Owner: Hockey Narrative URL:http://hockeynarrative.com Join Date: Sun, 09 Sep 2007 09:12:20 -0500 Rating:0 Site Description: Articles, reviews and nostalgia about the NHL, teams, players and issues surrounding the world of professional hockey. Site statistics:Click here
The Player/Fan Relationship 2007-09-09 01:34:13 I recently found this well-written blog by a minor league baseball pitcher. Even the self-deprecating title, “Non-Prospect Diary” gives you an idea that he is not your average professional athlete. Some great insights and angles in this entry in which he muses on the relationship between fans and athletes:
“I can’t explain to you what its like to avoid someone on purpose. When I write about the concept it just seems too rude and heartless. Maybe it is, but I still do it all the time. In my line of work, sometimes you have to ignore people. You have to tune out the noise of the game. There is no shortage of kids who want balls just because some other kid got one. No shortage of folks who want scraps signed with illegible autographs because everyone else is doing it. No shortage of begging, and pleading for stuff they don’t really need, just want because someone else has. “
This brought back some memories I have related to the brief interactions that Read more:Relationship
NHL Team E-Mail Bulletins 2007-09-08 08:25:07 So I’ve signed up to all the NHL team e-mail bulletins in the hopes of maybe getting a heads-up on breaking news as soon as it becomes available.
As far as I know, all the teams have some version of these e-mail updates, with the exception of: the Anaheim Ducks, Buffalo Sabres, Florida Panthers and Minnesota Wild. A few of these teams may have something available through registration with their booster clubs which I’m not going to join. Unless I’ve somehow overlooked the sign-up form on their respective websites. For the Sabres, I was definitely surprised as they have a reputation for being very responsive and considerate of their fans. If anyone reading has any any info on e-mail updates provided by these teams, please let me know.
Many of the e-mail bulletins are informative and contain info you likely wouldn’t have heard about otherwise (unless you scour each team’s website on a regular basis.)
After having received the updates for the past few months
Sports Propaganda 2007-09-08 00:55:01 The management of hockey teams and their fans closely resemble the governments of nations and their citizens in terms of behaviour. Regardless of the actions taken and the real-world results, the spin provided by both a government and a team’s management can be classified as propaganda.
Just as a wide swath of citizens of a nation will lap up any rationale, excuse or narrative offered up by their rulers, so too will a good portion of any team’s fans dutifully respond to the propaganda delivered to them by the owners and management of their team. Those same fans will turn on other more critical followers, accusing them of being disloyal, helping opposing teams and not being of a character worthy of such a great team.
The next tier of fans tends to give their team’s management the benefit of the doubt. They will grumble as questionable moves are made, the team’s on-ice performance declines and playoff hopes evaporate. Ultimately they will close ranks as the Read more:Sports
, Propaganda
The Evolution of a Bad Sports Logo 2007-09-06 12:36:04 When a widely anticipated logo or other design becomes public, I’ve often wondered how it could have made it through so many stages without getting trashed. This is wholly dependent on the end result being even half as horrific as the London 2012 Olympics logo.
From the initial development stages to the market research to the refining and presentations given to those involved in bringing it to fruition.
It all comes down to gutlessness.
Too many ass-kissers, sycophants and scared little yes-men to have the guts to stand up and say “That’s a pile of steaming shit. Let’s start again from the beginning…”
One tip-off that indicates there is some subconscious realization by those involved that their effort isn’t quite as sterling as they’d hoped, is the amount of back-story required to explain the logic behind the tripe they’ve produced. If the initial reaction to a sports logo doesn’t transcend some silly rationalization, i Read more:Sports
, Evolution
This Week in Hockey 2007-09-04 12:10:34 The new NHL uniforms are being released at a fast and furious clip. Some horrific results such as those from Ottawa and Vancouver. Some clean, instant classics as well, including Boston (as it’s based on the already classic look), Columbus and oh…OK Detroit, another original 6 team that hasn’t altered its look too much.
The Canucks new sweater has the bland “Vancouver” lettering above the logo. It has a pasted on look, and feels like it was an afterthought. Apparently design decisions are sometimes taken based on the notion that being different for its own sake trumps creativity and aesthetics. The latest in a long line of less than impressive Canucks jerseys shatters that canard all over the ice.
