Okay, so recently I went on a trip to the south where the weather is always warm and ice rinks are a mythical creature.  Fine, not really seeing as Florida, one of the places that I stopped, has two NHL teams plus a bunchaother teams.  But in all honesty, hockey isn't very big the further south you head.  And that's why I packed a bunch of hockey tee shirts and paraded myself around waiting to see what people would say. 

Mind you, I was on a cruise ship, that left from NYC, so you would assume this would be skewed, that I would run in to crazy amounts of Atlantic and Northeastern Division fans, but no I didn't. So disappointed hockey fans!  

On the entire trip, I ran into five fans wearing some sort of gear: one New York Islanders fan in the Bahamas by a pool, a Minnesota North Stars fan (or at least a Peter Chiarelli fan) while waiting for a tram car, a guy rocking a New York Rangers Rod Gilbert shirt, and two little kids wearing a Brad Marchand shirt on the ship and another one wearing a Dion Phaneuf shirt in Disney World.  No offense, but damn, those are terrible choices.  I mean, don't get me wrong, I'm a HUGE Gilbert fan, but come on!  Make me want to run up to you and become instant BFFs with you!  Let me nerd out and commiserate over the lack of a season!  

For those wondering packed away with me was:

• Jordin Tootoo shirt (Nashville, of course)
• Patrick Kane
• Chicago Blackhawks feathers shirt
• Lanny McDonald (Calgary, as if you had to ask)
• Sean Avery (but I didn't get to wear it)
• Gordie Howe 2x (Whalers and Red Wings)

I skipped hockey stuff for two days, one on my birthday where I wore a dress (I felt it went better with the tiara) and I brought my "Endless Summer" tee shirt.  

 I wore the Lanny McDonald as a beach cover up, and the only person who noticed was me when I freaked out about it possible blowing away in a surprise rainstorm.   

My Tootoo shirt got more of a reaction from a waiter who came up to me and started going "Tooooootooooooo" and asking me if I was a too-too train.  I'm ashamed to admit it took me far too long to get the joke.  

  

Three people asked me why I had an Indian head on my chest.  

    

I met one Canadian on the entire trip.  I might as well have been talking to her about aerospace engineering.  She just didn't give a crap and I was annoyed.  She wanted to talk about shoes, I wanted to talk about what the fuck is wrong with the Toronto Maple Leafs.  I left cranky that I didn't make a new friend and she left confused.  It was a joyous moment.  

 

And nobody seemed to know or care about the Whalers or Red Wings, which really bummed me out.  I mean COME ON! IT'S GORDIE FUCKING HOWE!   But this doesn't deter me in the least bit.  It's hockey.  I love it.  I'll wear it all over the world in the hopes of making a friend or two.  So far I've only managed to get funny looks from people, but I'm sure it's only a matter of time before I find people outside of Twitter who geek out as much as I do when it comes to this sport.    

  

So yes, my next vacation will be spent rocking new hockey tee shirts and sweat shirts.  If you see a crazy red head running around 100 degree weather with hockey stuff all over her and a tiara on, say hi, I promise I won't bite! 

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