My life as a hockey fan…

This past weekend was looking to be a big old write off.  In efforts to retain my integrity, and having said that I would take shifts that were offered to me for my part time job, I signed on for 3 overnight shifts in a row.  Overnights are really hard on me, and I figured I would spend my weekend doing my real job, sleeping, and then going to sit on my butt for 8 hours before starting the routine again.

No fun for me.  Woe is Sarah.

To make things worse… I did not realize when I took the shifts that UND’s Fighting Sioux hockey team was going to be in town playing against the Mavericks.  It’s good I didn’t know or I’d have not taken the shifts in hopes of getting to a game, because I am a Sioux fan.  Farewell to integrity. (If you’re confused by this sentiment.. scroll back a few posts.)

I’ve have noticed that there are not really degrees of hockey fans, so much as categories of fans.

There are die hard fans that bleed team colors and wear jerseys year round.

There are fair weather fans that say they are a fan but only go to hockey games when invited, wearing the jersey that still has the mustard on the back from a game last season that I neglected to tell them about.

There are are the fans that just love the sport and will drop the major ching for 2 seats for the local pro team… and make it to nearly every game. (These fans tend to know every player on every team and all the stats associated with them.)

There are social fans that are not so much into hockey as the fraternizing that goes with it.  (Not to be looked down upon… these are still fun fans.)

And then there’s me.

I love good hockey.  I think it’s fun to watch.  I like games where the teams are pretty well matched and it’s touch and go who will win.  I like the crowd.  I like the silly song they play after a goal.  I don’t like that “sit sit sit” thing that MSU students do to the opposing team’s goalie afterwards.  I like the beer.  I like the ice smell.  I like the zambonies.  I like the audience singing about Sweet Caroline.  I’m even growing to like the cheerleaders.  I like college hockey because I can afford to go to the games, and I like pro hockey because it’s a treat when I actually get to go.

So I’m the fan wearing Green to support UND, but it’s a vintage Minnesota North Stars sweatshirt to throw people off and ensure I don’t get lynched for the betrayal.  (They would be my team if Texas wasn’t the foulest state in the union.  I’m still mad about that all these years later.  What does Texas know about hockey anyway??)

I’m also the fan that cheers for every great play, despite whose it is.

I think that really, I am just a fan of hockey.

So why a random posting about this?

Before working the most mind melting shifts ever on Friday and Saturday night… I was at the hockey games… sitting in a suite, eating free popcorn and yelling for my team… and sometimes they other team.  They had a few good plays.

It was good… it was very good… even though UND got their asses handed to them on Friday night… and I still managed to make it to work somehow… and it wasn’t that bad…

Weekend not just salvaged, but made fantastic.  Thanks to Mat, who so very obviously rocks in a big way for making those tickets possible.

Says me.