Hockey Night in Madison

This weekend, my wife Jen and I went to Madison to watch the Wisconsin Badger hockey team take on the Minnesota Golden Gophers. This being college hockey- I saw no reason to pony up the $15 extra bucks worth of “convenience” charges they hit you with if you want to buy your tickets in advance on the U-Wisconsin website.

Since it was only about 18 degrees last night, I dropped Jen and my four month old son, Leo, off in front of the Kohl Center about 10 minutes prior to the game, and told them to wait inside while I parked. It took me a half-hour to find a spot, as the entire neighborhood was chock full of people and cars. Jen called on the cell to inform me that the game was sold out, but when it comes to getting tickets, I’m an eternal optimist, so I told her not to worry about it, I’d rustle up tickets from a scalper. Meanwhile, the Kohl Center is a 17,000 plus seat arena, so I was still stunned to think that this game could be a sell-out.

I spent the entire first period outside in the cold trying in vain to find tickets. One student from Minnesota gave me one for free, but I couldn’t seem to find a second. Eventually I went inside and Jen tried to encourage me to go alone, but I would have nothing of it- it was the whole family or no one at all. I asked the ticket collectors if they could rustle up another seat for us.

“Did you try the box office?” they asked.

I had to admit I hadn’t, but there were signs on the doors of the arena announcing a sell out. I stopped by the box office, and, again, on each window there was a sign which said, “Tonight’s Game is SOLD OUT!” I almost didn’t walk up to ask, but decided to ask anyways.

“Do you have tickets?” I asked.
“Sure, how many do you need?” the young woman replied.
“You have tickets?” I asked “Why do all the signs say “SOLD OUT?”
“We don’t have seats together, but I have eight or ten single seats.”

So I bought one, and we all headed to the customer relations desk in the arena. I didn’t want us to have to sit in different sections or stand for the whole game, so I pleaded our case to a nice young guy as little Leo- all bulked up in his little snow suit- did his part by smiling and winning over the hearts of everyone in earshot. The young guy found a nice V.I.P. handicapped area for us to sit in that was right above part of the student section and next to the U-Wisconsin band.

The Wisconsin students really no how to support their team- they stand, jump, dance, and gyrate on their feet for the entire game as the band whips everyone into a frenzy. The band- which is so massive it takes up an entire section- even plays in between periods- and the students have various tribal dances for each song they play. The students also have lots of interesting chants- including one that boldly asserts that the opposing goalie-Alex Kangas- is a fan of taking it in the arse. KANGAS LIKES HIS SOD-O-MEE SOD-O-MEE SOD-O-MEE!!

When Wisconsin tied the score at 2 with just under 7 minutes to play the place erupted into pandemonium and little Leo- who had been sleeping peacefully in his mothers sling contraption- was briefly jolted awake by the cacophony of horns, tubas, beating tribal drums and the screams of delight from the delirious fans. The game went into overtime, and the Badgers failed to convert several point blank chances to win it, and the game ended in a tie.

For some strange reason, college hockey doesn’t have the shootout like the pro’s does- and an overtime hockey game with no shootout in this day and age- is a little like a porno scene with no climax- just a bit pointless. With a few minutes left in the game the students started chanting “STAND UP OLD PEOPLE” over and over, louder and louder. I ignored them at first, as my first instinct was to think I’m not old, they’re not talking about me. But then as the rest of the crowd began to rise, and I looked down at my once again slumbering son, I realized- I am old, they are talking about me. So we stood up, and looked on in admiration at the kids in the student section, who were literally dancing in the aisles with every new tune pumped out by the band. And as I thought again about my little family, I realized that I am old, but I’m OK with it, life is good.