Well, it’s finally happened. A High School hockey goalie has finally gone off the deep end. No, he didn’t beat up his wife COUGH*rOY*COUGH but he clearly broke. The big sports story of the week went down in little ‘ol Farmington Minnesooooota where a senior goaltender gave one last F.U. to the head coach by scoring on his own goal, having Dad ready at the door to come off the ice and flipping his coach the bird all the way out.
And in current fashion…it’s on video.
I’ve read at least ten accounts of the incident and the only thing clear is… we don’t know what’s going on with that team. What I know is that anyone who dons the pads is cray cray. Pure and simple. The purpose of the game of ice hockey is to SCORE GOALS. Therefore; the five players coming at you have one goal in mind (heh) Beating YOU! At times (most times), your own players will be your worst enemies so you get to get them out of your way too. If you’re a very good goalie (yes, even at the high school level in a Hockey State such as Minnesota) there is an added element that the opposing coach will advise at least one of his players to take you out of the game. i.e. HURT YOU! The last little bit of the knife in the heart belongs to the hockey coach. Their “respect” and “coaching” of you lasts one save at a time. The game winning goal “you” let in means you’re shit. They let it be known that you WILL be replaced with one mistake.
All this is known and STILL these poor souls decide to put on the pads. I’d also like to give an honorable mention to the other hockey parents. Those who find it necessary to pick every moment of your play apart while turning a blind eye to the complete inept play of their own child. You people? You suck.
There are a lot of opinions on what went down. Some adults say that this boy will never get into a decent college or find a good job once his name is googled and prospective employers see this. (Ahhhh, settle down people.) Some believe he did the right thing sticking it to the coach. OH! And before you “what about the team” people chime in, there are reports that at least some of the players knew what he was going to do and supported him.
I’m torn. If Zandra wanted to do this to coach Fabel, in the moment I probably would have been game and said go for it or at least supported her after the fact (actually it’s pretty certain that anytime I now see coach Fabel when I’m visiting town I’ll flip him off myself.) But at the same time, something in it just doesn’t sit right with me. Mostly I feel sorry for this kid, who spent years and years playing hard and perfecting his game and being tossed aside. That’s high school hockey. That’s hockey goaltending.
I don’t fear stopping a 100mph slap shot. I fear not stopping it.
Roberto Luongo
tosabarbell 