Stanley Cup

http://www.nhl.com/ice/page.htm?id=31252

Growing up my life as a young athlete revolved strictly around playing and watching ice hockey.  Aside from 6 AM morning practices and traveling throughout New England, I was given the opportunity to be in the presence of and take photos with one of the most recognizable trophies in sports history, the Stanley Cup.  Living in Massachusetts provides a great history of hockey achievement and competition.  I began playing at the age of 3 and still remain playing to this day at 21 years old.  The cup is awarded to the National Hockey Leagues playoff champion after each consecutive season.  The Cup, also referred to as the Holy Grail, or Cup of Lord Stanley stands almost three feet tall weighing just over thirty pounds.  It is composed of Silver and nickel plated alloys that encompass the entire trophy from the bowl shaped top to its wide base.  Winning organizations including players names, coaches and staff are enscribed on the chalice of the cup unlike many professional granted trophies.  The victorious team is allowed a certain amount of time with the cup and each individual has the opportunity to take it wherever they please and whatever with it they desire.  When I was twelve Scott Young, a hockey star from Clinton, MA had brought the trophy to my hometown after winning the Stanley Cup with the Colorado Avalanche.  This was one of the most exciting moments of my childhood as I received his autograph and took pictures beside the most illustrious sports trophy I had ever believed in.  This trophy represented everything I believed was important and strived for growing up on the hockey rink.

My Bed to the Couch

Sunday is a day for recovery. This past weekend was filled with excitement and I was kept busy from Thursday on. When Sunday rolled around I had awakened so willingly to get my day started. Being one of the nicest days of the year, I had every intention to spend my day outside in the sun before hitting the couch for an afternoon dedicated to Football, nachos and beer. Warm enough to wear shorts and sandals, I washed my truck the moment I woke up giving me the satisfaction that I had done something with my life that day. Before I knew it 1PM kickoff began and my hometown team the Patriots were underway against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers playing an exhibition game in England. I couldn't have been out of my bed for more than an hour before I was right back in relaxation mode. The mini fridge was within reach of my lazy body stocked with beers and snacks to suffice my appetite for the entire rest of my day. I was a full blown couch potato. From 1PM until Midnight I had remained in my living room watching football, eating food until I was sick and drinking more beer than anticipated. My trip from my bed to the couch seemed worthless, might as well had brought all my blankets and pillows upstairs to the living room. Irregardless my place to be this Sunday was on the couch, accompanied by my roommates and others passing in and out of the house that day. Time flew by and before I knew it HBO Special Curb Your Enthusiasm was on, I caught the last showing of the new episode being aired that night. Flipping in between that and the Yankees game midnight quickly approached me and I had wondered where the day had gone. Like I had never left, I brushed my teeth and went back downstairs to my room. My bed was ten times as comfortable as that couch, I should know I was enslaved to it all day.

RI to Philly

A trip to Philadelphia for hockey is always a treat but the actual part of getting there is anything but. Friday afternoon Rick (our team goalie) and I set out around 2:30 to try and beat traffic. Both of us were thrilled we had left at the time we did, everyone else on the team was not going to be leaving until late so we thought we had the traffic beat. We had made a quick stop at Wendy's in Westerly before re-routing onto Rt 95, the longest part of our trip. Before we knew it entering Connecticut we hit the worst traffic from Bridgeport to New York, and we should have had only 3 hours to go. With no accidents to look at or road construction being done, we drove impatiently through hours of traffic until we hit the Tappan Zee bridge (in no way were we taking the George Washington). 6 grueling hours later at around 8:45 we arrived in Ewing, New Jersey just north of where we were playing hockey in Feasterville, PA. The ride there was finally over and with a trip to WaWa convenience store I easily forgot about the asleep, numbing sensations running through my legs from sitting so long. Our tournament lasted until Sunday at 12 noon thank god, we were destined to make it home for Sunday Night Football. Thinking again about the possibility of hitting traffic due to Columbus Day Weekend we erased the bad thoughts and drove nonstop home. Season One of the Chappelle Show provided more than enough justice as we had an excellent nonstop ride home with endless laughter and mesquite barbecue wings to keep us satisfied. Calculating the right hours to drive to and from Philadelphia has always been a challenge. We made it home in four hours with no interruptions, what an awesome way to end the weekend on top of our 2 wins in the tournament.

Every Tuesday and Wednesday hockey practice rolls around.  After a long day of school and work I dread the long and strenuous drive to Jefferson Boulevard in Warwick.  Our two scheduled practice times are devastating.  6PM on Tuesdays

places our traveling dead amongst the Rush Hour out of Narragansett along RT 1 and 4.  On Wednesdays the rink does not allow our team to practice until 10:45 PM.  This time is the biggest nuisance during my week schedule.  The ride yesterday was miserable.  Stop and go traffic for miles, bumper to bumper from the 138 intersection all the way to the middle of RT 4.  Without having my teammate Brett riding alongside me, the trip would have been a complete misery.  As we literally rolled at a snails pace for about a solid half hour, we beat the stress with relaxing jazz tunes and a few cigarettes.  Finally the levy broke and the mad rush for I-95 came.  As we sped to the finish at exit 15 we had 5 minutes to get all our hockey equipment on and be on the rink.  Next time we will plan ahead and leave in the appropriate time frame.

Last weekend was total chaos. A trip back home to Worcester Ma has never steered me wrong and when you combine my friends with Tammany Concert Hall, your always asking to have a good time. It was Thursday afternoon and I had gotten out of class by 3:15, these three day weekends are working out very nice I might add. I rushed back to Gansett to get my belongings and then took off for hockey practice in Warwick. After practice it was about 8pm before I began my trek home down Rt 146, but it was worth it. My buddies Rem and JP had an ice cold beer waiting upon my arrival and then we began our night, telling stories, sharing laughs and listening to great tunes. The band Jimmy's Chicken Shack and DPR were performing, two excellent reggae bands I had seen before with no regrets. After putting a few drinks down the hatch, 11PM rolled around and we decided it was time to make the walk to Pleasant St., a mere 15 minute walk that seemed like it was forever. The show was amazing, totally worth the $10 cover and $2 Narragansett Tall Boys I had embellished in for the three hours we were all there. Sitting, drinking, and shooting the sh*t with the band DPR, it was time for all of us to sober up and make the trip home. The night didn't stop there as we had to make our routine stop at the Boulevard Diner on Shrewsbury St. for a late night/early morning breakfast which was ohhhh soo delicious. Bacon, eggs, homefries and toast I could have ate until I was sick. It was time for bed and rest up for golf the next morning. I needed a lot of advil or a miracle If I was going to wake up ready to play. Luckily things worked out and we had another successful night in good old Worcester.