Hockey's Simple Pleasures

[interpathway 9]

Shower Beer

Browers.

[shaundizzle15 2]

-the stick prep

-fresh sharpenings

-doing a perfect ice cut

-locker room chirps

-tying nets

[Scotty 8]

- Having almost the entire rink to yourself as you toss a few pucks out there and begin making some laps

- The familar metallic sound of the back bar as a quick snapshot rings the puck off of it and downward

- Making the perfect tape-to-tape pass to a streaking teammate

- That clean release of a one-timer when you know you've gotten all of it and it comes off your blade perfectly

- When the move you make on the defender actually goes completely as planned and you realize you've gotten a step on him

[Chadd 916]

Beating a dirty team without sinking to their level.

[TheHockeyGod 0]

It's all about the locker room, being with a bunch of beauties that you would live and die for.

The new jams the boys put on the stereo

and of course sniping a pure bingo straight into an unreal celly that DOESN'T get interuppted by a teamate

[wrangler 157]

I need a decoder again.

[Chadd 916]

I need a decoder again.

I'll do my best but I make no promises:

I enjoy being in the locker room with people I'm attracted to, but don't know how to tell them

I like whatever music makes me more popular

I would like to score a goal and then make a complete ass of myself. It would also be nice if my teammates enjoyed my display instead of trying to teach my what "class" is all about.

I could be wrong, just doing the best I can.

[skyscrape 5]

Beating a dirty team without sinking to their level.

Tonight was the opposite for my team. We sunk to their level and lost.

I had one of those perfect shots that just goes silent as it hits nothing but top corner net over the glove.

I'll do my best but I make no promises:

I enjoy being in the locker room with people I'm attracted to, but don't know how to tell them

I could be wrong, just doing the best I can.

I can understand the feeling though if he is traveling with a team. It is a good feeling to know your team would back you no matter what. Definitely a simple pleasure. He could have worded it different though.

[mnpucker 33]

Ok I have posted early on in this thread and so many simple pleasures have been repeated. however, I have recently found a new favorite. For years I have coached my boys, every year for 9 in fact. Every other year they have been on the same team so we look forward to that season/

Fortunately my younger has always been evaluated high enough to join his brother.

In the past I heard grumblings that the only reason they make the highest level team was because I coach....Usually these complaints come from the parents of kids that did not make it. So this year I said I am done. Time for my boys to prove themselves. I am not coaching, no involvement in the local association at all in fact.

So proud my younger made the highest team and not by a little. Yes i am proud to serve up some crow to everyone deserving, I actually cheered for my boys, for the first time ever, talk about a simple pleasure. Not much cheering going on as a coach, just teaching.

Long story that leads up to my real simple pleasure. Because I have coached, i never had time to build a backyard rink. I regretted it and felt guilty not having done so. This year i decided it was time. I got the rink laid out (24'x36') the liner put down, and waited. And waited. And waited. And waited. ok one more, AND WAITED. How is it 52 degrees in Minnesota in January? Finally a cold snap 2 nights ago. The water became ice. I told the boys, no lights on the rink until the ice can be skated on. I bought several 1000w industrial lights, tested in the garage mounted them around the rink and hooked them up to one power outlet.

The minute the boys stepped on the ice I hit the light switch. Was like I died and went to heaven, My rink of dreams. The trees in my yard lit up, the boards and ice were perfect. It was like an oasis in the middle of pure blackness. The boys were happy, an understatement to say the least. So lighting the rink was awesome, but what I did next was even better. Many of you probably know what I am talking about but there is NOTHING like kicking back, closing your eyes and listening to the sounds of outdoor hockey. I mean nothing. Outdoor among trees, snow on the ground, like listening to music play in the finest sound system. Amazing. The sounds of skates scratching the surface of the ice and cutting harder on turns, outdoor you can hear ice shards shower this ice like fine broken glass. The puck rattling off the blade of the stick as they practice their dangles...last but not least the sick crack of the puck off the blade combined by the pinging of the puck hitting a post is almost a religious experience. "This is awesome, I love this, can we do it again next year?" all things I heard in the first 5 minutes they skated.

The final buzzer at the end of a well played game when your team is on the winning end is great but NOTHING like what I experienced that past couple days. Oh and Now i am off to watch my boys play a tournament.....As Defensive partners. Priceless.

[Law Goalie 147]

I think you just won 'Hockey Dad of the Decade.'

The ONLY way I'd top that experience is spending the night listening to the sound of the ice on a lake settling - those huge, deep, unearthly crackings - knowing you're going to wake up and play on it the next day, and the sound of everything you described echoing back off the shores and the treeline. Still, there's definitely something to be said for the satisfaction of construction achievement even over the rawness of nature.

[theGhost 0]

I think you just won 'Hockey Dad of the Decade.'

The ONLY way I'd top that experience is spending the night listening to the sound of the ice on a lake settling - those huge, deep, unearthly crackings - knowing you're going to wake up and play on it the next day, and the sound of everything you described echoing back off the shores and the treeline. Still, there's definitely something to be said for the satisfaction of construction achievement even over the rawness of nature.

This. Awesome! Your kids are lucky to have a dad that puts that kind of effort into building memories with them...

[Katzenjammer 1]

I think you just won 'Hockey Dad of the Decade.'

He sure did; If I ever get to heaven I hope there's something like that. Nothing on earth beats pond or outdoor hockey for pure aesthetics.

