Vicious Fishes on the Road October, 1997

by Kim Sproul

I couldn't stand it anymore. Hockey withdrawal was getting to me and I love to travel. I prefer foreign countries, but Alabama will do in a pinch. One Panthers exhibition game wasn't enough for me. Lori and I just HAD to go to Mobile to see them again the next day. I warned Lori that traveling with me could be an adventure, but she went anyway. I'm not sure if she will again or not, but she's invited. The trip over was pretty much uneventful. It wasn't until we got to the arena that we started noticing things that we thought were odd.

Park at the arena and get our parking ticket. The instructions tell us to park and lock our car. Almost as an afterthought it says to take our keys with us. We're both blonde, but we could figure out the "park the car" part all by ourselves. I can just imagine a couple of misguided hockey fans doing their own imitation 01) that Saturn commercial where the man just drives around and around the parking lot. As for the rest of the instructions, if we had followed them exactly we would have locked our keys in the car.

Run into a tall blond man who looks very familiar.

Go to the lower level to check out the Panthers up close. Decide which ones we would like sent down to the Tiger Sharks.

Begin the climb to our seats. Notice that not many people are sitting in the expensive seats.

Get asked where VanBiesbrouck (sic) is. Make up an answer.

Notice the matrix board is running an ad for Just Hocky magazine. How do you play hocky? Is it anything like the one with an "e" in it?

Play spot the hockey player. Try and decide if they're Panthers or Caps. Decide they're Caps.

Wander the arena during intermission. The slightly intoxicated man at the end of our row gooses Lori.

Run into that blond man again. Wrack my brain trying to figure out why he looks familiar.

Get asked to join the Mysticks booster club.

Respectfully decline.

Help Lori on her quest to find a pen. She wanted to get some autographs for her son. Or at least that's what she said.

BUY a Mobile Mysticks pen. Tell Lori they better be Panthers autographs!

Get asked where Beezer was again. Run into the blond man again. Decide he used to be a hockey player.

Climb back to our seats. Lori gets goosed again.

Hear the announcements that the booster clubs of the Baton Rouge Kingfish, the Pensacola Ice Pilots and the Mississippi Sea Wolves are in attendance. Decide the fans are really rude when they boo them. Decide the announcer is totally classless for encouraging them to boo even louder. Feel neglected and ignored for not being publicly ridiculed with the rest of the ECHL.

Make a mental note to thank John Summers for NOT doing anything like that.

Read another announcement for public ice skating on March 23. Try to decide if we're six months early or six months too late. Either way no one is going to see me on ice skates any time soon.

Play spot the hockey players again. See the blond man again. Realize it's Tom Neziol.

Wander the arena again. This time in search of hockey players. Follow Lori around to the side of the arena. Step out of the way to avoid being slain by an errant puck in the "chuck-a-puck" contest.

Get trapped on one side of the gate with Lori on the other side. Realize I'm one of only three people there without a press pass.

Realize those other three are Capitals. Briefly consider apologizing for my Panthers jersey. Decide some things are better left unsaid.

Slink away when the gate opens again. Let Lori go get her autographs.

Climb the seats again. Lori successfully succeeds in avoiding another goose. Get asked where Beezer was again. Start answering as if I really knew where he was. I can bluff pretty well when I feel like it.

Hear the Sea Wolves fans start to howl. Why? I have no idea. Hear an announcement for the fans that are hurting the dog to please stop.

Watch the Panthers lose. I've seen them three times and I've yet to see a win. Wonder if I'm bad luck for them. Decide not.

Get really depressed when we realize we have to wait three more weeks to see the Tiger Sharks.

Speaking of Road Trips...

One of the easiest ways for club members to show their appreciation to the players is to provide them with snacks for the road. We ask that members provide healthy snacks such as fruit, popcorn, pretzels, granola, bottled water and sports drinks. Contributions for the goodie bags may be dropped off at the fan club table located behind section V or at the Tiger Sharks office at the Civic Center. Check your Handbook for dates. In an effort to assist members in determining the quantities needed for each trip the approximate number of days the trip will last are indicated. You may also make a monetary donation towards the purchase of the above items.