Like many others who have already posted, I truly enjoyed the Final Five this
year, the fact that I'm a Badger fan not withstanding.  But near the end of a
season, I'm tired of the game and the bitching and complaining from CSCHL-II
members and players from my own team.  And then, it happened...my tired
feeling was turned to energy.  How, you might ask?
 
Saturday afternoon, MN playing Denver, it's the pre-game warm ups.  The
Gophers are in their end skating drills; I'm sitting near the goal line
taking pictures with a group of rink rats a few seats down.  Scott Bell (MN
#10) is waiting in line with some other Gophers and looks out through the
glass and notices that one of the younger kids is wearing a MN jersey with
his number.  Scott waves. The kid waves excitedly back, happy to be noticed.
Scott picks up a practice puck and tosses it over the glass to the kid, then
skates off to take his turn at a drill.  The kid looks stunned for a moment,
then his face breaks out in pure joy as he jumps up and down, waving the puck
high over his head for mom and dad to see.
 
Yes, Virginia.  The true meaning of hockey came out for a moment.  A game,
nobly played, which turns young men into heros for their fans - especially
the younger boys, who dream of one day wearing their school colors for the
honor and glory of the crowd.
 
Yep, I'm ready for another season of the best game on earth.
 
Best of luck to all the teams this week.  Stay safe.
 
Mike Breitner ([log in to unmask])
Commissioner - Central States Collegiate Hockey League, D2
Northern State University, Aberdeen, SD