The problem with Ottawa’s jersey is that the Senators have a logo that somehow doesn’t look like a logo should. It feels like it was drawn by an art school student who was trying to make it look as realistic as possible. Distracting and not a
The Baboons Have Relented 2007-08-30 10:44:38 The draconian fools in charge of Thailand have finally seen the way and lifted the ban on YouTube that has been in place for the past 4 months or so.
Ah, great day indeed! I can now watch hockey highlights to my heart’s content. I can look forward to the upcoming season without the frustration of being unable to re-watch big plays and analyze controversial goals and hits.
I can join in the banter on various discussion boards without looking at that ridiculous big white space where the YouTube screen would usually appear.
At least until these mutants who haven’t a clue what democracy is all about have their tender sensibilities offended once again.
A 2 Part Series on Fighting in the NHL 2007-08-25 05:22:45 Fighting in hockey is a topic that always creates a lot of debate and discussion. Those in favour feel that it is a fundamental part of hockey while those opposed believe it is unsportsmanlike and detracts from the popularity of the game.
I recently wrote a 2 part series on fighting in hockey and posted the articles at my website, Sports Narrative.
Part 1: The Argument Against Fighting in the NHL
“The artificial boundaries that exist around sports allow us to engage in an other-worldly existence free from the constraints that bind us in real life. The narrow set of rules test our abilities to adapt. The absence of other rankist devices that exist in society means the only measure is our ability to compete and win. That is why a prison inmate can square off against someone from a more privileged background in a boxing match and compete in a ring where other societal determiners don’t play a part.”
Part 2: The Argument in Favour of Fighting in the NHL
“Fighting Read more:Fighting
Columbus Blue Jackets Sign Peca 2007-08-22 10:45:39 This is a good move by the B-jacks. They’ve picked up a proven leader at a bargain salary.
Peca has worn the captain’s C for 2 teams already. He can play an important role on the penalty killing unit, win a boatload of face-offs and the fans generally love the guy. For a team like Columbus
who are going to be making an effort to scratch their way into the playoffs this season, the importance of having someone to give hope to fans who are sick of being cellar dwellers shouldn’t be under-rated.
There is already talk about why Peca wasn’t signed by another team if his going rate is such a great deal. There have been some insinuations that various teams didn’t like what their medical staff had to say after looking at Peca’s scarred and battered body. This is normal when there is less than full disclosure on the reasons a certain team may have backed out of a deal (the Rangers in this case). And of course this is the correct and often legal thing Read more:Jackets
2007/08 NHL Season Preview 2007-08-21 01:02:27 It’s a fool’s game.
Making predictions or forecasts, that is.
Take the team as it appears on paper, use the previous season’s performance as a solid starting point, rate the improvements of individual clubs as compared to their conference rivals and you go ahead and make a prediction about where they will finish the year.
The standings rarely work out as expected, however. Top picks often flesh out and end up conference champions and/or President’s trophy winners. But there are always surprises, a slew of injuries that skew things and the unpredictable coming together of factors at just the right time that makes some teams better than anyone could have forecast. Similarly, some teams thought to be contenders heading in, plummet and have disaster seasons.
If I had a real independent and detailed take on every NHL club, I would post a team by team analysis in the lead up to the 2007/08 season. I would break predictions down by conference, starting with the team Read more:Season
, Preview
NHL Team E-mail Bulletins: St. Louis Blues 2007-08-20 20:15:13 I like this photo of Doug Weight that appears in the most recent e-mail update from the St. LouisBlues
:
Sure it’s only about flogging tickets, but it’s clever and memorable.
Speaking of the e-mail bulletins that most NHL teams send out, as with the related websites, there is a wide variety of effort and quality concerning the content offered up by different clubs.
The look of all sites is slick and professional but there are varying degrees of creativity and a sense of how much concern and time was applied from what I’ve seen so far.
Indicative of how the teams treat their fans and how seriously they take their public image or simply down to the particular employees assigned to that task?
An interesting question I think and one worth exploring.
In the weeks to come I will be reviewing NHL team websites, e-mail bulletins, creative aspects and degree of effort involved and what it means for fans of those teams.
NHL 2007-08 Predictions: Eastern Conference 2007-09-27 22:14:32 OK, here’s the requisite prediction post wherein I make studied and reasoned comments (offer up a bundle of paraphrased rationalizing) on why I’ve placed various teams in my projected final standings. In the end I’m going to make at least some wild assed guesses with the knowledge that many well articulated forecasts are no more accurate than the looping swings in the dark variety. Regardless of how someone arrives at their choices, at least a few teams will surprise and insanely over-achieve while one or two clubs will disappoint.
