Go Flames!

Well, the Calgary Flames have made it to the playoffs. While I'm still trying to wrap my head around the sheer length of hockey season and hard-core dedication of its fans (I mean, how do you drag yourself out to two or three games a week, every week for months on end?!), the playoffs excitement has reinvigorated my interest in the sport. Obviously Ben didn't need much encouragement to show off his Flame jersey!

It doesn't hurt that Ben and I live one block from "The Red Mile," the infamous street where Calgarians basically lost their minds with partying and celebrating last time Calgary made it to the playoffs!

Last night was the very first playoff game (in Chicago), so I headed to a sports bar in our neighborhood about two hours before kick-off to stake out a spot for me, Ben, Alicia and her sister, who's in town visiting. While waiting on everybody, I befriended some wild and crazy Canucks who convinced me that my streetside spot was ideal. "A TV will be right in front of you, here on the street," one of them said. They were pretty far into their celebrations already, and I was skeptical about this magical TV that would appear in the street, but nonetheless they convinced me to stay. (I guess security has gotten tighter since the original Red Mile madness, as these guys were eventually kicked out!). Lo and behold, about 3o minutes later this big van pulled up, parked directly in front of me, wired up some antennas and played the game from a TV attached to the side of it. Now that's service!!

It was a blast to be able to watch the game while also taking in all the fans in the street, passing by in their Red Jerseys and cheering. Sadly, we lost in an overtime shoot-out, but it was close. Hopefully we'll bounce back in the rest of this series. How fun would it be to see the playoffs continue on for our first hockey season in Canada?

Did I mention that we were given Flames-themed cowbells (in my right hand in the pic)? Ben and I went to town with those! I guess it was fitting since Calgary is known as Cow Town :)