Comments on: The Enduring Appeal of Hockey’s Warmup Skate http://www.onfrozenblog.com/2008/03/17/the-enduring-appeal-of-hockeys-warmup-skate/ A Haven for the Hockey Malnourished Sat, 06 Sep 2008 01:02:05 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.1 By: Joe Dykta http://www.onfrozenblog.com/2008/03/17/the-enduring-appeal-of-hockeys-warmup-skate/#comment-121220 Joe Dykta Sat, 22 Mar 2008 13:49:04 +0000 http://www.onfrozenblog.com/2008/03/17/the-enduring-appeal-of-hockeys-warmup-skate/#comment-121220 You are correct on both accounts. My daughter is a Pittsburgh transplant now living in DC. Pens/Caps games at the Verizon are a blast. Want to trade your #8 for our #71 even up? You are correct on both accounts. My daughter is a Pittsburgh transplant now living in DC. Pens/Caps games at the Verizon are a blast. Want to trade your #8 for our #71 even up?

]]> By: pucksandbooks http://www.onfrozenblog.com/2008/03/17/the-enduring-appeal-of-hockeys-warmup-skate/#comment-120754 pucksandbooks Sat, 22 Mar 2008 00:31:56 +0000 http://www.onfrozenblog.com/2008/03/17/the-enduring-appeal-of-hockeys-warmup-skate/#comment-120754 "The Pens warm-ups I watch. At the Steeler game I get nachos." Joe, I suspect you to be both a Pittsburgh resident and sports team supporter, but with lines like that, you're welcomed here any time. “The Pens warm-ups I watch. At the Steeler game I get nachos.”

Joe, I suspect you to be both a Pittsburgh resident and sports team supporter, but with lines like that, you’re welcomed here any time.

]]> By: Joe Dykta http://www.onfrozenblog.com/2008/03/17/the-enduring-appeal-of-hockeys-warmup-skate/#comment-120749 Joe Dykta Sat, 22 Mar 2008 00:18:23 +0000 http://www.onfrozenblog.com/2008/03/17/the-enduring-appeal-of-hockeys-warmup-skate/#comment-120749 Some of my favorite pregame routines: Chuck Arneson, circa 1974 Pens, firing pucks at empty seats above the net, Crosby standing beside the net roofing puck after puck until he bolts down the ice to the locket room and Malkin waiting at the net so the opposition cannot pull a Claude Lemieux. Recently he waitied out the last player on the other side, deflecting a puck wide of the net as the other player left. I have Steeler and Pens season tickets. The Pens warm-ups I watch. At the Steeler game I get nachos. Some of my favorite pregame routines: Chuck Arneson, circa 1974 Pens, firing pucks at empty seats above the net, Crosby standing beside the net roofing puck after puck until he bolts down the ice to the locket room and Malkin waiting at the net so the opposition cannot pull a Claude Lemieux. Recently he waitied out the last player on the other side, deflecting a puck wide of the net as the other player left. I have Steeler and Pens season tickets. The Pens warm-ups I watch. At the Steeler game I get nachos.

]]> By: Grooven http://www.onfrozenblog.com/2008/03/17/the-enduring-appeal-of-hockeys-warmup-skate/#comment-118264 Grooven Tue, 18 Mar 2008 22:56:52 +0000 http://www.onfrozenblog.com/2008/03/17/the-enduring-appeal-of-hockeys-warmup-skate/#comment-118264 I forgot to mention... fans and the training staff have superstitions and routines about warm-ups too. Who comes in which gate to say hi to the same people. Who builds (and destroys) the puck pyramid. The value of the puck thrown from the bench, down the ice, to the opposition goal. And when Fan X doesn't say quote Y when player/coach Z comes off the ice, well you know the home team will lose. All becomes part of the routine of the warm-up. I forgot to mention… fans and the training staff have superstitions and routines about warm-ups too. Who comes in which gate to say hi to the same people. Who builds (and destroys) the puck pyramid. The value of the puck thrown from the bench, down the ice, to the opposition goal. And when Fan X doesn’t say quote Y when player/coach Z comes off the ice, well you know the home team will lose.

All becomes part of the routine of the warm-up.

]]> By: Grooven http://www.onfrozenblog.com/2008/03/17/the-enduring-appeal-of-hockeys-warmup-skate/#comment-118260 Grooven Tue, 18 Mar 2008 22:50:58 +0000 http://www.onfrozenblog.com/2008/03/17/the-enduring-appeal-of-hockeys-warmup-skate/#comment-118260 Watching warm-ups is when you can start to see some of the routines and superstitions of players. The order players come out. Who scrutinizes sticks that all look alike. Who has a routine of flipping and catching pucks with one of the trainers on the bench. Who spits out a wad of what looks like an entire pack of Big League Chew. Who will and won't high-five fans. Who has the same fake trip-and-stumble down the tunnel for every night on the active roster. Who comes out of the locker room early and hangs out by the stick rack. Who has to wait for whom before returning to the locker room. Stuff like that. Not that I've ever paid any attention. :) Watching warm-ups is when you can start to see some of the routines and superstitions of players.

