Tales From the Crease
Wednesday, July 21, 2010

Posted by RatzySnipes

Goalies are the quiet guys. When you spend half the game alone with your thoughts while the boys dangle in the offensive end, you've gotta learn to stay focused. In the dressing room, while the forwards are arguing over who benches more, who wheels the best broad, and who has the dirtiest flow, the goalie sits in his normal spot, packing a lip and contemplating the game ahead. He knows exactly what numbers on the opposition will go glove side, which ones will hack, and which will chirp the hardest. But none of that matters to the tendy. He's not the biggest guy on the team, but he's the Arnold Schwarzenegger of mental strenghth. Tonight, he could be facing the league's leading goal scorer, all alone on a breakaway while the sold out home crowd places all their playoff hopes on his shoulders. Is he rattled? No. Is he nervous? No. He's ready to step out onto the ice and giv'r. One too many pucks to the head has made him realize that there's nothing to fear. He spits out his chew, cleans out the spice rack with some water, and laces up the pads that will protect him from 90-miles-an-hour shots, and protect his team from losing their shot at the championships. 'Cause when you're a goalie, every day is a great day for hockey.