Pickup Leagues

[shrader]

I know SDS has mentioned it from time to time and there have to be others out there. How are everybody's seasons going so far?

 

I play in a men's league out here in Boston. We're 2-2-1 on the season so far. No on on the team seems to be able to find the net, but we've been keeping the puck in the offensive zone a lot lately. If our point men could actually hit the net with their slapshot's, we'd be winning by 5 goals each game. Oh well, with about 20 games left, hopefully things will come around.

 

Ok, and now my real reason for starting this thread. 3 weeks ago I decided that my goal for the season was to get someone to throw a punch. I've been having a ton of fun in the Barnaby pest mode, so that seemed like the perfect goal. Well, last night that goal was accomplished. Bastard hacked our goalie really hard about 5 seconds after a whistle and obviously there's no way I'm going to let that go. I take a run at the guy and he throws an upper cut at me (might have caught a butt end in that one too). I ended up with a nice little gash on my chin (battle scars rule), but that idiot lost out on the collision. I love hockey.

 

So what should my next goal be, bench clearing brawl?

[BuffalOhio]

http://www.thegardensicehouse.com/AHL/stat...ns_Stoppers.asp

 

I'm 15th in the league in scoring, but more importantly as a defenseman, my goalie has a 2.25 GAA and we're 4 and 0. If they gave 3rd assists, I'd be a lot higher, as my outlet passes, ala Teppo, have created some goals for us. I don't think all my assists have been counted, either.

 

There's no 's' on the end of my name, either.

 

Shrader - mellow out. As a referee, I hate when men's games get too feisty. Play the game and stop acting like a tough guy. Kick the other team's azz with victory, not stupidity!

[BetweenThePipes00]

OK here is my deal ... no idea why I am sharing this ... maybe looking for advice from anyone who has done something similar ... or someone to tell me I am crazy ...

Growing up in Buffalo, my brother (TM8-PL16) and I played street/driveway hockey seemingly every day ... we were both always very tall for our age, but we played very little basketball because we loved hockey so much. But we also would out-grow skates in less than a season, and we didn't really come from a "hockey" family ... so we never played organized, real hockey and never really learned to skate very well. (my brother has since taught himself to skate pretty well.)

We eventually moved away, and skipping ahead a lot of years, I was living in pittsburgh in my late 20s/early 30s playing goalie for several different dek hockey and roller hockey teams. because there are a lot of leagues and they need goalies, many of the roller leagues do not require the goalies to be on skates ... so I was playing 3 or 4 nights a week. Then I moved to Nashville a couple years ago and it all came to a screeching halt, and it is killing me. There is very little hockey at all, very few rinks, and definitley no organized roller or dek hockey.

So here is my plan ... I turn 36 in a few weeks ... my goal is to start from scratch and by the time I am 40 be playing goalie in an ice hockey league here. I have not been on skates in probably 20-25 years. Given that playing goal requires you to be such a good skater, I am not sure I can do it, but I am going to try. Worst-case I should be able to play another position by then, right? am I crazy? Keep in mind I am 6-6, so I won't be the most graceful thing on skates ... but I miss it too much.

[shrader]

http://www.thegardensicehouse.com/AHL/stat...ns_Stoppers.asp

 

I'm 15th in the league in scoring, but more importantly as a defenseman, my goalie has a 2.25 GAA and we're 4 and 0. If they gave 3rd assists, I'd be a lot higher, as my outlet passes, ala Teppo, have created some goals for us. I don't think all my assists have been counted, either.

 

Our league is supposed to be keeping track of all of that, but so far all they have posted is the standings and GF-GA. Our team has given up the least goals in our division, even with a 9-2 loss.

 

 

Shrader - mellow out. As a referee, I hate when men's games get too feisty. Play the game and stop acting like a tough guy. Kick the other team's azz with victory, not stupidity!

 

I'm actually under control out there. I like to aggitate out there, but I'm not actually throwing any checks (it is supposed to be non-contact). Last night the refs just let things spiral out of control. The other team was much slower, so they were throwing hits along the boards and grabbing people any chance they could get. It's only natural to respond with more physical play when the refs make it known that they're not going to call any of it. They did end up calling the game with about 30 seconds left because one of their entire bench decided to attack one of our guys after he was checked into their bench. It was an absolutely crazy night, but I really wouldn't mind every game being like that.

 

 

 

BetweenThePipes, go for it. Hockey's the greatest game out there and no matter how good or bad you are, you should take advantage of any chance to play that you have. I took about 7 years off and that was rough, so I can't even imagine what a 20-25 year break would be like, but all I know is that I'm having fun.

