Sometimes, it's not about the hockey
As Jon recently wrote, “someday you’ll understand.”
For those of you without kids, bear with me for a moment.
It was SonTwo’s turn for a hockey game on Saturday night. The rules for games they get to go to aren’t many; no school the next day is one, and I prefer 7:00 starts, especially when SonTwo is involved. Seriously, they can be miserable bastards the next day without 10 hours sleep, and I really don’t need that shit.
I alternate trips between the two of them, and now that they are older and I don’t feel like I am lighting a ticket on fire by taking them, they should end up with about three games each this season. Saturday night was SonTwo’s second this year.
You never know how it’s going to go when you take your young kids to a game, but you do have to accept the fact you can’t watch hockey in the exact manner you are accustomed to. That turned out to be OK on Saturday, because once the Islanders scored the first goal you knew Buffalo was done for the night. Sure, the Sabres had some interesting moments, but this team is pretty predictable in it’s, well, foldability at this point. So I spent most of the night examining the various shapes popped popcorn holds, only to be informed that most of them look like Star Wars ships. Who knew?
Anyway, we bolted with a couple minutes left in the game (see reasons above for why). I was kind of pissed off for two reasons, one being the Sabres play both last night and for the past two weeks, and because I had to leave early when it looked like the Sabres had a shot to tie things up. We know how the latter resolved itself, but sometimes you want to vent about the teams play, and calling them a bunch of mothereffing pussies in front of a six-year-old didn’t exactly seem appropriate, you know?
So we got home, watched the end of the postgame show, and I got him ready for bed. Had to scrub the painted-on Sabres logos he was sporting on his face (his mother is an artist – she can’t help it), then remove his Afinogenov shirt, (which he pronounces “maxfingoneoff”). Hey, the kids love Max, what can I say?
Still pissed, I flipped around the NHL channels for some decent hockey. Couldn’t find anything to hold my interest, and then I realized I left something in the car. On my way back from the car, I looked down and saw something that shocked me back into how little the loss to the Islanders meant. A light snow had been falling on our way home, and as I walked back to the house I saw two perfectly preserved sets of footprints, side-by-side in the snow. One small pair, the strides more frequent than the larger pair next to them, trailing directly to the back door of the house. My mind flashed back to making those prints, his gloved right hand in my bare left, a program wedged into his armpit and a mostly empty bottle of lemonade for some reason still grasped in his free hand. We had been making small talk about how he had predicted Derek Roy would score tonight, and still, for some reason, talking about popcorn.
I know there will come a day when we don’t get to hold hands – SonOne is largely there already. And I know that someday he’ll be caging those tickets from me to take a buddy to the game, or even a date. But tonight it was all about my six-year-old and Me.
What’s that you say? The Sabres lost? So I heard.
No Comments
-
Advertisement
-
About the Authors
-
Kevin
-
Chris
I am a born and raised Buffalo fan since my birth in Niagara Falls in 1977. For reference, my first communion gift from my parents was a replica Sabres Home White Mike Ramsey jersey. I still have that jersey. After stints at Georgetown and the U.S. Army, I have settled in DC where my Sabres, Bills and Hoyas passion runs unabated (I have season tickets to all 3). I believe that while supporting my franchises is good, I believe supporting them with data and statistics is better. -
dave in Rocha
-
Mark
-
twoeightnine
I live in a van.
-
-
Latest
-
Alan Bedenko
Latest: Flame Bait: Statler -
The Answer Lady
Latest: Making Widgets at the Corporate University -
Christina Abt
Latest: Feb. Family Diet Challenge Day 7 -
Olympics 2010
Latest: Norway: Norwegians desperate to erase Torino 'fiasco' -
The Goose's Roost
Latest: On Unbased Rumors -
Broadway Fillmore Alive
Latest: Two with B-F connections are part of AM-POL Eagle’s Citizens of the Year -
Chris Smith
Latest: Worst Politician Ever? -
Pink Bflo
Latest: Schumer to Nominate First Openly Gay Male Federal Judge -
College Corner
Latest: Coach Beiter Named to AVCA’s Thirty Under 30 -
Colin Eager
Latest: County Child Care Rally
-
Awesome. My sons have been to a few minor league games in nearby Bridgeport. But two weeks ago was the first time it was just me and five-year-old Son One. Totally cool experience, even without the footprints in the snow deal.
And my kids call him Maxagenoff (one word). They like to imitate the celebration post GWG in game 6 of the Rags series (belly slide). Well, the older one imitates Max and the three-year-old imitates his brother. Soon I will tell them the truth about Max.
Aww, what a sap.
Thomas and I are going on Feb. 15th – his first regular season game. He’s been to preseason games the past two years, and done pretty well. He loves getting a hot dog (yes, even the slime-dogs you get at the arena or the stadium) and trying to start ‘Let’s go Buffalo!’ chants. He doesn’t always want to stay till the end but we try.
