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03/12/2004 Archived Entry: "The Leafs SUCK!"

"The Leafs SUCK!" has a catchphrase of mine for years, especially since my husband has become a rabid hockey fan. All fall/winter/spring and half the summer (yes the hockey season is the longest of all the sports by about 6 months) you can hear screams, shouts and curses coming from the basement TV room. Dave is so loud he shakes the whole house each time the Leafs score (which isn't often thank goodness).

So this year, I did the impossible and bought him two Leaf tickets to a sold out game for his birthday (thanks ebay!). I managed to keep the tickets a secret from him for ages. This is no mean feat since he's a present poker and shaker. He always seems to ask probing questions about his gifts that I am powerless to avoid or lie about. But this year I was very devious. I threw him red-herrings, I lied, I hid, I obfuscated. And it worked. And for some strange reason he decided to take me with him to the game.

So we travelled down to the ACC. We took our seats up in the nosebleeds (Section 322, Row 13 and 14). It was so steep that it made my knees shake every time I stood up. I'm not too good with heights - standing on a chair makes me nervous. Every surface was plastered with ads. Flashing, screaming, dancing ads. Pounding music over the loudspeakers. I was dizzy. We waited for the game to begin.

I discovered that I actually like hockey. The game is way better live than on TV. It's much easier to see the puck - even from the cheap seats. Everything makes way more sense. Somehow with all the cuts and camera angles on TV, the game gets so broken up that it can be hard to follow when the play is really quick.

I'm not sure what came over me. By the third period I had turned into a jumping, yelling, cursing Leafs fan. I bought a flag. Even though the Leafs lost "to the worst team in the league" (as Dave was moaning all the way home), I had a great time. The tickets were worth every over-priced penny. I'd totally go again. Maybe I'll even start watching the Maple Leafs on TV with Dave. Maybe.

Replies: 2 comments - add a comment

Hey sis!

Well I watched the game on TV and cursed those damn leafs! I mean... the penguins!!! Anyway, I'm glad you had a good time at the game. It was still a pretty intense game to watch, even though they weren't winning. I think I heard your voice on the TV during the third period.

Posted by Julia @ 03/12/2004 02:36 PM EST

Glad you had fun!
I'd love to go to a game. I went to a baseball game in Boston once and enjoyed that for the novelty and the food, but I'd love to see a hockey game...

Posted by Dunstan @ 03/12/2004 11:35 AM EST