World Cup North American Quarterfinal #1

I lucked out over the weekend and thanks to my great friend Bjerk, I was able to score a couple of $70 seats for tonight's USA vs. Russia World Cup hockey game for only $10 each. My pal Ben and I had wonderful 23rd row seats in section 125. Unfortunately, we also had some boneheads behind us who probably couldn't tell the difference between a blue line and a clothesline. They spent a good part of the first period talking about a two-stroke engine. A few choice quotes from them:

Q: "Is this an elimination game?" A: "No."

"Jordan Leopold is playing tonight."

"How come Marian Gaborik isn't playing for Russia?"

Q: "Is that Rob Blake?" A: "Yes."

"That's their new flag." (Referring to the Russian one.)

But these folks weren't loud, so they were more amusing than irritating.

I'd bitch about the lack of a sellout, but until those cheap tickets came along I was content to sit at home and watch the game on ESPN2.


Strange things seen in the crowd:

- A dude carrying a sign that simply said "Rocky IV."

- Doug Woog

- Four or five guys in Winnipeg Jets jerseys holding up a sign that said "Bring Back Our Jets."

- People holding up a big American flag that had a black-and-white image of Jim Morrison in the middle of it. When I think international hockey, I think Lizard King.

- A guy wearing a shirt that said "Support Our Troops" on the back and "Now Is Time To Choose Your Country And God" on the front. Me, I'm a big Zeus guy.


Anyway, the U.S. won behind a superb effort by Keith Tkachuk and advanced to the semifinals - also to be played at the Xcel. They will face Finland, unless Slovakia upsets Canada tomorrow; then they will face the Czech Republic.

And after years of yelling it after life's little triumphs (ala Homer Simpson), it was a freakin' blast to yell "USA! USA! USA!" in the proper context.