A Fan

I am extremely passionate about hockey. I love the sport--the speed, the beauty, the physicalness, etc. There are so many things to like. This is one reason why I was so upset over today's game. With the NHL needing to expand its fan base, it was an absolute embarrassment to watch what went on in the game. This definitely is NOT the way to win fans.

Of course, I am even MORE passionate about the Red Wings. Most sport fans have a favorite team and I am no exception. I love to talk to other fans--even non-fans--about the players, about the game, about the organization. My favorite subjects, of course, are the Red Wings, but I will talk hockey to just about anyone at just about any time. My love of the Red Wings is the other reason why I was so upset over the game.

In many ways, I am a typical fan. If you looked up 'hockey fan' in the dictionary, my picture would be there. I live for the season and go into withdrawal during the off-season. I guess I really need a life.

As a fan, I will berate the Wings whenever they give a game away. Too many times I've seen it happen and it really hurts. On the other hand, I never let go of a loss that was handed to the other team. (One of the reasons I am such a non-fan of the Ducks.) And, I remember the ones stolen from them a lot longer than the ones they gave away. Today's loss will be one I remember.

Another way I am a typical fan is in the merchandise department. I have a jersey (or 'sweater,' as hockey jerseys are called) with my favorite player's name and number on it. (I have vowed not to wear it until I can see him play in person--something that may never happen.) I have Red Wing t-shirts that I only wear on game day. I have four different 'winged-wheel' necklaces that have become my jewelry of choice. My Jimmy is pretty much a 'Wingmobile'--a Wing antenna topper, the logo on the back window, a Wing license plate on the front and a plate frame on the back, and a winged-wheel in the side window. My laptop has a Red Wing Skin-It on the top . The background picture on my cellphone is the winged-wheel and a picture of Filppula is on both of my computer desktops. So, a typical fan.

I watch every Red Wing game I can. We are lucky to live where we do, as our cable system DOES carry the Detroit station that broadcasts almost all of the games. We also have Versus, so whatever the one station doesn't carry, we can find on Versus or NBC. This keeps me from having to put out the cost of NHL Center Ice. I have been able to watch at least a portion of every game they have played already this year. Not many people are as lucky.

As a fan of the game, I also am lucky to have Canada so close. Our cable company also carries a Canadian station, so whenever the Wings aren't playing I can usually find a game that is being broadcast from Canada. This gives me a good chance to see teams from the east that we don't see at other times.

I have many internet sites that I visit every day to see what is going on with the Wings and the league as a whole. I subscribe to two hockey magazines so that I can be as knowledgeable as possible about what goes on. I get email from at least three different sites daily. My cellphone has the Red Wings' website bookmarked.

One thing that separates me from a lot of fans is this: I don't feel as if I am a part of the team. You will NOT hear me say "We're No. 1!!!!" You will NOT hear me say "We won the game." I don't, in any way, think that I have a hand in the Wings' wins or losses. I do NOTHING to help the team or hurt them. I watch them do what they do best, that's all. And I appreciate every minute of entertainment they give me.