[BuffalOhio]

 

BetweenThePipes, go for it. Hockey's the greatest game out there and no matter how good or bad you are, you should take advantage of any chance to play that you have. I took about 7 years off and that was rough, so I can't even imagine what a 20-25 year break would be like, but all I know is that I'm having fun.

 

Indeed, go for it. Hockey is such a great workout and I love the locker room comraderie. Everybody ragging on each other. What a blast! I play tonight (pickup), then in my league on Sunday night. Can't wait for either of them!

 

I took 4 years off (mistake!) due to injury, finances, and being stationed on a Coast Guard Cutter. The day that I moved into my new apartment in Cleveland (right next to an ice rink) Nov 1st, 1989, I played hockey that night. I haven't stopped since. Well, except for the 4 month rehab from ACL reconstruction!

[Bmwolf21]

DC, where in Cleveland? I live in Broadview Heights, south of the city (Parma area) and the only rink I have seen is Ice Land on Royalton Road (Strongsville area.)

 

I wish I could find a roller hockey rink with some leagues to join, as like BTP, our family wasn't involved in organzied hockey while I was growing up, so me & my brothers went the floor/dek hockey route, and then progressed into roller hockey.

[BuffalOhio]

I lived right next to the rink in Elyria, Ohio. $322.00 per month for a 1 bedroom apartment!

 

North Park

 

 

These are all the rinks that I've skated at, whether it be playing or officiating, in the Cleveland area.

 

Brooklyn

 

Garfield Heights

 

Winterhurst (Lakewood)

 

North Olmsted

 

Barons Arena (Brooklyn/Parma)

 

Parma

 

Parma Heights

 

Rocky River

 

Metroplex (Warrensville Heights)

[chileanseabass]

BTP, you gotta do it. i'm trying to convince 2 of my friends down here in tampa to start. i've been playing for 10 years or so now with a 3 year break, but it's a huge part of my life. if i didn't have hockey a couple times a week i don't know what i would've done during some tough times. it honestly gave me something to live for.

[shrader]

BTP, you gotta do it. i'm trying to convince 2 of my friends down here in tampa to start. i've been playing for 10 years or so now with a 3 year break, but it's a huge part of my life. if i didn't have hockey a couple times a week i don't know what i would've done during some tough times. it honestly gave me something to live for.

 

It definitely helps have a friend or two that play hockey. My roommate is the goalie for my team and neither of us would be playing right now if I lived somewhere else. We're both crazy hockey fans and it was one of those "hey, we should join a league" situations.

[chileanseabass]

my roommate is going through some really tough times right now so he could really use it. the kid can't skate, but they have a really good adult beginner program here in tampa. i'm in the "b" league but i already told him i'd be on the bench with him during the games to help him out with positioning and stuff. i just really hope he does it.

[Orange Seats]

I put myself up on the free agent list for my local ice hockey league, but no teams have picked me up yet. :bag:

I'm a pretty good skater, so maybe I should go to the open skates and try to make friends and got on a team that way.

 

 

I played goal for a pick up roller hockey and played goal and forward for a floor hockey league in college. If I remember correctly I only let in 1 goal in a 5 game season in the floor hockey league.

[Taro T]

Our league is supposed to be keeping track of all of that, but so far all they have posted is the standings and GF-GA. Our team has given up the least goals in our division, even with a 9-2 loss.

I'm actually under control out there. I like to aggitate out there, but I'm not actually throwing any checks (it is supposed to be non-contact). Last night the refs just let things spiral out of control. The other team was much slower, so they were throwing hits along the boards and grabbing people any chance they could get. It's only natural to respond with more physical play when the refs make it known that they're not going to call any of it. They did end up calling the game with about 30 seconds left because one of their entire bench decided to attack one of our guys after he was checked into their bench. It was an absolutely crazy night, but I really wouldn't mind every game being like that.

BetweenThePipes, go for it. Hockey's the greatest game out there and no matter how good or bad you are, you should take advantage of any chance to play that you have. I took about 7 years off and that was rough, so I can't even imagine what a 20-25 year break would be like, but all I know is that I'm having fun.

(I know I don't want to post this, because I sound even older than I am, but )Shrader, listen to the rest, it isn't worth it. I've seen guys who were just "agitating" end up getting pretty messed up when they agitated the wrong guy. (And there is ALWAYS someone bigger than you or dirtier than you. Sometimes both.)