The ONLY way I'd top that experience is spending the night listening to the sound of the ice on a lake settling - those huge, deep, unearthly crackings - knowing you're going to wake up and play on it the next day, and the sound of everything you described echoing back off the shores and the treeline. Still, there's definitely something to be said for the satisfaction of construction achievement even over the rawness of nature.

I love that sound of the ice settling. And the sound of trees popping as the mercury really drops fast at night and you can barely see the puck.

We (Tony Amonte and crew) used to play until you could barely see at night; and far into the spring until people starting falling in. LOL. We had a little red house with a pot belly stove and cocoa; and outside there was a faucet with the coldest, cleanest spring water you can imagine.

Yeah, quite near to heaven methinks.

[skyscrape 5]

This. Aweso,e! Your kids are lucky to have a da that puts that kind of effort into building memories with them...

I second this! Cheers to doing it right!

[TheHockeyGod 0]

I'll do my best but I make no promises:

I enjoy being in the locker room with people I'm attracted to, but don't know how to tell them

I like whatever music makes me more popular

I would like to score a goal and then make a complete ass of myself. It would also be nice if my teammates enjoyed my display instead of trying to teach my what "class" is all about.

I could be wrong, just doing the best I can.

Some people have different opinions on celebrating after a nice goal, would you say that Ovechkin is over the top? from my expeirience as a hockey player celebrate every goal like its your last. It fires the boys up and gets the crowd going. Obviously your not going to do this in beer leagues that mean nothing but In a league where you have fans and every game means making the playoffs, its a great feeling.

[pittu 15]

Chadd, you had me laughing out loud in my office with that response... :)

[wrangler 157]

I'll do my best but I make no promises:

I enjoy being in the locker room with people I'm attracted to, but don't know how to tell them

I like whatever music makes me more popular

I would like to score a goal and then make a complete ass of myself. It would also be nice if my teammates enjoyed my display instead of trying to teach my what "class" is all about.

I could be wrong, just doing the best I can.

Cold.

[wrangler 157]

I think you just won 'Hockey Dad of the Decade.'

The ONLY way I'd top that experience is spending the night listening to the sound of the ice on a lake settling - those huge, deep, unearthly crackings - knowing you're going to wake up and play on it the next day, and the sound of everything you described echoing back off the shores and the treeline. Still, there's definitely something to be said for the satisfaction of construction achievement even over the rawness of nature.

The only time I ever heard that sound was on a lagoon where I used to be a skating guard, when a couple hundred people quickly closed in around two kids starting to fight. That sound certainly got my attention, but nothing happened. My heroic efforts, consisting of one "break it up", ended the fight, and the crowd quickly dispersed. I'd much rather hear that sound from the shore.

[Katzenjammer 1]

Chadd, you had me laughing out loud in my office with that response... :)

It was hilarious!

[mnpucker 33]

Well thanks guys. I grew up on a lake, my dad spent hours slaving over our rink for us. I guess I am just trying to Give my kids Similar opportunities. Regarding lake sounds, you are right the sound of ice expanding, cracking and heaving is great. However there is another unreal sound that is both enjoyable and painful all at the same time.

Picture first Ice, here in Minnesota in my childhood that was usually on thanksgiving day or a week later. Fresh lake ice is great, after ice up the water clears and you can lay on the ice and watch muskrats, fish and other critters swim under the clear ice.

No snow allows free reign around the lakes edge. Pucks make a very unique sound I cannot explain, a high pitched trundling echo is close as I can come to describing it.

The sound is so enjoyable when playing catch with your buddies but ohhhh soooo painful when someone misses a pass and the puck slides out into the middle of the lake. You no you dare not pursue it for obvious reasons but more importantly because you know your mom would tan your hide if she caught you.

Oh one other thing, 5-0 win tonight, boys held the shutout today. Tomorrow they play 2. First at 8:30 am vs the #1 team in Minnesota. Another great sound, the alarm clock that wakes you for another day of hockey!

[S'land9.16.7 6]

-Running onto the ice

-Hearing you're favourite tune in warm-up and going bar down mid song

Just a few of the many :)

[chippa13 1844]

Some people have different opinions on celebrating after a nice goal, would you say that Ovechkin is over the top? from my expeirience as a hockey player celebrate every goal like its your last. It fires the boys up and gets the crowd going. Obviously your not going to do this in beer leagues that mean nothing but In a league where you have fans and every game means making the playoffs, its a great feeling.

As Brett Hull said, "Act like you've done it before and intend to do it again and often."

As for the "celebrate every goal like its your last" comment, if you do that in a blowout either way, it just might be. Respect the game and your opponent.

[Chadd 916]

Some people have different opinions on celebrating after a nice goal, would you say that Ovechkin is over the top? from my expeirience as a hockey player celebrate every goal like its your last. It fires the boys up and gets the crowd going. Obviously your not going to do this in beer leagues that mean nothing but In a league where you have fans and every game means making the playoffs, its a great feeling.

Ovechkin celebrates with his teammates. It doesn't matter if the goal is his or theirs. That's very different than wanting center stage all to yourself.

Chadd, you had me laughing out loud in my office with that response... :)

I'm glad someone saw the intended humor.

[skyscrape 5]

Ovechkin celebrates with his teammates. It doesn't matter if the goal is his or theirs. That's very different than wanting center stage all to yourself.

This is a very valid point!

[LeMagnifique66 0]

Chadd, you had me laughing out loud in my office with that response... :)

I definitely laughed audibly and drew a few looks across the room myself.

Sorry THG.

[hampshirepuck 2]

going into a cheese store and thinking it smells like a hockey locker room... if that makes sense?