My beloved Dallas Mavericks were playing game six in the first round of the NBA playoffs, but I had hockey on my mind. Since the Dallas Stars had called it a season I ventured down to the Allen Event Center to cheer on the championship bound Allen Americans or “LIVE IN THE RED” as their cheer implies. The place was packed with loyal fans decked out in their Allen Americans “Red” to cheer on their team. Okay, the place was sparsely filled at best. I’m guessing everyone was down the road at the AA Center watching the Mavericks game, but who cares because I was wearing RED and ready for some freaking hockey! I’m still kind of wondering about the girl dressed up as a cat. She had the ears and everything. Oh well, fans tend to get a bit weird sometimes. I was a little miffed about the Bavarian Nut stand not up and running. They had Dippn’ Dots ice cream but no tasty cashews and almonds? Seriously? I could be home watching the Mavericks get beat. Of course, one of the cool things about these minor league hockey games is a chance to play “chuck a puck” where you pay a buck for a puck to chuck onto the ice and try to hit a target. I usually suck at chuck a puck, but I thought I’d try my luck, but wouldn’t you know it. I was out of luck because the last puck was taken by this schmuck in front of me who took 12 of them. So thanks to that schmuck I was out of luck and couldn’t pay a buck for a puck to chuck. Oh fudge!
So, drop the puck it’s time to go! Okay, I’ve never played hockey so I’m still working on some of the rules, but I’m pretty sure the object of the game is to hit a puck into a net more times than the other team. And the Americans were taking on the Rapid City Rush in order to do just that. So while a bunch of guys, mostly from Canada, skated around slamming into each other I watched with intensity. Well, actually I was watching the Ice Angels dancers with intensity, but I do remember the Americans scoring in the first period because the faithful fans bring accessories to these games and suddenly flashing red lights filled the stands while the big screen played the team’s song, “Don’t stop living in the Red!” Okay, I’ll live in the red. I’m up for new things. So the Americans take a 1 to 0 lead at the end of the first period. Now there was some big contest where someone wins $10,000 if the Americans score within the first 25 seconds of the second period. Well, this didn’t happen, but after there was no chance of cashing in on the ten grand the home team scored a goal 1:13 into the period and then scored again 36 seconds later. So more flashing lights and more “living in the red”. Of course, I was an active fan and sang along with the spirited song while pumping my fist into the air yelling “Red, red, red!” Then I saw this dorky looking guy on the big screen pumping his fist into the air and….wait a minute, that was me! During these blessed moments the members of the Ice Angel dance squad would carry out their little dance/cheer thing in the exit stairwells. Well, except the one I was near. Oh no, I don’t get cute, little dancers. Instead, I get the team mascot Biscuit which is some dude dressed up in a goofy bulldog outfit to dance near me. First no Bavarian Nuts or pucks to chuck and now this? I could be home watching the Mavericks getting beat.
At the end of the second period the Americans were up 5 to zip, and some guy behind me was yelling at the Rapid City players to give it up and just go home. Well, I’ve seen the Mavericks blow a 30-point lead, so I knew anything could happen. And something did happen in the third period when Rapid City’s defenseman Kevin Spinozzi decided to sling Americans’ forward Zane Franklin into the glass. Well, that didn’t set well with teammate Kelly Bent, and he got a little bent and fight began! Bang, crunch, boom! Don’t stop living in the red! Oh well, they both got thrown into the penalty box, and when the announcement was made that Rapid City was back to full power the fans all cried out, “And they still suck!” Well duh. They’re down 5 to zip! I think they’ve got that part figured out. However, the Rush finally did score, but the final buzzer sounded and the home team won 5 to 2. Huh? I guess Rapid City must have scored again in the last couple of seconds, but no one seemed to care. By the way, I got home just in time to watch the Mavericks loose game six. No living in the red for them.