What I Did For (Sports) Love

Since Jerseygirl asked, here's my story. Long. The version I posted to Quickie was significantly shortened. Tub(a) gave a pretty good abstract.

I accidentally became a Vancouver Canucks fan sometime during the 03-04 season. After the success of my sojourn to the Meadowlands in February that year (4-0 stomping of the Devils in their own barn kicked off by a Sedin/Sedin goal on the first shot, after an hour of sitting in the parking lot listening to yanndanis.com-esque clips of Brodeur saves), I emptied my bank account to fly from New York to Vancouver and back for one day over spring break. One-day only because at the time I was booking it, I was planning for Cornell hockey occupying my weekends with playoffs.

I had never been to Vancouver before, nor had I flown anywhere by myself before except between home and school. To save money I flew red eyes in Wednesday morning and out Thursday morning and didn't bother to get a hotel. This created a significant hold-up at customs, since I had no luggage and no real destination other than the rink on Wednesday night. The flight arrived at about 11pm pacific and I was let go at 4am, after they went down the list of everybody on my mobile phone calling to verify my story. Thankfully Grant was awake to answer, otherwise I'm sure they would have shipped me back to the states like they threatened to.

Highlights of my interrogation include accusing me of being a runaway (I was 20), punctuating real customs questions with Canucks trivia, asking if I kept documentation with me proving I was registered to return to Cornell the next fall, asking about my classes and upon learning I was an English major demanding to know why I was carrying a foreign-language textbook, and so on. Without my precious ticketmaster printout I think I'd have been booted. They then informed me that I couldn't stay in the airport after normal business hours, despite the numerous other people visibly sleeping in terminals waiting for their early morning flights. Jerks.

A few hours later the first shuttle to downtown arrived. I made friends with a backpacker from Australia who seemed to be in the same boat of hopelessly lost as I was. He knew the name of a youth hostel downtown. As it turned out the shuttle passed our stop, so they dropped us off on some residential street to wait for the next shuttle. Minor.

Once downtown I peered in and out of hotels looking for visitor brochures. I walked up and down taking pictures while it was still sunny out. Went to Stanley Park, frightened myself out of venturing too far into it lest I never be heard from again. Still had hours to kill and then it was raining. Fled to Subway, quickly running out of money. Wandered down to the historic district and then to the library, which had its own interior mall. Then I went to the rink when I saw an entry line had begun to form.

(begin sentimental crappy stuff) As soon as I lined up I knew it was worth it. The rapture hit me. Here was a whole city that loved their hockey team and everybody. I bought a hat and they gave me a free poster. I went down to my seat (7th row up from ice level, man) and the regulars who didn't recognize me were really friendly, asked me questions, loved my story, complimented my hat because it had the vintage logo. Good, good times. A winning game after a month of post-Bertuzzi doldrums didn't hurt either.

Of course after that was the rough part. I was in and out of hotel lobbies trying to look as inconspicuous as possible but eventually got kicked out, and then I was sleeping on a park bench in the rain, and then I was wandering around to see what parts of downtown were open. Hallelujah, 24-hour McDonalds (across from the sketchy sex clubs)! Got kicked out of that after 20 minutes too, even though I ordered something. They are very anti-transient in Vancouver. Guardrails splitting up the benches and everything, almost no awnings on the sides of buildings. I saw only two other homeless people in my entire time wandering downtown. I gave all the rest of my cash to the homeless lady, who then cursed me out for not giving her more.

Eventually I walked around looking for where I had seen the Australian guy go into the hostel but got myself lost, so I went back to the first hotel where the airport shuttle stop was. Made friends with the SkyTrain janitor after 2am, he was from India and hated living in North America having to work two jobs. He asked me creepy questions like whether or not I was married or had a boyfriend, but given his limited English capabilities I think that was all the small talk he knew how to make. I had the same experience with a French exchange student in middle school. Then the first shuttle to the airport came just before 6am and I was off. I took the risk of getting fresh with the border patrol when I was back at the airport because they were asking me the same questions again, but blessedly they left me alone. $10 mandatory airport maintenance fee later, and my adventure was over. I'd do it again, I think, though with a B&B reservation for sure. My parents still have no idea I did this, and I think it's better that way.

Wow, after hearing that, accusing an opposing player of having VD doesnt seem that extreme.

I think it's safe to say that 95% of us have better stories than the stuff that ESPN decided to publish, but since they aren't about the Yankees or Red Sox or college basketball or football, there wasn't much chance of any of them getting used. (And, after all, there's really no such thing as college hockey.)

