A Solid USA Effort Leading to a New Interest in NHL?

I am going to confess with everyone that this is probably the most hockey I have watched in my life. I told my roommates that I felt that every guy on the Eau Claire campus acted like a hockey superfan including myself who wrapped themselves into hockey.  Not only did many young college kids get behind the hockey team, but almost everyone got behind this team because of U-S-A on the front of their jerseys.  I read a retweet today from Ken Tremendous from Teddy P.'s favorite blog of all time Fire Joe Morgan.com "Everyone I know is a hockey fan today."  Can't say I disagree.

A couple of my roommates like to watch hockey once in awhile therefore I will watch when they have it on and I watched a good amount of Sidney Crosby vs. Alexander Ovekchin during the playoffs after realzing what an idiot I was for not watching. But I am still not off the hockey fever at least for now, I guess I would compare myself to somebody who might watch Major League Baseball yet only for a couple innings. That will probably be my approach with hockey, I will probably watch a couple of the games on television but probably not the whole game in the regular season.

I am not going to make picks or write a lot of posts about the sport because I honestly do not know what is happening half the time in hockey. Also 10 days after my first hockey post, I tried to analyze the two game sevens that I watched that night... not that well either. This is the same reason why I do not write about soccer, but I like to watch it.  Same problem I have with soccer, I have with hockey as well... No team to cheer for.  But let me list you the possible candidates in no order.  

a. Buffalo Sabers- This team has to be close to the top of my list because they are a tormented franchise with a bunch of heartbreaking defeats and to add, they have Ryan Miller who gave one of the best performances in the 2010 Olympics for the Americans.  More so than Lindsey Vonn, and Apollo Ohno, only Shaun White probably has an argument for putting in a better performance. 

b. New Jersey Devils- If I declare my fan hood to this team, they will be named the Jersey Shore Devils. They have two of the biggest names on the USA hockey team with Zach Parise and Jamie Langenbrunner and they have pretty great jerseys. Although, I have trouble cheering for teams from the New York-New Jersey area, I pulled behind the New York Jets this season but that's the first team I can remember in recent memory.

c. San Jose Sharks- Once again, the Sharks have Joe Pavelski who is a great player from USA Hockey and also is from Stevens Point, Wisconsin.  Their arena is named the Shark Tank and they have pretty baller jerseys.  It does bother me that they are a hockey team in the middle of California and really feel like they do not belong in the NHL for that reason. 

d. Chicago Blackhawks- This is the favorite team of my pal and good friend of Chuck's Corner: The Doz.  He loves the Hawks' and desires to go a game in the near future.  This team is the closet to our hometown in Wauwatosa and they are a classic franchise. In addition, they have USA great Patrick Kane who is an upcoming star in the NHL.  But the true question, can a Wisconsinite cheer for a Chicago hockey team?  

e. Minnesota Wild- This team is the closet to the Eau Claire campus and also has a lot of fans here.  Also they have all the games on television here for me to watch.  It seems like an easy choice but there is something about them that I cannot get into this team for whatever reason. No superstar from the USA either.

This might be an overreaction and I could fall out of hockey in April although it could be the opposite.  I am just happy that USA Hockey gave me another sport to get into.... Thanks.

-Charlie.