 

I've also know of at least 1 guy who got cold cocked and ended up with a concussion and blurred vision in a league 1 step above instructional. And no, in that particular case, the guy who got messed up wasn't the one that started the idiocy nor was he agitating. I'm just saying, even in "mellow" pick up / beer leagues tempers can flair and things can get out of control real quick. There's no point to being a prick out on the ice. Tikkanen was great at it, but my guess is that you're getting paid a bit less than he was. ;)

 

 

BtP - find a beginner league and start playing. No time like the present. Besides, it'll be a lot easier in the 1st year of marraige to convince the wife you should start playing than it will be in the 4th or 5th.

[BetweenThePipes00]

BtP - find a beginner league and start playing. No time like the present. Besides, it'll be a lot easier in the 1st year of marraige to convince the wife you should start playing than it will be in the 4th or 5th.

 

Yeah I am lucky the wife is all for it, but once kids start arriving she might change her tune!

[PromoTheRobot]

I've been playing in a Hockey Academy league here in NH/MA for the last 10 years. The monday night open division league at Skate 3 in Tyngsboro MA is a great one. Very competitive with many players with their same team for years.

 

Open division means any 18+ player. The quality of play is decent. It actually jumps up a notch in the summer when high school and college players join in. I have played goal for about 10 years. I am pushing 48 and I play with 19 year olds, even though there is a 40+ division.

 

This could be a breakout year for me. I have finally devoted myself to a program of diet and excercise. SDS and some others have seen me and know that I am a big boy, tipping the scales at 380. (fyi: I am also 6'7") As of today I am 311. Losing nearly 70 pounds has greatly improved my play. Just this past week, our team beat the league's only undefeated squad 3-2, even though we were outshot and outplayed.

 

My teammates are amazed in my weight loss and see the difference it's making. My goal is to get as close to 235 (my college weight) as possible, so I still have a way to go.

 

Perhaps one day we could organize a tournament between our respective clubs if we can all agree on a location. Some of our guys play tournaments in Montreal just to hang out on St.Catherine's Street (PM me to find out what that's like) Any location must have adequate opportunity to drink, party, and slip dollar bills in G-strings.

 

PTR

[BuffalOhio]

(I know I don't want to post this, because I sound even older than I am, but )Shrader, listen to the rest, it isn't worth it. I've seen guys who were just "agitating" end up getting pretty messed up when they agitated the wrong guy. (And there is ALWAYS someone bigger than you or dirtier than you. Sometimes both.)

 

 

 

A guy like that is what cost me my right ACL in September of '96. He tripped me, and then cross checked me across my neck as I was starting to get up. Hyperextension of the knee pulled the ACL right off the femur. And yes, I was a yapper before he shut me up. Now I just play and keep my mouth shut. It's safer that way, and I get a lot less penalties (none in 4 games so far this year!).

 

I got even just before I had reconstructive surgery. I was able to play thanks to the Don Joy kneebrace the doctor gave me. A flying cross check across the side of his neck when he was screwing with one of my teammates. I didn't care about the suspension, I just needed to get even with that prick. Yes, it was a cheap shot, but his cheap shot started it and cost me my last season of playing if Buffalo before I transferred to Detroit. Bastard.

[BetweenThePipes00]

I've been playing in a Hockey Academy league here in NH/MA for the last 10 years. The monday night open division league at Skate 3 in Tyngsboro MA is a great one. Very competitive with many players with their same team for years.

 

Open division means any 18+ player. The quality of play is decent. It actually jumps up a notch in the summer when high school and college players join in. I have played goal for about 10 years. I am pushing 48 and I play with 19 year olds, even though there is a 40+ division.

 

This could be a breakout year for me. I have finally devoted myself to a program of diet and excercise. SDS and some others have seen me and know that I am a big boy, tipping the scales at 380. (fyi: I am also 6'7") As of today I am 311. Losing nearly 70 pounds has greatly improved my play. Just this past week, our team beat the league's only undefeated squad 3-2, even though we were outshot and outplayed.

 

My teammates are amazed in my weight loss and see the difference it's making. My goal is to get as close to 235 (my college weight) as possible, so I still have a way to go.

 

Perhaps one day we could organize a tournament between our respective clubs if we can all agree on a location. Some of our guys play tournaments in Montreal just to hang out on St.Catherine's Street (PM me to find out what that's like) Any location must have adequate opportunity to drink, party, and slip dollar bills in G-strings.

 

PTR

 

 

 

PTR, that is awesome. I was always the oldest guy in my roller leagues in Pgh too ... I like playing with the young guys.

 

The weight loss is also awesome. I am about 260 now, I'd love to get back down to 230 or less, that's where I was when I was in decent shape.

