Stop The Madness: An open plea

All:

I haven't had much to say about the I-league portion of this blog since I moved up to D nearly a year ago. BAC has done a nice job keeping things going. I thank him for that. He's a good kid.

But I thought it was time to chime in with some thoughts, for what they are worth, about the direction I-league and to a lesser extent D-league have taken in Euless. Much of the change is good, but some of it is bad. This seems to me a natural effect of growth, and maybe it's time for a small course correction that we should all consider in order to keep our little community together.

First, the good:

When I started this blog in January 2006, there were seven or eight teams in the I-league. Last season, there were seventeen or eighteen. That is phenomenal growth in 1 1/2 years. Everyone who plays I-league is to credit for that. We have created our own community around the league and recruited our friends to take up the sport. We push each other to learn and improve. We're having FUN. We're having a few laughs, making new friends. And for those of us who choose it, we're drinking a little beer.

That's it.

Folks, we play for fun. You want to see guys who play for real, go watch an A-league game. Go watch the Stars. Go watch the Brahmas when they come back. We don't play for real. We have families and careers that have nothing to do with hockey. We play for fun.

It seems to me that's where we've gotten way off the track. I've run across too many people who might well be having fun, but they're taking this thing far too seriously. They care too much about winning the keg. They whine too much when the lucky bloke on the other team gets lucky and scores a couple goals. They complain too much about ringers even while recruiting ringers to play on their teams. I love these guys and gals, really I do, but they need to get a life. As the saying goes, we all have to go to work in the morning.

Yes, the lower leagues in Euless have a big problem with guys playing way down from their ability. Great, we all agree. Now, let's all shut up about it and let Yockey do what he can to fix what needs fixing.

I have a sense that the rampant ringer complaints in I and D are going to cause some changes no one really wants. Some of you are going to lose teammates just because an opponent fingered them, not because they're actually playing down. There will be unintended consequences.

If everyone would work to show a little more sportsmanship, the leagues would be much better off, and games would be more fun. That goes for ringers who doff their helmets and take a bow after scoring a hat trick (I saw this with my own eyes recently), and for those who incessantly whine about anyone who scores a goal, lucky or not.

It's a game. Here's some perspective: Every single one of us sucks at hockey. Every last one of us, in the I-league and the D-league. Even the ringers. Come out and play in a big-boy pickup game some time and see how great you are.

We all suck.

And, that's OK. We play for fun, remember? With some hard work and each other's encouragement, we might be better some day. Or maybe not. That's OK.

So, could we just get back to that simple notion? We play for fun and friends -- and beer. As we start another session, let's try and remember that.

About this blog: The stuff written here is intended only in the spirit of good fun. It shouldn't ever become personal or petty, and it should reflect good sportsmanship. That doesn't mean there's no room for good-natured ribbing, of course. But if anyone feels like we went out of bounds, please let me know. My e-mail is on the right side of the page.

Above all, the goal of the blog is to provide information about goings-on at the local rinks and provide a place for this community to exist online. Your thoughts are welcome.

See you on the ice,

BC