Sunday, February 05, 2006

Hockey

This evening one of my co-workers took me to a hockey game. It was two pretty good, and well-matched teams, and the show was superbly carried out.  Wichita beat Colorado 3-2 after 5mins .of overtime, and then 10 rounds in the shoot-out.  Yet, I have a feeling of sadness hanging over me.  Now maybe it is because I am hungry, and tried to go shopping on the way home and was only partly successful, but maybe it was spending 3 hours with a crowd of people who cheered "their" team and boo'ed the other team.  Three hours of an announcer striving--mostly unsuccessfully--to whip the audience into an excited frenzy, so that they would go home feeling like they had a good time.  Two intermissions of people standing and cheering and yelling, attempting to get the attention of the guys shooting t-shirts into the stands, or the mascot tossing Frisbees.  Actually, they seemed nearly as excited by the free stuff as by the game--unless there was a close shot or a goal, then everyone jumped to their feet and yelled.  This game had very little fighting, much to the disappointment of the 8,100 person crowd.  A few times there was almost a fight, or one that lasted only long enough for a blow or two to be exchanged.  The whole stadium would leap to it's feet and start shouting encouragement.  And almost that fast it would be over, and everyone would moan their chagrin.  What are these people each thinking?  As a mass, they are thinking about the game, and how bad the other team is.  But what is the driving motivation running through the mind of a Wichita Thunder Fan? Did they notice that Waste Management is the Official Refuse Removal Provider?
But, it was a good time, and both teams did well and had good goalies, although I think Colorado had better teamwork--being able to pass the puck to each other, and they all know what the others were thinking.  And I want a street-legal Zamboni.

Comments:
at the local hockey games around here, when the home team scores a goal, the whole crowd raised to their feet and says "You suck" to the opposing team in unison. (set to music) It is a very edifying experience.
 
what's a zamboni?
 
A Zamboni is a ice-resurfacing vehicle. Sometimes seen in Peanuts, driven by Snoopy, although occasionally Woodstock uses one to resurface his frozen birdbath.
 
yeah, the super bowl made me feel slightly uneasy, too. didn't the losing team have friends, family and loved ones packing the stands and cheering for them too? of course! maybe i'm just not highly enough enculturated to understand competition....
 
Are you really that surprised? Most team sports are just reenactments of war, after all.

As for wanting all the free stuff - to the victor go the spoils?
 
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