Realizing that I run the risk of being called lazy for going this route, I am actually going to use Friday’s Daily Cup of Joe to point to someone else’s writing. For the record, I drafted a blog in my head, but it will wait for another day. And it is not just me slacking. For those who are in the know Canes-wise and/or caught multiple heads up and accolades on Twitter on Thursday and already read this, I apologize for leaving you with nothing new to read here this morning. But it would be a travesty if anyone missed it.
Today Yahoo Puck Daddy’s August A to Z featured a phenomenal trip down Carolina Hurricanes memory lane written by local Caniac Jamie Kellner.
The article is like a condensed version of everything it means to be a Caniac. For those who lived it, the reminders are wonderful. For those who did not, it is great short lesson in Canes history and proof of how wonderful it has been and will be again soon when we return to the playoffs to write the next chapters. If you are time-constrained, you might want to save this read for sometime over the weekend when you can give it appropriate time and click through most of the many links.
A couple of my favorite parts were:
1) Starting with Archie and the BBC line to take me right back to the 2002 playoffs that when paired with the magical ending to the 2001 playoffs are right where the Canes hockey love affair started for so many.
2) Mention of Katherine Fritsch and Chopper Harrison. (Check the links if you are a newer Caniac and do not know who they are.) In their own way, both are intertwined in my memories for the two playoff runs. They are an odd choice, but I think it is that neither are what/who first come to mind when remembering the playoffs. Because of that their names tap whole other layer in my memory which digs up even more gems. Crazy but seeing “Katherine Fritsch” triggered my memory of my then 3-year old son on my shoulders at RDU welcoming the team back from Edmonton in the middle of the day. I also think that both are a bit symbolic of our Southern hockey, smalltown team or whatever you want to call it that encompasses a wide range of stuff like Ric Flair, tailgating and many other things that make it our own unique and special brand of NHL hockey.
3) I also really really like the picture of Rod Brind’Amour looking up at his banner during the retirement ceremony.
I would love here others’ favorite memory joggers from Jamie’s Puck Daddy article or just favorite Canes memories in general. Here works, but I realize that we have yet to really kick off discussion on the site (it’s coming).
Twitter also works – how about #JamiesAtoZ?
Go Canes!
