The seats were good; second level, third row, and the Flyers scored immediately. Montreal is not a terrific team by any means, so we were already doing "the robot" in our seats. There was much joy in Mudville.
Until the second period.
Out of nowhere, the Canadiens' Jan Friggin' Bulis went all Gretzky on our ass. He scored four straight goals, and the home team eventually lost, 5-3. Flyers' goaltender Robert Esche couldn't save coupons, and the four of us were calling for the team's collective hanging. Of course, when we went downstairs to the locker room area, we became big-time hypocrites.
Every player who gave us the time of day was the best ever, and my friend Kevin got Esche's autograph on his jersey. Nice. I let my friends up front, since I had the privilege to be down there once before - as long as I got to see Sami Kapanen and Michael Handzus. Kapanen is a short, swift, hard-hitting Swede, who always gives 100%. I love watching the guy play. Handzus is a fellow Slovak, and I was hoping he would autograph my Team Slovakia cap.
Handzus came out first, and immediately signed my cap, adding, "Nice hat!" He was very pleasant considering the team played so poorly. A few minutes later, Kapanen came by, and Ryan asked if he could get his picture with me. Sami said, "Sure." (See below pic.)
All in all, it was a damned cool night.
My friend Chris (left), Me, & Sami Kapanen (right).
Did I ever tell you that I used to drive to Slovakia to get my liquor when I was living in Poland?
ReplyDeleteWhy did you use one of those "Fun House" mirror lenses on your camara? Wow.
ReplyDeleteDoc - NICE!!! Mmm . . . Slovak liquor.
ReplyDeleteWagon - Get bent!
Is this the way guys make a picture together--just sort of stand in the same area? ;)
ReplyDeleteZUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUSSSSSS! :)
ReplyDeleteI watched the game. UGH.. Gagne had an awful game, for sure. Esche is done. Uh, why did we trade Brind'Amour? I'll never let that go.
Dornhoffer (color analyst)brought up a loss he experienced as a Flyer when an opponent (Bruin?) who was a total nothing scored 6 goals on the Flyers. I've heard the story before...this type of implosion is nothing new.
My last game was also in 2003. I was up top and had some hockey-hoes behind me...obviously their connections weren't very good. All they did was talk about certain players' personal lives. SHUT UP!!!!!!
My favorite Flyer moment is a Rangers game. Great seats near the ice, at the Spectrum, (Kerr was playing for the Rangers, though), Ty Domi was all riled up and Hextall was in goal. It was so exciting, close, and hard fought that Hextall was jumping up and down in goal when the play was at the other end of the ice. I met Bernie Parent and Claude Boivin. Flyers won 2-1 and there were many chants of "Ranger's SUCK!" Sorry....I love hockey.
My uncle lived in Prague just after Communism fell. He was there for about ten years. Such a pretty city.
Not that my post wasn't already way too long (sorry). I just had to mention that you look exactly like my cousin.
ReplyDeleteSo...
ReplyDeleteWho is Sami Kapanen?
Uh actually we went there and bought polish liquor. The exchange rate was better there so we go more bang for our buck, so to speak.
ReplyDeleteWhat LaX jacket are you wearing? I love lacrosse... played a lot at Syracuse but couldn't ever make that team (waaaaay too freakin good to have a goofball like me on the team)
ReplyDeleteKewl pict wyatt... Sami looks a bit dazed and confused tho...
That looks like it was a cool night, indeed!
ReplyDeleteLin - Yep. Otherwise, people think we live on Brokeback Mountain. :P
ReplyDeleteRT - Zus is great, but that night it was a team stinky effort. Maybe I shouldn't mention that I am also a Rangers fan - since Jagr, Lindros, and Keith Acton played there.
RT - Wow, you're cousin must be VERY HOMELY!
Ty - Talented, quick, hard-hitting Swede that played for Carolina for a while before coming here.
Doc - Is Polish liquor any good? Did it matter to you?
Peak - It's North Catholic High School - the team I coach. Colors are red and white. I walked o+n to Saint Joe's team, but it was because I was damned fast as a youngster. Sami was probably wondering if he would fit in the picture with the fatty (me).
CUG - Would be better if the Fly Guys won, but it was keen nonetheless.
Shame you hit on such a dog game. They went south when Forsberg went out.
ReplyDeleteLast night was fun, though (OT win in Rangerland after being down 2 with 10 minutes left). How 'bout that Pitkanen (who, like Kapanen, is Finnish).