Some Rise

 Some fall

Some climb
To get to terrapin (Hunter-Garcia)

Athletes are all different....that is what makes sports so compelling.....this isn't the Punt, Pass and Kick competition ....we don't measure athletic ability as an individual statistical performance and declare a winner...we play team games....chemistry is as important as ability.....coaches make difficult decisions on personnel and try to match their players strength with the opponents weakness ......and then drive, determination and emotion are usually the deciding factors.

Last night was one of the more epic clashes we have seen in a while....if the tension wasn't tight enough with the USA and CANADA playing at the professional level for the first time in what feels like forever....(it was actually 9 years ago) throw in the political animosity of the last month with President Trump calling for Canada to join America as our 51st state and referring to that sissy trudeau as the Governor. ( I tried hard to have a team Canada jersey made for Sweater Nite with the # 51 and STATE on the back....but they could not guarantee delivery in time for the Gala)

As expected, the frogs of montreaux boooed our beloved Anthem.

What happened next was not expeted.....at the dropping of the puck, Matthew Tkachuk dropped his gloves and immediately fought Braden Hagel.......while those 2 were throwing down....younger brother Brady Tkachuk was calling on Canadian tough guy Sam Bennet from one bench to the other to get on the ice ..........after the ice cleared and the puck dropped again.....Brady and Sam dropped the gloves and we had round 2.......play eventually resumed after another face off and the puck was shot into the zone there was a scramble in front of the net....after that quick whistle JT Miller dropped the gloves against Colton Parayko.......3 separate fights in the first 9 seconds of play..........after that we had a few hours of clean, hard hitting intense hockey....where bitter regular season rivals become your Hero's.....Jake Guentzel killed the Rangers for years as a Penguin......today I am proud he's on my team....Dylan Larkin plays for hated Detroit Redwings....today i would proudly wear his jerseys....and the Tkachuks ?  doesn't matter who they play for....you HAVE to love these guys..I loved their Dad Keith (Captain Coyote) and love his kids too........the Americans battled to a hard scrabble 3-1 win.......nerve wracking, nail biting through and through .

And THAT is why next Saturday we will gather........not wearing tank tops.......or Football jerseys......or even softball/baseball uni's.........BUT rather in Hockey Sweaters.......each one blood , Beeer and sweat stained and screaming out a story.....a story of victory and triumph or honorable defeat.....we will proudly display our colors and marvel and admire those of our linemates....we will drink Beeer as if the end of time itself was coming at midnight and we will wax poetically about last nights game and many others.....we will honor and miss those that have left us and cherish those that are still here.....Slainte

for  a brief moment last night i was regretting not holding Sweater Nite yesterday for the big game.......but then reality set in when i admitted to myself that by 8:30 PM , i would have been back in the Gregory Hotel  snoring away.

SIDE NOTE.........next year....the Winter Olympics will be held in Milan Italy.....the Hockey semifinals will be held on Friday Feb 20th......with the time difference the games will be at 10:00 a.m. and 2:30 PM......and the Gold Medal game will be Sunday Feb 22nd at 7:00 a.m. NY time......i suspect I will be somewhere in the Palmetto state,..maybe Captain Archies...tallying up my scorecard and enjoying an IPA.........be sure to send me a photo from SN 28.....

2+3= 4 Nations

Inspiration, move me brightly
Light the song with sense and color
Hold away despair
More than this I will not ask
Faced with mysteries dark and vast
Statements just seem vain at last