The order players come out. Who scrutinizes sticks that all look alike. Who has a routine of flipping and catching pucks with one of the trainers on the bench. Who spits out a wad of what looks like an entire pack of Big League Chew. Who will and won’t high-five fans. Who has the same fake trip-and-stumble down the tunnel for every night on the active roster. Who comes out of the locker room early and hangs out by the stick rack. Who has to wait for whom before returning to the locker room.
Stuff like that. Not that I’ve ever paid any attention. :)

]]> By: pucksandbooks http://www.onfrozenblog.com/2008/03/17/the-enduring-appeal-of-hockeys-warmup-skate/#comment-117943 pucksandbooks Tue, 18 Mar 2008 13:11:12 +0000 http://www.onfrozenblog.com/2008/03/17/the-enduring-appeal-of-hockeys-warmup-skate/#comment-117943 Rob - What a magnificent observation re. the skate's utility as a coaching tool. No doubt scores of coaches at all levels over the years have referenced aspects of it for their charges seated in the stands. Thank you for highlighting it. Rob - What a magnificent observation re. the skate’s utility as a coaching tool. No doubt scores of coaches at all levels over the years have referenced aspects of it for their charges seated in the stands. Thank you for highlighting it.

]]> By: Rob C. http://www.onfrozenblog.com/2008/03/17/the-enduring-appeal-of-hockeys-warmup-skate/#comment-117704 Rob C. Tue, 18 Mar 2008 06:57:00 +0000 http://www.onfrozenblog.com/2008/03/17/the-enduring-appeal-of-hockeys-warmup-skate/#comment-117704 If I ever show up to the rink any later than a half hour before the game, I feel cheated out of a piece of my ticket. I have loved being there for warm ups since I was but a mini-mite. For my dad, and now me, as a coach, it's also a great coaching tool. When he would take my teammates and me to the games (or now when I take my players), he would point out that they do the exact same warm ups that we do... just because hockey is their job and they're superstars doesn't mean they're above doing a round of horseshoe drills or 2-on-1's out of the corners. Thank you for the post... it's nice to give words to some of life's under appreciated joys! -Rob If I ever show up to the rink any later than a half hour before the game, I feel cheated out of a piece of my ticket. I have loved being there for warm ups since I was but a mini-mite.

For my dad, and now me, as a coach, it’s also a great coaching tool. When he would take my teammates and me to the games (or now when I take my players), he would point out that they do the exact same warm ups that we do… just because hockey is their job and they’re superstars doesn’t mean they’re above doing a round of horseshoe drills or 2-on-1’s out of the corners.

Thank you for the post… it’s nice to give words to some of life’s under appreciated joys!

-Rob

]]> By: Strikeman http://www.onfrozenblog.com/2008/03/17/the-enduring-appeal-of-hockeys-warmup-skate/#comment-117399 Strikeman Mon, 17 Mar 2008 19:42:43 +0000 http://www.onfrozenblog.com/2008/03/17/the-enduring-appeal-of-hockeys-warmup-skate/#comment-117399 This is a great hockey piece. It really captures why I love hockey. Good stuff. This is a great hockey piece. It really captures why I love hockey. Good stuff.

]]> By: pepper http://www.onfrozenblog.com/2008/03/17/the-enduring-appeal-of-hockeys-warmup-skate/#comment-117396 pepper Mon, 17 Mar 2008 19:41:39 +0000 http://www.onfrozenblog.com/2008/03/17/the-enduring-appeal-of-hockeys-warmup-skate/#comment-117396 Great post - I never thought of the pre-game skate in quite that way, but it is uniquely exciting amongst the pre-game rituals of any organized team sport I know. Great post - I never thought of the pre-game skate in quite that way, but it is uniquely exciting amongst the pre-game rituals of any organized team sport I know.

