Chicago Blackhawks -- 2010 Stanley Cup Champions get their rings!!!

One Goal achieved.



I'll just let you soak in the beauty of that picture for a minute.
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Isn't that a spectacular sight?!! It has 8 carats and 404 diamonds and the guys received them this past Wednesday. Boy am I ever glad I picked the Blackhawks as "my team".

On October 15, 2008, I went to my first professional hockey game at the United Center in Chicago. It was the Chicago Blackhawks vs. the Phoenix Coyotes. I was in town for my work and decided to go see a hockey game since I was there on my own and had nothing to do that night. As soon as the game started I knew I had picked the right team to see for my first game. I absolutely fell in love with the sport and the team. The atmosphere in the arena was thrilling and I couldn't help but get swept up into the excitement of the whole arena. It also didn't hurt that my eyes about bugged out when they showed Patrick Sharp on the big screen and played ZZ Top's "Every Girls Crazy 'Bout a Sharp Dressed Man" when he was shown.

Growing up in Texas, hockey is not a sport that is big there. Football? Check. Baseball? Check. Hockey? You're crazy. I know my friends and family think I'm nuts because I am such a die-hard hockey fan now. I will admit I don't know any of the rules of hockey but I know enough to watch the game and enjoy it. Going to the Blackhawks Hockey 101 session helped too.

Thank goodness it is now October because I don't know how much longer I could have gone without hockey. I'm going to the Texas Stars preseason game tomorrow night to feed my addiction.

And if you need to see the ring again.....

(pics courtesy of ESPN.com)

Hockey

Not only am I trying to go to as many baseball stadiums as I can, I am also making my way through hockey teams (well, not literally but you know what I mean). I cut my teeth at the Austin Bats hockey games. Then, I happened to be in Chicago in October 2008 and the Blackhawks were playing. I went to a game and (angels singing) I was hooked! Maybe it helped that Patrick Sharp is just so darn good looking! Everybody's crazy 'bout a Sharp dressed man.....ok let me stop drooling now.



Next, I went to a NY Rangers game at Madison Square Garden. Hockey fans are outrageous and these were extremely so.... and loud!!




And then, Caleb and I went to a Dallas Stars vs. Blackhawks game (bummer that Patrick Sharp wasn't there due to an injury that a horrible Stars player gave him a couple weeks prior in Chicago. I seriously considered suing that Stars player for the cost of the tickets and my mental anguish of not seeing him.)



We were sitting on the third row and you could literally feel the plexiglass shaking when they would throw each other up against the wall.

nascar again....

I went with Dad and Caleb to see the NASCAR races in Fort Worth at the Texas Motor Speedway. The weather was frightful on the way up but it cleared up by Sunday. There was a cold front that came through on Saturday so it was freezing and we didn't stay the entire race. Sunday's race weather was nice and warm. Jack Ingram was the entertainment but we were stuck in traffic so long that we weren't able to hear him sing.

I bought our seats from a friend and they were on the 60th row (yes 60th) -- and it was a hard climb up. The race was really good. Dale Jr. had a great race and led for quite a while. Everyone in the stands was going crazy (over 70% of merchandise sold there is all for Dale Jr.) -- and then Tony Stewart wrecked and caused one of the Bush boys into him. He tried to keep going but his car finally gave out. He is such a good loser that he even rode Kyle Bush's car the last 11 laps even though he was the reason Dale Jr. was out. We'll be going again in November and sitting in the 20th row.