I’m going with conference predictions for the simple reason that they’re a helluva lot easier to post. But because of the heavily weighted intra-division play, the only way to make any kind of pick is to look at those groupings first and decide who improved the most and proceed from there. Of course, by working backwards, you could ultimately determine what my picks would look like if sorted into divisions.
You may have read Read more:Predictions
, Eastern
, Eastern Conference
The Looming Head Injury Crisis in the NHL 2007-09-26 12:07:08 There are many theories as to why there has been an increase in head injuries in the NHL, but it’s hard to refute the reality that they are on the rise. Here are some statistics. The most recent example is the hit laid on Dean McAmmond by Steve Downie in a pre-season game between the Philadelphia Flyers and the Ottawa Senators.
The increased speed, strength and size of the players coupled with the stricter enforcement of various obstruction penalties is one of the main story-lines mentioned whenever the issue crops up. Replace a corroded and rotten length of pipe in a larger network and the result is an improved and speedier flow of water. But it can also put unexpected pressure on other areas within the system. Refuse to deal with the subsequent pressure points and the end result could be a total collapse.
These types of injuries aren’t going away anytime soon and not because of any lack of suspensions that will continue to follow. It’s mainly to do with the fact that mo Read more:Looming
, Injury
, Crisis
NHL 2007-08 Pre-season Review 2007-09-23 10:35:20 “It’s meaningless,” is the standard cry regarding preseason games, especially when your team is on the losing end of a good old down home whooping. But beat a hated rival in an exhibition match-up and it’s reason to look forward to the regular season with anticipation.
The cliche that no meaning should be attached to what is essentially hockey’s version of “friendlies” is pretty valid. It appears there is no standard number of games, with some teams playing as many as 9, while others suit up for a measly 5 (this based on last year’s preseason.) While the outcomes themselves aren’t much to get excited about, individual players can showcase their conditioning and potential for the beginning of the season. The result is line combinations heavy on experimentation with many skaters on the ice for the tryout of their lives. Of those, some will be long gone by the time games have any meaning.
With that belief firmly in mind for most fan
Another Take on the NHL Winter Classic 2007-09-22 03:38:35 Here’s Damien Cox at his not quite contrarian best with a column in which he tries to rip to bits the outdoor match-up this season between the Buffalo Sabres and the Pittsburgh Penguins.
I usually like reading Cox for the entertainment value though I don’t always agree with his opinions. He enjoys ruffling feathers and being harsh in his criticism of the Leafs, other teams and the NHL in general. Conflict is the basis of all good writing whether it be novels, scripts or yes, even sports columns. There are other hockey writers who seem more intent on securing and maintaining their access to the good ol’ boys network that is the NHL, with articles that at best put a positive spin on everything related to the team they cover or at worst are nothing more than hagiography. That’s fine as well and while I read both, I’ll take the guys who rip things with abandon over the professional sycophants.
Disagree with Cox on this one though. He has a nice set-up whe Read more:Classic
Let’s Stay in Touch… 2007-09-20 09:29:02 The Toronto Maple Leafs and the Phoenix Coyotes played a pre-season game in Winnipeg yesterday, with the Leafs coming out on top 3-2.
The Jets slumped out of town in 1996 never to&hellip
;oops, they do keep returning in their Coyotes incarnation for exhibition games and I believe they even played a regular season game there a couple of years back.
I doubt there is any other example of an NHL team that departed a city and then kept coming back for the sake of nostalgia. It’s great for hockey fans in Winnipeg and decent of the Yotes owners to oblige them (of course the dollars have to be there to make it happen , but still) but I’ve got to believe at some point Phoenix will decide to bypass any further match-ups in the Peg.
For any Phoenix fans who are really passionate about their team, such games have got to have a slightly less than appealing odour to them. Kind of like former girlfriends who want to “keep in touch” if only for the possibility it provides to k
Sal the Hockey Playing Sociopath 2007-09-19 18:56:00 “How has it come to this?
You can be walking down the street and some son-of-a-bitch can curse at you, spit in your face, insult you with the nastiest of verbal assaults, and you are unable to respond with your fists. He knows that. He thrives on the thrill of antagonizing and mocking you. And if you dare to respond in the most logical and honourable of ways, you will be thrown in a cage.
