Syd Butler - THE Game

Blog 15 - Wednesday, May 13

OK, I decided. I am taking the day off to go to DC. I'm lucky enough to have a contact who has great seats and that is a huge lure. Still, it was a hard decision because I feel nearly too terrified to actually attend the game. Will my presence tip the outcome? I spent the last 24 hours trying my hardest to come up with any excuse NOT to go. I'm sick…My nose is too big...I have too much work…my back is out…it's a beautiful day and I don't want to travel. But then, I didn't have to wait for the subway and that is a good omen for a New Yorker, so I decided it was alright to go.

I ran into a good friend last night who is an obsessive Yankees fan (poor guy) and he ripped me a new one for being so scared of, God forbid, a loss. "What if they win?" he asked.  He was right. My anxiety and all my OCD superstitions have caused me to miss the big picture.

So I'm going to support my favorite hockey team. The team that has had many faces but belongs to me. It's like family and the holidays. You know it's going to be stressful, but hopefully there will be laughter, too, and it is your family and you go. This is not just a game after all, it is THE Game.

I want to be present so I can enjoy it all. Game 7, on a gorgeous spring day, with Barack Obama in the White House and D.C. in bloom. I'm going home to see my family Rock the Red and I will be among the fans cheering at the top of my lungs, soaking up the atmosphere and hopefully crying tears of joy.

GO CAPS!

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Author: Syd Butler | Special to NHL.com

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