Day 18: Whatever tickles your fancy

Austin and I are huge hockey fans. Its one of the few sports we can actually watch together since I only follow soccer (real football...) and hockey and he's into football, baseball, basketball, hockey, golf... Really anything. Unless the World Cup is on, he doesn't care to watch the games. We rarely get the Real Madrid or Manchester United or Brasil national team games, and when we do it is usually on one of our numerous Spanish channels. Austin apparently is of the mind that unless he can understand what the announcers are saying, why watch. So for us to be able to sit down and watch a sporting event is a pretty big deal.

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This is one of the reasons I'm a Real Madrid fan, he's also a pretty spectacular player on the Brasil team

Luckily, we have hockey.

We both enjoy watching the games at home, but we prefer watching them live. There is nothing that can compare to watching the game for 20,000 other fans (even if they are rooting for the wrong team). And before this year, we had not been able to go to one together. Neither of us are fans of sitting in the top row at the American Airlines Center and watching the game on the screen. If we were going to watch the game on a screen, we would watch it at home. In HD. And be warmer.

This year, I got a hook-up at work. Since we have a concierge that offers discounted tickets to tenants in the building, he has offered me tickets to any games I'd like for free (or close to it). We've already been able to go to four games this season with at least three more on our calendar. I'm thinking we might need to get a couple more since it looks like the Stars might be able to make a run for the Stanley Cup this year. A feat I wasn't thinkign they would be able to do considering how awful they were last year.

I would like to say all of the improvments are due to my favorite player, Steve Ott. But after last night's game were he really wasn't much of a force on the ice, I don't think I could say that. Well, I could, but it would be a lie.

So, if any one out there has any conenctions to Steve out there, tell him to step up his game. He should have beaten Ovechikin after the way that twat was acting during the game and nothing. Come on Steve! Where's the guy we all used to love to hate?! Where's the fire? Where's your spirit? Do something out there! When we're at the game next Friday, I expect to see more from you.

And if not, I'll still be a loyal fan.

As it is, the Stars are second in the Western Conference. They're currently at 15(wins)-8(losses) -1(OT Loss). They have 31 points, following the Red Wings who lead the conference with 34.

Lets go Stars!!

World Cup Fever is Here!

Well, the World Cup is upon us! The wonderful time every four years that the US even shows the faintest interest in one of the greatest sports ever created! This is a time for real football, a real sport... At least to me!

I spent a lot of time in Brasil growing up, being the fact that my grandparents lived there for forty years, and it quickly came to be the only sport I could watch on a regular basis. I even was lucky enough to meet Kaka, a midfielder for the Brasil team, one time when I was walking down the street! He was actually a wonderful guy that was sweet enough to have a short conversation in broken Portuguese with an American girl. So, as I'm sure you all can guess, I'm rooting for Brasil and hoping they can regain their title as the champions! I've been able to catch every game thus far due to the fact that the first match comes on when I'm getting ready for work, then two matches while I'm at work. I don't think I've ever been happier that my boss has a tv in his office, and he doesn't mind me turning it on once in a while to catch the matches! I was very upset in the ending of the match against Cote d'Ivoire where Kaka got a red card which he didn't deserve... We will still be able to come back!

Austin is a fan of soccer, but he also likes American football, baseball, golf, hockey, basketball, etc... He, being the good patriotic one of us, is rooting for the United States team. I hope the US team does well only for the fact that soccer would finally start to get some of the respect it deserves in this country. The US team has been a little shaky this tournament, but we're all hoping they can bring it together for the last group match against Algeria. We were both really upset when the ref disallowed the US goal in the game against Slovenia, it really put a damper on our moods at work.