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2337 Posts |
 Posted - 02/22/2004 : 19:23:34
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Contributed by: Raphael Borenstein
What is it about playoff hockey that gets blood to boil? From Peewee Regionals, to Junior or College championships, to the Stanley Cup finals, playoff hockey drives players to a level of intensity unmatched in any regular season contest. Of course, those games mean more then your average beer league playoff game….right?
Refereeing adult recreational hockey during playoffs could compare to organizing a nice steady procession during the “running of the bulls” in Pamplona. What is it about a $6 t-shirt or an $8 trophy that would drive an even keeled person to swing his hockey stick with reckless abandon in an attempt to injure somebody? Why would an average Joe drop his gloves and trade bare fisted blows with another grown man in a game where both teams are going to drink beers and laugh afterwards whether they win or lose?
This does not go for all players, but an overwhelming amount of players lose track of rational thought and really believe that what happens out there really means anything. There are a few donkeys that actually play like this all the time, but the word “playoffs” seems to bring out the “Oh crap! Things are really on the line now!”, attitude in the normally reasonable.
If you are an adult playing recreational hockey, here are a few things to remember in case that “P” word has clouded your judgment;
·no scouts are watching
·no money is on the line
·nobody is out to get you or your family
·this isn’t a tryout
·no pro contract is waiting
·your reputation is not on the line
·nobody is impressed with your toughness
·people file lawsuits
·everybody has to go back to work tomorrow morning
·you paid to have fun
Next time you get dressed and ready to step out on the ice for a game, remember where you are and what you are doing. Just like the campaign says…..”It’s just a game”
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