Almost four years ago I wrote about inducting my boys into the brotherhood of sports fandom. I have to admit that it has been an uphill battle. When I manage to pry them away from video games they usually resort to their second favorite pastime of going on YouTube and watching people play video games. Recently I have had some breakthroughs though. Much to my surprise, both my boys sat down with me and watched one half of one quarter of an NFL playoff game. One of them turned to me and said, “Dad, I can see why you like this so much.” PROGRESS.
My youngest has taken to ice skating. This Christmas I bought him an NHL game for the Xbox which has helped him learn the rules of the sport. (Not to brag, but we recently won the Stanley Cup.) He even watches a little hockey with me once in a while. So, when I recently asked him if he would like to go to a hockey game and he said yes, I did the logical thing and pulled him out of school and drove to Pittsburgh.
Pittsburgh is an unpretentious town. We arrived. Swam in the hotel pool. Had four slices of surprisingly good pizza and a drink for less than eight dollars, and made our way to the arena to join the friendly throngs waiting for the doors to open.
The NHL has made their product much more kid friendly. Sure there is the occasional fistfight, but how is that different than most work places? Seriously, though, there isn’t nearly as much of that as there used to be. Prior to every game most arenas let you take your kids right down to the glass for the pregame skate, no matter where your seats are. It’s a really unique experience to be mere feet away from some of the best athletes in the world while they show off their skills. My little guy ducked as pucks hit the glass in front of his face and marveled as players juggled them on the blades of their sticks.
After the pregame skate we made our way to our seats, and for the next three hours my son and I participated in time honored traditions. We chanted. We booed the refs. We ate food that no athlete would be caught dead eating. The game went into overtime and when Jake Guentzel scored the game winner we leapt out of our seats and hugged and cheered……. and then the guy behind us fell on us because the drunk guy behind him had fallen on him. After we all disentangled, my son provided me with the highlight of my night. He said. “That was AWESOME.” I couldn’t have asked for a better first game experience for him.
It was a whirlwind of a trip. Thirty six hours. Six hundred and nineteen miles. One tired dad. But now I have two boys that will even ask me about scores and standings from time to time. The fun is just beginning.
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