[Orange Seats]

I've been playing in a Hockey Academy league here in NH/MA for the last 10 years. The monday night open division league at Skate 3 in Tyngsboro MA is a great one. Very competitive with many players with their same team for years.

 

Open division means any 18+ player. The quality of play is decent. It actually jumps up a notch in the summer when high school and college players join in. I have played goal for about 10 years. I am pushing 48 and I play with 19 year olds, even though there is a 40+ division.

 

This could be a breakout year for me. I have finally devoted myself to a program of diet and excercise. SDS and some others have seen me and know that I am a big boy, tipping the scales at 380. (fyi: I am also 6'7") As of today I am 311. Losing nearly 70 pounds has greatly improved my play. Just this past week, our team beat the league's only undefeated squad 3-2, even though we were outshot and outplayed.

 

My teammates are amazed in my weight loss and see the difference it's making. My goal is to get as close to 235 (my college weight) as possible, so I still have a way to go.

 

Perhaps one day we could organize a tournament between our respective clubs if we can all agree on a location. Some of our guys play tournaments in Montreal just to hang out on St.Catherine's Street (PM me to find out what that's like) Any location must have adequate opportunity to drink, party, and slip dollar bills in G-strings.

 

PTR

 

 

Crap... you're making me feel bad for being 6'1" 228 :bag:

[blugold43]

OK here is my deal ... no idea why I am sharing this ... maybe looking for advice from anyone who has done something similar ... or someone to tell me I am crazy ...

Growing up in Buffalo, my brother (TM8-PL16) and I played street/driveway hockey seemingly every day ... we were both always very tall for our age, but we played very little basketball because we loved hockey so much. But we also would out-grow skates in less than a season, and we didn't really come from a "hockey" family ... so we never played organized, real hockey and never really learned to skate very well. (my brother has since taught himself to skate pretty well.)

We eventually moved away, and skipping ahead a lot of years, I was living in pittsburgh in my late 20s/early 30s playing goalie for several different dek hockey and roller hockey teams. because there are a lot of leagues and they need goalies, many of the roller leagues do not require the goalies to be on skates ... so I was playing 3 or 4 nights a week. Then I moved to Nashville a couple years ago and it all came to a screeching halt, and it is killing me. There is very little hockey at all, very few rinks, and definitley no organized roller or dek hockey.

So here is my plan ... I turn 36 in a few weeks ... my goal is to start from scratch and by the time I am 40 be playing goalie in an ice hockey league here. I have not been on skates in probably 20-25 years. Given that playing goal requires you to be such a good skater, I am not sure I can do it, but I am going to try. Worst-case I should be able to play another position by then, right? am I crazy? Keep in mind I am 6-6, so I won't be the most graceful thing on skates ... but I miss it too much.

dude go for it. i stood up on skates for the first time at age 33 and 1month later had my first novice league goal. hockey's a blast...except for the a-holes that are always trying to provoke a fight ;) . i'll never be good player but it's always fun.

[SDS]

I know SDS has mentioned it from time to time and there have to be others out there. How are everybody's seasons going so far?

 

0-3-1 :cry:

 

we've lost 9-4, 10-0 (no goalie), 6-0 and tied 6-6... We had a new team over the summer, but we had a lot of turnover for the winter, so it's like starting over again.

 

Our game last night was pretty exciting. We went down 3-0 and figured we were in for our usual ass beating (we were 1-15 over the summer), when all of a sudden we scored in the 2nd period. And then 20 seconds later we scored again. Then I jumped on for my next shift which resulted in me being the lead guy on a two on one going over the center line. My linemate snapped a pass right on to my tape and I walked in alone, patiently waited for the goalie to commit to the near post and snapped a wrist shot just inside the far post. It felt so good that I didn't panic, took control of the pass and calmly picked a spot and hit it.

 

I later added another one to make it 5-3. But we gave up two 2 goal leads in the 3rd and walked away with a tie.

 

So, despite the losing - I'm taking comfort in the fact that I am finishing my chances and leading the team in goals in only my 1st year (2nd season). I know it is only a lower tier men's league, but it still feels good to play well and only deepens my hockey obsession right now.

[BuffalOhio]

Good for you, Scott!

[mrjsbu96]

I know SDS has mentioned it from time to time and there have to be others out there. How are everybody's seasons going so far?

 

I play in a men's league out here in Boston. We're 2-2-1 on the season so far. No on on the team seems to be able to find the net, but we've been keeping the puck in the offensive zone a lot lately. If our point men could actually hit the net with their slapshot's, we'd be winning by 5 goals each game. Oh well, with about 20 games left, hopefully things will come around.