This has raised the stock of gutless, insidious behaviour. The sneering roaches of the world have been handed a perfect set-up to ply their miserable tactics.
And if I challenge them to settle things in a fair, simple, easy to understand way I get labeled the criminal!
What kind of worthless society have we built for ourselves when a low-life can provoke you into snapping and then stand mocking you from the gallery as you’re banged up for mashing his face into the concrete? We praise as shrewd the filth who manipulate and trick us into handing over our hard earned cash, we hold them
RBK NHL Jerseys: New Coke Redux 2007-09-18 11:02:30 It’s got to be a well choreographed set-up by Bettman and his thugs at NHL head office. The whole jersey re-design campaign launched this season is nothing but a ploy to enrage fans beyond all comprehension, stoke the anger of players and sell a whole boatload of the bland, poorly designed (with exceptions of course) sweaters to the die-hards who would gladly shell out for burlap sacks with collars and arm-holes if that was the official offering.
And then.. there will be a huge mid-season mea-culpa (made by one of Bettman’s flunkies.) There will be admissions of guilt (in the passive voice of course — “mistakes were made,” “certain issues were not considered,” — no need to make themselves look too much like buffoons while executing the final stage of their plan) and a commitment to return to a more “classic” look the following season.
The RBK jerseys from this coming season will become collectors items, hundreds of thousands Read more:Redux
Eklund the Hockey Blogger 2007-09-16 08:44:23 In the past few years, many posts related to potential trades on hockey discussion boards have been qualified with statements along the lines of: “I know this is from Eklund but…” For some, a fatigue has set in and they might as well write: “I know I read this on a shithouse wall but…”
The hockey blogger known as Eklund has an air of farce about him these days. I sense he is approaching a kind of critical mass in terms of how much credibility he lacks and how many people consider him a fraud. His apparent willingness to lie about his credentials in the early going of his online career will turn off even more people. This article goes into some real detail in terms of just how insanely far away he is from being a journalist in any sense of the word. One only has to stop and ponder for a moment how it would be literally impossible to apply the necessary due diligence that serious reporters rely on to the sheer volume of his rumours.
He is nothing more than a clearing-house fo Read more:Blogger
10 Reasons Hockey is Better than Other Sports 2007-09-16 02:44:36 10. In hockey, players have a lethal weapon on each foot and one in their hands. In soccer, the only ones with weapons are the fans.
9. In hockey, you can try to drive a player out of bounds, but thick, immovable boards get in the way. In soccer, a light summer breeze can send a player sailing out of bounds with the nearest opponent being penalized.
8. Hockey teams change their lineups on the fly. In American football everything grinds to a halt while the players lumber off and “fresh” players come wheezing on.
7. In hockey, if you’re fat you won’t play at a high level. In Major League Baseball, if you’re fat you may get a free pass when it’s your turn at bat.
6. In soccer, former 3rd world dictators are allowed to buy professional teams. In hockey, billionaire Canadian businessmen aren’t allowed to buy NHL teams…Hey!! Wait a minute…
5. In hockey, when a coach passes away there are genuine all around displays of emotion and respect. In cricket, when a coach dies there Read more:Reasons
, Sports
Still in the Game: Zarley Zalapski 2007-09-16 02:37:50 I’ve always liked reading “whatever happened to” tales of former NHL players. You remember them frozen in time during whatever seasons they played for or against a team you followed. You may have hurled abuse at them or admired their style of play. And then one day they’re gone.
When you hear of a former NHLer still playing in some obscure outpost years after he last laced them up for a team in the world’s premier league, there will always be a few comments laced with pity. “He sure has fallen,” “doesn’t know when to hang ‘em up…” etc. I’ve always taken the opposite view. I find it great that someone who loves the game so much is still playing all these years later. So what if he didn’t strike it rich during his NHL days? Who cares if he has nothing else to fall back on?
I was reading this thread over at HFboards.com about Zalapski and noticed that he is playing in a small city in Switzerland called Ch
NHL 2007-08: the Year of the Hockey Fight? 2007-10-02 10:43:32 A hockey journalist made the astute point recently (I believe it was in the Globe and Mail’s hockey blog) that the amount of fighting in an NHL game is commensurate with exactly how important the game is. In other words, pre-season games are littered with clutching and flailing while the playoffs are almost completely free of fisticuffs.
