Its all about the backside push, baby

I don't have much to comment on, since I can't get on the damn ice. Not only that, but for several days, Center Ice has not been working in Goalie Household. Finally we got it back on track last night, and were watching Ottawa vs Buffalo (in between periods of the Ranger game, obviously). At one point, Alex Auld slid effortlessly across his crease (while down) and it was so smooth and fluid, even Goalie Husband, who watches other parts of the game besides just the goalie, noticed and was impressed. It's just a quick little simple move. But it's so much more difficult than it looks because you're using one leg to push your whole body over to the side. He did it so quickly and seemingly effortlessly that I just sat there in envy, feeling a little hopeless of ever being able to be that smooth and efficient.

Thats when I remembered what my friend is always pounding into my head- don't wish for it, work for it. And I realized that these exercises that I curse as I'm doing them are what's going to give me the ability to hopefully get to that point. Not that I'm delusional enough to think I'll ever be at Alex Auld's level, but I'm going for as much increase in skill and strength as possible. And now I've got that image in my head. And someone else to curse as I'm struggling through squats "until muscle failure". So F U Alex Auld. You're going to make me work harder.

Flatter me, please

Incredibly sore legs notwithstanding, I played open hockey again today (after also playing yesterday). It's extremely frustrating to have a month-long gap in our league's schedule, but I'm doing what I can to stay on the ice. Good thing I have a ton of vacation time I can use at work for these late mornings.

Today's game was unremarkable other than the fact that it was pretty fast and we had a few guys I haven't seen. We also had four goalies. That's common for summer, but rare for this time of year. So, I had the chance to languish on the bench for a while. Now, when I sit on the bench I don't usually talk to anyone, because I don't really know too many people there. So I was off at the end of the bench, in my own world, watching the other goalie who was quite good, and trying to absorb skill and knowledge just from watching. A guy halfway down the bench banged his stick on the bench- I guess he was trying to get my attention for a while and I didn't notice. He struck up a conversation with me, asking me if I was in my own little world. I said, "Yes, Goalieland". We chatted a little, and he asked me if I went to school in the area (there's a university nearby). I laughed and said "No, but thank you". So, go me. A 34 yr old looking like a college student. This guy was obviously pre-gaming in the locker room if he thought that.

The only other thing of note is that now I am completely spoiled rotten in terms of skate sharpening. When I got to the rink I realized my skates were extremely dull and had a few nicks in them. Since my coach was just standing around shooting the breeze after his morning lesson, I asked if he would do me a favor and sharpen them. He obliged... and I swear it took him probably 20 minutes. I was standing there thinking, these are either going to be really good, or really crappy. Even Johnson was giving him a hard time about how long he was taking. Well the minute I set foot on the ice I knew it was just because he's meticulous. Wow. I can't even explain what it was about the sharpening that was so good other than it was just PERFECT. I guess it takes a goalie to sharpen goalie skates just right. Except now I'm spoiled- the guy at the pro shop doesn't come anywhere close to what he did. I might have to find a way to bribe him to do it on a regular basis. Beer will probably work...

(I just realized I mentioned beer in both paragraphs here. Obviously, I'm very much looking forward to my first of many Halloween parties tonight. And given the crap that's been going on at work, could definitely use a beer or four.)

Um, yeah. Ow.

No I didn't overdo it. I actually cut the workout down due to the fact that I overslept by a half hour. But I was determined to at least do something, figuring something is better than nothing, and I actually did quite a bit. I only cut out one set of two exercises each. And I only got shot in the head once. (My friend said to approach it like someone has a gun pointed at your head, and when you think you're too tired to go on, imagine that AK pointed at your melon. Well, I quit a few seconds early on one of the exercises so I guess my brain got splattered.) At any rate, I am happy with the results- just enough to make me feel it but not so much that I overdid it. And I told my friend what I did and how much of it, and apologized for it being pathetic, but he said it was actually a really great start. So go me. I have two days in a row of morning hockey and then I'll get back to the workout. If I'm not too hung over on Saturday that is...

stronger legs = better push = faster goalie

During my last open hockey outing I did really well, but I noticed something that I seem to have trouble with. I won't bore you with the details, but I was discussing it with the friend I mentioned a while ago who was a pro prospect up until this summer, and once again he hit the nail on the head. He said I need to be quicker. I surmised that meant I need stronger leg muscles and he agreed, saying plyometric training is the way to go. I didn't say much, thinking what I've read about plyometrics is confusing, but the next thing I knew, my inbox was blinking at me; he'd sent me his personal off-ice training program from when he was actively training for pro hockey. I thought that was really cool of him, and of course being the sponge that I am when it comes to soaking up goalie knowledge, found it fascinating. Of course, it's obviously designed for someone who's job it is to train all day, so this is not something I could fit into my schedule. Nor is it something that would be physically possible for my body to do, as it would require about 3,000 calories a day PLUS protein drinks. However, we discussed how I could break it down and pick it apart for my needs, and turn a 6 day a week training regimen into 2 to 3 workouts per week that will greatly benefit my reaction, endurance and strength on the ice.

