So...today is my birthday. Today I turned 35 and I'm a bit depressed. 35 sounds really old. I don't feel old but I am old. No one around me calls me old but I see the way they look at me. What does this have to do with hockey? Not a darn thing but I wanted you to understand my mental state for my blog today.
I was in the Cool Springs area today at a big box retailer when I spotted Predators goalie Chris Mason heading out the door. I quickly made a b-line for him.
PJ: Chris! (Chris slowly turns back around) Hey Chris (I said extending my hand), I typically don't chase after people and stalk celebrities but I couldn't pass this one up. I am huge Pred fan. I even have a blog Predjoe.
CM: So is Joe your name?
PJ: Yes it it.
CM: Well it's great to meet you Joe.
PJ: So are you starting tonight?
CM: No, they are going with Danny tonight. I guess you have to go with the hot hand. I got to get back on the horse.
(what do you say to that? Seriously...I was abit taken aback by that. Here is the Preds #1 goalie saying he needs to get better...get out of his slump)
PJ: It's tough as a fan to see players that you like go through stretches like this but I guess thats part of it.
CM: Yeah it its but I'll be back.
PJ: I won't keep you any longer. I just wanted to tell you what a big fan I was and to wish you luck.
CM: Thanks it was great meeting you Joe.
Chris Mason is as down to earth as they come. I had just read a great feature on NHL.com today about Mason and his road to being a number one netminder. That article made me like him more than I did before (seeing the human side etc). Talking to him today took that up a notch. He is a class act.
I must tell you though I don't know what to think about his 'get back on the horse statement.' It sounds to me like he knows his game is in trouble and I don't like that. There is no position in hockey more mental than that of goalie and I want my goalie to be ultra confident. I don't want him thinking about getting back on the horse...I want him to picture himself riding high on top.
I'll admit that I have called Chris out on this blog before when he was not playing up to his ability and I'll do it again if I have to but the fact remains that he is our number one. Get back on that horse Chris!
Tonight: Preds are back home against a pretty hot Vancouver team. The Canucks won 3-2 last night in Chicago and have been riding the goaltending of Roberto Luongo.
Get down there tonight and support the boys!
I was in Cool Springs today. I wish I would have saw him too. He is a tremendous person. I hope he gets past these ruts he's been getting into. He was sick earlier. He's a bulldog. I love him.