badger_14

Played goalie on-ice for the first time, after accidentally stumbling onto a pickup game on my way to a goalie clinic this morning. Was spectacularly bad and thoroughly enjoyed it. It's going to take me a few rounds to get used to skates + pads. That plus the clinic is two hours in pads on ice this morning, which means I will totally regret this decision tomorrow, but right now I'm in that nice buzzed 'I wish I could do this all day' phase. (eta: yes, I apologized for being terrible.)

I was surprised, since the Classics look like nylon laundry bags online, that they do have pretty decent padding. It's just that it's tighter to the hips and upper thighs - probably a bit like a girdle? And then the outer shell along the upper legs is loose. It feels good motion-wise, but like I said I haven't tried it out yet. I'm 5'6" (and Badger-shaped) and they feel short enough to me without leaving too much of a gap between pads and pants. Also, thanks for the tip. It's what I get for just going bare-thighed for six months in street hockey. (but now where will I get my bruises?)

Finally got a pair of pants. Bauer Classics. Most of the images online don't inspire confidence, but there's plenty of padding. It's not as beefy up in the kidney region as the Vaughns I tried on. Actually the Vaughns felt bulky all over. The Bauers are also shorter in the legs, which is a boon to a goalie like me who is short and, let us say, broad. Should be plenty for general rec play, although I think I'm going to need to actively practice putting on my pads with the pants on. Dumb question: do the thigh boards on my pads go under the pants' legs, or over? Or is it personal preference?

It happens so much less these days, but I hate when I wander (with no external influence) into a swath of despair. I haven't been a very good human the past few days. At least it was of short duration.

Ultimately, the only thing that gets rid of stones already there is surgery. But it's not all that bad. I was much happier after having my gallbladder out - the surgery hurt less than the attacks! Then again, because I thought the gallstones were back spasms, I sat through attacks for like 2 or 3 years, so YMMV. By the time I got it into my head to go to the ER, they were basically incapacitating, and the ER doc thought it was kidney stones at first. Glad you got it checked out and it's nothing serious.

Gallstones are horrible. I'm sorry. (healthwise yes, better outcome than a heart attack, but still painful). Did they at least give you good drugs and a schedule for a prompt removal?

Be careful what you wish for, or EA might well give you 20-minute intermission segments with Don Cherry.

Let's see that clown try and tomahawk my head now.

It's a fiberglass shell. It's a little heavier than the last one, but I think that's mostly because it's larger.

I tried on an NME 5, fit 2 and 3, and the 2 was too small and the 3 just kind of flopped around like a bucket. Neithe came down far enough to cover my jaw and upper throat. The CCM felt like it just kind of suctioned my head into it. I ended up with a large - the medium was close but wasn't deep enough and the backplate left a gap. I don't think it sits as high and the chin - the whole angle of the mask - seems to jut forward more than the Bauer. It's hard to describe, especially because I'm just amazed that how well it fits. If pressed I would say the CCM is more of a round-head mask, and the Bauer is shorter and narrower. The store I went to (LHS) had only bar cages on all their masks in store, and I'm not picky, so I didn't notice or ask if they sold cat-eye (certified or non-cert) separately.

And of course right after posting a pic of my old mask, I upgrade. CCM 9000, a Christmas present from my dad. LHS was very helpful. Tried on a Bauer that was similar to my old mask, but larger. That felt okayish. Then the guy suggested this one. Tried it on and my brain went: oh. Oh. This fits. Like an angel's glove hand cupping my skull. (okay, that may be a slight exaggeration). But it does fit very well, and I'm tremendously excited to get a chance to try it out in play.

Yeah, I got that from the ones bouncing off my blocker yesterday. It is pretty flattering when the skaters don't believe you when you say you've only been playing for six months, though. That's right, you grew up playing catcher, right? I wouldn't try glove side on you either.

I got mine off ebay. Thin vinyl - conforms pretty nicely.

There's a high correlation (for me) between 'fantastic save' (like Saturday's sprawled-on-the-line glove save) and 'way out of position, never do that again'. Things just seemed to flow today.

Had a great pickup session with the inline group today. Beautiful, clear, bright, cold day. Definitely feel like I'm improving, making solid saves, even "won" a couple rounds (of play-til-10). Just for good measure of course gave up a few awful goals and made a couple of crazy, how-did-that-even-happen saves. Best possible way to spend a New Year's Day. (or, really, any day off.)

Hopefully getting a new mask soon, but in the meantime my current mask (Bauer NME3) has been upgraded with a dangler (no more hits to the throat!) and a Star of Life decal. I've been using the dangler for a few weeks - the rattle was annoying at first, but I don't mind it so much now.

It's surprisingly easy to keep cool when your head is vibrating. Some people take this stuff far too seriously. I'm glad I had a real mask and wasn't an inch or two closer to the post. Still feeling dizzy and out of sorts today but it could've been worse.

Congrats!

Guy at street hockey was apparently frustrated that we were losing (at the time - it's a play-til-7-&-take-a-break pickup, so it's more like 6 mini games over two hours), and whacked his stick on the net. Unfortunately, right between his stick and the post was my head. Clipped me right across. Had my ears ringing and I stayed down for a minute. Not so much hurt as straight up pissed off, although I do have a nice headache going. I don't care how frustrated you are - never, ever do that.

I think there might be a rule of the Goalie Gods that the first time you wear a new helmet you get hit in the face. Glad to hear the Twigz worked out!

I can only hope that my first shift doesn't involve a shooting. (Second, third maybe, that's cool).

Oh, well, in that case we'll pray for you it'll probably be fine in a beginner league where no one is taking 80mph slapshots at your head.

Having taken multiple direct hits to the head and face in an NME3, I can assure you it will do a fine job in (ball, anyway) street hockey.

I passed my NREMT exams! Who has two thumbs and is a nationally certified EMT-Basic? THIS GUY.

Camel-bak under the gear is a clever twist! Never would've thought of that.