The Agony of Victory
Hardest sport for me to watch? Ducks playoff hockey, win or lose. Goals are way more precious than touchdowns or baskets, so it's excruciating to watch them fall behind, and nerve-wracking to watch them cling to a lead. No other sport compares.
Tonight's opener of the Stanley Cup Finals gave me a dose of both, more of the former than I would have liked, but thankfully the Ducks led when it counted and hung on for a 3-2 victory to take the early series lead!
Russell actually asked me to call the next goal with four minutes remaining and the game tied 2-2, and I replied, "Pahlsson Moen Niedermayer line." A minute later, Moen snapped the game winner from Niedermayer, with Pahlsson in front of the net.
If I had to rank my current preferences for championships, the Ducks winning the Cup would be number one, just ahead of Stanford Hoops winning a national title. The Broncos dropped way down the list after Elway got the monkey off his back and retired, and the Lakers have won eight championships in my lifetime, so I'm not exactly long-suffering in that department. I don't think Stanford Football qualifies as sport these days, and while it would be nice for this area to see the Giants win a series, I'm just not hardcore about them.
I am hardcore about the Ducks. I've watched almost every game the team has played this season, thanks to the miracle of illegal internet feeds, so I feel particularly connected to this squad. They came so damn close in '03 with Kariya (my favorite player ever), who has since left, but now Selanne (my second favorite player ever) is around to give me that sentimental connection to the group of guys that first brought me into the Ducks' fold back in the mid '90s (ghee ay bare!).
Plus, the Ducks would become the first team from California to ever win the Cup, which would just drive Drew crazy. Bonus! ;)
It's fate. The Broncos went to new uniforms in '97 and won their first Super Bowl that year, and the Ducks went to new uniforms this year and are playing for their first Cup. There's no clearer sign than that.
Three to go!
Tonight's opener of the Stanley Cup Finals gave me a dose of both, more of the former than I would have liked, but thankfully the Ducks led when it counted and hung on for a 3-2 victory to take the early series lead!
Russell actually asked me to call the next goal with four minutes remaining and the game tied 2-2, and I replied, "Pahlsson Moen Niedermayer line." A minute later, Moen snapped the game winner from Niedermayer, with Pahlsson in front of the net.
If I had to rank my current preferences for championships, the Ducks winning the Cup would be number one, just ahead of Stanford Hoops winning a national title. The Broncos dropped way down the list after Elway got the monkey off his back and retired, and the Lakers have won eight championships in my lifetime, so I'm not exactly long-suffering in that department. I don't think Stanford Football qualifies as sport these days, and while it would be nice for this area to see the Giants win a series, I'm just not hardcore about them.
I am hardcore about the Ducks. I've watched almost every game the team has played this season, thanks to the miracle of illegal internet feeds, so I feel particularly connected to this squad. They came so damn close in '03 with Kariya (my favorite player ever), who has since left, but now Selanne (my second favorite player ever) is around to give me that sentimental connection to the group of guys that first brought me into the Ducks' fold back in the mid '90s (ghee ay bare!).
Plus, the Ducks would become the first team from California to ever win the Cup, which would just drive Drew crazy. Bonus! ;)
It's fate. The Broncos went to new uniforms in '97 and won their first Super Bowl that year, and the Ducks went to new uniforms this year and are playing for their first Cup. There's no clearer sign than that.
Three to go!
posted by Chang Kim at Monday, May 28, 2007
2 Comments:
Well, everyone gets new unis next season, so the Kings will have a chance!
And for the record, it would be dissapointing, but they're a darn good team.
Just a shame that a team that had Tinkerbell "bless" their first goal will have their name on the Cup.
Ducks in 5.
We're trying to put our Disney roots behind us. :)
Speaking of which, I was shopping online for a Ducks practice jersey from Reebok, which still had some inventory with the old logo, and blech, it looked hideous compared to the new one.
Thank goodness for new ownership.
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