Hockey Makes Me An Angry Woman

Well last night I went to another hockey game. To say that it was a waste of money is an understatement.

To start, I went because the seats were cheeeeeeep.. and when I got there I found out why. The seats were in a section where you had to be "let through" by security because you walked across the entrance of the hockey team.. so anytime the hockey players were coming or going, you couldn't get in. This meant that bathroom breaks, beer runs, food runs, all needed to be timed appropriately.

Plus, there was a "guard" at the stairs to your seat who would not let you go back to your seat if the game was on. You couldn't get to your seat unless it was some kind of time out.

This severely inhibited my beer runs, and pissed me off.

But I was already in a foul mood before I got there.

I was going with a group.  A group I've been in for a while but haven't attended in a couple months. The organizer knows me but thats about it. So when I was planning on going to this, I attempted to set up carpooling.

There's a little "bar" nearby the arena where we all could meet up .. have a beer before going to the game, and decide who is going in whose car with whom. Since the parking was actually more expensive than the ticket, and I'm getting low on funds.. I was really looking forward to splitting the parking costs.

I got a couple nibbles but no organizer support for carpooling. (Seriously want to maim the organizer, but I won't.) So I went ahead and organized the carpooling. Emailed everyone where we were meeting, the address, directions, my cell#, etc.  

Of the two nibbles, one emailed back and gave me her cell# and said she'd be there. The other just didn't reply.  But still I figured a couple people would at least show up for a beer.

Then about 3 hours before the game, the girl that I thought was going to carpool emailed me that she was going to go with her neighbor. (no invite for me to join them btw) So I was a little ticked.

Then no one else showed up to carpool.

I get to the game and the carpool girl isn't there, but several other people are.. several of which I've met before it turns out.  The organizer had secretly organized carpooling for a couple of the people, yet not once contacting me. 

Then the carpool girl shows up. Alone.

I was severely miffed. Put out. Irritated. Charged up.

And this before the game even started.

.... then the game..

My first Texas Stars game, I thought was good. I thought .. hey this team isn't half bad.. I could get into this...

Then there was last night. They played against a Canadian team. The Canadian team was not nice. They were aggressive. A little too much so for my tastes, but they also knew how to do it without getting penalties. Skill. Knowledge. Artistry.

They completely made the Texas Stars look like a kiddie team up against professionals.

So I honestly don't think I can fully get behind the Stars. Very disappointing game.

Though... there were several fights, and I did take some joy in the Stars players getting a few good hits in. :)

The company however is not a group that I'd willingly go with again. I ended up sitting next to a girl that I cannot stand. I'm sure she's nice and fun and whatnot.. but she creeps me out something awful and I fear she has the intelligence of a grapefruit.

There's were a couple people in a the group worth salvaging for a return visit, but they were on the opposite side of our group and I didn't get to socialize much with them.  One is a very handsome man.. unfortunately too short. C'est la vie!

PS.. Not sure hockey is good for me btw. I've been picking fights all damn day for things I don't even care about and I'm blaming it on the hockey.. cuz I can. :)

A Good Sport

So the other night, I'm out at a hockey game. My first ever hockey game either on TV or live.

If you've been a long time reader, you've been privy to my hatred of nearly all sports. A deep seated hatred based in lots of years of being tortured with it, and being second choice to it.  (Dear men, if your partner is second choice to any sporting event.. except maybe the final game like the SuperBowl.. Please go seek help right now.)

So when Hock invited me to go (as a friend thing), I really wanted to say no. I feared the worst. I feared being ignored and bored and lost. I feared I wouldn't cheer at the right spots or worse cheer for the opposing team accidentally. I feared that it would be torture.

But I wanted to see Hock (to see if.. well to really know for certain if that booty-text was his real feelings on the subject).  I'd never seen a hockey game, so it was at least something new to try.

So I went. I'm glad I did. (despite it encouraging yesterdays post)

I'll admit at first I wasn't that into it. I sat there and tried to get my bearings. I'd played some floor hockey in gym in high school, so I knew the basics. But grasping what actually was happening on the floor, and who did what.. and where the hell did that puck go (Half the time even the refs didn't know where it went either. That I found immensely funny, btw.) was a bit overwhelming.

There were points where I thought I should cheer, but no one else was, so I didn't. There were points where everyone was cheering and I was still trying to figure out why.

But Hock was great to watch it with.  He was patient and nice and not condescending. He explained some finer points of the game and explained some players relationships/personalities which made the game much more interesting and intriguing.

I have to also admit that there's something sexy about a man cheering his team with a positive attitude and not getting all sore (man-pouting) because things aren't going exactly the way he wanted.  Seriously at one point I nearly cowgirl'd Hock in his seat, fortunately I have self-restraint. Though that could just be a Hock thing, as most of the time when he was talking I just wanted to go over and kiss the crap out of him. (yes I know.. I already said I had a problem yesterday)

It is going to take me years I think to fully appreciate hockey as a sport, but I had a great time much to my own surprise.

So maybe all sports aren't dead to me. Oh, and games are much much better with lots of company and booze. Especially if that company is sexy.