Like many sports, hockey has a wonderful, descriptive language all its own. Players refer to each other solely by nicknames, with all long names shortened and all short ones lengthened so that Kovalchuk becomes “Kovy” and Ott becomes “Ottsy”. A goal can be a “snip,” a “snipe,” or a “tuck-in.” A shot that goes just […]
Read more "Chirping … and Skating Away"Dear San Jose Sharks, We need to have a little chat. I know it’s a long season and you’ve been good for years and everyone hits a bump in the road now and then. I get all that, I really do. I understand what a grind the NHL season is, especially for the Western teams […]
Read more "An Open Letter to the San Jose Sharks"I don’t have the same gift for seeing the tiny details that Ryan does. Sometimes I only notice them on a second or third examination. When Ryan skated on the auxiliary rink at the NHL Winter Classic in Philadelphia in January I could hardly contain my excitement for him. I wanted to watch him enjoying […]
Read more "It’s All In the Details"Like many children on the autism spectrum, Ryan will occasionally say inappropriate things, either asking questions that are too personal (age is a common one) or off-base. He struggles with linear thought — everything must be black or white, shades of gray need not apply — and the complexities of back-and-forth social interaction. Sometimes things […]
Read more "Out of the Mouths of Babes"There have been times when I have questioned the wisdom of encouraging Ryan to take an interest in sports. Not many, mind you, as his involvement in hockey has helped create a bond that might not otherwise exist. More than anything, it has allowed us to spend time together. Time in delightful, three-hour blocks unencumbered […]
Read more "What Is a ‘Butt-Kick’?"
Pucks and Puzzle Pieces 