)

Crazy — right?

For those who’ve been reading the content on this silly website over the years, his “birth posting” probably doesn’t feel like that long ago. Sorry to tell you, it is.

Anyway, what’s the big deal with turning 4?

Organized hockey.

Yep, when he turns 4, he’ll be old enough to sign on with a USA Hockey sanctioned hockey team. He’s excited. And it’s safe to say that I’m excited too.

Very excited.

The downside is that he turns four just as the weather is, well, let’s just say it’s not traditional ice hockey weather.

Sure, with a little effort, elite level teenagers might be able to find a tournament only team to skate with in June, July, and August but a four-year old?

No such luck. Especially in the United States.

But that won’t deter us. We’ll work on his stick handling and hockey sense more this summer (as well as with the soon-to-be two years old brother who I’ll predict right now will be the better player eventually) to give him a HUGE advantage over other kids his age.

That said, I think he’s already light years ahead of most in his age group, skill-wise, anyway, and that’s not just because I taught him everything he knows.

I’m realistic enough to know that he’s likely not the next Wayne Gretzky.

He’ll be a darn fine Mite. He might even be a good Squirt before the other kids start catching up…

(Youth hockey levels have the silliest of names…)

But the key thing we need to work on is his skating.

He can be the best stick handler in the world or even have the hardest slap shot but it won’t mean anything if he can’t skate…and, as of right now, there are definitely kids in his age group, though a very select few, that are much further along.

He’s been on skates now for almost and entire year.

There have been really promising ups… and some discouraging downs along the way.

One week I think he finally has it and then, the next, it’s like he’s lost all ability to balance himself on strips of metal 3mm wide…on ice.

He’s three.

I get it.

I’m not going to push him like a crazy honey boo-boo type of parent but I’m certainly going to encourage “hockey” every chance that I get.

So far, my enthusiasm is met and both kids take direction really, really well. I’m ecstatic.

The plan is to be on the ice at least once a week from April through September — with a slight chance of a “real” learn to skate class worked in as well.

Most hockey programs require a learn-to-skate class (within their program) prior to joining a team, especially with such a young player, but I’m hoping to bypass that entirely.

He can skate in circles or around cones all he wants with me during a public skate. What I can’t offer is a real hockey environment in full equipment.

He wants to be a “hockey guy”, not take lessons.

I took a learn to skate class as a kid. For me, it felt more like an introduction to figure skating… and that’s not really what I wanted or needed at the onset.

Don’t get me wrong, while I’m not real keen on ever seeing my boys in tight sequin shirts, figure skating is awesome too. The speed a figure skater can generate in two strokes, going backwards, is truly amazing.

It’s no wonder than NHL teams usually have a figure skater on staff (usually female too) continually showing the multi-millionaires how to skate properly to improve their game.

Most figure skaters could skate circles around any professional hockey player. While twirling.

Anyway, for me, while I was a bit older than three at the time, what I needed most was… ice time.

Observation, which my kids get plenty of, and ice-time to mimic the movements.

Ice-time is clutch.

A 45-minute session with a world class figure skater once per week, while definitely valuable, isn’t what I think would be best for a little kid just getting started.

Two practices a week and cross-ice games on Saturday and Sunday — in addition to a public skate with the family — would make skating like second nature in short order.

That’s what jumping right on to a team will offer.

Are five days a week on the ice too much for a four year old?

My head says yes — perhaps even too much of a time commitment for me.

But my kids want to “play” hockey in the kitchen pretty much all the time so… maybe it’s not too much.

And, as a bonus, my kitchen floor will be spared some abuse.

Posted on March 30th, 2013 at 1:29 pm by Brainy Smurf
Life, Smurfling, Sports | 1 Comment »

Higher Education: One and Done

If Family Feud had the question “Why should you go to college?”, I’m pretty sure the survey’d say, “To get a good job.”

I mention this because I couldn’t help but notice the negative connotation thrown towards the now-champion University of Kentucky Wildcats basketball team.

I can admit that I was suprised to see that their starting line-up was made up of three freshman and two sophomores. That’s pretty impressive.

(I was also horrified at how ugly the best player was but that’s not really important.)

I wasn’t surprised, though, to learn that the school doesn’t expect many (or any) of them back next year since they’ll all be headed to the NBA.

One and done.

So, is that a bad thing?

Based on the Family Feud example above, I say no.

Going to college, even for just one year, got them what most people want out of college — a good job.

(Full disclosure — I dropped out of university after three which happened to be one of the brightest things I ever did. In hindsight, probably should have left after one…)

Now do I think those basketball players deserved a full scholarship on the taxpayer’s tab?

