There are many things you miss out on when you travel so much as I do. A routine, a bed, regular social relations, spare time … However, every year at this time I really miss out on something special. I miss out on the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Trying to watch from abroad at odd hours and without any fans to cheer with or against the right team; it’s just not the same. So instead you just watch the highlights and scores when you wake up in the morning, hoping the Oilers, Flames or any other Canadian team has won the night before.
So I will give my ode to the Playoffs, which start tonight. This is for all those dejected Leafs fans who cheer for a perennially poor performer and will seek revenge tonight by cheering against the Senators; for Don Cherry, who we all love despite being the only blatantly racist personality allowed on air in English Canada (seriously, who else is so racist he does not like Swedish people!); to the two Russians who were the best players in Hockey and showed the most heart throughout this year; to bringing the Cup back to Canada for the first time in 15 years (come on, even mathematically, with 1 in 5 teams being Canadian, this is pretty bad – a Gary Bettman conspiracy?); to a game that is still great despite the best efforts of NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman (4 quarter hockey anyone?); for all those American teams who keep winning Cups in markets where no one cares the least bit about hockey (Anaheim, Tampa Bay, Carolina); to the San Jose Sharks finally getting somewhere in the playoffs, because there people actually do care about hockey; and to being back in Canada this time next year to take money from all my friends in our 2009 Hockey Pool.
Lord Stanley, thank you for your Cup.