That is demonstrably true as shown by the 2006-07 post-season but there are some compelling indications that this year may in fact see a rise in skate-to-skate punch-ups during the regular season.
First, the Anaheim Ducks were the most penalized team last year and also had the most fighting majors. There is a half-baked theory that states the rest of the league will look to emulate the most recent Stanley Cup champions in terms of what style of play led them to the post-season title. As seen by recent Cup winners, this does not alway play out. An easily identifiable single aspect that resulted in Cup glory for a particular team may not always
The Ice-cream Theory of Hockey Economics 2007-10-01 18:59:00 Tried buying an ice-cream lately? Not the satisfying scoops from a real parlour but from one of those freezers in the local corner store when you’ve got the urge and there’s no other option.
You can’t get a simple ice-cream sandwich or bar anymore. There are only the deluxe offerings to be had. Tiramisu flavoured with multiple layers rammed full of nuts, whipped cream, chocolate and syrup. There’s even some ice-cream in there as well. Oh wait, they do have ice-cream bars. The only problem is that the chocolate is of such a high quality that it overwhelms the ice-cream, which you can barely taste. I don’t care about the price. I want a simple, non-deluxe ice-cream bar that doesn’t make me want to puke because it’s so rich.
Businesses have to constantly expand their product lines and diversify so as to meet that universal goal of expansion. Individuals, commercial enterprises and governments are all the same. To not expand every year is Read more:Theory
, Economics
Bloody Chiclets: First Game of the Season and some Odds and Ends 2007-09-30 00:43:11 I caught the first game of the NHL season online last night. A relatively poor connection meant I didn’t see much uninterrupted action of the match-up between the Los Angeles Kings and the Anaheim Ducks but it was still good to see live hockey being played again. Initial reactions from the game are that Kings’ goalie Jonathan Bernier could end up making the team far better than I (and many others) had expected. The Ducks looked fairly listless and are going to feel the loss of Selanne and Niedermayer.
The cliched narrative making the rounds this morning? No doubt it’s “Cup hangover,” in reference to the Ducks having less time to rest before starting this season.
Loads of penalties for each team, with the first 4 goals coming on the power play and the final tally a short-handed open netter from Los Angeles. Todd Bertuzzi had the first penalty of the game which could be a foreshadowing of things to come. Mike Cammalleri had two of the goals for the King Read more:First
, Season
NHL 2007-08 Predictions: Western Conference 2007-09-29 11:25:53 Far less rambling to accompany my Western
Conference predictions. Just a few notes on why I see various teams improving or regressing compared to last season.
1. San Jose Sharks
2. Detroit Red Wings
3. Minnesota Wild
4. Vancouver Canucks
5. Anaheim Ducks
6. Dallas Stars
7. Calgary Flames
8. Columbus Blue Jackets
9. Colorado Avalanche
10. Edmonton Oilers
11. Nashville Predators
12. St. Louis Blues
13. Los Angeles Kings
14. Chicago Blackhawks
15. Phoenix Coyotes
First, with the relative stagnation of Detroit I don’t see them repeating as conference champions, though they will still quite easily capture the Central Division title. When I say “stagnation” I am only considering the moves made by division and conference rivals as compared to the lack of action by the Wings in the off-season. What the Wings have is still solid and in some cases spectacular, including players such as Nicklas Lidstrom on defense and Pavel Datsyuk as the top line centre. Time will catch up Read more:Predictions
NHL 2007-08 Predictions: Eastern Conference 2007-09-27 22:14:32 OK, here’s the requisite prediction post wherein I make studied and reasoned comments (offer up a bundle of paraphrased rationalizing) on why I’ve placed various teams in my projected final standings. In the end I’m going to make at least some wild assed guesses with the knowledge that many well articulated forecasts are no more accurate than the looping swings in the dark variety. Regardless of how someone arrives at their choices, at least a few teams will surprise and insanely over-achieve while one or two clubs will disappoint.
I’m going with conference predictions for the simple reason that they’re a helluva lot easier to post. But because of the heavily weighted intra-division play, the only way to make any kind of pick is to look at those groupings first and decide who improved the most and proceed from there. Of course, by working backwards, you could ultimately determine what my picks would look like if sorted into divisions.