Um, hell no.

- – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - –

Related post: MBAs are Overrated (and kinda stupid too…)

Posted on April 3rd, 2012 at 6:19 pm by Brainy Smurf
Current Events, Sports | No Comments »

Who is Dan Persa?

About a month ago on my way to work I noticed a billboard that seemed, well, out of place.

In the past, it’s been Pepsi, McDonalds, or some obnoxious local attorney advertisement.

But this…”Chicago’s Heisman Candidate” seemed a little out of place in central Connecticut.

We’re a good 900 miles from Chicago…

And I’ve never heard of Dan Persa. If he were a local kid in the running for the Heisman trophy, you’d think there’d be some media coverage.

I mean, Connecticut isn’t exactly a football hotbed so a local kid in the running would be BIG news.

Then I began to think that maybe Northwestern University transposed a number when ordering the sign from CBS Outdoors.

Sign 1501 is probably located in Carol Stream, Illinois. Sign 1051 happens to be in Bristol, Connecticut.

Oops.

And then I referred to the trusty internet to find some answers.

Dan Persa is not from Connecticut.

He’s a 22-year old quarterback from Bethlehem, Pennsylvania that plays for the Northwestern Wildcats.

And the billboard?

It’s exactly where they wanted it… Seriously.

From the Chicago Tribune:

Northwestern is going into the heart of college football country — Bristol, Conn. — to promote Dan Persa’s Heisman Trophy campaign.

Make that the heart of college football opinion country. Bristol is home to ESPN, and NU officials have bought billboard space there on a key artery. Chicago commuters can see the ad next week on a Kennedy Expressway billboard at Kimball Avenue.

NU officials chose the theme “Persa Strong” after ESPN.com’s Bruce Feldman named Persa the 10th-strongest player — and strongest quarterback — in the nation. The 6-foot-1, 210-pound Persa can bench-press 360 pounds and squat 520.

Persa has not seen the billboards but said, “Anything that can get more attention for our team around the country is cool.”

Well, I hate to tell them but…the sign isn’t on a route that many ESPN commuters will ever see.

It’s actually angled in a way where you can only see it while driving away from ESPN.

Making matters worse — it’s on a road through an industrial zone. A, how shall I put this… depressing and out-dated industrial zone. Yeah, it follows a seldom used freight rail line… you know the type of road…

Not a deadend by any means but certainly not a main artery for the influential on-air ESPN employees that they’re trying to sway.

Point being — I highly doubt Chris Fowler, Kirk Herbstreit, or Bruce Feldman have seen this sign or ever will even though they’re often just a couple of miles away.

The security guard for the lot they park in, well, he’s probably seen it.

But I suppose it got some publicity here on PIAC so it’s not all for nothing.

I don’t think that’s exactly what they were aiming for though.

Anyway, good luck Dan Persa!

Posted on September 10th, 2011 at 3:07 pm by Brainy Smurf
Sports | No Comments »

Welcome Back!

Yep, that’s right, I’m welcoming myself back.

I feel like I’ve been on vacation except that I haven’t…

Anyway, I’m a few days late with this but remember how I mentioned that I’d tossed in $5 to be included in on of those March Madness bracket things?

While I may not have finished “in the money”, I’m quite proud of where I landed — out of 60 participants, I finished in 7th place — considering my chosen method of selecting who would win each game throughout the tournament.

For the early rounds, I picked teams that I had t-shirts for.

Yep, it’s true — it was as simple as that.

So that cheap ($7.50) Michigan State t-shirt that I bought on a whim at a Steve & Barry’s in, I’d guess, Michigan almost paid for itself 40 times over.

It’s actually too bad that I let my personal feelings towards the University of Connecticut men’s basketball team get in the way.

I have a UConn t-shirt in closet too. Had I chosen them to go further in the tournament (they reached the Final Four), I’d have won the whole darn pool…

Don’t worry Steve & Barry’s… I won’t hold it against you.

It was my fault.

I really miss that store.

Even the smell.

Posted on April 10th, 2009 at 8:01 pm by Brainy Smurf
Bargains, Current Events, Sports | No Comments »

March Madness… And I Still Haven’t Seen One Second of Basketball

Today was one of those weird semi-holidays at work. I’d estimate that 50% of the male employees took the day off — and then another 25% left at noon…

I’d bet that tomorrow is much the same.

It happens every year around this time.

To blame? NCAA basketball.

Everyone, it seems, is all interested in the first round of March Madness and then, by next week, all but the most diehard sports fans have had about enough of college basketball.

I fall into that latter category. I could care less — I worked a full day today and I have full intentions of doing the same tomorrow.

