It begins at 5 a.m. in Kankakee...its dark and cold and I'm hungry. I have a two-hour drive and a greasy McGriddle breakfast ahead of me. I'll arrive before any player or coach, sometimes even before Troy and Clint begin to unload the player's gear. I split the drive with my wife, who I dropped off in Cicero, and finish my trek here at the Edge in Bensenville. After unloading all of my artwork and photographic gear, I set up my mp3 player boom box and fire up the music to wake me up. I amuse myself by counting how many players take a tune back into the dressing room and send another out humming it! I can be easily amused.
During the course of the next two hours I’ll work on drawings and greet players and coaches as they arrive. Mike Gapski will start early treatment for injured players and get a few ready for a pre-practice skate. I'll stroll into the locker room and pocket the little key to the gate that divides the fans from the player’s tunnel. In between drawing and shooting photos, I'll be known as 'Gozer the Gate Keeper' as I allow press and support folks into this private area and find ways to graciously keep fans from invading this 'domain of trust'.
This is the time and place when you see the craft of the player as they mull about in their Underarmour and mechanically prep their hi-tech hockey sticks much like the players now known as 'Ambassadors' did 40 years ago with their heavy wooden counterparts. Patrick Lalime tops his stick with nearly an entire roll of tape, while Marty Havlat narrows the grip end of his. Metal files, vice grips, tape and blowtorches compete with flying sparks from the skate sharpener for my attention. I relished watching this ritual a lifetime ago, when it was the Hulls or Mikita. Now that I can no longer skate because of my blown-out knee, I seem to appreciate it even more. It's one of the constants of hockey that still remains a player's personal domain. This, as much as skating and shooting, is hockey! I always take a moment to appreciate these days....
Go Hawks!
-tib