Great writeup; mine are 6 (boy), 6 (girl), and 5 (boy), and we rotate through taking them one at a time. Last year, after bringing my oldest son to his first Predators game, he fell asleep on the way home. As I lifted him out of his seat and started carrying him into the house, he started singing in his sleep; “the good old hockey game, it’s the best game you can name…”
Special times.
Isn’t that why we go – for the memories? I took my daughter to a preseason game last year and we sat right on the glass behind the net. First row. She made a huge sign and everything. I didn’t even care that it said “Let’s go Pens!” Max Talbot smiled and winked at her and now he’s her favorite player (besides Sidney Crosby).
Aw.
I had an experience similar to that on the subway after a game last season. We lost to Detroit, played an AWFUL game. On the way home some 19yroldish punks were cursing up a storm about the game within earshot of a kid who looked about 6. The kid listened and then with all the excitement he could find he turned to his dad and started talking excitedly about how amazing the goal Pominville had scored was, his eyes were huge and he couldn’t have cared less that we lost. One of the jerks heard him and asked him if Pominville was “his guy” and he said “yeah!” like someone had just asked him if he wanted a million dollars. Win or lose, all that kid cared about was seeing his favorite player score a goal. That was enough of a win for him.
Ah, kids. Gotta love ‘em. I took my (then) 10 year old cousin to his first game last season and he absolutely loved it.
We have season tickets for the Amerks and our 4 1/2 year old son has gone to every home game this season, the team has only won two games this year.. no matter how poorly the team has performed, every game he still proudly puts on his jersey, still pretends to be his favorite players, and always says, “they’ll try again next time.”
You certainly put the loss in its proper perspective.
I went to Friday’s game with my Dad. After all the games I go to with friends it was nice to sit with the person who gave me hockey in the first place. Someday all those popcorn kernels will be completely worth it, I promise you.
Great post, Kevin. The video game offer still stands…
That was really beautiful. I have three kids (16, 14, 12); the older two are boys; they played hockey for six years–sometimes their games were more exciting than the Sabres! They even got to play on the HSBC ice and in between periods, etc…my hand-holding days are probably behind us but every now and then you get a hug with one of those “moments” you just described and it still feels awesome…Thanks for sharing.
I love posts like this.
Nice work, Kev.
So you’re saying I’ll only need to wait four or five more years before I don’t care about the Sabres losing? Heh.
Actually, my little brother (who’s 26) and I have already discussed how little we really care about this stuff anymore. No more broken remotes. No more holes in walls. (Or is that just me?)
He’s a Bills fan on top of it all, so he has even more reasons to be frustrated, but it’s true that there’s just more important shit going on than to wonder when some hockey player will care more about his job than I do.
Thank you very much for this.
a vwey sweet story. going to games with their dad are memories your kids will have forever.
I think it’s a little dusty in here.
Kind of hard to bag on the team about their recent play after reading this one…
Lovely, Kevin. Posts like these bring back memories of sitting in the Oranges with my Dad, parking far away but for free (illegally on a triangle of private land on the east side of all the News trucks), getting beer poured on me by one of the Ed’s who sat behind us, and going to the bathroom/food stands about 10 times per game (a sure bet during which there would be a goal or fight), then listening to GR55 on the drive home (which I still do today).
I am sure I was carried into the house a few times, but will ask my dad at Thanksgiving if he ever had any foot print moments. Thanks for the memories. Good times.
Amen Brotha! I was there Saturday night with my wife and 3 kids. Once a year I splurge on a game for all of us to go because it’s fun and we have a great time. I was mad they lost, mostly because if they just skated a little harder and beat an Islander to a loose puck once in awhile they would have won, but you know what? No one else cared, they had a great time and just talked about all the cool things they saw.
Just a fantastic post, Kevin, It puts it all into perspective; and don’t worry, because it seems like your sons will grab your hand in a bunch of years to thank you.
Just got handed four tix to tomorrow night’s game. Wife, 10yo son and 6.5 yo son and I are all going. Your thoughts are mine. Thanks.
P.S. – The ten year old calls him “skate up the ice really fast and lose the puck” Afinogenov….
Excellent story!!! I get the same way when our teams lose! I needed that story to remind me that although I only have a daughter, we can still catch a game or 2 and just sit back and enjoy a little bonding. Our lives are too hectic nowadays. Remember, it’s the little things in life that count! I’ll make popcorn when we watch the next game together.
Speaking from personal experience, you get your reward when your son is 24, not as much of a Bills fan as you are, still goes to a game with you just for the entertainment value, and a chance to kick back with you in the lot for a cold one and a little camaraderie.