But that doesn’t mean I didn’t fill out a bracket and kiss $5 goodbye this morning.

I don’t expect to win. I never do — especially when I’m betting on something I know very little about.

My final four has Louisville, Purdue, Duke, and North Carolina with North Carolina defeating Louisville in the final.

Now you might be wondering, hey, isn’t Brainy blogging from Connecticut? How come he didn’t choose the UConn Huskies, you know, the top seed in the West, to make an appearance in the Final Four?

Well, I didn’t pick the hometown UConn Huskies to go very far at all…

(In fact, I had them losing to BYU in the second round — an impossibility now that Texas A&M has already defeated BYU… D’oh!)

My reasoning is *mostly* personal.

It’s because I think their coach, Jim Calhoun, is an arrogant arsehole but also because it’s become apparent over the years that most of players on the team are nothing more than common criminals with little desire to actually graduate from the school I’m paying for them to attend for free.

Yeah — not a fan of UConn Men’s basketball, their rap sheet, or their 33% graduation rate.

They’re losers.

They don’t deserve to win.

- – - – - – -

Canadian Fun Fact: Like ice hockey, basketball was created by Canadian James Naismith. Unlike ice hockey, Canadians by-and-large have very little interest in the game.

Posted on March 19th, 2009 at 7:16 pm by Brainy Smurf
Cutting Costs, Rants, Sports | 3 Comments »

Brush with Fame

This past Sunday while doing some baby shopping I saw someone that I recognized instantly.

I’ve known that he lived nearby for years and years now but this was the first time that I actually saw him. That might not sound so unusual — there are millions of people “nearby” — but how many people are over seven and a half feet tall?

Yep, my wife and I walked right by Manute Bol.

Now I was never a basketball fan growing up but even I knew who he was — if only because of his height.

The minute we turned the corner and I saw his silhouette down the street I instantly knew it was him. My wife was just kinda, “Yeah, whatever…”

But that height was unmistakable.

Still quite a distance away, though there were no other people between us, my wife quietly asked me if I’d like to get my picture taken with him, you know, using her phone but I declined thinking he’d much prefer to be left alone — being a celebrity and all.

When I was a teenager I once passed by Wayne Gretzky on an escalator when the LA Kings were in town. I was going up, he was going down.

I made eye contact and without even saying anything, the look on his face said, “Please don’t make a scene, kid.”

I didn’t. But I also never forgot the experience.

In fact, I probably only remember it so well because I didn’t make a scene, or get his autograph, or even simply shake his hand. We just exchanged glances and went on our merry way.

So as we get closer, Manute is just standing there on the corner digging in his pockets apparently just enjoying the nice weather we’re finally having.

Then, as we got closer, he started to hobble towards us. Not towards us — as in approaching us directly, but he began heading in the direction we were coming from.

With my Gretzky experience in mind, I looked up and smiled a little closed mouth smile at him as we passed by like ordinary people.

As we turned another corner my wife said, “That’s really sad. He seemed like a lonely homeless man.”

Thinking about it, she was right.

I began to wonder if I *should* have asked to have my picture taken with him.

I’ll be honest — in this specific neighborhood, just being a black guy is enough to get some unusual stares. Being over seven feet tall would likely get you that much more though I’d imagine when you’re that tall, you’d receive some odd stares pretty much anywhere.

Most people on the street that day probably thought he was some sort of freak.

And that has me second guessing myself days later, you know, maybe he would have taken some pleasure in the fact that I knew who he was and that I’d really appreciate having my picture taken with him.

Not because he’s a wicked tall freak of nature but because he’s Manute Bol.

That dude used to be famous.

Posted on March 17th, 2009 at 8:38 pm by Brainy Smurf
Life, Retro, Sports | 2 Comments »

Super Sunday Plans?

Being that I’m not a fan of either team or even NFL football in general, you might think that this Sunday would be just like any other Sunday during the year.

Well, you’d be wrong.

First off, I haven’t missed a Super Bowl in 23 years… dating back to when my Chicago Bears thumped the hometown New England Patriots.

Yep, 1986 was a good year to be a Bears fan in New England.

Since then, though, I can’t really say I’ve been all that interested in the end result of the game itself.

Yeah, I had high hopes a couple of years ago when the Bears made it to the Super Bowl — even wore a Bears jersey to watch the game — but when it became apparent that Peyton Manning and the Colts were the dominant team, I tuned the game out and focused more on the commercials.

Yep, I’m one of those people who actually watches the game for the commercials. Everyone hears about people like me. A lot even claim to watch strictly for the commercials. I actually do it.

