I’m declaring my blog vacation over with a rare Saturday post.

I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday season and a happy New Year. I’ve just returned from an amazing experience at the NHL Winter Classic, played this year at my beloved University of Michigan’s stadium, the “Big House.”

A personal highlight for me was a chance to get out on the ice on Dec. 30 in a pickup game among the assembled media. Other than workers preparing for the New Years Day game, the gigantic stadium was empty, but it didn’t matter. I’m pretty sure I was as excited as this guy. Or this guy. I may or may not have kissed the ice before leaving. A friend was kind enough to take photos for me, producing some shots that I will treasure for a lifetime. Especially this one:

I just love this shot. It captures for me the sheer, unadulterated joy of skating outdoors in such an iconic venue. I was in heaven for the entire time we were out there. But there’s something else, too. Can you see it? Here look a little closer:

Still don’t see it?

How about here:

Still no? Maybe you need a refresher. I spotted it right away.

It’s a “smile you can see through his mask.” Like this one:

Like son, like Father.

Happy New Year.