Last night my hockey team was eliminated from the playoffs and I can now understand the mixture of disappointment and relief that an NHLer experiences when the 'offs end for their team. The playoffs are a gruelling test both physically and mentally and they leave you worn and torn in both areas.
It's tough for a recreational player like myself to suddenly have to play four games in five days considering me and my teammates usually lace em' up once a week. The real challenge however is the drinking. It's not easy to psyche yourself up for the daunting gauntlet of a case of beer in the room immediately after the game followed by a trip to the local watering hole for several pitchers of beer. To say nothing of the drive home half in the bag hoping against hope that cop doesn't turn around and follow you.
Then it's home to unpack your sweat soaked gear while trying not to wake your wife and have her realize that it's been four hours since your game ended and "you're just getting home now?"
The next morning comes with the inevitable hangover made worse by the fact that you maybe got five hours of sleep and are even more dehydrated than usual after drinking cause' you played hockey last night too. You stumble off to work, coast your way through a day of corporate drudgery in a complete fog, wanting only to go home and sleep and then you remember that you've got another game that night and the whole cycle will repeat itself.
You really gotta love the game to endure the challenges of the playoffs.
