Tremendous hockey game

   I'm not a hockey guy. I enjoy watching the Charlotte Checkers, but I haven't watched an NHL game on TV, regular season or playoffs, for years.

   I did, however, find Sunday's gold medal Olympic game between Canada and the U.S. absolutely compelling. You didn't have to be a fan to know that the game was huge and that both teams were giving everything, including the sacrifice of their bodies to stop a speeding puck, to win.

   I don't know if it was the best hockey game ever played but it was the best hockey game I've ever seen, and I've seen two Stanley Cup games live as well as the Minnesota high school tournament, which is a big deal up there.

   I get angry email from readers who can't fathom why I'm not a fan of hockey. They're often angry that I'm not. I can't fathom why they care.

   I like boxing. I like blues. I think Led Zeppelin is the greatest band of all time, and that Otis Redding's "Dock of the Bay" is the best song.

   I don't care if you agree. Of course I love to run into people who know boxing and the blues -- which reminds me that Willie Dixon, a bluesman, also boxed professionally but found the sport too corrupt -- but if somebody prefers hockey and bluegrass, I'm not offended.

   The Winter Olympics were a great escape for me and many others. I tapped into the curling underground and really enjoyed the sport, even though I don't know all the rules. I might make a run at the U.S. curling team in 2014 because I want to go Russia. But there's a chance I will not.

   The Olympics lasted just the right amount of time. And now, back to our regularly scheduled programming, and perhaps even some hockey. 

Comments

[moojie]

I cant believe I changed the station when Canada went up 2-0. Costas also said it may have been the best Olympic event he has ever seen. Hopefully, it will air again.

[John W.]

It's The Beatles.

[goobersdaddy]

here is what i can not believe....

the US can often be the most jingoistic country in the world and no one is complaining that we lost...

i think it is because it's like losing to you cute little brother who has not irritated you in the last couple of days....

AND because we really think it was a great game although we are not real sure because we are not real sure what happened – but it seemed real exciting....

[Gerry]

I still can't figure out curling. SNL had a great sketch last week with a fake Telemundo correspondent reporting that there was a terrible accident when pipes burst on the shuffleboard court and it froze in the Canadian winter, but men with brooms were trying to get the ice off.

[goobersdaddy]

oh forgot... one other reason we didn't seem to mind... its not a REAL sport.... notice no one got upset when we lost in curling or that shooting skiing thingy either

[delaney]

I am going to need an explanation on how hockey is not a real sport.

[Jake belongs in the UFL]

The Checkers games are entertaining but their current AA league is awful. It stands for Extremely Crappy Hockey League. The NHL, and AHL, are way better to watch then the ECHL.

I am a big hockey fan - regardless of what you wrote before, the Hurricanes Cup victory is one of the biggest moments in NC sports history. However, the NHL needs to get their product on a network like Speed. Versus is not carried by Directtv and only in the top tier of Dish. They need to back off the commercials and tv timeouts. The fast pace in the Olympics was perfect for the game.

[Michael Procton]

JbitU, the Checkers are conveniently going to be the AHL affiliate of the 'Canes next year. Surely that'll be more exciting for you.

[Jake belongs in the UFL]

Oh yeah, definitely. I knew about that a month before it was announced. It obviously won't be the current Checkers = the new team is Albany.