Growing up in California hockey was not a sport I followed or played. As a kid I focused on the major sports of baseball, football and basketball. I have only started watching hockey in the past few years. I’m still not a big fan, but I enjoy and understand the sport a little better now. It is a fast paced violent game with a potential for many injuries not unlike football.
What I like about hockey is that it really is a team game. When someone scores a goal in hockey it is a team celebration. In other sports there is a lot of individual attention such as finger pointing and taking off your helmet. Not so in hockey That is because it really is a team effort to score a goal. While there can be great individual performances more often it is not a single player that can dominate a game. Only a focused team effort can bring victory.
Hockey has a lot of traditions and history too that I am just learning about. For example after each playoff series the teams always line up to shake each other’s hand . Just like in little league, good sportsmanship. Despite trying to kill and maim each other for seven games, the hand shake says good series and now its over.
Last year I grew a playoff beard to support the Warriors in the playoffs. That is actually a hockey tradition. Even though I am cheering on the Sharks in the playoffs, I am skipping the beard this year. It did not get that many favorable reviews.
With the Warriors out of the playoffs I am watching hockey and cheering on the San Jose Sharks in the playoffs. The Sharks just beat the Calgary Flames in a hard fought and exciting series. Onto round 2 and the Dallas Stars. If you are new to hockey, give it a try. You might come to enjoy the sport like I did. However I pretty much watch anything…..even spelling bees.
