Darkside wrote:
Shakes, what are your hockey creds beyond the no check league you're in?
Did you play HS? College? Semi-pro? Cause you're acting like you were a pro and really you kinda just play floor hockey on ice. Maybe I just didn't know you did something more significant in the past... so please help a brother out.
Started playing when I was 4. Played high level travel hockey since age 9. Played 3 years varsity at a high level, finished second in state senior year in a championship game played at the Chicago Stadium. Played on a team with one future NHLer (and current Pittsburg assistant coach) and another guy who was drafted 1st pick in the second round of the NHL draft (quite an impressive feat for an american back then). Didn't play in college, was a late bloomer in that I was 250 pounds at the time so never lived up to my full potential during those years. Took 10 years off playing basketball. Lost the weight at age 23. Got back inthe game at 28. Started playing A level men's league with and against former pros and college players. Been doing that ever since although now at 42 I no longer play against the young guys right out of college and pros. Currently play on 5 teams and am on the ice 4-5 days a week despite having my 7th spine surgery less than a year ago. My main team is in the Skokie over 30 A division which we've won 8 of the past 9 seasons. I've led that league in points 6 times. I play with my brother out there who played college and 4 years in the pros. I was his agent during that period of time. Last year I finished 1st in scoring in the all ages 20 team Johnny's C league (essentially equivalent to a B league anywhere else) becoming the first person over 40 to do so. Just a few weeks ago I captained a team to a perfect 12-0 season and the championship in the highest division in the all ages Chicago Outdoor Hockey League. Led the league in scoring and
made the allstar game which was played at Soldier Field last month. Done some coaching and will be starting up as an assistant for the Highland Park High School team this spring.
You guys rip on no check hockey, yet you fail to grasp that that is the ONLY hockey being played by adults not earning a paycheck in the game. And despite it being no check there is still quite a bit of rough stuff and contact, not nearly as much as a real checking game, but a helluva lot more than what any other sport has going on aside from the NFL. Enough so that I've been told countless times that I shouldn't be playing due to my back.
Edit: Really unfortunate that I was so fat when it mattered the most. Ever since I got back in the game I was stride for stride and just as good as all the guys who played college. I was just as good as the D3 players for sure. So it sucks I didn't get my act together in high school cause I could've continued playing in college.