HOCKEY

Call me ignorant, but I didn't realize what a brutal sport hockey is. We were fortunate enough to attend an Anaheim Mighty Ducks game last week and boy did I get schooled.

The game was going, maybe one minute, and a fight broke out. Helmets were flying, gloves were tossed, bare fisted punches were being thrown and I was aghast. I have never seen anything quite like it before. There was no finesse, no glamour, no pin point accuracy . . . just bare boned, down and dirty brute strength. I could have missed something, but I was appalled.

Other sports have penalties for such behavior as I witnessed. Hockey referees seemed to let it happen right before their star struck eyes. Fans are screaming and yelling for bloodied and battered bodies to be flung across the ice. Little kids are declaring that they knock teeth out with the little rubber puck. "Break a stick, slice the ice, pop him between the eyes", were some of the chants I heard being hurled at the teams.

Then the period was over and these girls skate onto the ice in scant black jumpsuits and sweep/shovel ice shavings to the side of the arena while fans yell at them. I would not want my daughters participating in an activity so crude and unrefined.

Three periods and I was so done. God gave me girls for a reason and I thank Him daily.

My nephew plays hockey in Utah. I wonder if the rules are different there because I have seen several of his games and he does not behave the way I saw the "professionals" behave on Monday night. Perhaps he is still young enough that he has not picked up the "hockey habits" yet. Please, Shelly, keep a sharp eye on him!

I think I'll stick with soccer . . . so much safer for a Roderick girl.