I cannot wait to get started. As much as I loathed getting up early on a Monday morning so I could be at the rink getting my butt kicked by 6:30, I really miss it. I miss the instruction and I miss the workout. Once the post-practice food hit my system I perked up and felt great all day. So my plan, and he agreed this was probably the best way to do it, is to get up early and do the workouts in the morning before work. All I need now is the motivation to actually get my butt out of bed and do this. It's easier when you know someone's waiting for you at the rink (and you have to pay them to torture you), than when the only person you have to answer to is yourself. But discipline is also an important part of athletics so I guess that's all part of the package.

Incidentally, looking at this training program, I think to myself... wow, I would absolutely love for that to be my job. But as he pointed out "that's my work week", and he got paid hardly anything for it, and there's always someone behind you waiting to take your place... I can see that there is a lot more to being a pro athlete than the glamour everyone thinks of. Still, it looks like heaven to me. I think I'll be ready to start tomorrow morning; I just need to work on some details of what I'm going to do and when, and just bite the bullet and do it. When the instructions on the exercise say "repeat until muscle failure", you know you're in for a good workout.

Patience, Grasshopper

My long-distance goalie buddy "Guru" and I have fallen into the habit of texting each other after games. After Monday's debacle I texted him saying "another blowout. so frustrated". He replied: "Patience. It will come." I know he's right. I know there's a learning curve here and really, I'm no stranger to those. I just need to forge ahead and get myself on the ice as much as possible so I can work through it and climb my way up that curve.

With that in mind I was at the rink for open hockey yesterday. Not surprisingly, I ran into my coach. (I've had to put a stop to the lessons for a while for financial reasons but I still see him around). Since I already knew a little bird had told him about my shellacking, I brought it up. After joking that yeah he'd seen something on the news wire under the heading "a bad showing", he said something really interesting. He reminded me that you're never as good as your best game and you're never as bad as your worst game. Sounds like something I'd do well to remember. Guess that's why he's the coach eh?

Mortified

I knew going in to this league that we'd be the bottom feeders at first, maybe even for the whole season. I knew we'd have some lopsided losses. But what has become painfully evident to me is that it's not the team as a whole that is below par, it's me. When games are played predominantly in the opposition's zone and you still end up with 11 goals against; that's a goaltending problem. When play comes down into your zone and you know it's invariably going to end up in the net; that's a goaltending problem.

I told my team last night to find another goalie, because I'm so embarrassed by how much of a liability I am. The guys I moved up with from the lower league, for some reason I'm not as embarrassed in front of them, but the other half of the team is a bunch of pretty good guys we know and played with here and there and asked to join the team and I feel like they think this must be some kind of joke.

I'm not really quitting the league. They were words said in anger and frustration at myself. And I wanted them to know I know I don't belong in this league. But I paid my fee and I'm going to play. I will find some way to hopefully get better and stop giving up crappy soft goals, because there were a hell of a lot of those last night. Yes, there were some due to defensive breakdowns. But the majority of the goals last night were complete shit that I should have stopped.

That's it for the pity party. We have a few weeks off now so hopefully I can get some open hockey in and try to sharpen up a little.

Ahhh... that's better!

See, I knew that's all I needed. It's been a while since I played open hockey, and I went today and thoroughly enjoyed myself. Played until I could barely make a save anymore, and that's exactly what I needed. I am, if this makes any sense, refreshingly exhausted. I also have the day off today, and aside from some major cleaning I have to do in preparation for a guest tomorrow, it's going to be a pretty low-key day.

Until tonight, that is, when I hit the bar and then the Garden for the Rangers' home opener. SWEET.

Good Riddance

I really can't think of anything to say that won't sound like sour grapes, so here's the result in a nutshell:

- We lost 4-2

- We had yet again the most incompetent and biased ref who's ever stepped on the ice, but I'm not blaming the game on that. Still it added to the frustration level.

