For those of you who don’t know, the hockey season has begun. And it has got me fired up. Now I could be biased, coming off of a Stanley Cup victory and all, but I could not be more excited about hockey.
I’ve been watching hockey with my dad since I was a kid. My dad is from Pittsburgh, so I guess you could say I was raised a Pittsburgh Penguins fan. It was always hockey that I liked best.
What other sport can two players legally beat the crap out of each other? It’s the best part about hockey; it’s what hockey fans live for. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve daydreamed about Sidney Crosby punching out Claude Giroux, but fighting isn’t the only thing that makes hockey the king of all sports - it's rivalries.
A hockey rivalry is a deep hatred embraced by both the fans and the franchise that resonates deep in their souls. As a true blood Pittsburgh fan, it’s my sacred duty to bring up the age old Penguins vs. Flyers rivalry.
Regarded as the greatest rivalry by most, the Penguins and the Flyers hatred burns throughout Pennsylvania. It’s actually shocking how angry I get when I watch a Penguins vs. Flyers game. Just seeing Philadelphia’s stupid orange uniform makes my blood boil with white, hot rage. It’s easy to tell when Pittsburgh loses to Philadelphia because I’m angry for a week straight, but it’s fine because Pittsburgh has more Stanley Cups anyway.
What is the Stanley Cup?
Only the most coveted championship trophy of the NHL. The Stanley Cup is 34 and a half pounds of glory and awarded annually to the winner of the playoffs. It may be less known than the Vince Lombardi Trophy of the NFL, but it’s way cooler. The winners get their names engraved into the rings and each player gets to spend a day with the cup and do whatever they want with it. One player had their child baptized in it. What can you do with the Vince Lombardi Trophy?
Nothing. That’s right.
Hockey: 1 Football: 0
There is a plethora of hockey traditions, but my favorite is the playoff beard. As a female, I can’t actually grow a beard, but I enjoy seeing the players with their full-on beards.
It’s considered bad luck to shave during the playoffs and even fans embrace this tradition. Watching the players’ beards fly across their backs like Gandalf as they skate around is truly priceless.
There’s something about the rush of adrenaline you get watching hockey that makes it stand out against other sports. It’s a feeling that can’t be described with words, you just have to experience it for yourself.
