We enjoyed a dinner at a local BBQ restaurant and then off to the Civic Center for the game. The boys' eyes were inundated with food and souvenirs. Then of course, the hockey rink got their attention...and all of the pregame activities. There was lots of loud music piping through the arena. James didn't care so much for that. At one point later in the evening, he said..."can we leave so I don't have to see the music anymore!?" There was more than just MUSIC that he should not SEE!
It was a lot of fun until the game became more about boxing than ice hockey. I was quite turned off by the whole act. Grown men, involved in a sport that is inherently going to cause you to fall or hit another player. Yet, they seemed to be so offended when they'd fall that they'd start to fight. My instinct during the first fight was to cover the boys' eyes (the whole minute it lasted). But parents and fans throughout the facility were cheering and celebrating with their kids (young kids too). The song Hit Me With Your Best Shot was blaring over the loudspeakers! The refs stood back and watched in their "front row seats." The sad thing was, this occurred over and over. I lost count...and we only stayed for 2/3 of the game because it was way passed bedtime! Last I checked, good parenting was teaching our kids that sports are about discipline, respect, dignity. I thought this hockey game was a poor example of those things. It honestly bothered me as a parent. People around me made it evident that I should just lighten up. But it was just one of those moments that it was quite apparent that our society cries about the way things are (bullying, flighting in sports, disrespect)...yet, we are contradicting with our actions and reactions around our own children! And really, during a time that we're trying to teach a 3 year old how to control his "temper monster"...seeing grown men that have little control of their own "temper monsters" gives me little hope!
Jason assured me that he went to several USAF Academy hockey games, and there was no fighting. I was ready to boycott hockey for the rest of my life...but maybe I'll give it another try if we can go to a USAFA game.
We had a nice evening...but overall, I could have skipped most of that game.
Jack celebrating when the Ice Flyers scored!
One of the many fights. I zoomed in on this one. The refs...just standing there. Fans are cheering...as Hit Me With Your Best Shot played. :(
Sadly, this happens all too often with kids really not being taught about team work, respect, or sportsmanship not only in ice hockey, but soccer and basketball. I've been stunned with what I've heard parents shout (in once instant in a recent on-base kids' basketball game a parent shouted to her son to HIT the girl who kept making shots).
ReplyDeleteI wonder if James has synesthesia.