Hockey at the Zoo

Living in Dallas, if I see anything hockey-related, it's usually for the Stars. Most people here are not hockey fans, they are Stars fans. There is a difference. Stars fans will only root for the Stars, and not know much about hockey at all, really, they just know that they want the Stars to have more points on the board at the end of the game.

Hockey fans, however, will watch a nationally broadcast game just because it's on, just because it's hockey. They don't care that it's not a team they don't follow, they just want to watch hockey. I don't encounter these people very often. Some people here even look at me funny when I mention that we have a hockey team, which, really? The Stars are the last team to bring a championship cup to Dallas. But, it's the South. Football reigns supreme around here.

That said, it makes me really happy when I see other hockey sweaters around here. I work at the zoo, and on a chilly day a couple of weeks ago, I saw a gentleman wearing an Ottawa Senators jersey. He stopped me to ask me a question, and after I had answered it, I congratulated him on his chosen team making it to the Stanley Cup Finals (I was rooting for the Sens, too), and we chatted for a couple of minutes about hockey.

Now, if this could happen to me more often, I'd really appreciate it. Also, that story kind of sucks, so I apologize. It definitely doesn't beat Kerri's Lourve story, or Tracy's OBGYN story. But it's all I've got.