16 years

The Detroit Red Wings have made the play offs for the last 16 years.

I do love hockey. It is so ...simple. Get the puck in the net. The players are lithe, strong, smart, protective--loyal. The speed of this game is intoxicating. The grace and finesse of a perfectly executed play, makes me sigh with admiration. Each player must play his position--the team won't function with a bunch of cherry pickers, but there is room in this ballet for a stunning break away or some creative individuality. And the adrenaline rush of the defensive line--that has got to be my favorite thing.

Watch the defensive line. The big guys (fit powerhouses of aerobic energy--not giant fat asses like baseball pitchers or football linebackers) guard the goalie. They do this, in part-- by antagonizing the other team. Eventually there will be a fight, you can't get that much testosterone rolling without somebody blowing a fuse. A penalty doesn't get called, somebody implying that somebody else's mom wears Doc Martens for skates... and then... the dance--two players circling around each other. Chests heaving, sweat glistening (yeah Paula I said glistening)--eyes glaring into each other--like Prize fighters looking for the opening in their opponents guard. ex Wing Brendan Shannahan in particular is a joy to watch "settle a disagreement". This guy has an energy around him that was compelling--the anticipation of the first punch...the throwing aside of the gloves--bare fist in hockey baby-- the last quick lunge forward (on skates yet!) and the predator tears into the meat.

Or my boy Darren McCarty (also now an ex Wing) watching him fight the bad guy. What a freaking powerhouse of animosity, revenge and instinct. But sadly he has moved on and ironically we play his new team Calgary tonight. (I am pretty sure we can clear this round). I enjoyed being a Mac fan, and there was some trauma for me when he left. I questioned my own loyalty. I have no problem cheering for the Canadian teams and once the Wings are out (cuz I don't think we will make it this year) I will always chose a CA team over some crappy ass expansion team...poor Quebec. But I had to decide was it Mac the individual-- or my wings that I would follow.

The Red Wings which I watched all through high school? (one boyfriend became an ex boyfriend when he used the phrase "dead wings"--jerk. It was hard to be a WingNut in the 80's.) Fandom was not very pretty back then. Stevie was young and had to get his shit together. Then when Scotty retired. I was a little funky. But tonight-- Nick is a beautiful specimen of Swedish manhood, a warrior, a leader and god he has the most beautiful blue eyes. When he skates backward??, yeah-- all is right with the world... and my boy Hank should be back on the ice tonight.

I am a Red Wings Fan.