The Hockey Life: Week 23

It's doesn't take a rocket scientist or a ground-breaking psychologist to figure out the primary reason I go hounding. Above all else, it's the simple fact of adding to the hockey autograph collection that motivates me to drag my butt out of bed, make the drive across the Gandy Bridge and hang out near one of three hotels in downtown Tampa

To say that's the only reason, though, is far from the truth. There's much more to it than that.
Part of it is the camaraderie of hanging out with Hockey Bay's regular crowd. It's always nice seeing familiar faces, catching up and commiserating about long waits and players who say "no." That's what hounds do.

Another reason is simply getting out of the house. Beyond my real job at Florida's best newspaper, I keep myself pretty busy with freelance work. It pays for Colin's hockey and the other niceties within our lives. To avoid going bug nuts, though, I need to step outside the seemingly never-ending work routine. That's where hounding, as well as this blog, come in.

Last week, I was reminded of yet another reason why hounding is important.

Dave and Brad, a couple of hounds out of Michigan as well as faithful readers of our exploits over the past few years, made their annual spring trip to the Hockey Bay area. Part of their itinerary included hounding the Tampa Bay Lightning and New York Islanders.

I caught up with them last week. I was headed home, limited by work to only a morning skate of hounding. They were headed over to the Islanders hotel. There, I finally delivered a pair of signed Dave Andreychuk promotional cards I'd promised to send nearly a year ago. That, alone, made me feel good.

Over the past few years, I'd gotten used to seeing them show up about this time. We'd swap stories about teams and players. They'd tell me how cold it got up north, hanging out in heated cab of a truck waiting to snag an autograph on a brutal winter day. I'd tell them hounding in nearly 90 degrees, no matter how good it sounds, isn't a slice of heaven.

I know they've taken an interest in Colin's fledgling hockey career. I think we've spent enough time now to consider each other friends. Over the years, I've developed some pretty good friendships through my blogs.

And, that, is one of the better things about hounding.

For a good cause

I'm happy to report, too, that the charity hockey game between the St. Petersburg Police Department and Tampa Bay Lightning alumni proved to be pretty successful. The stands were packed and a lot of money was raised for the families of three slain St. Petersburg officers.

We did our part, too. Beyond donating a Tony Esposito-signed puck for the memorabilia raffle, Colin must have sold nearly $200 worth of raffle tickets.

It took a little encouragement, but he soon found his voice and got a number of people to dig deep into their pockets. Rather than highlighting a Steven Stamkos-signed jersey, a Vinny Lecavalier-signed stick or a $100 gift certificate to a tattoo shop, he opted to promote a pump soap dispenser featuring Thunderbug, the Lightning's mascot. It worked, as more people wanted to win that than anything else.

Wouldn't you know it, too, that Colin ended up winning one for himself. Martin Raymond, one of the Lightning's assistant coaches, agreed to buy five tickets but only if Colin would keep the chances. It was hard telling, thanks to matching mile-wide smiles, who was more excited when Colin told Raymond after the game that one of those tickets proved to be a winner.

As always, the hockey gods were present that night.