You may have read Read more:Predictions
, Eastern
, Eastern Conference
Hockey and Alcohol: a Potent Mix 2007-10-14 10:12:02 Rob Ramage was found guilty on Wednesday of drunk driving in the incident that killed former Chicago Blackhawk Keith Magnuson. The response from his coterie of supporters is an odd sort of incredulity that he may actually have to pay for what he did. It’s a glaring example of the long-standing claim by many that athletes are so accustomed to being treated as special that they never learn what it means to take responsibility. More than that though, it’s a reminder that the booze-soaked hockey sub-culture is alive and well.
***
One of the saving graces of growing up in a frozen hole like Winnipeg is the number of outdoor hockey rinks that are dotted around the city. Every neighbourhood has a few community centres where, from the beginning of November until the end of February, anyone can go and lace on their skates. You can join in a pick up game or simply coast around on the one ice surface that is usually reserved for both such purposes. As a youngster I spent many hours Read more:Alcohol
, Potent
Return of the Broad Street Bullies? 2007-10-12 08:56:52 The uproar over the Steve Downie hit had just started dying down when another two-bit punk playing for the Philadelphia Flyers, Jesse Boulerice, cross-checks Vancouver’s Ryan Kesler in the face ( see video here.) He then stood over Kesler as he lay prone on the ice and challenged him to a fight. And the Flyers were winning 7-2 at the time.
It’s close to the point with the Flyers where it can no longer be passed off as a few undisciplined players. It’s starting to reek of a culture of nastiness that’s being drummed into the soft malleable heads of less than bright lights like Downie and Boulerice. Both of these individuals had reputations as borderline sociopaths during their junior hockey days. It seems this is the type of player thug the Flyers want.
Considered by many to be someone willing to use questionable tactics during his playing days, Bobby Clarke was handed the keys to the Flyers’ organization for the better part of two decades. So it&rsquo Read more:Return
, Broad
, Street
Sports Predictions: the Art of Covering your Ass 2007-10-11 10:03:28 Predictions are a big part of sports reporting and journalism. Fans expect that long-time writers have built up a wealth of knowledge over the years and should be able to offer credible forecasts backed up with detailed and believable reasoning. The writers themselves do little to dispel that notion and will on occasion play up the myth that “it’s really not as easy as it seems.”
A necessary and almost subconscious practice of those in the non-technical professions is to validate their own worth by hinting at what a rarified field they operate in. However, the unpleasant reality that gnaws away at all spewers of half-baked predictions is that the nature of the game makes consistent accuracy almost impossible. Which is why hedging is such an important part of the hockey writer’s arsenal.
When the reality of your guesses are shown to be equivalent to that of a retarded baboon randomly plucking teams and numbers out of a hat, you can legitimately refer to the li Read more:Sports
, Predictions
NHL 2007-08: More Firsts 2007-10-09 20:42:40 First real blowout of the season.
The Carolina Hurricanes lay an almighty shellacking on the Toronto Maple Leafs 7-1.
Yesterday when I wrote the post about some firsts of the season, I had wanted to include at least one lopsided game but so far there hadn’t been any that qualified.
The game in Toronto against the Hurricanes that wrapped up a few minutes ago satisfies all the requirements however. A listless, uninterested Leafs squad and a Hurricanes team clicking on all cylinders and the result is the kind of game that will have the hounds baying for blood in Toronto.
The early season stand-by cliches will start falling by the wayside pretty soon. “It’s only 3, 4, 5 (insert number here) games…” will start to become meaningless shortly and the Leafs will have to do something to quell the rising tide of media-stoked fan rage that has less patience than seasons of the past.
No doubt the blowout mantras will accompany this one as well. “If you&rsq
NHL 2007-08: Firsts of the Season 2007-10-09 11:54:22 1. The first first tragedy or event outside (or inside) the game that puts things in perspective.
A sad irony that after NHL teams took part in the campaign to raise awareness about cancer on the weekend, Jason Blake announces that he is stricken with a rare form of leukemia on Monday.
People often trot out the usual cliches when they don’t know what to say or how to articulate their most vulnerable feelings. I say “vulnerable” because, let’s face it, as much sorrow and empathy as we feel for someone who has suffered in some way, it really hits at our innermost fears about what will one day befall us and our loved ones.
“It makes you realize what is important in life,” is the one line that comes to mind in such a situation. No doubt family and friends eclipse all else but I’ll put the passion that drives an athlete to the heights and makes him successful enough to turn pro as something that is also right up there.
To reach the end of one&rsqu Read more:Season
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