AJC > Sports Thrashers > Blog > Archives > 2006 > September > 26 > Entry
DEL.ICIO.USA frozen moment
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Enough about the Thrashers; let’s talk about me.
In case you haven’t caught the news scroll on espn in the past few hours, yes, I did score today at sticktime. Hard low shot, on the ice, from between the circles about five feet from the blue line. It managed to avoid three or four sets of skates on the way in, then sneaked between the goalie’s right skate and the post. I acted typically nonchalant for a pickup game goal, but on the inside, I was riding my stick like Tiger Williams. I was walking on my toes like John Tonelli. I was Bobby Orr flying through the air.
Let’s face it: There is no feeling quite like scoring a goal in hockey. It’s the best. I mean, I’ve had pie and coffee at Perkins; I’ve stood in front of the Mona Lisa at the Louvre; and I’ve hit a walk-off grand slam in a media league softball game.
I’ve been to the fair, and I’ve seen the bear, all right?
I’ve stood at the northwestern-most and southeastern-most points of the continental United States. I’ve been to the top of the Statue of Liberty, the St. Louis Arch and the Eiffel Tower. I’ve heard Bob Dylan sing “Tangled Up in Blue,” Bruce Springsteen sing “Thunder Road” and the Grateful Dead sing “Truckin’.”
It all seems to pale in comparison to scoring a lucky goal in a pickup hockey game in suburban Atlanta on a Tuesday afternoon.
I am the Per Svartvadet of pickup hockey, easily the worst player on the ice at any given moment. But I enjoy the exercise, the physicality and the comradarie. I like the fact that guys who played in high school, or maybe even college, can share the ice with 60-something guys with softened Boston accents and a skating glide that can be best compared to Arnold Palmer’s golf swing. They even share the ice with a no-talent hack like me, the guy always a step behind, out of position and about 12 seconds from hacking up a lung right there on the ice. Not only that, but every now and again in the rarist of inspired moments, a no-talent hack like me can make a play, almost as if he meant to, and get one into the net. Kind of like Patrik Stefan.
That’s a cheap shot, I know. But then again, so was my goal today. And I still enjoyed it.
Nine days till opening day.
Comments
By Tony C.
September 26, 2006 10:20 PM | Link to this
good for you Dave!!
By Dave
September 27, 2006 09:59 AM | Link to this
I think you put everyone to sleep. Zzzzzz…..
By Buzilla Baby Blues
September 27, 2006 10:53 AM | Link to this
congrats Dave.
By Brendan
September 27, 2006 12:44 PM | Link to this
^5
By Mark
September 27, 2006 03:42 PM | Link to this
Good for you man. I’m one of the College and High school players you referred to. If you’re out there playing, we’re all on the same team. Hockey is a great game to watch but an even better game to play. Once it gets in your blood it stays forever.
By Bob
September 27, 2006 04:05 PM | Link to this
Nice Per Svartvadet reference, Ice Man. Oh, that name brings back some painful memories of the many woeful skaters we’ve had.
Hey, Burnside over at ESPN agrees with you and I about some of the head scratching moves Waddell has made to “improve” this team this summer, nice read here:
Burnside sees us as finishing 11th in the East, 4th in the Southeast:
http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/preview2006/news/story?page=prethrashers06
By Nathan
September 27, 2006 04:44 PM | Link to this
Meanwhile Buccigross has us at 7th. My prediction still has us at 4th-5th in the east. I’m going to trust Bucci alot more so than Burnside. Look back at their previews from years past and Bucci is a heck of a lot more reliable.
P.S. He picked Crosby’s point total last year and was only off by one goal. Got the assist number exactly.
By adam
September 27, 2006 08:40 PM | Link to this
Join the AAHL rec league that plays on Friday and Sunday nights at the Cooler.
By Bob
September 27, 2006 08:55 PM | Link to this
Actually, Nathan, Buccigross has been picking the Thrashers to make the playoffs for three years now. Yeah, that’s quite a track record.
By Brendan
September 28, 2006 03:03 PM | Link to this
Scott Burnside ate hockey for breakfast since he was two years old, up in Canada. He might be the best hockey writer, stateside, in North America. I trust Scott’s judgement. But he’s not infallible. He’s human. And he qualified his remarks. He said IFFFFF Kari Lehtonen stays healthy and the Thrashers steps out of its traditional 24th spot in the league, and Hossa and Kovalchuk do their thing, and Vishnevski proves to be a difference-maker, then the Thrashers can make the playoffs.
So, he did “couch” his remarks somewhat. It’s like being a weatherman. Burnside projects rain for the Thrashers season, but admits that if the sun shines through the clouds, part or most of the day can be salvaged. He just thinks it’ll be drizzling most of the time. It’s an honest forecast, given that the previous six seasons (days) were also rain-filled.