Quest for the Cup

There is nothing more exciting in the Quest for Lord Stanley's Cup than an overtime ... well maybe a triple overtime that extends into the next day ...

But the ulimate ending of the quest is a Game 7. No holds barred. Smashmouth. Here's your dream so reach out there and take it -- fight for your life, pride and the Cup type of game.

I've witnessed three (that's counting this year's) Game 7's. And usually I would rather have the team I'm rooting against win the Game 7 then to see the Cup being unveiled and marched down it's red carpet during a Game 6.

Now, I am not in any way shape or form a diehard hockey fan. Classify me as casual at best. I watch hockey one time a year: The Stanley Cup Finals. I tried watching during the regular season, but I got bored.

Maybe it's because I don't have anything personally invested in any of the teams? Or it could be because it takes so long to get to what matters--the playoffs, or fight for the playoffs (like baseball or basketball). What's at stake when you're playing an endless number of series? Three or four or six losses here and there aren't so bad .. while in football ... your season is all but over. Those stakes are high--the team battles every week and as a fan you don't dare miss a game.

I gear up each year for these games. I know summer has started when i commit my nights to the ice. I don't follow the game enough to have "my team." I do have Cup favorites ... and unlike football, I can root against a team one year to cheer them on in the next. Buffalo Sabres vs. Dallas Stars -- I hated the Stars ... now they are probably closest to what could be my favorite team. Stars vs. New Jersey Devils (hated them). Devils are on my good list now.

My June was a little empty last year without the Finals.

But this year they completly screwed me up by putting Games 1 & 2 on cable. I couldn't get into Game 3, I wasn't able to watch Game 4. I saw most of Game 5.

They broke my system!

Game 6 I was back into swing. Thank god for Game 7, without it the whole series would have been ruined for me.

In order for me to get into this at all, I need a solid start, the history, the packages expounding on the random stories. How else will I know who I should be cheering for?

So hurrah for Game 7. And though I am merely a casual observer, I'm glad the Quest for Lord Stanley's Cup is back.