I LOVE HOCKEY!

 

Please enjoy my racoon eyes. This photo was taken last year. I took it from my Instagram. 

I've discussed my ancestry, careers, music, and Paganism. Now, I want to write about another interest I love, hockey. In Finnish, hockey is called, jääkiekko. In Swedish, hockey is called, ishockey. There's no word in Spanish. It's just the English word with a Spanish accent. 

People who know me, know I am a huge hockey nerd. I call myself a hockey addict. I can't describe why I love it so much. I just do. Just like with metal and punk. Maybe, it's because it's the only sport that is not rigged. As much, as Gary Bettman wants to corrupt it. I will not go further into how much Bettman sucks. Because trust me, I could rant about that moron for hours. Or perhaps, it's because of my Scandinavian ancestry I feel the pull. I choose to believe, it is because the players are still down to earth. And will do anything for their fans. Yes, watching people fight is fun. But, that's not the draw for me. If I wanted to watch people beat the shit out of each other, I'd watch MMA. I love hockey because these people have been playing since they were toddlers. They love hockey more than I do! Hockey players have the best stamina and strength. I have seen players continue playing when they have no teeth, bloody faces or body parts, and broken bones. Women hockey players are even tougher because they constantly have to deal with sexist comments. These people play through the pain because they do not want to let their team members down. They know what loyalty and team work is. 

I will begin with my childhood like I always do. My Da loves fútbol (soccer), likes American football, and baseball. I remember watching Mexican soccer games with him. I would watch the World Cup with him. Even as a child, I thought the players were such divas. Let's just say I was bored. That's the polite way of saying it. My house was a Bears and Cubs household. Why? Because we liked suffering apparently. I remember religiously watching Bears games until I was a teenager. I had enough of the abuse. The Bears will never win. That said, I kept my Dad's old school Bears hoodie. How old is it? It says "Monsters of the Midway." That's how long it's been since the Bears have won the Superbowl. By the time, the Cubs won a series. I stopped caring. Not to mention, I was in Melbourne. They watch cricket. Not baseball. 

None of these sports were hockey. So how did it happen? By listening to the radio of course. The owner of the Blackhawks, was a colossal idiot. Different from Bettman, but on the same level of stupidity. Bill Wirtz believed that if the Blackhawk games were televised no one would attend the games. In reality, no one attended the games because the Hawks sucked ass because Wirtz was a cheap ass. Wirtz did not want to pay for experienced or good players. I remember my Mom going through the radio stations when I was eight years old. I told her to stop. I heard a Blackhawks game. I was enamored by it. She didn't understand why. But instead of being annoyed, she gave me a portable radio so I could hear the game. The rest was history. If I cannot watch a hockey game because I am still working or busy. I will listen to the radio game instead.  Although, throughout elementary school, middle school and most of high school I did not have access to watching Hawks games. No one did. Then in 2007, when I graduated high school. Wirtz's son took over. He, unlike his father, knew that televising games and paying to have young and experienced players is how Stanley Cups are won. That was 11 years of listening to Blackhawks games on the radio. Finally, being able to watch games was heaven to me. Even though, Blackhawk tickets were cheap when I was a kid my Dad was always working. He could not take time off to take me to a game. 

I'm 10 years old and I watch the movie, Happy Gilmore with my family. I thought it was hilarious. You know what else I got from that movie? Being a Bruins fan. From, that day I loved the Bruins. I would try to listen to their games too. It was very hard because I didn't live in the East Coast (yet). The only computer I had access to was at the Roselle Public Library. I would borrow headphones or bring my own. I would have to decide if I wanted to sacrifice listening to music so I could listen to hockey games. 

I do not own the rights of this movie. 

Televised Blackhawk games made my whole senior of high school worth it. Being able to watch my team that I have been following since I was eight years old is priceless. Not just that, but I finally was able to hear the players' voices and watch their interviews. I watched every game from 2007 until 2019. In 2010, I watched my team win the Stanley Cup. I lost a lot of sleep and wrote a lot of poorly essays that year. Sorry, professors. My boys finally did it. I even went to the Blackhawks parade by myself. I made a silly and cringey poster. That I will show for your enjoyment. 

Antti Niemi was my favorite Blackhawk. Please enjoy my parent's ugly wallpaper. 

Jordan took this photo before we went to a folk metal show. This was in my college apartment. 

I have a soft spot for goalies and defensive players. Those are always my favorite players. Just like with bassists and drummers. I do not know why. That's just what happens. I have a lovely collection of goalies I love: Antti Niemi, Antti Raanta, Tuukka Rask, Ray Emery (R.I.P) Corey Crawford, Tim Thomas, Robin Lehner, and Marc-Andre Fleury. You know what goalies I hated! Kevin Lankainen (You put all Finns to shame!! Also, who names their kid Kevin?! I was expecting a Mikko, Seppo, or Jukka. Not a Kevin. That's my cousin's name.) Scott Darling is also shit listed by me. I also liked Sharp, Keith, Shaw, and Byfuglien. 

While I lived in Illinois, I watched every single Hawks game. I tried to watch more Bruins games. But it was very hard. I remember crying in 2011 because the Bruins won the Stanley Cup. All because of Tim Thomas, you beautiful bastard! I watched my Hawks win in 2010, 2013, and in 2015.  I went to the 2010 and 2013 parade. But not the 2015 one. I was in Melbourne by then. I took my sister to the 2013 Blackhawks Parade. While living in Illinois, I was able to meet Corey Crawford and Niklas Hjalmarsson. For some reason, I cannot find my photos with Crawford. My first jersey is signed by Hjalmarsson. I still wear it. I took photos. Hockey jerseys are warm. I'm not gonna stop. I'll just go over it with sharpie. 

