Hockey Song question
James Gifford
and googling around hasn't produced an answer.
At the end of "The Hockey Song," does Buddy die? The lines that throw me
are "on his final night" and "he saw that heavenly light."
Thanks.
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Howard Roseman
hockey (it's a way of life up here in the frozen north), I can assure you
that Buddy is quite alive at the end of the song. In the NHL, the fans know
a goal has been scored when the red light perched on the boards behind the
goalie is turned on by the goal judge. For many of the fans in a 15-20
thousand seat stadium, that's the only way they can tell. The "cold-cocked"
means that the goon gave Buddy a cheap shot. As he's hitting the ice in
reaction from that, he has just enough time to see the goal light flash and
know he finally scored a goal. WHOOO-HOOO!
BTW, hockey is a game better seen in person than on TV. A power play by the
home team, many close chances that finally result in a score, closest thing
to a collective orgasm you're ever going to experience. But prices are high,
so you pay through the nose for it. I haven't been to a game since I lived
in Edmonton. But I saw plenty at the old Montreal Forum. Beliveau, Pocket
Rocket, Lafleur, Dryden. Those were the days, my friend.
"James Gifford" <n...@nitrosyncretic.kom> wrote in message
news:e13afbbd278daaa2...@news.teranews.com...
James Gifford
> James, this topic has been raised before. As someone who has actually
> played hockey (it's a way of life up here in the frozen north), I can
> assure you that Buddy is quite alive at the end of the song. In the
> NHL, the fans know a goal has been scored when the red light perched
> on the boards behind the goalie is turned on by the goal judge. For
> many of the fans in a 15-20 thousand seat stadium, that's the only way
> they can tell. The "cold-cocked" means that the goon gave Buddy a
> cheap shot. As he's hitting the ice in reaction from that, he has just
> enough time to see the goal light flash and know he finally scored a
> goal. WHOOO-HOOO!
Thanks. I got all that - while not a hockey fan, I know enough to follow
the ballad's twists and turns. Those two lines ("final night," which could
mean "...of his career" or "...of his life"; and "heavenly light," which
could be interpreted either way) are perhaps deliberately ambiguous.
But then, just what WAS Buddy throwing off the Tallahatchee Bridge? :)
fred
> James, this topic has been raised before. As someone who has actually played
> hockey (it's a way of life up here in the frozen north), I can assure you
> that Buddy is quite alive at the end of the song. In the NHL, the fans know
> a goal has been scored when the red light perched on the boards behind the
> goalie is turned on by the goal judge. For many of the fans in a 15-20
> thousand seat stadium, that's the only way they can tell. The "cold-cocked"
> means that the goon gave Buddy a cheap shot. As he's hitting the ice in
> reaction from that, he has just enough time to see the goal light flash and
> know he finally scored a goal. WHOOO-HOOO!
>
Wow, was I wrong interpreting that, then. I alwyas thought he died just
after achieving his life's dream (the goal.) I thought that was the
drama. Thanks for asking the question, James, and for the answer, Howard.
dea...@my-deja.com
For what it's worth:
as a marginal hockey fan who does understand the significance of a
flashing red light when a goal is scored...I thought it was a toss-up as
to whether Buddy was merely knocked out....or sent to his eternal
reward...
Lucy Pfeffa
Does Albom tie everything together like that?
-- Lucy, giggling
Vicki
Funny how we connect to related/unrelated things. As a 30-year
resident Tallahasse, FL, and one who became aware of Bobbie Gentry's
song in the 60s as a teen while still living in Detroit, I can attest
there's no such thing as a Tallahatchee Bridge. There's Tallahasee,
FL; there's the Chatahoochee River (and the Town of Chatahoochee about
30 miles from here where there's indeed a "mental institution" made
famous by the movie "Chatahoochee" staring the superb acting of Gary
Oldman); there's the Apalachicola River, the Wacissa River, the
Ocklocknee River, the Suwannee River and the Withlacoochee River. But
there's no Tallahatchee anything.
Re Buddy, I agree, he was cold-cocked but lived to tell about it.
T. Schu
>
> BTW, hockey is a game better seen in person than on TV. A power play by the
> home team, many close chances that finally result in a score, closest thing
> to a collective orgasm you're ever going to experience. But prices are high,
> so you pay through the nose for it. I haven't been to a game since I lived
> in Edmonton. But I saw plenty at the old Montreal Forum. Beliveau, Pocket
> Rocket, Lafleur, Dryden. Those were the days, my friend.