By the way, my submission was about scheduling and taking the LSAT at Western Michigan in December of 2002 so I could go to every game in the 02-03 season. Maybe not as crazy as Lauren's story, but I'm proud of it in my own way.

Oh, the stories they posted are pretty good. I especially liked the one where the guy broke up with the girl he was about to propose to because she kept asking why he cared that the Vikings had lost a playoff game. Though you're right that college hockey was never likely to break into that column.

Lauren's story is pretty crazy. Way too long for the column unfortunately.

[Q]KeithK Wrote:
Oh, the stories they posted are pretty good.[/q]Sure, some of them are good, but some of them are terribly generic.

Agreed. But you expect non-generic from Disnified ESPN? Of course not.

You know, I was thinking of submitting a Yankees story in hopes that it would have a better chance of making the column, but I haven't actively done anything crazy out of love for the team, things have just sort of happened by way of dumb luck -- like going up to the stadium by myself, getting offered a ticket 10 rows off the field and ending up sitting next to some club owner who gave me his card and was like, "Call me and I'll get you on a list when the Yankees come to my place." (I didn't -- I don't dig the "let's get dressed up to go admire famous people" thing.)

Of course I also woke up in cold sweats for months after the 2004 ALCS, after having nightmares in which the Yanks came back to tie it up, the game went into extra innings, and then they'd lose, or worse, they'd win, and I'd wake up and realize I was only dreaming.

And I didn't watch Aaron Boone's home run the year before because when I turned on the tv to watch the game, Soriano was at bat and struck out swinging on a pitch in the dirt. So I did what I had to do and turned the tv off, because obviously my tuning in was bad for the team.

I won't date people who are Red Sox fans. Seriously. I've turned down drinks (!!!) from guys who are wearing Boston hats.

I stopped talking to one of my best friends for well over a month after she jumped on the Sox bandwagon and was openly cheering for them on her online profile in the 2004 postseason.

Yes, I know, long post. I got riled up.

The ones they published were so-so. We get it, people travel a long way and pay alot for their teams, but everyone has some story like that. You need something more, like the custom's problems with S-A-B's story. And the one about missing the wedding rehearsal was crap, unless he was the groom, who cares.

My Cornell hockey stories are generally of the what lengths will I go to to get to the game variety. Long distance travel, cutting work, driving through whiteout conditions or on black ice. I have a lot more crazy emotional reactions to the Yankees, like putting a foot through the wall after a loss (in July no less) or breaking a baseball bat swinging it at furniture after an opponent's homerun (2001 series). The difference may come from the fact that Cornell hockey is more of a community thing for me. After a tough loss there's usually a group of fellow Cornell fans around me who I can commiserate with. Baseball has always been a more individual thing for me.

[q]I won't date people who are Red Sox fans. Seriously. I've turned down drinks (!!!) from guys who are wearing Boston hats.[/q]While I respect that, I think you should accept the drink and then intentionally tell the guy what to do with his hat. Might as well get the free drinks, right?

I've heard stories about Eagle fans who scheduled their wedding for the bye week so they wouldn't miss a game for their honeymoon.

Personally, I don't think what I've done for sports is too far out there but:

- Wearing an orange wig and a clown hat to harass Ray "Bozo" Casey when Princeton came to Lynah.
- Making a foam rubber #1 hand out of an old couch cushion since nobody made such a thing for Cornell back in 1980.
- Sleeping ouside during snow flurries in the season ticket line.
- Looking up the words to the German national anthem or to "O, Canada" in French so I could sing them when the pep band played them for the West German national team and the University of Montreal.
- Checking for Cornell scores online at a hotel lobby public computer in Shiwha, Korea or an internet cafe on Ambergris Key, Belize.

My personal favorite: We were playing Providence in the ECAC finals in the Garden in 1981. The Providence section was in the corner right across from the Faithful. There was a big sign on the railing that said "Go Friars! Beat Cornell!" I had some carboard and a marker to make impromptu signs, and made a sign that said "Off" I went up to the Providence section, and hung the "Off" sign so as to block out the word "Cornell!"

When they figured out what I'd done, they chased me halfway down the concourse. Worth every minute.

Well I would never dream of getting married in October. March/early April is probably out now too.

I don't even want to feign interest long enough to get the free drink, Keith. I have nothing to say to a man who likes the Red Sox.

[Q]Jeff Hopkins '82 Wrote:

My personal favorite: We were playing Providence in the ECAC finals in the Garden in 1981. The Providence section was in the corner right across from the Faithful. There was a big sign on the railing that said "Go Friars! Beat Cornell!" I had some carboard and a marker to make impromptu signs, and made a sign that said "Off" I went up to the Providence section, and hung the "Off" sign so as to block out the word "Cornell!"

