Fell in Love with Hockey

I am not what you would call a sports fan. I mean, I enjoy going to professional games . . . mostly for the camaraderie and the nachos. I don't really care if the team wins or loses for my own sake. If a Chicago team is playing, I really just want them to win so Troy won't be grouchy for the rest of the day. I didn't grow up in a family where many of our activities and television usage was centered around sports. I guess there were a few exceptions. My mom was a pretty intense Cubs fan for a good while and of course the Bulls games were always on during the "3-Peat, Re-peat", and you can generally catch my dad watching drag racing on Sunday, but that's about it.

Those of you who know Troy could imagine the culture shock I encountered when I married him, where the label 'sports fanatic' is an understatement. Troy loves Chicago sports like he loves this country, and being the good wifey that I am, I often endure the seemingly endless Sox, Bears and Blackhawks games. Tonight was such a night. Troy bought tickets to see the Blackhawks play the Minnesota Wild here in St. Paul. I generally enjoy watching hockey above all other sports because of the fast-pace of the game and was excited to go to the game, but I had no idea that this particular game would change my life.

It started out innocent, as most things usually do. We had great seats on the lower level and Troy wanted to go down to the glass before the game started to watch the players practice. I followed him and we plopped down in a couple of seats that were three rows behind the glass. I wouldn't say I was brimming with excitement, but I thought it would be cool to see the players up close. When the Hawks came out from the locker room onto the ice, I was so thrilled, I don't even know what hit me. I started taking pictures like I was commissioned by TMZ. I kept turning to Troy and squealing something like, "Look!! There's Kane! Oh my gosh, there's Toews! There's Sharp!!" It was ridiculous. I realized at that moment that I would never be able to meet these people in person. I would make a complete fool of myself. I was borderline verklempt. Just when I thought things couldn't get any better -- I locked eyes with Patrick Sharp, the cutest hockey player on the team and I just so happen to have a hockey crush on that assistant captain, so like a fool, I smiled and waved to him. AND THEN . . . he gave me a little smile and two consecutive eyebrow shrugs. I may or may not have giggled like a 12-year-old at a Justin Bieber concert. Troy literally had to tear me away from the glass after that.

When we made it back to our seats, I could not take my eyes off the plays. I was in a zen-like focus for the remainder of the game. I even had to go to the bathroom and couldn't bear to leave during the periods. I held it throughout the whole game. What if something awesome would have happened?! I found myself muttering comments to myself (like Troy often does) and then out of nowhere, shouting out encouragements to the Hawks players, like they could hear me (Troy does this too). The last few minutes of the last period were starting to get intense because the score was 3-2 Hawks and we were down by one player. When Marian Hossa made a goal, I threw my arm up so fast in a fist pump that I almost took the lady sitting next to me out. In hindsight, it wouldn't have been that bad -- she was rooting for the Wild.

Besides the fact that the Blackhawks won, I got to witness a really awesome fight, see the players up close -- including my dreamy Patrick Sharp and we got some nachos to boot. Tonight, I fell in love with hockey and it was glorious.