I had an experience on Saturday that ranks among the Most Canadian Moments of My Life.
I recently joined a curling league, thanks to an invite from some good friends. I’m still very much a novice at curling, but it’s a fun night out with friends, and certainly a very Canadian pastime.
This past Saturday, however, was the Canada-Russia game in the world junior hockey championships. The game started at 7:30 p.m. and curling started at 8. I was surprised so many people turned out to curl. One of our players was sick, so she watched the game at home and texted scores periodically to her husband who was curling with us. As we played our ends, people kept asking what the latest hockey score was.
At one point, I found myself standing on the edge of the ice, waiting to sweep the next rock, and taking a peak at the game on the big-screen t.v. which was visible through the large windows in the bar overlooking the sheets. That’s right: standing on a curling sheet, holding a broom, watching the Canadian junior hockey team on t.v.
We finished a bit early to go upstairs and catch the last few minutes of the game. There were only five minutes left, and Russia was ahead by one. As the clock ticked down, the room became more and more silent. At around the 45 second mark, someone said “there’s still lots of time.” I thought these people were crazy. The game was over, I thought; Canada was out of gold medal contention. Big deal. Then, as we all know now, Eberle pulled a miracle and scored with just five-point-something seconds left. The bar erupted — curlers were on their feet, cheering, hollering and pumping fists. I admit I kind of got swept up in the excitement and may have shouted a bit too.
Of course we had the joy of watching the deciding shoot out, and there was more rejoicing. Curling, hockey, beer. All in all, a most Canadian evening.
Yea, Dan and I discussed that on the way to the car after we left curling too. We couldn’t decide if that was the most Canadian thing ever, or if it was last year when Dan and I truged through knee-deep snow, across a Tim Hortons’ parking lot of all things, to the curling club, brooms perched on our shoulders.
Hey, thanks so much for your visit — and I’m glad the graphics info was helpful!
Funny, I also posted about watching (and getting completely caught up in) this game too. How crazy to be able to walk in, mid-game, and be SO enthralled an involved within a moment? You’re right: a truly Canuck moment. I found myself half proud and half embarassed to talk about the Juniors tournament using “we” and “us” when referring to the team. Aw, now I’m all warm & fuzzy about the whole thing again. Woohoo Canada!
Great blog — I’ll be back!