Me as a Student and Some GOOD Things About the NHL

I wrapped up the spring semester last week but I didn't finish as strong as I would like. I don't test well, particularly tests that involve lists. For example, maybe a History class asks for five reasons the south lost the Civil War. I could give two and then have to improvise the other three. It makes attaining excellent grades difficult, since so much weight is placed on exam scores in most classes. I usually excel at papers and projects. I have a problem with assignments I don't believe in. I wrote a paper in the fall semester on a subject I could not put into word. I viewed it the way some Congressmen view pornography, "I can't put it into words, but I'll know it when I see it." Some assignments are harder to focus on than others. I learned a long time ago that true crime and biographies hold my interest more than other reading materials, the exceptions being textbooks and the Harry Potter series. This is me as a student.
Hockey season ended for my team last week, when the Boston Bruins lost game 7 at home. The loss stings a little because I really believed this was their year. They were great this season and lost to a very hot Carolina team. Despite the gut wrenching game 7 overtime loss, the Bruins have managed to make hockey relevant again in Boston but they stand out in Boston because they are the one of the four pro sports teams there, but the only one who hasn't won a recent championship. Hockey has also made a comeback in Chicago. The Blackhawks have the longest Stanley Cup drought in the NHL but they are headed in the right direction. They have become important again in the fabric of Chicago sports. As a hockey fan, I love it. It is a good thing for hockey when the Original 6 teams (Boston, Chicago, Toronto, Montreal, Detroit and the New York Rangers) are good. Hockey has been such a whipping boy for the press, whether its the economics of the sport, the extra long regular season, or a random act of thuggery. The media tends to dwell on the negative side of hockey but the resurgence of a couple of Original 6 teams and the rise of individual superstars have people talking about the sport in a positive light. Just a quick note-the NHL playoffs have been better than the NBA playoffs this year-HANDS DOWN! If you are lucky enough to get Versus on your cable or satellite package, watch some games. The NHL also owns the most exciting player in all of sports, Alex Ovechkin. He is a goal scorer, who's as tough as nails. He brings a youthful exuberance that sports fans haven't seen since Sammy Sosa or Brett Favre in their primes. He probably will win another MVP award for the 2008-09 regular season, to go with being the top goal scorer again. He reminds me of Mark Messier,the great player who played for New York, Edmonton and Vancouver, a little. He can but a team on his back and has a nasty edge to his game, much like "The Captain". The fact he's so young holds well for the NHL also. He has the ability to bring the Stanley Cup to Washington, a thought that has that city buzzing. Washington has always been (the NFL's) Redskins and everybody else. To have another championship caliber team in the nation's capital is exciting for them. Next week I'll probably talk some golf, so to all you duffers out there, stay tuned and keep learning.