Playoffs 2008

It all started early on Friday morning. We were up at the International airport before 7am. Bleary eyed, we stumbled through the check in and security checks. Enthusiasm came in the form of coffee from Paul Rankin’s cafe, then a short walk had us on the plane and on our way.

At Nottingham airport we had organised mini buses to whisk us the short distance to Jury’s Hotel. We got checked in, and headed off into town.

Nottingham is the gun, (and arguably at this time of year), the ice hockey capital of the UK. Support from all 8 Elite League teams, numbering 8,000+ people, descend upon the town for the annual playoffs. This is a time of mirth, mischief and forgetting the rivalry you have for the other guys. We all get together and support someone, even if that someone is not your own team.

We are getting really good at supporting the other guys. The Giants did not make the cut this year (again). A narrow defeat in penalties edged us towards an early bath and sent the Newcastle Vipers to the semi-finals.

After a Friday frolicking on Nottingham’s big wheel, fine dining in their restaurants and sampling their cocktails we were relaxed and ready for a grueling Saturday packed with 2 semi finals back to back.

Saturday

We got breakfast in the hotel and headed out to get some supplies before arriving at the arena to watch the Newcastle Vipers play everyone’s favourite arch rivals, the Coventry Blaze.
On this rare occasion we were cheering for the Vipers, the very team who put us out of the tournament. Anything is preferable to cheering for the chavs. (Coventry).

The game started off with a goal from Newcastle Vipers, but the chavs won in the end. The most entertaining part of the show was the Belfast Giant’s mascot ‘Gordie the Gorilla’ strutting his stuff with the dancing girls, beating up the other mascots and being fed bananas by the management.

We rushed off to fill up on caffeine and arrived back at the arena just in time for the second game.

This time the Sheffield Steelers dispensed the Cardiff Devils, sending them through to the final to face Coventry.

Sunday

Sheffield was the team of choice to be cheering for in Sunday’s final. This fact did not go down well with most of the other English / Welsh fans as they have a long and bitter rivalry with the Steelers. We were really cheering for the Steelers’ coach Dave Matsos who is an ex-Giant who suffered a career ending injury a few years ago.

The Steelers owned the game from the start. Coventry rarely got a look in, and didn’t once get a goal in. The final score was Steelers 2 Coventry 0. There was much rejoicing in the Giant’s camp.

We headed to the hotel and freshened up and then back to ‘The Bunkers’ bar, situated just beside the rink. Many funny things went down here, but you know the saying: what happens on the road stays on the road!

The few things I can tell you are:

1. Someone managed to break the toilets in the bar, and so the bar had to be closed for health and safety reasons.

2. A small rebel group of Giants fans broke into the National Ice Centre. There were no arrests, just mischief. (lock your doors Nottingham!)

Nottingham in jokes: viva, au deir, panic at the Bickerstaff, ok now get to your rooms.

We stayed up chatting till about 4am this morning, until the staff of the hotel ‘sent’ us to our rooms. We were chatting in the lobby when 2 surly security guards came over and told us to leave. We decided we were going to finish our conversation, but we were overruled!

Oh well. That’s that for another year. Next year should be filled with chocolatey goodness as we just found out that we will be signing ex-Giant Steve “chocolate heaven since 1911” Thornton as our new coach. He’s one of the best players we’ve had the misfortune to lose.

Next year should be sweet. (groan). I’m off for a sleep.

Curently listening to:
Not in Nottingham
(from Disney's Robin Hood)

Playoffs part 2

The only cuddly thing about the Coventry Blaze is their big stuffed dragon / frog mascot. All weekend during the playoffs we have been chanting suff like "no one likes you... no one likes you" etc inventive eh?. Their mascot ventured over to our section to cheers of "who are ya?!"

The final game was a little lax. Cardiff who were an unstoppable force in the semi looked tired. Nottingham scored almost right away and that goal went unanswered till the middle of the second. The third period was mostly memorable for the giants crowd starting all sorts of chants including "we're not brazil, were northern ireland", "hands up for hanson" and "healey" (someone had a northen ireland football flag), not to forget "your ma's your da!"

It was a 1-1 hockey game with 5 mins to go. Things heated up with some handbaging and many more shots on goal but it had to go to overtime and then penalties. After a close battle nottingham triumphed.

The sheffield steelers fans left immediatly. I thought that was bad sportsmanship no their part as everyone else stayed. Still i guess it was nice for nottingham to win some silver after not doing so in their own building for quite a while, what is it now, 50 years? *sniggers*

The rest of the evening's post is being truncated in the interests of "what goes on the road, stays on the road" and potential lawsuits from offended parties.

I'll say this: there were nottingham thugs dancing, drink taken, one man getting his tackle out, some rather unexpected sweedish action and much food consumed.

'Nuff said.

On the way home we were delayed as BMIbaby were having technical issues with our flight. We bought packs of Top Trumps and battled it out till the flight was called.

Till next year gadget, next year.

Currently listening to:
"I can, I will, I do"
Barenakedladies
Barenakedladies Are Me

The Playoffs

I'm in Nottingham. I've been having a really good weekend. We got here on Friday and booked into Jury's inn. They were oddly efficient, we were able to check in around 10.30.

After a lunch in squares I headed over to the arena. I've been providing a sound mix of Cool FM's Nigel Ringland and Canadian journalist Wayne Hardman for a dvd being recorded of the weekend.

Last night we went to the pit and pendulum, a goth / rock bar in town that make nice cocktails.

Breakfast in the hotel was great. Its that generic stuff but it was tasty and well cooked.

We went back to the arena today where Jo Sarah and I got access all areas passes! (much luff to the staff who didn't really need to do that, but did anyway). After about an hour of wrestling with a camera's sound inputs were were free to enjoy the first game, Cardiff V Coventry. Cardiff were successfull, much to the delight of everyone gathered.

Everything was going well until the Belfast Giants got eliminated from the competition. Dang.

They played well but were just pipped on penalties by the Nottingham Panthers.

We headed back to the hotel where Jo and I enjoyed TV and pizza. I'm currently stealing Squeek's internet access cuse he's passed out in the corner. hehehehehehe.

I have video and things to update soon, but I've nothing to edit it on.

Dang.