Mucker's Musings: Shameful Pond Hockey Past and Present
I really enjoy walking across the parking lot of Lake Nokomis as U.S. Pond hockey championship games are being played. You can hear chatter, sticks and skates echoing from hundreds of yards away. That is a great sound. I also like the sound of a vulcanized rubber disc hitting the back of the box made up of two by fours.
I like that sound in moderation.
Back in January of 2006, during the original U.S. Pond hockey championships on Lake Calhoun, Shame on Ice had to field a team. Grumpy, Sheriff, Barbarian, Scooter, Slick and Mucker went to the skaters tent and sat on hay bales to get prepared. I glanced down to see Tom Chorske lacing up his skates, I knew I was in big trouble.
During our first game, during that inaugural championships, losing 11-7 might have given us a false sense of security, like we could actually skate with these guys.
Game two was a little different. And for the 6 years since, We would often tell a story, it went a little like this…..
“You know, Shame on Ice played in the original U.S. Pond Hockey championships on Lake Calhoun, and unfortunately we lost a game twenty six to two. But we like to say, when we cut the lead to eighteen to one, the crowd went nuts”
Fast forward to last Saturday, January 21st, 2012 at 9:45am.
“What’s the score ref?” Mucker hollered at half-time.
“Fourteen to One!” The ref said, almost apologetically
We had one spectator, original Shamer, Slick
“I’m not sure about this Slick” Mucker pivoted from his fold-out chair just over the boards of rink 21
“Not looking good” Slick belly laughs.
‘Thud’
‘Thud’
‘Thud’….
The second half did not improve.
Well, at least I will get to tell a new story about 2012, 32-2.
All in a 30 minute game.
“You could set your watch to these guys” Will be the new punch line.
Shame on ! – Mucker