]]> By: Sean http://www.onfrozenblog.com/2008/03/17/the-enduring-appeal-of-hockeys-warmup-skate/#comment-117336 Sean Mon, 17 Mar 2008 17:15:10 +0000 http://www.onfrozenblog.com/2008/03/17/the-enduring-appeal-of-hockeys-warmup-skate/#comment-117336 Couldn't agree more. I always find myself getting to the rink an hour before gametime to get a good spot for the pre-game skate. Very cool to see the guys relaxed and fooling around before a game. It's also great to see a bigger crowd surrounding the tunnel for the visiting Penguins than the home team (Isles/Rangers) Couldn’t agree more. I always find myself getting to the rink an hour before gametime to get a good spot for the pre-game skate. Very cool to see the guys relaxed and fooling around before a game. It’s also great to see a bigger crowd surrounding the tunnel for the visiting Penguins than the home team (Isles/Rangers)

]]> By: Kim http://www.onfrozenblog.com/2008/03/17/the-enduring-appeal-of-hockeys-warmup-skate/#comment-117325 Kim Mon, 17 Mar 2008 16:32:55 +0000 http://www.onfrozenblog.com/2008/03/17/the-enduring-appeal-of-hockeys-warmup-skate/#comment-117325 The rock-paper-scissors was happening when the Caps would line up in the three lines to shoot on net (about mid-way through). Several times my daughter noticed them doing rock-paper-scissors. We could not figure out if they were doing it to decide who went next, or what exactly. She saw him do it again with someone else after Nylander was hurt, but do not remember who it was. It did not seem like a real big deal, but it did provide a glimpse of the Semin Ovie talks about that we fans don't get to see as much. It was nice to see him interacting with his teammates in a playful and fun manner. We have not noticed it recently, so it might have just been something they were doing on a whim and not a standard pregame thing. The rock-paper-scissors was happening when the Caps would line up in the three lines to shoot on net (about mid-way through). Several times my daughter noticed them doing rock-paper-scissors. We could not figure out if they were doing it to decide who went next, or what exactly. She saw him do it again with someone else after Nylander was hurt, but do not remember who it was.

It did not seem like a real big deal, but it did provide a glimpse of the Semin Ovie talks about that we fans don’t get to see as much. It was nice to see him interacting with his teammates in a playful and fun manner.

We have not noticed it recently, so it might have just been something they were doing on a whim and not a standard pregame thing.

]]> By: Gmann http://www.onfrozenblog.com/2008/03/17/the-enduring-appeal-of-hockeys-warmup-skate/#comment-117322 Gmann Mon, 17 Mar 2008 16:21:45 +0000 http://www.onfrozenblog.com/2008/03/17/the-enduring-appeal-of-hockeys-warmup-skate/#comment-117322 What a great read! Certainly captures many of the same thoughts I've had since I was a kid. I try not to miss the pregame warmup!! What a great read! Certainly captures many of the same thoughts I’ve had since I was a kid. I try not to miss the pregame warmup!!

]]> By: pucksandbooks http://www.onfrozenblog.com/2008/03/17/the-enduring-appeal-of-hockeys-warmup-skate/#comment-117292 pucksandbooks Mon, 17 Mar 2008 15:29:02 +0000 http://www.onfrozenblog.com/2008/03/17/the-enduring-appeal-of-hockeys-warmup-skate/#comment-117292 Kim - If you wouldn't mind, I'd like to read more of this rock-paper-scissors habit between Semin and Nylander. Excellent point about the revealing quality the skates often have for players often pigeon-holed/type-cast in the press. Kim - If you wouldn’t mind, I’d like to read more of this rock-paper-scissors habit between Semin and Nylander. Excellent point about the revealing quality the skates often have for players often pigeon-holed/type-cast in the press.

]]> By: Kim http://www.onfrozenblog.com/2008/03/17/the-enduring-appeal-of-hockeys-warmup-skate/#comment-117284 Kim Mon, 17 Mar 2008 15:24:58 +0000 http://www.onfrozenblog.com/2008/03/17/the-enduring-appeal-of-hockeys-warmup-skate/#comment-117284 Also love the pregame skates! My kids really enjoy seeing the players up close and personal (and have been on the receiving end of some very special pucks). You really get to see how strong these guys are, but you also get to see a bit of their personalities too. My opinion of Semin changed dramatically after watching the pregames. He smiles and jokes around a lot. And my daughter loved watching the Rock Paper Scissors thing he used to always do with Nylander. Also love the pregame skates! My kids really enjoy seeing the players up close and personal (and have been on the receiving end of some very special pucks).

You really get to see how strong these guys are, but you also get to see a bit of their personalities too.

My opinion of Semin changed dramatically after watching the pregames. He smiles and jokes around a lot. And my daughter loved watching the Rock Paper Scissors thing he used to always do with Nylander.

]]> By: matthew langley http://www.onfrozenblog.com/2008/03/17/the-enduring-appeal-of-hockeys-warmup-skate/#comment-117237 matthew langley Mon, 17 Mar 2008 14:21:47 +0000 http://www.onfrozenblog.com/2008/03/17/the-enduring-appeal-of-hockeys-warmup-skate/#comment-117237 Great post - I remember the slap shot during warm ups - I miss that big time - we definitely need to see that come back. Great post - I remember the slap shot during warm ups - I miss that big time - we definitely need to see that come back.

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