After a weekend of emceeing the Renegades dance team finals on Friday, hosting Grecosize Saturday morning, doing the Lynx broadcast Saturday afternoon and emceeing the Ottawa Valley Titans hockey banquet Sunday, I hit the garage. I cracked a Sleeman's honey brown, put my feet up on my grubby looking patio table, which probably needed replacing two summers ago and watched the Phillies-Braves game. A perfect spring evening in Barrhaven. I was in my glory.
Then it hit me. I hadn't watched sports out here since Senators-Leafs. We must be approaching the anniversary. Yep. A quick google confirms it. One year ago today, Mike Fisher set this town on its ear with the OT winner in Game 6.
But then, two nights later...Game 7. Wednesday April 20th, 2004. 20/04/04. The day Patrick Lalime had his worst game at the worst possible time. My neighbours still talk about the noises coming from this garage that night. They apparently resembled the sound someone makes when they stumble upon a dead body. I guess, in a way, I did. Only the corpse was then moved to St Louis.
But the problem is fixed now. Domenic Hasek! The first big time goalie in franchise history. Hall of famer! Sort of decrepit - but STILL...a chance to take a real run at this thing. Sky's the limit! It should be happening right now! Right now!
Instead, I'm watching the Phillies and Braves. And you know what? I'm okay with it. The NHL playoffs are cancelled for the first time in our lives and life went on. It's kind of like the exercise in the movie, 'It's a Wonderful Life'.
Dear NHL,
We've been given a great gift. A chance to see what the world would be like without you. But unlike George Bailey, you really didn't leave much of a void at all. You didn't even save Harry Bailey from drowning. So you better start crying, "I want to live again" and wake up from this nightmare or there won't be many fans toasting the richest men in town.
And while I'm at it, who names their kid Zuzu?
(Steve will return from vacation on Monday April 25th.)