When they figured out what I'd done, they chased me halfway down the concourse. Worth every minute. [/q]

In high school, a bunch of my friends were on the boys' volleyball team, and so a few friends and I went to cheer them on at the state tournament. In the quarterfinals, the team they played was nicknamed the Rockets. They had a group of eight very burly guys, probably football players, spelling out "ROCKETS!" with paint on their t-shirts. Although our school's nickname was the Aces, three friends and I borrowed some tape from our team's trainer and instead taped "SUCK" on our shirts. Then we sat one row back and to their left. We made it through about three points before their exclamation point ran off to tell on us, and then a PIAA official made us take the tape off our shirts. I guess their football team wasn't that tough. I wish I still had the picture that one of the players' parents took of that one.

[Q]jmh30 Wrote:

Nobody on this board has ever done anything crazy in the name of Cornell Hockey.[/q]

No, never, of course not. And certainly nothing illegal. Not to my recollection.

[Q]KeithK Wrote:
... or breaking a baseball bat swinging it at furniture after an opponent's homerun (2001 series).[/q]Jeez Keith, what kind of cast-iron furniture do you own that the bat broke and not the furniture?

[Q]jmh30 Wrote:
Sure, some of them are good, but some of them are terribly generic.[/q]

I can't believe they actually wasted space with an "I sat there and cried when my team lost!" story.

Beeeej

My "coffee table" is an old steamer trunk that my grandparents used for transatlantic travel (not sure if it dates to when they actually immigrated or not). It's pretty much indestructable - and I have the notched bat to prove it!

Ah, but was their transatlantic travel specifically for the purpose of attending a playoff game?

Beeeej

I heckled Mike Gilligan (former Vermont coach) loudly. The unique part of it was that it was about an hour before the game and Grady (I think it was him, it was circa 1990) was interviewing him in the press/scout seats. There were about 10 people in the building and he just kept looking at me..........why on earth does this kid care this much? Kind of inappropriate I guess but I didn't curse and Grady managed to get through the interview.

Hey Section A - I am a HUGE Canucks fan, have watched every game since Brendan Morrison was traded there (went to Michigan for b-school, they won the national championship in '95-'96 when I was there). I am wondering what Nonis is doing, letting Malik go and trading Sopel. Good to get Naslund back but we need some defensemen!!

[Q]Beeeej Wrote:
I can't believe they actually wasted space with an "I sat there and cried when my team lost!" story.[/q]There's an "I screamed myself hoarse rooting for my team" in there somewhere too.

wow...i don't think any of us have done that...we're just so..ya know...quiet...

Or worse...a "man" (if you can even call him that) who just recently came to like the Red Sox.

As a lifelong Yankee fan, I have much respect (nothing more though) for long-time Red Sox fans, but seeing scores of Boston hats on the heads of twenty-something business-casually dressed douchebags in NEW YORK CITY makes me absolutely sick.

In fact, the only thing that makes me more ill is the fact that I will have to see Brian Leetch wearing a Bruins jersey. Ulgh.

[Q]BCrespi Wrote:
In fact, the only thing that makes me more ill is the fact that I will have to see Brian Leetch wearing a Bruins jersey. Ulgh.[/q]Could be worse. Repeat after me: He could've signed with the Devils. He could've signed with the Devils. He could've signed with the Devils...

Fair point

I can be pretty extreme with my sports fandom, but here's an example of a guy who went just a little too far...
[sportsillustrated.cnn.com]

Edit: Apologies in advance to anyone who thinks this is inappropriate. For some reason seeing this headline right after reading this eLynah thread just had me rolling. I admit it, I'm sick.

Gee, in his picture he looks so normal........

This reminded me of my favorite pre-game heckling, unfortunately it was after Cornell won the ECAC consolation game at the Gahden (1985 I think). Hahvahd (sucks) and RPI had come out for warmups, and a cheer got started by the Cornell crowd " FAT " (pointing at RPI coach Adessa, who was one big boy) "BALD" (pointing at Cleary). It kept up for quite a while, and even the security guards at the garden were laughing.

My only contribution to the "what I did for hockey" theme would be driving from Long Island to Boston on a Saturday for the 1980 ECAC consolations/finals, not knowing if Cornell had won in the semifinals. Half way to Boston we heard Win Elliot on Sports Central USA say "ECAC Hockey final all Ivy...Dartmouth vs. Cornell" I never heard him mention college hockey before or after that.