Brian-Carolina

Hey Ek... just thought I'd drop a brief line to add my 2c to the debate.

I think the thing that has gotten me the most out of this whole thing is how it has affected my 3 year old son, Nate. Ever since he could walk, he's loved hockey, even in warm(er)North Carolina. He's got his own goal, numerous child-sized sticks, and various balls, soft pucks, and real rubber pucks. At least once a week, he says, "Play hockey with me, Dad", and we'll get down on the hardwood floor to shoot pucks. Now, he's gotten to the point where I'm the goalie and he's the shooter. He tells me, "You have to stop the puck and then fall down - that's what goalies do". Now my 1 year old has a stick that he uses mostly to hit his older brother with. We went to the draft this Summer in Raleigh and watched the WJC on TV every night it was on. We used to attend ECHL games a couple of times each year before our local club left (due to finances, of course).

At least once a month (it has dwindled... it was once a week), he asks if we can watch hockey on TV. Although I'm a counselor, trained in working with children around very sensitive issues, I've struggled with how to explain the situation to my son. I've told him that the "hockey people are very mad at each other, so they're staying home". He asks if they're yelling at each other, and I tell them that they are. Nate seems to think that maybe they need to go to "time out", since "that's where I go when I yell".

I hate that I can't watch hockey on TV with my son. I hate that I can't drive to Raleigh to see the Hurricanes play the Penguins. I hate that, in our most recent Thanksgiving trip back to Pittsburgh to visit my family, we couldn't catch a Pens game. Just this morning, my son asked me as I was getting ready for work, "Daddy, are you going to wear your jersey like me?", which only reminded me of how much we're missing.

This isn't about money. It isn't about "cost certainty", luxury taxes, or impasses. It's about my 3 year old son and the other children of all ages, who simply want to watch hockey and can't. I certainly hope that some of what you're reporting comes to pass. If not, I think I'm with Nate - they both need to go to "time out".

Brian Gmutza
"Vapor Trail"