Tuesday, March 02, 2010

with glowing hearts

I know I've been reticent of late... this time, I will blame the Olympics. If I wasn't huddled in my parents' family room, I was hunched over my laptop (may he rest in peace). I watched Virtue and Moir win gold on a particularly choppy connection, which served to showcase just how in sync they really were. When the scores were announced, I jumped up and did a complete two-fist pump into the air...only a few seconds later, I wondered what this may have looked like to anyone who may have glanced up into my window. And I concluded that I really didn't care. I watched our bobsledding girls go one and two while sitting on LH's red couch, with a confused Lucy by my side.

And that Game... you know, that last Game... that I watched on break with complete strangers in the library atrium and then on desk (with no volume), listened to the self-admitted biased game calling on the Fan 590 and finally, nails literally being bitten down to quick, with the 'rentals. With only 24 seconds to go, my stomach bottomed out. It was during the intermission that we separated the patriotic from the fairweather friends. My mom said not to worry, that we had it; my dad said that if a team can give up a two-goal lead without an answer, he wasn't so sure that team could handle OT. I said that this is how epics are written: you can't just win the Game, you have to win in sudden death overtime; that Sid the Kid hadn't had his moment yet; that I just knew we couldn't lose. Not with 33 million people wanting it to happen.

This was my generation's '72, our Miracle Game. This is the kind of story we'll tell future hockey kids. I haven't been that excited since.. well, I can't remember. And to watch the entire country erupt - from coast to coast to coast - well, that was just spectacular. For just under 70 minutes, we put aside our reserved, quiet patriotism and just went balls-out red-and-white. It was a beautiful thing.

The next day, I knew I had something to talk about with everyone - the staff, the courier, the mat-guy, every single customer, the cashier at Metro, the security guard... I loved it. I even bought the little Maple Leaf donuts, though I kinda hate donuts (that's right, not every Canadian likes fried dough). It was beautiful to see us all united in this. From veteran hockey-watchers, to first-timers swept up in the fever. As I sat in the atrium, I overheard a conversation between two high-school-aged boys (clearly new-ish immigrants) discussing what this "hockey" was all about - they thought it would last about an hour and a half. I turned around and gave them the scoop: it was a period, not a quarter; it would probably last closer to three hours; yes, they were allowed to hit each other (that was called a check) as long as it was clean. When I left, they had clearly abandoned all pretense of working on whatever project they had spread on the table in front of them. Two more voices added to the throngs of cheers.

Thanks Canada - what a ride!

4 comments:

n0wak said...

People are quick to forget the last "my generation's 72", 02.

Malecasta said...

it wasn't as epic as this time around, was it though? home ice, overtime, a previous (devastating) loss...and the kid, who's been bone dry all series, comes through in a clinch. you can't make that stuff up.

n0wak said...

It was MORE epic in 2002.

The horrible opening round (destroyed by Sweden in the first game, barely scraping past *Germany*, and a tie against the Czechs), the fierce media consternation against the team, THE GRETZKY PRESS CONFERENCE, and a final gold medal game against the US in THE ENEMY'S LAIR. A game that they trailed and came back to win. That goal by Kariya. Brodeur's miraculous saves. The last hurrah for the previous generation, with a lineup of Lemieux, Yzerman, and Sakic? MUCH BETTER.

Malecasta said...

You make a good case, Nowak. But I think the clincher is the home territory deal. Actually hearing cheers from across the street and the dull roar from the entire Vancouver skyline (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8VMxt-MqTiI&feature=player_embedded)

... I think this one's my epic. As a polite Canadian, I will agree to disagree with you :)