The Good ol Hockey Game

To me this column is a tad bit of a disappointment. I was hoping to regale you with proof of the vapidity that is the common TBA sports fan. How was I going to do that – by attending a Lightning game. So along with Big Mike I left work at 6.30 ish and was a few minutes late for the drop of the puck. It was a long hike up to Row R in section 307 – hey this site doesn’t exactly pay the bills so it’s the cheap seats for me.

One of the benefits of working for the No Limits Fun Factory is that I can usually score a ticket to a club level suite for most of the hockey games if I felt like it. While it has its perks (free beer) it is a bit of a drag as most people are too busy socializing to follow the game. So I really enjoy tickets in the cheap seats it allows me to bask in the glory of my fellow fans.

If only they weren’t so ignorant.

I had my trusty notepad and pen to record some great sayings. Early on it appeared I was going to be blessed with comedy gold. After we made it to our seats (one row from the roof) we sat in front of a couple good ol’ boys who were enjoying their beer. I have a feeling they may have had a few before the game.

Overheard comment #1 –

“I’ve seen Motley Crue & Scorpions” “Yeah, I’ve seen the Scorpions”

That exchange touched off a 5 minute conversation of which concerts the two of them had been to. Let’s just say they’ve seen a lot of hair in their days. Meanwhile Jason Ward scored to give the Lightning a 1-0 lead.

Alas, they were kicked out of the seats by a family that may not have even known they were at a hockey game. They seemed to think the main goal of the night was to see how much food they could consume in 2 and ½ hours. They provided no entertainment.

Overheard comment #2 –

“Boooooooooooooooooooooo”

The majority of the crows filled the Ice Palace with sustained displeasure after Jason Ward committed a blatant penalty. It’s one thing to boo when the officials make an obvious mistake, but not when the Lightning player tackles the opposing player. If the team screws up take it like a real fan.

That’s all that came out of the game. I was kind of disappointed. No one screamed “Shoot the Puck!” at odd times although one guy screamed “SWITCH” at the top of his lungs. Ah pal, the hockey players can’t hear you from section 307 and I doubt they need your help to know when to change lines.

So since this post ended up being shorter than I had hoped we go to some back up material. Let’s get to know Nick Tarnasky with helps from the Ice Time (free program given out at Lightning Games).

The question is “What’s your favorite restaurant in the Tampa Bay area?”

Our favorite fourth liner answered, “The Cheesecake Factory”. What? A chain restaurant attached to a mall filled with sun burned tourists? Are you kidding me? No Berns, Side Berns (my favorite), Mise En Place, Charlie’s or even The Colombia? Arrrggghhhh. I understand that they are busy during the season, but get out and see the town a little bit, kid. You may be making the minimum, but you can afford to try some new places.

That’s all for now. I should have some more for you after Sunday’s big soccer match.

Bonus note –

Let me be the first to say it. Fire Tim Marcum. He’s done. He may be a legend in Tampa sports, but he’s lost his touch.