Oh Canada

Sport is a glorious thing.  The World Series.  March Madness.  The World Cup.  The Stanley Cup Final.  (I left out the Super Bowl on purpose -- it's a joke).

 

No great tournament is without great storylines.  Ray Whitney's dad works in the Oilers organization and when he was a kid, Ray was the stick boy for the Oilers.  Our baby-faced 22-year-old rookie goalie Cam Ward is an Edmonton native -- he'll be getting married there in a few weeks (just don't ask him when, he's not sure) and this will be his first game EVER in the rink where he had season tickets with his dad.  You can't make this stuff up.

 

I was very privileged to attend Games 1 and 2 of the Stanley Cup Final.  Game 1 was breathtaking -- I had adrenaline running for at least 24 hours after it was over.  Within the first half of the game we were down by 3, and as Wayne always says, we had them right where we wanted them.  The long climb began: 3-0 Edmonton, 3-1 Edmonton, 3-2 Edmonton, 3-3 all, 4-3 Carolina, 4-4 all, 5-4 Carolina...with less than a minute to go.  Just glorious.  Two days later a ticket from heaven fell into my lap and I got to see the 5-0 rout by Carolina in game 2.  Anyone who has paid attention during any playoff series of any sport knows a 2 game lead is not a sure thing, but man is it a good place to be tonight, heading into Game 3. 

 

The juxtaposition of my day and that of the Canes is just nuts.  I am in Arizona, where it was 115 degrees today.  I came in from the pool to watch the game -- sitting in my hotel room wearing my swimming suit and a towel.  Once the game is over I'm going to go back to the pool.  The boys are about 1000 miles north of me, in the Great White North.  On ice.  Ridiculous.

 

Before the game begins there is the traditional singing of the anthems.  During Edmonton's great dynasty in the late 80's they apparently had an opera singer in their barn frequently; they brought him back tonight for their first Final game in 16 years.  He sang the Star Spangled Banner first and just like we did for them in Carolina, the Edmonton fans sang along.  Then it was their turn.  The opera singer started them off and sang about the first half (I was singing along here in Arizona) then he lifted his microphone to encourage the crowd to take over.  Goose bumps.  More than 16,000 fans, players, coaches singing at the top of their lungs.

 

I just love this time of year.