This year, as we’ve done for the last three or four years, we’ll go to our local sports bar, pick up a bucket of wings, bring them home, and settle in to watch Puppy Bowl V on Animal Planet.

That’s our Super Sunday tradition.

It’s not about the football.

It’s about the food, the puppies, and the commercials.

Anyhow, in the real game, I’ll rooting for the Cardinals…

The used to hail from Chicago.

Oh, and for the record, this is my favorite Super Bowl commercial of all time:

Posted on January 28th, 2009 at 8:13 pm by Brainy Smurf
Current Events, Food, Sports | 2 Comments »

Photo of the Week: Starting Over

It’s been a trying week at work, so I haven’t been posting much. This post will probably disappoint. Hey, just warning you…

I’d guess you’d have to be a hockey fan of the 1980′s and early 1990′s to truly appreciate this photo.

This is 4-time Stanley Cup Winner Claude Lemiuex and he all but retired after the 2002-03 season when no one offered him a contract.

Until last month.

He’s now 43 years old and playing in the minor leagues working towards a comeback.

I’m pretty certain he’s realistic about his prospects, I mean, he’s made millions of dollars as a professional athlete and can’t possibly need the money — but he’s chosen to sign a contract with a team that will having him riding a bus (rather than a chartered plane) to cities like Rochester, Syracuse, Bridgeport, and Norfolk.

Not exactly major league cities.

Not exactly major league accommodations either.

If he reaches the NHL again, and I think he might, this will most certainly be his final season.

There isn’t a lot left in the tank (though he’s skating circles around players half his age), he knows that, but I think he just wants to go out on his own terms — and not be forced out due to his age.

Shaking hands with Lemieux is former NHL defenseman J.J. Daigneault. The two were briefly teammates on the Montreal Canadiens, oh, roughly 18 years ago.

Daigneault is now a coach, he’s in the shirt and tie, while Lemieux is still a player — playing with kids who weren’t even born when these two played together.

Anyway, this just shows how important it is to network. Lemieux undoubtedly used his contacts to get this job and, along the way, I’m sure he’s making new contacts with today’s crop of players.

It isn’t often these days that the old timer isn’t pushed aside — in sports or in the office — in favor of the fresh face.

I’ve seen it firsthand — friends getting blindsided — and I’ve got to admit, it weighs on my mind a bit. Okay…a lot.

But I’d really prefer to leave on my own terms someday.

Claude’s making sure that happens.

Posted on December 14th, 2008 at 10:05 am by Brainy Smurf
Photo, Retro, Sports | No Comments »

Photo of the Week: Thanksgiving Football

As we did last year, we attended the local high school football game on Thanksgiving.

Unfortunately I don’t have any exciting stories about picking up a dropped nickel.

Trust me, I was looking too…

Tickets were $6 each; a twenty percent increase over last year.

Being cheap, I found that to be a little excessive considering all of the moaning about the economy.

But the crowd didn’t seem to mind — it was a packed house as it always is. It’s crazy when you hear the roar of the crowd rival an NFL game when all they’re there to see is a high school game. Three weeks ago, the crowd would have been maybe 50 people — if it was warm out.

Thanksgiving? A couple thousand. The place is a mob scene. Parking. Nightmare.

I’d bet the kids on the field love it, though.

I mean, each year, it has that pro feel — I don’t ever remember feeling that in high school.

Like a pro game, the game is on television (public access, but still…) with real announcers from the local affiliates. They even had a sideline reporter?! The end zone was dotted with photographers with HUGE lenses, like me. The stadium even has souvenir stands — and they were open!?

Basically, it’s an event even if you’re not on the field and that’s why we go each year.

I guess you could call it the SuperBowl of our town. Seems that everybody goes — though I strangely didn’t recognize anyone there.

On the downside, going to the game also means that we miss the Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade each year. My wife is not happy about that.

And for the record, the team in white won the game. Woo-hoo! They represent our side of town!

Posted on November 29th, 2008 at 7:53 am by Brainy Smurf
Photo, Sports | No Comments »

Photo of the Week: Who doesn’t like a good hockey fight?

I took in my first pro game of the season as a member of the media this week, making my return to the type of photography that I’m good at and snapped this shot – one of my favorites of the night.

It’s kinda sad that Gary Bettman, the commissioner of the NHL, has been trying to outlaw fighting during his tenure.

True, in a civilized society, it’s ludicrous for two grown men to beat the snot out of one another over an essentially meaningless game, but it’s one of the few things that can still get the crowd on their feet. And isn’t that the point of professional sports?

What most people don’t realize, hockey fans included, is that it’s very rare for a player to get hurt during a fight — it really is all for show.

