Big Sticks, Small Pucks: NFL Ice Hockey and Other Sports Obsessions
Where Athletic Support Comes In Many Shapes and Sizes
Sharks Tidal Wave of Success...Nobody In The NHL Is Laughing Now
We officially forgive Nabby, the San Jose Shark's goalie,
for not standing at attention during the American National Anthem (as
long as he continues to show a bit more respect that is). Nabby has all
but brought hockey snobs to their knees, along with the rest of the Sharks.
The Sharks are up by three games (3 to zip, no less) against Colorado
Avalanche, a feat nobody but die hard fans (and us) would have predicted.
And nobody, not one of those slick haired, Canadian born (they are all
Canadian, aren't they?) announcers are dismissing the Sharks now.
Everybody loves a winner. And no where is this more apparent than in 'winner
takes all Silicon Valley'.
If the Sharks go no further in the playoffs --- and they are fully expected
to make franchise history by going to the Western Conference Finals ---
they are still winners. From shy Patrick Marleau who found his pick up
truck bed completely full of hats from his second hat trick of the play-offs,
to Sturdy Scott Hannan (Surly The Ice Hobbit) who has roughed up his game
to the point that opponents are now openly avoiding HIM on the ice, to
heart warming Jonathon Cheechoo who shrugged off a behind-the-back, between-the-legs,
backhanded and nobody else could do a shot like that shot, as if it were
nothing (Daddy Cheechoo was in town to watch so son Cheechoo knew what
was most important), this is a team of winners. Or rather, let us say
that this is a winning team. Respected, focused, humble, excited and hard
working, this group of men (and a couple of boys, let's face it we have
a few boys growing up on this team), have set a NHL standard in ethical,
devoted play and one-game-at-at-time strategy. And this at a time when
the Todd Bertuzzi's of the world are still facing legal battles, and who
knows what will happen to troubled but talented Mike Danton from the St.
Louis Blues who is facing felony charges allegedly involving a murder
plot. All regrettable and painful but major blots on the reputation of
hockey nonetheless.
Then there are the Sharks. With no major PR faux pas against them, these
guys continue to focus on hockey, hockey and more hockey. We won't dwell
too much on the fact that these guys are now up against the best, the
BEST, players in the NHL and are still winning. The line of Forsberg,
Tanguay and Hejduk (known far and wide by Sharks fans as the Line Orcs
from Mordor), is one of the best in the NHL. The best. And the Sharks
are still beating them, even with injuries such as Scott Thornton going
out in the first minute of the last game's first period and beloved Mike
Ricci, out for half the same game due to a hard hit on the boards.
The fact that Miracle On Ice came out the same season as the Sharks making
a miracle of their own is not lost on honest Hockey buffs. The 1980 U.S.
Olympic Hockey team all but revitalized the image of hockey in the eyes
of Americans and in their own way, The Sharks are doing it again.
Though instead of Aerosmith's 'Dream On', we prefer to hear Aretha Franklin's
'R-E-S-P-E-C-T' as a theme song.
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