Complete and utter spam

Since I cannot do a recap of the game last night (I am starting to hate working on Mondays...) and it was an awesome game, I will just reference Steph's post and mention what an awesome friend she is for supplying me with coverage while I worked. When they won, I shouted and yelled in the kitchen....and apparently people could hear me at the bar. Nothing wrong with a little celebration! Even if the bartender knew the score from two rooms and a hallway away.

A few comments:

-I am so upset I missed the rally helmets. I saw the pictures and the recap and seriously, hockey players have no business being so damn cute. They should do it more often...it seems to work! It is also gratutious cute Penguins, which I am not above enjoying.

-Ty Conklin got called up by the Magic Wands Blue Jackets. I really want them to play him tonight.

-I hate to admit it, but I am looking forward to watching the Devils play against the Sabres. I've never liked the Devils before, but little 15 is wicked fun to watch, and a great skater. Now let's pretend I just didn't say something nice about New Jersey. Go Buffalo!

I'd say you've got the wrong Staal, but the Pens one isn't legal yet.

Now, while I am all for fans, especially women fans, getting into hockey, that picture makes me cringe. Are women really serious with these signs and such? I can't imagine they are...right?

I've heard disturbing stories that there are pre-teen giggling girls lining the stands at the Igloo with such signs. Say it ain't so! Honestly, I can understand to a certain extent. I've made comments about the physically attractive qualities of this young pup team (I mean, really, you'd have to be blind) but what is really attractive is the their play. Last night's game is proof of how damn good these guys can be, but I think the girls that are waving around those signs are not actually watching the game (must be hard to see around some of them). I could be wrong, they could be die hard fans from the day they left their momma's womb, but I doubt it. You don't do your hair and put on make up and pretty clothing to go to a hockey game. You paint your face, wear a jersey, stand and shout and get into the play.

Part of my irate response to these types of girls is that they give female hockey fans a bad name. Last night at work I was speaking with a friend of mine (who happens to be a die-hard Flyers fan, but no one's perfect) and I told him that I was going to be up in Montreal this Saturday to see the Pens game. He asked me where I was going to sit, and I said it was up in the stands a bit (Bell Centre tickets are insane!), and he told me to work my way down with my friend and try to get on tv. I wouldn't mind that, really, but I said I doubt they would put us on. His advice to me was to wear a tight Pens shirt, with my friend in a Habs shirt, and do to 'tasteful' face paint, such as cute Penguin on my cheek. Now, I don't mind the face thing, but I took a bit of offense at the 'tight shirt = publicity' comment, especially after I said no thanks, and his response was that no one wants to see girls in big bulky jerseys, even if they're cute. Since when is a form-flattering pink jersey and hair spray a prerequisite to being a lady hockey fan? That's the image of an upset girlfriend being dragged to a game by her boyfriend.

My biggest bone to pick with this stereotype of the clueless screaming girl waving a sign asking Sidney for a kiss is that it helps to encourage the idea that women hockey fans, especially ones under 35, don't actually know anything about hockey and just go with whatever team is doing well/their boyfriend likes/is popular. When I start to talk to someone about the game they disagree with me on points that I know are right, and then look at me in complete shock when I talk about something that happened 10 years ago. I can't count the number of times I've gotten a look that equates to a tolerant smile and a pat on the head from a man. This is not to say all male fans are like that, I've found many that are great to speak with and wonderful hockey fans...but the stereotype is there.

Bottom line: Other than offending my senses, there is nothing wrong with women going to the games in their tasteful hockey wear and waving signs asking for players' hands' in marriage, but is it a bit too much to ask for them to have an interest in the game as well? Perhaps I'm just grumpy from lack of sleep and finals this week, but I can't help but fear that when I finally get enough money together to go to a Penguins game IN Pittsburgh this spring, that my view will be clouded by silly girls and their perfectly styled hair.


I will now get off my soap box. Any comments, female fans?