The Redhawks

Notice the Hawk eyes? And the cancer sign is because it's Prostate Cancer Awareness Month (a big deal in Sweden)

I am a cultural sports fan.  Wherever I live, I adopt that area's sports teams and support them with visiting a game here and there and having enough of a general knowledge of them to contribute to conversation. I don't watch them on TV, I don't set my schedule around their playing times and I definitely don't cry when they lose.  But I will join in the spirit of cheering for them at live events.

Along with me charming the weather, I also believe I might be the charm to teams winning.  Just a few examples: I lived in Boston and the Red Sox won the World Series for the first time in 80-some years, I was at the USA vs. Algeria World Cup match and the USA won, I lived in San Francisco and the Giants won the World Serious.  I'm just saying, there may be something special about me.

Last weekend I got a group of friends together to go watch a Malmö Redhawks game.  One thing I knew going into Sweden was that they liked their winter sports and hockey was a staple.  The Redhawks are an ok team and some of their players even get called to the NHL where they skate for the Bruins and other good teams in North America.

There is just something about walking into a stadium and hearing the buzz of people excitedly making bets on which team will win, the smell of concession stand hotdogs rotating in their cases,  seeing the team mascot try to pump peoples enthusiasm up by dancing and making weird jumpy moves.  I feel comfortable in these surroundings.  I'm good with team spirit.  My Scottish friend says this is what he admires about America, that we take such pride in our sports and have such spirit.

My friends from Saudi Arabia, Indonesia and Uganda were excited for their first hockey game!

My group of friends and I were a bit early

After each goal, the fans would pull this tarp with a Redhawk over their heads and shake it

We slaughtered the other team

It was a game full of excitement to say the least.  The Malmö Redhawks made 2 goals in the first 5 minutes causing the fans to go crazy jumping and hooting.  I commented to a friend that I was surprised a fight hadn't broke out on the ice yet and he said, "Swedes don't fight.  You won't see any fighting at a Swedish hockey game."  And there wasn't.  They skated well, worked as a team, and played good hockey.  At one point a player tripped and flew through the air at the moment another player fell.  The one player got a skate to the head and the game was postponed as an ambulance was called in.  It was pretty scary and not pleasant to watch.  But the player is fine, nothing serious, it just looked pretty awful.  The game resumed and my group of friends and I became Redhawks fans.

It's nice that tickets are relatively cheap.  And it's an entertaining activity that gets you out with friends.  It was my first Redhawks game but I don't think it'll be my last.  We won! 6 -3. So maybe my commitment to the team will mean they'll win their season.  We shall see.