>
You're absolutely right, Howard. There's no comparison to seeing a
game live versus watching it on television. The excitement, the
speed, the noise, just can't be appreciated watching on the tube. I
used to have season's tickets for the Blackhawks years ago when they
still played in the old Stadium. I went to one game at the Forum,
when Denis Savard was a rookie. I envy you, you saw some of the
greatest to ever play the game in Montreal at one of the greatest
venues in sports. Plus, no one could sing any anthem better than the
man who sang at the Forum. Was his name Roger Dulcet (not sure on
spelling)? Unfortunately, expansion has diluted the quality of the
game today. I too miss the old days.
Schu
Howard Roseman
> greatest to ever play the game in Montreal at one of the greatest
> venues in sports. Plus, no one could sing any anthem better than the
> man who sang at the Forum. Was his name Roger Dulcet (not sure on
> spelling)? Unfortunately, expansion has diluted the quality of the
> game today. I too miss the old days.
>
His name was Roger Doucette. You're right about expansion. TV has changed
everything. Greed is the prevailing factor in pro sports. No hockey player
is worth millions of dollars per year like in the other pro sports, because
their TV contract is much smaller. But some of the owners pay that anyway,
and the result will probably be a lockout next year.
Eric Furniss
> everything. Greed is the prevailing factor in pro sports. No hockey player
> is worth millions of dollars per year like in the other pro sports,
because
> their TV contract is much smaller. But some of the owners pay that anyway,
> and the result will probably be a lockout next year.
Expansion has hurt all of professional sport. Look at the lack of pitching
in baseball, the quality of quarterbacks and depth in football and the
absence of fundamentals in basketball. I'm grateful for expansion as it
brought the NHL to my doorstep in the form of the Columbus Blue Jackets. On
second thought, given their poor performance, we're still waiting for
professional hockey to arrive. It is the finest spectator sport, however,
with the price of tickets being what they are some teams are having trouble
filling seats. A seat by the ice here will run $131. I had 2 upper lower
bowl tickets for a game 2 weeks ago that came out to $120 after Ticketmaster
took their slice. I think the exodus of teams from Canada has hurt the
league as well. When I watch games on TV I see lots of empty seats,
especially in the south.
It will take a miracle to prevent a lockout next season. The last strike
solved nothing. Howard's take on the labor situation is right on. NHL
ratings are an embarrassment in the U.S. ABC/ESPN's new contract offer is
half of what the old one was.The owners need to stop overpaying and the
players need to understand that they will never be played like their peers
in other sports. NHL does a poor job marketing it's players too. The
league's needed a face since Gretzky retired. Rick Nash of the CBJ should be
on billboards and local commercials around here and it's a shame that he's
not.
Eric
"Howard Roseman" <hros...@shaw.ca> wrote in message
news:KQNMb.78024$ts4.2031@pd7tw3no...
Lucy Pfeffa
belonged to a hockey team from Macon, Ga. in the early seventies - The Macon
Whoopees.
-- Lucy
Scott Toth
enough to catch an Atlanta Thrasher game late last season just prior to
shipping off to Afghanistan. Great young team and a very exciting building
and the cheap seats weren't too bad.
It has alway puzzled me as to why "Hit Somebody" was never picked up on by
any hockey organization. I would think ESPN would at least use it as a
backdrop for a fight montage.
And...I always thought Buddy's fate could go either way.
"Eric Furniss" <e.furn...@verizon.net> wrote in message
news:3jQMb.2093$4l3....@nwrddc02.gnilink.net...
Howard Roseman
> any hockey organization. I would think ESPN would at least use it as a
> backdrop for a fight montage.
>
I think the song may not be high energy enough for their tastes. And,
officially at least, fighting is supposed to be bad and not glorified by
having its own music.
fred
> Without a doubt, hockey is the most exciting sport going. I was lucky
> enough to catch an Atlanta Thrasher game late last season just prior to
> shipping off to Afghanistan. Great young team and a very exciting building
> and the cheap seats weren't too bad.
Nice to hear something good about Atlanta sports. It's been a
disappointing time for some of our other sports. But more importantly,
thanks for serving in Afghanistan. I'm assuming from your words
"shipping off" that you are or were in the military or maybe a group
associated with humanitarian aid. In either case, thanks.
dal...@zoominternet.net
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