Here come the barrage of photos! 

 

Not the best quality. Sorry.

My sister and I after the parade. 

Proof. Signed jersey. 

 Niklas and I. I wish I knew Swedish back then. 

Niklas Hjalmarsson is one of the nicest humans I've met. NHL players make a shitload of money yet have the same personality as metal musicians. They're very kind. He complimented my Dismember shirt. He told me that, "Like An Ever Flowing Stream is a masterpiece." There were many people in line after me. Yet Niklas took the time to talk to me. He did not talk to me about hockey. Even though, I told him he was my favorite Blackhawks player after Antti Niemi was traded. He spoke about my second love, death metal. He ranked all his favorite Swedish death metal bands. He told me his favorite band was In Flames and that he hated what they were doing currently. I think we can all relate with Niklas. He also said he would always try to put hardcore or metal on when they practiced, but his teammates would tell him to turn it off. Lame!!! So he would ask for Judas Priest and Metallica to be played instead. Since In Flames was "too much". You can thank him for why they play that at the United Center still. 

I love hockey so much even the animals I foster and kept love it too. Squeakers and her siblings would watch hockey games with me. Now, when she hears the horn for the games she runs to where the tv is. Please enjoy this cuteness. 

This is how the Blackhawks used to play. 

Ryan's stepdad, Russ loves the Blackhawks too. He has a bunch of signed memorabilia in the basement of their house. Because he knew my parents couldn't take me to Hawks games when I was younger. Russ gifted Ryan and I many tickets over the years to watch live games. We've seen a lot of games. Ryan knows that the only gifts I want are records or hockey stuff. He bought me my second Blackhawks jersey for Yule in 2014. I always joke that the reason the Blackhawks won in 2015 is because Rush played their last show at the United Center. Thus the champion vibes stayed. 

Here it was. Brand new. 

Is this my way of bragging that I saw Rush? Probably. But also look at all the champion Hawk banners. 

If one thinks this is the peak of my love for hockey. No. Ei. Nej. Because then I discovered IIFH hockey. IIFH stands for International Ice Hockey Federation. Teens, men, and women compete. Since all the hockey players I like are Canadian, Finnish, and Swedish. I wanted to see how their countries played. The NHL is lucky to have all these European players. Because the American team usually sucks. Or gets beaten by Canada and Finland. None of you, should be surprised that for IIFH I always root for Finland-Suomi. I'm still waiting for my jersey, Keijo!!! Hyvää Leijonat!!

How sick is this jersey?! Yes, I treat hockey jerseys like band shirts. 

Watching the teens IIFH is a great way of knowing what teens will be drafted in the NHL. And when I say teens. I mean it. Imagine being 16-18 and drafted into NHL! When I learned that Chicago would be hosting the NHL Draft 2017 I bought tickets for Ryan and I. He had no idea what was going on. He was just happy I was having the time of my life. 

These were our bonus passes. 

Taken on my Android phone in 2017. 

R.I.P eyebrow piercing. You didn't stand a change with my thin eyebrows.  

Looking at these photos is so weird to me. My hair was long. Or how unhealthy I looked. This is physical evidence of what gluten does to my body. Because my stomach cannot break the enzymes down. 

But wait, I'm not done. Because the only good thing Gary Bettman did, was allow Las Vegas to build a team. 2017 was the year I received my third hockey team, The Las Vegas Golden Knights. I get in debates with Ryan's stepdad all the time because he doesn't like expansion teams. He acts like the Golden Knights are the Kraken. Russ says that the Golden Knights were given the best players. I call bullshit. More like they were given the cast-offs of every NHL team. Remember when people thought that Mark Stone, Chandler Stepheson, Alex Piertrangelo, Shea Theodore, Alec Martinez, and William Karlsson ( my favorite) were considered washed up?! WHOSE WASHED UP NOW?! THAT'S RIGHT MY GOLDEN KNIGHTS WON THE STANLEY CUP LAST YEAR!!!   

Let it be known that I predicted the outcome! 

I love living in New York, but you know what I don't love. The Rangers. The Islanders. And the Sabers. I don't have cable. So unless, I watch a game on my PC or recaps no Blackhawk games for me. Who wants to pay for the NHL channel for me?! Hence, why I have the NHL app on my phone. Because I can listen to the games. It's easier now to watch Bruins games for me than to watch Hawks or Golden Knight games. I also have as much Bruins and Golden Knights merch as Blackhawks stuff. 

Before my Mesoamerican sleeve was started. 

The best way to describe my love of hockey or sports to those who don't understand. You know how we love metal and go to shows. It's the same thing. I get the same excitement watching hockey as I do going to metal and punk shows. Hockey merch is just like band shirts. Except, that hockey teams don't need to sell their merch to make a profit like bands do. 

This is the best photo that defines me. I love hockey and death metal. 

I will always be a Blackhawks fan until I die. Even if, Chicago and Illinois was never the place for me. I will conclude this blog post with a video from a Blackhawks game I saw last year. It was also our beloved Captain's retirement. Yes, I cried a lot. Just because I thought Kane was an insufferable idiot, does not mean I did not love Toews.