 

Ok, and now my real reason for starting this thread. 3 weeks ago I decided that my goal for the season was to get someone to throw a punch. I've been having a ton of fun in the Barnaby pest mode, so that seemed like the perfect goal. Well, last night that goal was accomplished. Bastard hacked our goalie really hard about 5 seconds after a whistle and obviously there's no way I'm going to let that go. I take a run at the guy and he throws an upper cut at me (might have caught a butt end in that one too). I ended up with a nice little gash on my chin (battle scars rule), but that idiot lost out on the collision. I love hockey.

 

So what should my next goal be, bench clearing brawl?

 

 

shrader - no offense, because I totally as someone who played in to college, understand what you are trying to do out there, but as a hockey official going on 20 years I am fairly certain I speak for the vast majority when I say we despise men's league hockey. i love officiating and do it for the game first, and the money second. but when it comes to my occassional men's league game i do it for money. refs don't let it get out of control - the morons out there let it get out of control. the minute you start calling too much they bitch b/c you aren't letting them play (and also b/c it is already 11pm at night and we want to go home).

 

and whomever posted about how someone is always bigger out there, is 100% correct. i miss the game so bad, but i finally gave it up two years ago b/c i was tired of getting clipped with high sticks b/c somebody wanted to pretend they were Ken Linesman on a forecheck with 2 seconds left in the first period of an 11pm men's league hockey game. just not worth it...

[shrader]

shrader - no offense, because I totally as someone who played in to college, understand what you are trying to do out there, but as a hockey official going on 20 years I am fairly certain I speak for the vast majority when I say we despise men's league hockey. i love officiating and do it for the game first, and the money second. but when it comes to my occassional men's league game i do it for money. refs don't let it get out of control - the morons out there let it get out of control. the minute you start calling too much they bitch b/c you aren't letting them play (and also b/c it is already 11pm at night and we want to go home).

 

I've definitely seen the "it's late, I want to go home" reffing, but that's not what it was the other night (we had the early game). They started out calling everything and then stopped in the 2nd. The other team started throwing hits to make up for their weaker skating ability and the refs let it go without even a warning. At least 50% of what happened was on them. The sad part is that these guys were the best one's we've had all year.

 

But anyway, it was ridiculously fun.

[chileanseabass]

in regards to the "agitation" comment in rec leagues:

 

i've always been a pot stirrer myself, being one of the smaller guys i wasn't afraid to mix things up - set the new record for league pims as a midget and finished second on my college team two years in a row.

 

here's my deal with it... we can watch barnaby, avery, ott, at al. agitate all night and see how it might make a difference in a game, but the big difference between nhl guys doing it and rec leaguers doing it is that the pros understand it's part of the game. if barnaby pulls some crap no one is going to kick his ass after the game in the parking lot.

 

i see it all the time in the rec leagues here in tampa. the "d" level league has fights all the time, where as in the "b" league," which i'm in, there's hardly ever a fight. my team hasn't had one in over a year i've been told (i just started with them in july). most of the guys doing the fighting are hot heads and aren't content with "leaving it on the ice." that's always been my rule. if i got the crap beat out of me (happened many times), i never saught retribution after the game, but too many people don't get it and think that a fight on the ice is the same as anywhere else. there's times now when i get caught up in the moment on the ice and start to scrap, but i don't trust the other guy enough to know that he follows the same "code" that i, and most pros do - unless you're sylvain blouin and throw a pot of coffee at the guy you just fought outside the lockerroom, to which he chucks a lit blow torch at you, but i digress.

[Taro T]

Yeah I am lucky the wife is all for it, but once kids start arriving she might change her tune!

That's why you join a league NOW. When bambinos start arriving you get to use the "it's my one night out" and "I need a break too" cards. Provided you actually spend some nights at home and help with the kids some and have been playing for a couple of years, you should be in good shape.

 

The other reason you join one NOW is you are getting close to 40. If you wait until then to join, the wife will probably give you the "midlife crisis" and "you'll break your ____ if you start playing that rough sport now at your age" rifs.

 

It sounds like you've got the green light now. Go for it.

[SDS]

another ass whooping tonight - 11-2. :bag:

 

But, the hockey gods had a good laugh at my expense. All alone in fron of the net - I fired a wrist shot that hit post #1, then it went left at a 90 degree angle and hit post #2, which then it went back into play.... :censored:

 

One shot - two posts.... real funny. :angry: