The National Hockey League really found its niche in sports, in my opinion.  Yesterday, I was fortunate enough to attend the NHL Winter Classic in Buffalo, New York.  The NHL really put on quite a show at this game and the sellout crowd of 71,217 could not have been more excited and even too enthusiastic (guys, you had to go topless, c'mon).

The only way the day could have gone better was scheduling the New Jersey Devils against maybe their archrival NY Rangers in Giants Stadium (easier drive, my favorite and most-hated teams, what else can i ask for). 

This game put fans in the seats.  Whether I were one of the 71,000+ seats in attendance at Ralph Wilson Stadium, or in a cozy warm living room couch, this game drew interest in hockey from the non-traditional hockey fans.

There are already talks of scheduling a Winter Classic-type even next year, and for years to come, which will be great for the sport and its publicity.

Now, everyone who knows me understands that I am a huge hockey fan.  I love the Devils, but I will purchase tickets to a New York Rangers game if I watch hockey that night.  Understandably, most people are not die-hard hockey fanatics like myself, who have also played the sport since youth, understand and appreciate the game.

Well, the perfect example would be my father, who, unlike me, has stayed away from hockey, until yesterday!

At the end of the first period, I called him (because he had to work on New Year's Day at the Bloomfield Fire Department).  I planned to tell him about my awesome experience.  Unexpectedly, he said that the whole firehouse watched the game. 

He thought the atmosphere was great and that he never knew how exciting a hockey game could be to watch.

This is just one example of a non-hockey fan’s delight in the sport.

Moreover, look at replays of how Sidney Crosby set up Pittsburgh’s first goal just 21 seconds after the opening faceoff.  It was like a work of art.  In a fitting conclusion, he scored the shootout-winning goal; he is like a kid in a candy shop.

It was a fun time, for not only hockey fans, but also NHL players and non-hockey fans, like my father, alike.  Sure, the hockey was choppy at times and the delays slowed down the game, but it was a worth the experience for all of us, including the players themselves. 

It's like they were all kids again, for 60 minutes.

I wish everyone the best for 2008!

• ‹ previous
• 286 of 430
• next ›