Sunday, November 13, 2011

TML: The Next Day


Because International Break was this weekend, I decided to find a new sport to occupy my time with (see last post for real reason). Anyway, I suited up for the challenge and went to cheer on my beloved Toronto Maple Leafs (see last post for real feelings).

I will say this, it was pretty fun. Like any sport, hockey is a lot more fun to watch live and I quite enjoyed the whole experience. Now, I haven’t been to the ACC for a sporting event (The Raptors) in almost a decade, so I wanted to do the whole “fan” experience. This blog post will take you through that experience. Enjoy!

(Old habits die hard)

Matt gave me a quick rundown of everything that I needed to know on the GO ride downtown (note: the 8 minute LATE GO ride downtown), so I felt pretty confident going into the match. THE GAME. Damn, so close.

The first thing to do was to infiltrate the change rooms:

(Just kidding! This is from a trailer parked outside!)

The second thing to do was to grab drinks:


And find our “seats:”

(I use the term “seats” loosely because we stood the whole time. That is not a complaint, it actually made the game a helluva lot more fun. Who sits during sport events?!)

Now, I didn’t realize this when I bought the tickets, but that night was also inductions to the Hockey Hall of Fame, so the beginning of the game started like this:

The inductees

Inductee puck drop

Eventually the real game started, and, as much as it kills me to admit it, it wasn’t that bad. Enjoyable, even. Here are some highlights (note, highlights for me, the final score was 5 – 2 for the Sens):

A full ACC

A pre-game Christmas present (thanks to MLSE Team Up Foundation! Follow: @TeamUpFndn)

A save

A faceoff

A Captain

A "goal"

Another goal (though apparently this one I shouldn't have captured on film)

A sad hockey player

A thrilled new hockey fan! (We scored THIS MANY!)

Don’t worry, I am not completely converted. True, that I am going to another game with the decent and likable Jerrad Peters (assuming I get tickets, I should probably get on that… does anyone have tickets they want to give me?) next month, but that’s because it’s his Christmas gift AND I am forcing him to sit through the ballet.

In conclusion, here’s a few things I learned last night that I can take away for the rest of my life (I tweeted a few last night, but here’s a general recap):

  • Time stops during games, and play stops when time does
  • Just because the ticket says “No Alcohol” doesn’t mean you can’t bring alcohol
  • Arenas are warm, parka not needed
  • A Leaf game in November should double as the Official Toronto Movember Summit (this is, by no means, a bad thing)
  • BMO sippy cup technology is far superior. They bend back and hook in. ACC sippy cups (or, at least the two I had) bend in. What the balls is that?!
  • BMO also has better food choices
  • But the ACC (well, Union), lets me wait inside when I miss my train by 7 minutes to watch the end of a game
  • Street meat is nowhere to be found on Front pre-game
  • Real Sports Apparel is more expensive than Zurich’s Bahnhofstrasse
  • People really, really, like their hockey, and really, really, don’t like the Senators
  • I really can’t wait for March. To go back to BMO for TFC


I’m not ready to bleed blue just quite yet, but I am also not as dismissive of the sport either. I guess I am just getting more accepting in my old age.

SEE YOU ALL TUESDAY FOR CMNT!

Hopp,
scm 


2 comments:

  1. Although I'm late to this one, I just wanted to say that I really enjoy the irreverence of your blog posts. That you would wear a TFC shirt to the Leafs shrine is priceless.

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  2. I am going to take that as a compliment. Even if it wasn't meant to be one.

    ReplyDelete