Where My Ladies At?

THESE ARE OUR STORIES
(How I Became a [Female] Hockey Fan)!

My story! Well I am a bit of a newbie to ice hockey in all its forms as I am British and live in England where it is no where near as big as it is on your side of the pond. Until I met my husband at University 5 years ago, all I knew about hockey was from America T.V. but my husband was a big fan of one of the British Elite League Ice Hockey teams, the Sheffield Steelers. Ice Hockey is a very small sport over here, most games only have an audience of 2-3000 and our arenas are tiny compared to yours. My husband asked if I wanted to come along to a game after a couple of months of us going out, and being a new girlfriend, I grudgingly said yes, well I was almost instantly hooked. I am a fan of some of the other British sports, football/soccer, rugby, cricket, all of which have some fairly complicated rules so it was nice to watch a sport that you could so easily follow.

My husband is also a bit of a fan of the St Lois Blues (I know, how shameful!) and his best mate is a Calgary fan so I decided to choose my own NHL team to support. Now this is the bit that I am slightly ashamed to admit but I chose the Penguins because of the shirt!! In my defence, I don’t have any affiliations to any American or Canadian cities (no family over there or anything) so I figured it was as good a place to start as any. Initially I would only see what they were up to now and again, and watch the very occasional game that was available to us over here (there is one quite expensive channel that shows American sports including the NHL). That is until last Easter when my husband and I had our first major holiday, a three week trip to New York, Toronto, Montreal, Boston and a road trip round New Hampshire. We had a really amazing time and loved all of it, but in particular, the amount of Hockey that we were able to watch! We managed to get tickets to see Rangers v Devils in Madison Square Gardens which was just amazing, we also took in the Hockey Hall of Fame and watched loads of hockey everywhere and anywhere we could. All of this was right at the end of the regular season last year which was a fairly exciting time and since then I have been completely hooked, all of the playoff games were shown over here which was really great, I even stayed up to watch some of them (most games start at 1am over here) and if not I would try to watch them before work the following morning. I have to say my new found love of hockey was also helped by my realisation that there are some particularly good looking guys (my personal favourite is Kris Letang) and there is just something about the kit….

This season I have been able to watch all of the games after finding out about online coverage of the NHL, which is also cheaper than the tv channel so I am loving it at the moment (although not the last few games, damn those injuries)! I am now beginning to fully understand the game and can really recognise the skill and tactics which adds so much to the game. I think my husband is a fan of my new found love (well hockey anyway, maybe not Tanger!) even if I seem to have become more obsessed than he is! I was also adamant that we would try and holiday in America next year and see a Penguins game, however it looks like that may now have to be postponed as I am now expecting the arrival of a brand new Penguins fan!!

I love your blog, it is the only blog I read (full stop, not just sports related), it is that nice mix of hockey but light hearted and often just so good to look at, I have to say that it often takes me quite a while to read the posts, especially the eye candy ones as my eyes just keep straying to the pictures!! So thank you very much, and all the best from rainy England!

Mez C

As unconventional as the way you became a hockey fan is, Mez, I don't think there's any need to feel ashamed of it because ... well, that was quite a choice you made I must say (and everyone else will probably agree)!!! I mean ... aside from their being MY favorite team and being comprised of a majority of the most attractive men in the NHL, they DID win the Stanley Cup and become Champions, right?!! I'd say thats as good as any other way to choose something to become a fan of especially when you don't have any type of affiliation you can make with any of the franchise cities making up the NHL!!

THANKS for sharing this incredible story and CONGRATULATIONS to you and your husband for the newest little Penguins fan you'll be bringing into this world!!! You'll have to keep us posted (pictures, PLEASE!)!! ; )

Don't forget, if you wish to submit your story, I kindly ask that you email them directly to me so they don't end up being repetitive for some of the readers. Also, if you don't want me to include your name, please let me know that as well (what I'll normally do is put your first name and last initial if I have it OR just your screen name).

FEEL FREE TO INCLUDE A PICTURE!!

I also want to let you know I LOVE these stories (and so do alot of our readers) - I've always found it interesting no matter who the fan, so I'm enjoying ALL OF THIS IMMENSELY!! KEEP THEM COMING, but I ask that you email them please - THANKS!!!

Also, I ask that you please BE PATIENT as I'm still receiving TONS of stories in addition to the ones that are already posted in some of the "comments" sections here that I'm hoping to re-post. If you sent in a story, it will eventually be on the blog - I promise!! ; ) JUST BE SURE TO KEEP THEM COMING (the more the better!)!!

thesteelcitysportsfan@gmail.com