Winter Solstice

the longest and darkest night of the year came and went with a flurry of thunder, lightening and rain.

The outlook seems rosy...the days WILL get longer until the Summer Solstice six months hence.

Don't know why this seems so important just now?

Because on this, the darkest night, the Aeros recorded a loss at home, again.

Against the last placed team!
Which makes it the 12th loss at home, although only 4th in regulation, the others gained them 1 point as OTLs and SOLs.
Because they have now played 31 games (the most played of all teams in the West), of which 16 were wins and 15 losses - away and at home.
And put them in third place in the West.

1	Oklahoma City Barons	30	21	7	0	2	44	0.733	91	68	2-0-0-1	7-2-0-1	3-2	497
2	Abbotsford Heat	30	20	8	2	0	42	0.700	79	70	7-0-1-0	7-2-1-0	5-0	507
3	Houston Aeros	31	16	6	2	7	41	0.661	90	78	0-2-0-1	4-3-0-3	0-7	397
4	San Antonio Rampage	28	14	14	0	0	28	0.500	66	80	4-0-0-0	7-3-0-0	2-0	461
5	Texas Stars	28	13	14	0	1	27	0.482	83	85	1-0-0-0	5-5-0-0	0-1	396

Because they have been doing what an AHL team is supposed to do - raise and train fodder for the NHL mother team. This year alone saw more call ups (forgot how many) to be WILD than in years before. Yes, it plays havoc with "the system", with line mates' chemistry, with players' morale.
Wait - actually that should increase players' morale - this chance to be called to be Wild?  Or does the "why him and not me" factor play a bigger role? Instead of inspiring it discourages?
I don't know.
Maybe a sports psychiatrist can figure THAT out!
'Freud of the Hockey World' where are you?

Maybe each team ought to have a board certified Sports psychiatrist on call?
Just as they have a physician for body injuries, just saying!
Maybe they already have them and we, the fans, just don't know.
Just some more of those 'undisclosed' situations.

All I know is this: it may leave fans where? Hung out to dry, methinks.
And all the promotions in the world can't or won't make up for continuing disappointments - at home games. It's a hard slog for the promo guys to whip up enthusiasm in the general public to buy tickets! Especially where Football, Basketball (resurging again), Baseball and Soccer seem more important! Be they 'good' teams or not.

Listen to players interviews and the same phrases crop up over and over, till even I can repeat them in my sleep, LOL - and they do seem soooo scripted - in all sports:
"I do work hard". 
"We just have to work harder".
And particularly in Hockey: "Must strive to be called to be Wild" or whatever NHL team is the affiliate. 

And the coaches - again applicable to all sports ;-)!
"They have to play hard every night"." No one can just show up and expect to win" and "We will just call up players from the minors, some who want to play, and play hard, every night!"

After all, the minors are 'the kindergardens' and the AHL akin to a 'College Prep School' for the NHL. Sadly there are only few 'miracles' or 'born wizards' on ice'!

Does that make you, the fan, feel better?
I think it ought to. IF one sees AHL and minor hockey as good, fast paced entertainment.
Even a 'badly' played game can be entertaining and exiting.
Yes, really! IF one cares naught for a win.

And with that once more Happy Holidays: