Back in the saddle... er, net.
Tonight saw my return to net for the start of the 2006 summer ball hockey league. It was my first competitive game since 2000.
That was back before I hurt my ankle and when I was somewhere in the range of 210 to 215 lbs. That was by no means my heaviest, (I made it all the way up to 240 after I hurt the ankle and got a desk job,) but the team I was playing on back then did call me the Buddha and rubbed my belly for luck before each game. That was a fun time. We came out every week and gave our best effort and lost almost every game. We did have a great time doing it though. We were playing with some good friends and even made good friends with the convener and sometimes ref in the league Peter. Before our first playoff game that year, Peter comes into our dressing room and Beast looks up and asks:
"So, what the word on our chances."
Peter responds, "Well, I've heard Slim and None. But, Slim left town."
He didn't mean it as a shot, in fact it got a laugh from everyone in the room. See, the thing with these kinds of leagues is everyone makes the playoffs, but the last place team has to face off against the first place team. Our goal differential for the other times we'd faced this team in the season was around -150, (or something...it was six years ago.)
Tonight was a different story though. I got out the equipment and loaded up the bag. I discovered I need a new bag. I put the new cage on the bucket, (that's helmet for you hosers in the US ;) I taped up the new stick. I get to the rink and donned the armor for battle, and realized that 35 lbs. makes the armor fit a little looser. But let me tell you, I can move now. We faced off against our rivals. We played hard for the two stop time periods of the game, (two not three, I think it's a ball hockey thing.) We lost 2-1.
Ok, so it wasn't a completely different story. I didn't feel too bad about this loss though. Half of our team just met tonight. We didn't have enough guys for a full bench, so they put some individuals that signed up for the league without a team with us and despite that, we played well together. The goals I let in weren't too bad either. One long shot that I was screened so I didn't see it until it was almost past me, and the second one I went down a little early thinking wrap around and he pulled back and picked the corner over my shoulder. Plus, Beast says he knows this team from last year and they beat his team in the semi-finals of tier one or two. We are supposed to be in tier four, so it may turn out that they are one of the better teams.
I just hope the shot off the inside of the foot doesn't hurt too bad tomorrow.
All for now,
Kef...
That was back before I hurt my ankle and when I was somewhere in the range of 210 to 215 lbs. That was by no means my heaviest, (I made it all the way up to 240 after I hurt the ankle and got a desk job,) but the team I was playing on back then did call me the Buddha and rubbed my belly for luck before each game. That was a fun time. We came out every week and gave our best effort and lost almost every game. We did have a great time doing it though. We were playing with some good friends and even made good friends with the convener and sometimes ref in the league Peter. Before our first playoff game that year, Peter comes into our dressing room and Beast looks up and asks:
"So, what the word on our chances."
Peter responds, "Well, I've heard Slim and None. But, Slim left town."
He didn't mean it as a shot, in fact it got a laugh from everyone in the room. See, the thing with these kinds of leagues is everyone makes the playoffs, but the last place team has to face off against the first place team. Our goal differential for the other times we'd faced this team in the season was around -150, (or something...it was six years ago.)
Tonight was a different story though. I got out the equipment and loaded up the bag. I discovered I need a new bag. I put the new cage on the bucket, (that's helmet for you hosers in the US ;) I taped up the new stick. I get to the rink and donned the armor for battle, and realized that 35 lbs. makes the armor fit a little looser. But let me tell you, I can move now. We faced off against our rivals. We played hard for the two stop time periods of the game, (two not three, I think it's a ball hockey thing.) We lost 2-1.
Ok, so it wasn't a completely different story. I didn't feel too bad about this loss though. Half of our team just met tonight. We didn't have enough guys for a full bench, so they put some individuals that signed up for the league without a team with us and despite that, we played well together. The goals I let in weren't too bad either. One long shot that I was screened so I didn't see it until it was almost past me, and the second one I went down a little early thinking wrap around and he pulled back and picked the corner over my shoulder. Plus, Beast says he knows this team from last year and they beat his team in the semi-finals of tier one or two. We are supposed to be in tier four, so it may turn out that they are one of the better teams.
I just hope the shot off the inside of the foot doesn't hurt too bad tomorrow.
All for now,
Kef...
posted by WestsideKef at 11:27 PM
3 Comments:
As a native Detroiter -- and therefore, a person who would have been bludgeoned growing up if I didn't like hockey -- I just have to say "go you!"
Well Baxter, you do know how to cut to the core of me. You're so wise. You're like a minature Buddha, covered in hair.
Anchorman!
what do I win?
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