Last weekend was awesome. Thrashers, Braves, and Falcons games... all in one weekend. But I'm trying my best to forget about the Falcons game... I've been to plenty of Falcons games, but that was a sorry ass game. We did have Club seats; that was my first time in the Club seating at the Dome and I've gotta say it's awesome. But it's sad, we both the tickets for less than 1/2 the cost of face value... I wish we had of gone to the last Braves home game instead; it would've been more fun. Oh well... on to important things here: The ThrashersSaturday night as surreal. It's been a little over five months since we've been to a hockey game. Walking back into Philips for the first time was, well... it was strange, yet I felt at home at the same time. Standing there, looking out onto the ice and checking out the arena bowl, I thought back to the first playoff game... instead of a 1/2 empty pre-season game, I saw a jam-packed Philips Arena roaring all night for the Thrashers. I saw the boards and glass all lit up in Blue. I heard the roar of a deafening crowd; a city set on fire by the Thrashers. Am I delusional? Last time I checked, no. Some times I wish I was; life would be more fun that way. It was surreal being back in Philips... watching an actual hockey game. Not some crappy video stream from North Bay but a real, live in-person game. It was hard to believe we were there, watching the Thrashers. It hasn't even hit me yet hockey season is back. Perhaps that will happen tonight for the 2nd pre-season home game? I hope so.
So, guess what, as usual, Sam and I were there early. Not super insane early like we will for for Opening Night... but early enough. First in line, as usual. The best part is that smell. That ice, beer, and arena food smell. I haven't smelled that glorious smell in months. It's the best smell in the world next to freshly printed money. As the doors opened, and you get that first whiff of the smell that is Blueland, your senses open up, and you realize that you are about to watch the best sport on earth - NHL hockey. Oh, that smell... there's nothing quite like it. If I could bottle it up and make my house smell that way... or maybe just a smelly thing for your car... that would be awesome... to get into your car and every time it smells like Philips Arena. The ice, the cold, the beer, the food... whatever it is that makes up that combination to make that unique, sweet smell of Philips Arena... it's awesome. There's nothing like it anywhere.
The game itself was almost irrelevant... not a full roster, nothing counts, it's just pre-season... of course you want the Thrashers to win... well that's all some bullshit right there. Yeah, it was pre-season, but it was that all too-familiar feeling I get after a Thrashers loss... even in pre-season. But it was to be erased quickly. After stopping at the V (that's the Varsity for you non-ATL types) to get some grub, I drove to my moms to watch the end of the Georgia vs. Alabama game. I won't go into how weird and strange it was not hearing Larry Munson on the radio on the way home; this is not a Dawgs blog, but man, it was weird. Got there just in time to watch the last half of the 4th quarter... I drove up to my moms house to find a house full of people still there... she has a break-the-fast dinner every year after Yom Kippur, but I wasn't about to miss the Thrashers game, even for that. I get inside and everyone is gathered around the TV. OT rolls around, the Dawgs win, and my brother who was home for the holiday, who would have otherwise been at the game, went absolutely insanely berserk, dancing and jumping around... it would have made a priceless YouTube video if we had only captured his victory dance after the game. It was exciting to say the least and the Dawgs OT win 100% turned around any crappy feelings from the Thrashers loss. It erased it all. I'll take a Dawgs OT win ... especially over Bama...and a Thrashers pre-season loss any day.
So tonight is the second pre-season home game. I have a feeling, seeing as how it is a Tuesday night, that there will be a really small crowd... fine with me. Just means better seats to sneak down to!
I am a bit concerned that Kari is not starting tonight; Moose is back in goal... guessing they are letting Kari heal up as much as he can before the regular season starts. The line is also very interesting tonight with Little and Kovy... we'll see what happens. I dunno bout you but with these two guys I'm expecting some highlight-reel plays. We'll see.
Well, that's enough for now. I'll do a post-game... uh... post... either tonight or sometime tomorrow.
See you in Blueland tonight! LETS GO THRASHERS!!!
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