- #48 broke his finger blocking a shot on his 2nd shift. Though he came back to the bench I know it killed him not to be able to play, and we definitely could have used him.

- I got run. Repeatedly. Dickhead Ref, upon checking on me to see if I was ok after I was run partway through the 3rd period, said "I'm going to be watching for that. They're really running you." You don't say! What took you so long, asshole? (Note: no goalie interference calls before or after that).

- One small note of personal success: I stuffed their best shooter on a penalty shot. Kind of feels like an empty victory but it's a personal one nonetheless.

- I am glad to be done with this league, for a litany of reasons I won't go into because, again, it'll sound like sour grapes. Looking ahead now to the challenge of the much faster league.

It's just not pretty, no matter how you slice it.

Well I'm writing this post because I feel I have to. Even though it will really really hurt to actually type out the score of our last game. The team we played against was faster and better... oh wait. Not the whole team. Just the three guys that should be (one of whom actually is) playing C level hockey, but they were on the ice for most of the game anyway. We went down 4-0 in the first period. But we put up a good fight and came back within 2... and after that we pretty much traded goals. At one point we were within one, but a goal that shouldn't have counted ended up on the scoreboard because the ref was busy trying to get a date with the scorekeeper. (I shit you not. Nowhere in my zone was there an official. He was at the scorer's table bullshitting. And a shot came in and I just stopped it and it was under my pad, yes on the line but under my pad and not OVER the line, but the other team carried on and celebrated even though I argued, and the ref eventually made his way over, asked me what the deal was, and I told him it was under my pad, not in. He took the puck and skated to center ice with it. Hey assmunch. Why ask me then?) That was the 7th goal. Yeah, I said 7th. We kept up the back-and-forth into the third period when it was 9-8 at one point... and then they just blew it open. Final score? 12-8. Goalies everywhere are cringing.

I got beat on some shots that I didn't have a chance on, the way those super fast guys blew past the D (no fault to the D- these guys had no business being in this league). But I got beat on a lot of shots I should have, and if I'd been playing open hockey regularly like I used to, would have had my timing right to stop. I committed way to early on several shots and for some reason it took me well into the 2nd period to realize I wasn't waiting them out, which I think I am normally really good at. I really, really have to get back to open hockey. I'm not sure if I can with the situation at work, but we'll see. Because my timing's all messed up.

The post-game party soothed the hurt of a double-digit goals against game though. The whole team, plus some extras and #48's wife ("Wills" in the comments - who is also a good friend of mine and bane of referees' existence) stood around in the parking lot drinking for a while. A few of the "others" headed over to a local bar, and #48, his wife, and #28 and I went over to meet up with them. I was still sulking when I got there but some good natured ribbing about looking like Charlie Brown and some more beer snapped me out of it. Much fun was had, with Wills and I attempting to play pool and losing horribly (though I think our opponents didn't really care that much because they got to watch us bend over), and later all of us loudly singing along with "Piano Man". Well. Almost all of us. #48 tried to pretend he didn't know us. Wise move on his part, really.

The night was capped off at a diner for breakfast and Goalie Husband and I didn't fall into bed until 3:30. All in all it was a good way to erase a really horrendous experience but that double-digit number still stings.

Tomorrow though, it's all in the past. We have our last game in the instructional league - our THIRD crack at the championship. And I'm going to do everything in my power to make sure we win that case of crappy beer. The "hole" thing.

Here we go again

I certainly hope the cold I've had all week is not a harbinger of the carousel of illness I was on last year. This year I'm a little better armed though; the cocktail of allergy pills, vitamin C supplements and regular vitamins I started taking last spring seemed to work really well, so I'll start that up again and hope to fend off at least some of the germs this fall/winter.

It's because of the coating of snot on my brain that this post is late, and that I had a really crappy game on Monday. Thankfully, it wasn't the championship game for the instructional league- that's this coming Monday. This past Monday was only my birthday, and a game against what is probably the best team in the new league we're in. The game was marked by us finally having our matching jerseys... and a spectactularly bad performance by yours truly. Yes, I did make some good saves, and yes, there was a bad bounce. But the fact of the matter is, the play was in the other end a lot of the time and yet we ended up with 8 goals against. Sorry, not acceptable. (Final score: 8-4) I was definitely not at the top of my game and I hope to redeem myself this weekend when we play the team that's shaping up to be our rivals... if only because we know some of the guys on that team and see them frequently, so the trash talk has been going for weeks. I'm looking forward to the party in the parking lot afterwards almost as much as the game itself. We do things real high-class around here you know.