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Our Trip to Indianapolis

"A Drinking Team with a Hockey Problem"      Visit the Beak's Web Page:  http://www.lopatka.net

Bolingbrook, IL January 19, 2007

E-mail Report by Butthead

Friday's game was great. 6-5 meaningless and 2-0(I think) meaningful for the White team. R. Granato set up his Dad twice. The second one Don made a great move and blew it past Eddie, who had a couple snorts in the locker room and treated us to a civil war reenactment. The Brain was awesome, thwarting numerous attacks by the Reds with ease. I think he was watching Nascar highlights before the game.  Tom Morgan

Will Harvey take a cruse ship dance offer?**See Page 2

Thanks to Tom "Butt Head" Morgan for the game report.  Ken, Jeff and I were in Indianapolis to watch Jeff's team go 0-2-2.  we saw 4 exciting games. We ended in a tie for third place. We got off to an early lead in our first game and took a 1-0 lead into the closing minutes, when we were forced to kill a 5 on 3 penalty.  They scored 2 and downed us 2-1.  The second game had a similar theme, this time  Jeff scored late in the first period to give us a 2-0 lead that we held late into the third period when two 5 on 3s cost us the lead.  We lost 3-2.  Saturday night we scored first and held on for a 1-1 tie.  We did the same in the consolation game, where we were tied by a goal that never went in, but the referee said it did, so we got another tie.  Jeff had a great time, because they had a national cheerleading competition there and a number of the lovely ladies were staying at our hotel. We played 3 of the 4 games in the Pan Am Center Rink that was located right across the street from the RCA Dome where the fans were crazy about their Colts and the upcoming AFC Championship game. When we were leaving, we saw how Dome Team Fans tail gate. They were drinking beers indoor in the parking garage! I'm glad Chicago never put in a dome.
Road Trip Saturday March 24, 2007.
I'm putting the lines together for the Bloomington Prairie Thunder Road Trip, I need to know who is playing and who needs a room and how many goalies should Art get?

http://www.prairiethunderhockey.com/
I sent an e-mail to Bill Gaston, author of Midnight Hockey.  I told him how much I enjoyed his book and I gave him a quick Duffer History lesson.  He sent a nice reply that I printed on Page 2. 

(Left) Nick, Frank and Boris at lunch last Wednesday.

 

Page 2

Midnight Hockey Quotes By Bill Gaston

Why do we play?  Why do we ever play?

I suppose I've written a book attempting to answer this question.  Negative capability. Second childhood. Reptilian brain.  Ego gratification.  Addiction to the Zone.  Delusions of lost grandeur.  Boredom.  Comradeship.  Gilt free beer.  Fear of death.  Brilliantly childish fun.  We can pick any one of those.  Packing my bag, I decided on Brilliantly childish fun.  Plus the cold Beers.  Not even the most Brilliant child gets to have a beer.


Greg-- Well, your note (and elaborate, and totally cool website) made my day. It's great to know that the book has touched someone, if only their funny-bone. But sometimes also their heart, or whatever, and if I in any way made a beer taste better for you, well, my job here is done, as they say. But it's great how so many of us codgers are playing for the pure fun of it, and for the time spent with the guys, and all the rest. There really are a lot of us! Though only a few, it seems, who have hit the mother lode--free beer, and a choice of three different brands, to boot.*  Some of us are truly blessed. Joking aside, it seems you are truly blessed--that photo, in sweaty uniform between your two smiling boys, well, that's any man's dream, I'd say. As to getting a signed book to you, no problem and my pleasure, except that I have to order some from the publisher. I think I get them at 2/3 the cover price. I'll let you know what they charge me and that's what I'll charge you. In the meantime, send me your address.  Anyway, thanks again for your note. We play in a big tournament here this weekend, and I plan on getting at least one meaningful goal. Or at least setting one up.

Cheers, Bill Gaston


* I told him about the great Beer guy we have.

**I told Bill Gaston that we have a guy like who loves to dance and would probably do like his team mate, Kelly, and take a job on a cruise ship, but he would never sign that agreement about not dating the ladies he teaches.  Harvey thinks, "Why dance if you can't party with them?"

 


 

 

Our Trip to Indianapolis

The Town was Colt Crazy

This space is usually filled with a report of the Friday Duffer game, but I wasn't there, so I'm waiting for an e-mail report.  This week end, I went to watch my grandson Jeff and his Huskie Midget team play in a Hockey tournament in Indianapolis, Indiana.  My granddaughter Michelle came along and we saw 4 exciting games.  We ended in a tie for third place.  We got off to an early lead in our first game and took a 1-0 lead into the closing minutes when we were forced to kill a 5on 3 penalty.  They scored 2 and downed us 2-1.  The second game had a similar theme, this time  Jeff scored late in the first period to give us a 2-0 lead that we held late into the third period when two 5 on 3s cost us the lead.  We lost 3-2.  Saturday night we scored first and held on for a 1-1 tie.  We did the same in the consolation game, where we were tied by a goal that never went in, but the referee said it did, so we got another tie. Jeff had a great time, because they had a national cheerleading competition there and a number of the lovely ladies were staying at our hotel.  We played 3 of the 4 games in the Pan Am Center Rink that was located right across the street from the RCA Dome, where the fans were crazy about their Colts and the upcoming AFC Championship game.  When we were leaving, we saw how Dome Team Fans tail gate.  They were drinking beers indoor in the parking garage!  I'm glad Chicago never put in a dome.  
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We had a nice turnout at the Duffer lunch on Wednesday.