Last week, I briefly mentioned my new obsession with hockey. Today I am going to elaborate. These are the top 10 reasons I love hockey and why you should too.
10. Ice rink/skates: The athletes are on skates. I consider myself an athletic person, but I could never hit a puck with a giant stick on ice. I would be falling all over the place and making a fool of myself. I like ice skating, and maybe I think ice skates are cool because I can’t do it. The ice rink can get cold sometimes, but it’s still fascinating how a giant circumference covered in ice is utilized.
9. It’s not bad to watch on TV: Baseball and basketball are tough to watch on television. Television takes away the atmosphere and intensity of some sports. It does that with hockey, but, because hockey is so intense, taking away a little intensity leaves you with plenty of entertainment. Watching hockey on TV isn’t a horrible thing.
8. Yelling vulgarities: You can yell and scream and encourage players to beat each other up. The referees won’t throw you out for doing that either. That doesn’t happen in any other sport.
7. Athleticism of hockey players: Hockey players have mad skills because they skate really fast and they move the puck even faster. They have mad hand-eye coordination. They control the puck at high speeds with an incredible accuracy. Everybody who is on that ice has to be really good at the sport, or they wouldn’t be there.
6. Toughness: Hockey players are super tough. They get slammed against walls. They fall on ice. They get elbowed in the gut and face. They get smacked with sticks. Their toughness is an admirable trait. Granted, they have gear that protects them, but it still can’t feel good getting beat up like that.
5. Shootouts: I secretly cheer for both teams — whichever team needs to score so the game will end in a tie. Ties lead to overtimes, and overtimes lead to shootouts. It helps that one of the first live hockey games I watched had the sickest ending. Shout-out to Braxton Green for the sickest between-the-legs game-winning trick shot ever. I probably should be over that by now, but it was awesome; it’s going to take some time.
4. Good-looking athletes: I know that the athletes are covered head to toe in pads and helmets. You can’t really get a clear look at the athlete, but somehow you just know the attractive ones. Good-looking athletes seem to be in every sport and are always an added bonus.
3. Penalty boxes: Penalties and fouls happen in every sport, but only in hockey do athletes get put in timeout. When little kids get put into timeout, they throw a tantrum. It’s the same in hockey. Grown men get put in timeout and they slam doors, punch the glass, and yell and whine. Tough hockey players throwing a fit? I think yes.
2. Fights: Watching athletes get into all-out brawls is awesome. Who wouldn’t love players throwing gloves all over the ice and using their sticks as a weapon against another person? The ice also adds even more tension, because they slip and fall on each other. The refs also get involved in fights. Even though they get involved to break up the fights, they have to get physical and aggressive. No other sport does that. No other sport encourages fighting.
1. Zambonie: It’s so awesome it doesn’t even need an explanation.
