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Okay. I admit it. I am a fair weather fan (fans who only follow their team when they are winning). But I believe that is going to change.
Who knew hockey could be so exciting?
You all knew.
Right.
Well, our Chicago team, The Blackhawks, are vying for the Stanley Cup Championship, against the Boston Bruins. Winner is the best of 7 games. Right now the score is 3-2 Blackhawks. If they win the game tonight in Boston, they win the championship. Otherwise, the seventh game will be played in Chicago on Wednesday.
I hope it ends tonight. Not only because I am a Blackhawks fan (fair weather or not!), but also because I don't think my heart can take another game. It is very nerve wracking! And I'm afraid of losing a sibling. Both my brother AND my sister had said they experienced chest pains watching these games.
Now THAT'S excitement!
My twin sister, Pam, and I have watched a couple of the games together. She knows more about the players; I know a little about hockey. Well, let's just say that all the knowledge I know could fit into a walnut shell. I know....not much, but more than Pam.
If you were in the room with us during a game, you'd hear a lot of screaming, a lot of, "Where's the puck?" A lot of swearing, clapping, etc. At one point I yelled, "Son of a Biscuit!" Then I yelled, "Mother Tucker!" Then "Shit!" Pam looked at me and said, "Look, if you are going to swear, then be consistent!"
After a hockey game is over, I feel like I was "rode hard and put away wet". And I don't mean that in a sexual way whatsoever!
Some interesting facts about the Stanley Cup:
This trophy is awarded annually to the National Hockey League playoff winner at the conclusion of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. In 1892, originally commissioned as the Dominion Hockey Challenge Cup, the trophy is named for Lord Stanley of Preston, who was the Governor General of Canada. The cup was awarded to the top-ranking amateur ice hockey club in 1893. In 1915, two professional hockey organizations, the National Hockey Association (NHA) and the Pacific Coast Hockey Association (PCHA) reached an agreement that their champions would compete for the Stanley Cup. After various league mergers and folds, the Stanley Cup was considered THE championship trophy of the NHL in 1926.
What is interesting is that the winning team does not keep the trophy. They are allowed to have it for their winning year, but the trophy is passed to the next Stanley Cup winning team. All the names of the team players, coaches, management and club staff are engraved on the chalice. There are five bands on the trophy. Each band can hold up to thirteen winning teams. When the bottom band band is full, the oldest band is removed and placed into the Hockey Hall of Fame. A new blank band is added to the bottom.
It is a tradition for the winning team to drink champagne out of "The Cup", "Lord Stanley's Cup", "The Holy Grail", or "Lord Stanley's Mug", all names for the Stanley Cup.
Since 1914-15, the Stanley Cup has been won a combined 94 times, by 18 active NHL teams and 5 defunct teams. The Montreal Canadians have won the cup 24 times.
The Stanley Cup was not awarded in 1919 due to the Spanish Flu epidemic and in 2005 due to the NHL lockout.
(all information on the Stanley Cup from Wikipedia)
GO HAWKS!!!
