The End of a Hockey Dream

I now know how it feels when a parent comes to the realization that their child does not have what it takes to make it all the way. When it's blatantly apparent that time has run out. I can't blame my son, he's doing his best. And I know it's not healthy to live your dreams through your child but everything was going so well. From the moment he could crawl I had a mini stick in his hand. As soon as he could stand I had him on bob skates. Then came formal skating lessons and finally the key element that was going to put him over the top....that's right, the backyard rink! Backbreaking nights shovelling that rink. Remember the winter of 2008? It was all worth it with the dream so close to becoming reality. But it all ended tonight, right there in the bleachers of Mlacak arena. Mlacak! I don't even know how to pronounce it, but that's where it all came crashing down...at the Kanata Minor Hockey Association 5 year old initiation sort-outs.

I knew we were in trouble during warmups. While the other children were skating around the ice, some struggling to stand, others motoring around impressively, my son was in the center ice circle, practicing what he and I have come to call "the move".  It's this thing he does where he takes a few strides then starts gliding while slaloming from side to side like a skier. I have no idea where he got "the move" but I knew I was in trouble when he pulled it out during warmups. Then the drills started and things went from bad to worse. He had met up with one of his favorite kindergarten mates in the dressing room and the two of them were goofing off while the coaches were giving the instructions. Imagine that, on the most important night of his life there's my 5 year old playing the fool with his buddy while the coach walked through the drill. From station to station he went, with no idea which cone to skate to or when to switch from forward to backward crossovers.

My wife arrived a third of the way through and she could tell something was wrong. She tried to console me but there was no use. We watched together as he pulled "the move" time after time, even as the coaches were imploring him to skate hard. Did he not understand the magnitude of the situation? This was sort-outs! Then as he moved to the station right in front of us he did the unforgiveable. He looked up at us with a huge smile on his face and started waving. I was furious! What did he think he was supposed to be doing out there? Having fun?

By the time the practice had come to an end I had given up all hope. But as I made my way down to meet my boy and walk him to the dressing room I knew I had to be strong; that it was my job to give him support in this time of need. I'll give the kid credit though, he put on a brave face, giggling and horsing around with his school buddy as I got him undressed like nothing had happened. His buddy's father asked me if this was my son's first year? When I said yes he commented on how well he was skating. Nice guy I thought, rubbing it in! Then I did what any self respecting hockey dad would do, I quickly got him out of his gear and stormed out of that place.

On the quiet drive home I thought about whether my reaction was appropriate. Was I making too much of one bad night? He's only 5 after all. Did he still have a future in hockey? Years of early morning practices together, tournaments, road trips, mini sticks in hotel hallways? Is it possible that minor hockey is really all about having fun, goofing around with your buddies in the dressing room?

Nah!

Then a second thought came to my mind that lifted my spirits. Kanata Basketball Association "Small Ball" sort-outs are only three weeks away! Three weeks to work on that left hand move to the basket. Look out baby, here we come!

Leave Heatley Alone!

The day of reckoning is fast approaching! The Senator's annual golf tournament goes today and rumors are that Heater's on his way back to town sometime in the next few days. Old number fifteen. Enemy number one! To be honest I've been rather shocked at the fan and media reaction to my man Heater's off season act. It seems like the whole city is out for blood but I'm here to tell you that there's at least one guy left in Ottawa, a season ticket holder at that, who has Heater's back.

While the Heatley trade demand has obviously shocked everyone in the hockey world, when you take a step back is it really that surprising? Honestly, why would a young guy with Heatley's looks and charisma want to be stuck in a backwater town like Ottawa? This guy belongs in LA or New York where the action is. Making movies, dating starlets, being seen at clubs. He should be running with the likes of Paris Hilton or Snoop Dog or whoever the hell the A-list celebrities are these days. Who's he supposed to roll with here in Ottawa, Max Keeping? Wayne Rostad? And name me one place where a guy can be "seen" after 10 pm in this town. The salad bar at Scores Chicken House? "How about some more croutons out here junior? I'm Danny freakin' Heatley!"

If Heatley had any backers before the infamous press conference he certainly had a lot fewer after it. But I'm sticking with him and to be honest I can see his point. This guy's a star, a 3 time 50 goal man, a member of Team Canada. He's a dedicated athlete who spends hours in the gym over the course of a year. Just take a look at his physique...maybe tens of hours. Why should he be made the scapegoat for an under performing team? Why should he be the one who's sent to the second powerplay unit? Why should he be forced to skate hard and backcheck? He's Danny freaking Heatley! Sure, it might look like he's dogging it but do you know how much energy it takes to skate up and down the ice holding your stick up over your head? Try it sometime.

The one thing more than anything that seemed to upset Ottawa fans and media alike was Heatley's explanation for rejecting the proposed trade to Edmonton, that being needing "more options". Hey who among us does not want options in deciding our future? I know I do. In fact the day of Heatley's presser I was given a rather unpleasant assignment by my manager. Inspired by Danny's "options" justification I walked into my manager's office that afternoon and let him know in no uncertain terms that I wasn't doing any work on my assigned task until I was given more options. And guess what? It worked! My boss immediately gave me a second option. Unfortunately I can't print it here. In the end I chose the first option but the point is, like Danny, all I really wanted was more options. That's all the guy's asking for....OPTIONS! Is that so unreasonable?

While Heatley's press conference was almost universally panned for being nothing but lip service, what people refuse to acknowledge is the level of character Danny showed toward the end of the presser when his representative stated that they would take no more questions; press conference over. Most guys in his position after being forced to recite vague, scripted answers for a good 20 minutes would have taken that opportunity to bolt, but not Heater. He immediately interrupted his agent and bravely stated that he would take "two more questions". TWO MORE! Above and beyond the call of duty if you ask me. I really think that was Danny's way of paying back Ottawa fans for their support over the past four years. Either that or his flunkies hadn't yet returned from gassing up his boat and picking up the beer for their afternoon on lake Okanagan. Either way, how can you take cheap shots at a guy who takes time out of his extremely busy off season to give vague, scripted answers to two additional questions. What a guy! And he does it all for under $8 million a year!

Let's face it folks, it's gonna be ugly. Whether he arrives today or this weekend, like an army of jilted lovers the Ottawa hockey community will be ready to pounce. I say give the guy a break; turn the other cheek. The guy's been through a lot already. Word is he was so broken up over this mess it was all he could do to drag himself out to the nightly Okanagan lakeside beach party. Oh he made them all, and was usually the last to leave, but witnesses say this affair was weighing heavily on him. Heater's been through hell these past 3 months my friends and it can only get worse. The poor kid; you couldn't pay me enough to be in that guys shoes. Not even 8 MILLION DOLLARS!