Cowbells and Dreams...

I couldn't believe how much all my friends loved my blog about hockey. The reality is all hockey moms are not created equal, and it has taken me a couple of years but I have truly learned to appreciate each style.

Luckily I had three games this weekend at which to observe the moms....now that I am a blogger (as of a week ago), it was my journalistic duty.

When it comes to a travel game, I personally think it's our obligation to our children to look cuter than the moms on the other team. I try to wear jeans and heeled boots even if its early and I haven't showered. A good long coat hides a multitude of sins. There are certain rinks where I know I have to step it up a bit because the moms are known for being decked out...and you might even see a fur coat in the crowd. This morning I knew I was headed to baggy sweatshirt territory, so I let my guard down and wore Uggs.

Other moms are more the spirit week kinda moms who show up with team colors, kids names on their jackets,scarves and hats. I like to reserve this type of behavior for tournaments and playoffs, and pace myself. There are several reasons for this: I'm vain and know I look ridiculous in bright blue and yellow; I can't keep track of my keys, let alone my team scarf; and my kid is a regular in the penalty box and I don't need any trouble in the parking lot.

My favorite way to classify hockey moms is their spectator style. Most of us fall somewhere in between what I would call "book" and "cowbell".

While I haven't seen a mom actually reading a book during a real game, there are those who act like they'd rather be. These are the moms who say things like "its only Mites", or "no one is going to the NHL here"... (I confess I dabble in this type of hockey momhood.) Never believe a hockey parent who says "no one is going to the NHL", because none of them have completely ruled out the possibility that their kid just might be the next Sid the Kid or at the least play Division 1 in college. Or if they have, it's likely they've hitched their hockey wagon to another sibling. When they say "its only Mites", they mean to add "unlike my son's Peewee game later which is clearly life or death". Let's face it, we are all pretty crazy- what else would we be doing here?

The other end of the spectrum, and wildly criticized, is the cowbell mom. This lady wears her crazy right on her sleeve and I dig that. There is nothing that pisses off a group of moms faster than a mom on the opposing team ringing a cowbell, blowing an airhorn or any other noisemaking device. I know moms who spend the entire game screaming out specific instructions to every child on the ice, but as soon as they hear a bell they are completely offended. It's ridiculous, but I always get a kick out of it. I even found this facebook group against cowbells:

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?id=1520763495&aid=2049784#!/group.php?gid=48414314585

I can't even count on two hands the times I've seen moms on opposing teams having words with each other about the particular way they are cheering at a game. I used to be a little horrified, but now I just sit back and watch and think...I freakin love these crazy broads.