Go Giants Go!

Today rocked.

Started out by going to the flea market and getting some plants to reinvent my garden, to doing a little gambling, to getting ready to head out on a date with my man!!! Which meant that we went out, and Brandon stayed home!!! Woo Hoo!!!!

We headed to the final game of the Memorial Cup. The Giants pulled through for a rematch against the Tigers for the Cup. In case you don't have a clue what I am referring to, this is the final game of a junior hockey tournament that involves the host city and the 3 winning teams from the 3 junior hockey leagues across Canada. This is a few steps away from the NHL, and the kids playing are laying it all on the line because this is the time to be noticed, and hopefully pave their way to the show. The Giants were the host team, but lost out for the Western league championship but a hairbreadth in a nailbiter best of seven series a few weeks ago, against their nemesis for 2007 - the Medicine Hat Tigers.. which if you recall, was ironically enough the team we got to see play at the Saddle Dome when we were in CowTown a while back. Funny how it all works out, eh?

To make a long story short, the game was a sell out - even the standing room tickets were long sold. There were artifacts from the hockey hall of fame, a huge beer garden (although the only choices were Canadian and Coors light, like WTF??? I choked down a Canadian, and well, won't be going that route again soon, I like the dark stuff), and so many people it took 15 minutes to walk a lap of the Colliseum. There were white towels on our seat backs, and people wearing amatuer jerseys from all over. The Memorial Cup is like the Grey Cup in that fans come from all over, and they are representing where they are from. The vibe in that building was unreal.

I will save you from a blow by blow of the action, but when great saves, great hits, goals, and plays happened, the noise erupted and filled the building, and there was a breeze that would lift my hair as the towels waved. The Giants pulled out a huge win, and it was amazing to be there for that moment - and to be there for the win, and the rituals of the cup being brought out and then awarded, to see the unadulterated joy on those kids faces when they won, and the tears on the faces of the winners and the losers. Junior hockey seems to have something that you don't always see in the big leagues, the heart, and putting it all on the line, and then unknown factor about not knowing what the future will hold. Back in the day, when Ken and I were a courting, he introduced me to junior hockey, and it has taken a hold. He was in his Giants jersey, and me in my team Canada one, and it was a great date, perfect for us.