Not like WWE wrestling — hockey fights aren’t fake, but they’re not really trying to seriously hurt one another either — though it may look like that…

In fact, considering it’s a game where a rock hard piece of rubber flies around over 100mph, players run into walls at 30 mph, fighting is part of the game, all of the players carry long sticks, and don’t forget that everyone out on the ice has knives strapped to their feet, well, it’s pretty shocking that a tame game like baseball has more injuries.

Hard to believe… Must be a side effect of all of the steroids in baseball…

Anyway, at the conclusion of this specific fight — neither player went down, so technically nobody won — they essentially shook hands and thanked one another for the opportunity as they were escorted to the penalty box.

Yes, they exchanged pleasantries. After a fight.

Must be a Canadian thing…

Posted on October 25th, 2008 at 5:46 am by Brainy Smurf
Photo, Sports | 1 Comment »

Game One in the Books

Well, last night I took in the first game of the season. The seats I picked out, sight unseen, for my season tickets are awesome. I’m very happy with the selection — though being right next to the student section and seeing many of them in shirts that said “Class of 2012″ made me feel very, very, very old…

It was the first NCAA women’s game I’d ever been to and I was pretty excited at the start, though, as it was my first game, everyone on the ice was essentially an anonymous nobody.

The size of crowd wasn’t all that great, respectable, but not that great. Probably because it was women’s game, which is kinda sad.

True, the hitting isn’t like it is in the men’s game, but the passing, well, the women set-up plays like the men used to in the 1980′s before all that mattered was the size of the player. It’s like a throwback to the best years of the NHL.

I should probably also mention that the home team, my “new” team, lost 7-0. Ouch. On opening night. Double ouch.

When I was young, I had a friend that was originally from Boston. The Red Sox were his team. He even had Red Sox curtains in his room and his gerbils were named “Dwight” and “Evans”. I’m pretty sure his brother’s middle name was even “Fisk”. Yeah, they were die hard.

I remember being at his house over the summer pretty regularly and his dad would seemingly always be on the couch watching the game, probably a Red Sox game, and his mom would shout from the kitchen, “Are we winning?” with genuine interest.

I always thought that was kind of silly.

See, at my house, if we happened to be watching a sporting event (a rare occasion), we’d say something like, “Are they winning?”

Notice the difference?

See, we didn’t have a team at my house. The whole concept of referring to the team as if we were actually a part of it was completely foreign to me. Dare I say, it almost seemed stupid?

Then, after University, I latched on to our local professional hockey team. I was even earning a paycheck from them. I mean, in that instance, I really was a part of the team — it would be understandable to refer to the team as if I was on it — yeah, we won tonight.

But for probably 10 seasons, that never happened. It was only this past season that I found myself saying, “Yeah, we’re gonna make the playoffs…” The funny part about it is that I wasn’t even on the team anymore but I felt more connected. Go figure?

Either way, I kinda liked it. Yeah, they’re “my” team.

So now, I’ve moved on to this new team and, as I said, last night was the first game.

Twenty three seconds in, “my” team was losing. Great start.

As the first period wore on, and my team fell deeper and deeper into a hole (the other team wiped the floor with them all night), I started to familiarize myself with the names on their backs, you know, to try to feel moreconnected to all of these anonymous nobodies so I could root for them.

I mean, I think the only reason I started calling the last team “mine” was because I was familiar with everyone on the team.

Everyone.

Not in a personal way, but in a sort of I-know-you-but-you-don’t-know-me sort of way. In my mind, we were on a first name basis. To non-sports fans, I’m sure that makes no sense. It may even sound creepy.

College sports, though, are tough to get behind if you’re not alumni because there is so much turn around on the rosters. At best, a player will only be there for four seasons.

On the men’s side of things, basketball specifically, you may only get one or two years out a player before they go pro, fail out, get expelled, or go to prison. What is it with these top level NCAA basketball programs? Seriously…

Anyway, it’s tough to make a connection when your favorite player could be gone next season. Every season. Just a rotating door of anonymous nobodies. What fun is that? There isn’t any connection to be made, other than to the logo on the front of the jersey…

That’s why I was happy to notice that the three players that stood out the most for me last night were all freshman — Jordan Elkins, Kate Wheeler, and Chelsea Illchuck — they gave it their all, down 7 goals, right to the final horn.

Injuries and interests aside, they’ll be on the team for another three years — maybe I can get into this…

Their next game is this afternoon, against the same team, so hopefully they fare a little better and I learn a few more player names.

Posted on October 4th, 2008 at 8:03 am by Brainy Smurf
Life, Retro, Sports | No Comments »