33 years ago today, my St. Pete's team headed off to OFSSA in Toronto. I was a grade 10 and played very little that year. We had a core of very strong older players where our best five on the ice were as good as the same best five from any team in the tournament. …
The Bad Wheel Giveth Life to the Voice Within
When you lose an edge, you gain a dreadful feeling that lurks inside you, that little presence that tells you not to turn too hard, too fast, too sharp. Don't wheel too quickly when the play breaks the other way, don't spin quite as tight to lose a defender down low. For if you do, …
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Hummer the Whore
I got a call at work on my cell late yesterday aft asking if I was available to play last night with some boys at the St. Jacob's barn. Indeed I was available and it was an excellent skate too. Our tender's nickname was Hummer (at least I think it was a nickname) and …
The New Stick…
...didn't work. In fact, I hate it. The curve is unwieldy and I over-taped the grip slightly. I fought the puck all night and generally felt like the stick was working against me. After the game I offered it for sale for $20 to the highest bidder (which makes its cost per game to me …
Birthday’s
I had a birthday last week. Nothing fancy about it and I didn't play hockey that day. However, I did get an email from my older sister reminding me that I'm one year closer to not being able to bend over and tie up my skate laces. Touching. I cannot imagine not being able …
I Get to Play Hockey Every Day
I did something last night I don't do often. I watched a Leaf game from drop of the puck to the end point. The fact that Crosby was playing influenced me to some degree as I've always loved watching top athletes compete in their prime regardless of the sport. I enjoyed watching every aspect …
New Stick, Old Stick
I finally got my new stick ready this weekend but I'm worried. I had to borrow a neighbour's hacksaw to cut it down a few inches but when I compared it to my old wand, the curve on the new one just doesn't seem quite right, the way it did in the store. The toe …
The Last Goal
I've written a couple of posts over the past few weeks about a new stick I bought that I haven't had time to cut off and get game-ready. It's not that takes a bunch of time but my hacksaw is elsewhere and I simply haven't had time to run to a neighbour's and borrow …
The Best Game You Can Play
Soccer has been called The Beautiful Game and I have no axe to grind with that. It is a beautiful game. Elegant in its simplicity- two teams, two nets and a ball if you're unschooled in the finer aspects as I am. However, on the day that Stompin' Tom passed on, I'd like hockey to …
He Prays, He Scores
Much ado this past week in Canadian media about the Quebec Cardinal who could be the next Pope. Not sure if the church has ever had a hockey-playing pontiff but J2P2 was an avid skier so why not someone who has donned the blades? As a former "Church League" player myself, it almost feels …
Rink Tales 