Philadelphia Flyers: A Life Long Love Affair With Hockey

I have a love affair with the NHL and the Philadelphia Flyers. I wouldn’t have it any other way

The NHL has been an important part of my life ever since I first watched it. You might say I have a love affair with hockey. And you’re probably right. Through all the ups and downs of the hockey season, the NHL, and the Philadelphia Flyers, have always been there to cheer me up.

In Kenny Chesney’s song “Ain’t Back Yet”, the popular country singer reflects on his life.

"“Looking back at the moments black and whiteI wouldn’t change a thing that changed my lifeFor the worse for the betterMan, I was gone….gone forever”"

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The same slightly annoying co-worker that insists the Islanders are a better team than the Flyers asked me a question that left me almost speechless. He asked me, “So what made you a hockey fan?” My reply was that hockey was just the most exciting sport on the planet. While that is true, I knew it was not quite the whole truth.

I pondered the question at the gym after work, during the Flyers-Golden Knights game, and long after I was in bed. What did make me a hockey fan? Truth be told, I can’t ever remember not being in love with hockey (and the Flyers).

Hockey has been one of the few constants in my life. It has seen me through a lot of difficult times. The disaster of my first marriage. The loss of a child. Nearly losing my best friend to breast cancer. No matter the circumstance, I could count on the Flyers to take me away for a few hours.

My love of the sport is eclipsed only by my love for my son, who watched his first Flyers game at just about four hours old. Swaddled tightly, safe in my arms, he watched a Flyers-Bruins game with his Momma.

First Taste of Love Never Will Forget

That was my son’s introduction to hockey, but where was mine? I grew up desperately poor in a very affluent South Jersey town. When I was growing up, TV was free…no cable bill, so we could afford that. We were a Philadelphia sports family, Phillies, Eagles, Sixers and obviously the Flyers.

My grandmother was particularly fond of the Flyers, as well as Roller Derby and WWF wrestling. I have memories of Sunday dinner with the television in the dining room so that we could watch the Flyers, my sweet little grandmother urging on a fight or cheering a vicious hit. She loved her Broad Street Bullies and passed that love on to me.

Gone…gone forever

One of my first memories of hockey is of a game I attended while I was in grade school, maybe first or second grade. I had been invited to the game by the family of my best friend. We had first level seats in the old Spectrum. This was the first game where I was on the lower level to watch the pre-game skate.

I stood, transfixed, face pressed up against the glass, as men I had only watched on television skated just feet away. Their sheer size, power, grace, and agility just amazed me. I remember Katie’s Dad having to nearly drag me to my seat a few rows off the ice. I was gone…gone forever.

And I Ain’t Back Yet

The most recent game I attended was the 2017 Black Friday game, Islanders versus Flyers at the Wells Fargo Center. I am paying for the tickets now, and my son and I were four rows off the ice. I made sure we were there in time for the pregame skate. While I am obviously no longer in grade school, I was still so beguiled by the grace of Claude Giroux, the strength of Wayne Simmonds, and the agility of Travis Konecny that I was rendered breathless.

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If you need further proof that hockey is the most exciting sport on the planet, watch Travis Konecny’s overtime goal versus the Detroit Red Wings. He danced on the blue line to stay onside, drove up the ice and shot the puck with deadly accuracy. Even after the Flyers loss to the Knights on Monday night, I watched the replay of Giroux’s goal in that game and I am still gone….gone forever.