Big Sticks, Small Pucks: NFL Ice Hockey and Other Sports Obsessions
Where Athletic Support Comes In Many Shapes and Sizes
Note to Nabby: Watch Your Manners
Hockey is not a sport known for its good manners but there
are certain things that as a player, one never does. One doesn't thrash
the goalie, even when he strays outside of the crease, one never shoots
the puck at the net after the whistle is blown and one never ever, disrespects
the anthem of the country one plays for.
Nabby (aka Nabokov, goalie for the Sharks, number 20), the United States
has been good to you. You get to pay taxes, live in Silicon Valley, marry
an nice American woman, make a whole lot of money. Plus, you don't have
to wear bear skins every time you go to the supermarket just to stay warm.
That all being said, would it hurt you to simply stand politely while
the national anthem of The United States of America is played? You don't
have to place your hand reverently over your heart and nobody is asking
you to learn the words but when you are so busy cleaning up the crease
and skating around, head down, while our national anthem is being played
and some buxom young thing is straining to hit the high notes, with the
benefit of a backup band, we are frankly, openly insulted.
Nabby, you can tidy up around the goal and net any time. You don't have
to disrespect the very country and citizens and fans that are paying your
substantial mortgage. All we ask is that, like Vesa Toskala (aka Scrappy
Doo, number 35 and also goalie for the Sharks) that you stand quietly
and therefore respectfully while The Star Spangled Banner is sung.
In not doing so you diminish the entire team, global as they are, hailing
from so many countries and representing so many different cultures. In
fact, we are willing to be that if somebody from, say, Canada acted that
way during the playing of the Kazakhstan national anthem, you would probably
take that big hockey stick of yours and use it to gently prod said player
from Canada into acting be more politely. Respectful. Honorably.
Save the bad manners for after the puck is in play.
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