These foolish games are tearing me apart

I wonder if when Jewel wrote this song that she had any idea that one day I would use it as a title for a blog post about hockey.

Yes, that's right, hockey. I've discussed this before. Kind of.

Here's the deal. I have only been a hockey fan for a little over a year. After the 2009 baseball season, I asked my friend Hawk what the hell I was going to do with my winter, since the Cardinals made a rather atrocious exit from the postseason, and I wouldn't really have a team to cheer for until spring. His response? "Well, it's time to get you into hockey."

And that's what we did. He came over, drew out hockey rinks, explained strategy and point scoring and playoffs and we watched games on TV and he was CONVINCED that he was going to turn me into a Hawks fan. Until he made one mistake.

He took me to a Blues game first.

The Blues and Hawks happen to be rivals (unless you ask Hawks fans, who are beginning to think of the Blues "more as a nuisance than a rival").

Now, let's get one thing straight. This was no ordinary hockey game, due to the number of AWESOME things that happened. David Perron had a hat trick (scored three goals, for those unaware), there was a fight, it was a high-scoring, high-intensity game, and we sat a mere seven rows off the ice. The only thing missing was a line brawl, which I did eventually see in a game later that season.

Anyway, I was in love. A lot of people I know don't like hockey ("I don't get why they have to fight!"), but I loved it. And I like to think I picked it up really quickly.

I found a favorite player.

I even got that favorite player's jersey.

This is actually the one I have, I just can't find any good ones of me wearing it.

I was determined to continue a life-long support of the Blues. I wore that jersey to a Blues/Hawks game, accompanied by Hawk, who was wearing his Chicago jersey. There were some odd looks and hilarious responses from the two of us being together, even though we are just friends. We spent the evening before and after the game with a WHOLE BUNCH of Hawks fans who came down from Chicago. There were so many I was literally one of probably only six Blues jerseys to be seen in a whole bar that just happened to be 5 blocks from where the Blues play. I was outnumbered, but dammit, I stood my ground.

Since then, the Hawks won the Stanley Cup, the Blues failed to make the playoffs, baseball came and went (at least went for my Cardinals), and then a few months ago I had the most bizarre realization.

I was just as excited for Hawks hockey to start as I was for Blues hockey.

Oh no.

They are RIVALS. St Louis versus Chicago. Cardinals versus Cubs. Blues versus Hawks. Us versus Them. This could not be happening.

I figured out how it did happen, though. Without even trying (that I'm aware of), Hawk had slowly but surely COMPLETELY inundated me with Hawks knowledge. I knew their lineup just as well as, IF NOT BETTER, than I knew the Blues lineup. The different lines people played on, where they came from, why they left....I knew this about the Hawks better than I knew the Blues.

Big realization.

My two favorite teams? Rivals.

Shit.

This past Friday the Hawks were in town. Oh be still my divided heart! I wore my Backes jersey, and yet, there was a part of me that was without a doubt cheering for his opponents.

Guys, I am in big trouble here. Seriously. I find myself loving watching and cheering for the Hawks, yet I feel loyal to the Blues, like they got to me first. And anyone who is a fan of either team? Well they just don't understand how I could POSSIBLY like them both.

Hello rock. Hello hard place. Here I am, stuck in the middle with you.

As a random sidenote, though, as we were walking out of the game Friday, Hawk pulled up the Second City Hockey website, which is where Hawks fans blog and comment all about hockey, and where they absolutely bash the Blues with reckless abandon. I expected that. What I didn't expect was this:

Original article here.

You see, the writers for this awesome site were in the throng of Hawks fans that took over that bar back in February. And not only did one of them remember me, he remembered WHAT JERSEY I WAS WEARING.

So:

Because I'm sweet. I even got a response:

Awesome. Just awesome.

I guess all of this babbling is to say, I love hockey. I do.

And dammit, I wish the Olympics were sooner than three years away.