UGR - One More Shot at the Quiet (830 hits)
Category: NoneRating: 2 on 16 reviews (Rate this item) (V)
Submitted by MyNameIsTim (View user info) at 2006-06-21 07:27:14 EDT
UGR - One More Shot at the Quiet
"JESUS FUCKING CHRIST KATHY, will you PLEASE shut the fuck up for just one goddamn fucking minute? Christ! I'm trying to figure out a goddamn gamn plan for tomorrow night, not trying to listen to you fucking bitch all night!"
"You're such an asshole Steve. Take out the trash before you come to bed."
Steve McGowan stayed up for another three hours staring at the game plan he had devised. It hadn't changed in over 150 minutes. He knew his Quincy Red Hawks didn't stand a chance against Lynn. The Black Hawks hadn't lost the Massachusetts Junior A states in 4 years.
Not since they signed Quiet Stan Hansen.
Hansen from the woods of Northwestern Vermont, and was by far the best player in the league. He'd make it in the pros no problem. He could fly, he could shoot, he could move...but mostly he could hack with the best of them. He led the league in scoring from day one. And in suspensions.
Everyone knew why he hadn't been signed yet. He's crazy. Not crazy in a good way. Not crazy competitive, or crazy fast, or crazy like a fox. Crazy crazy. Liability crazy.
Half that-Russian-boxer-guy-who-tried-to-kill-Rocky, half that-huge-manly-looking-black-chick-who-paralyzed-what's-her-name-in-Million Dollar Baby, half Unabomber, and half 17 year old boy who never outgrew blowing up bull frogs. Yeah, I know four halves add up to two, but that's just how crazy he is. Sick fuck crazy.
And that crazy asshole was the one thing that stood between the Red Hawks and a large trophy with the words "First Place" engraved on it.
---
McGowan woke up at 5am, not four hours after he climbed into bed next to his sleeping wife. He crawled out of bed the same way he did every day; headed directly for the bathroom. Shit, shower, shave, and a dixie cup of whiskey. So much for alliteration.
Film. Breakfast. Film. Skate. Lunch. Film. Pregame.
He pulled up to the back gate of the Garden, threw the valet a fin-bin, and made his way to the locker room. His team was there. An hour earlier than he had asked them to be. Captains' meeting. Good.
He stood in the doorway quietly while the captain gave a pretty solid motivational talk. 120%. Leave it all on the ice. O'Duinin was a good kid, a good captain with awesomely accurate 90mph slapshot, but a medoicre defenseman overall. He wouldn't make it to the next level. Walking proof of the Peter Principle. He had risen to mediocrity alright.
When O'Duinin finished his speech, everyone was up on their feet. Yelling. Fists on shoulder pads. Fired up.
"Alright, alright, calm down. There's still two hours to game time. Strategy first, emotion second. Casey, throw me the whiteboard."
Casey, a first string winger, frisbee-ed the whiteboard to his Coach, who caught it with one hand.
"Shut up and listen. Here's the game plan..."
Skate. Backcheck. Short shifts. No penalties. Hit. Protect the slot. Attack the net. Crash the rebounds. Use the points. D skate the puck through the trap.
Unspectacular, but solid. Nothing special, but no holes.
Except for one. One big hole with Hansen # 7 on the back of his jersey.
---
They were down 3-2 after the first. Quiet Stan Hansen got another natural hat trick, and another notch on his stick for ending another player's career with another cheap shot.
Casey beat him to the outside across the blue line with a minute left in the period. Made a great pass to Murphy on a 2-on-1 who put it in nearside top corner. Hansen didn't even slow up after the red light flashed and the buzzer sounded. Just a full speed hit from behind into the boards behind the net.
The crowd instantly went from full roar to eerily quiet. Brian Casey had just become the new Travis Roy.
Hansen skated to the box and didn't make a sound.
Double minor. Intent to injur. Ensuing league review. Talks of criminal charges. Grade 4 spondylothesis. Paralyzed from C7 down.
The locker room was quiet. You could hear the zambonis making ice. And smell the anger.
---
3-3 after the second.
3-3 after the third.
Coach McGowan pulled O'Duinin into the hallway. Power play. Right D. Cycle the puck. D to D pass. Wind up. The Quiet will drop to his knees to block your shot. Aim for his teeth. Do it for Casey.
It played out almost exactly as McGowan said it would. 4 minutes left in OT. Sudden death.
Cycle. Left D. Murphy's screening the goalie. O'Duinin's gets the pass at the point. Winds up. Hansen to his knees.
Moment of clarity.
They say time seems to slow down when the adrenaline's pumping. Maybe it really does. To O'Duinin it did. Aim high. Kill a man. Revenge. Aim low. Murphy's got the tip. Win the game.
His stick made contact with the ice about an inch in front of the puck, the shaft flexed and unflexed in an instant.
It played out exactly as O'Duinin knew it would. Two inches off the ice. Murphy with the tip. Five hole.
He did what was right.
It's what Casey would have wanted.
User Reviews
Submitted by rad1101 (user info) at 2006-07-04 19:59:25 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Submitted by rad1101 (user info) at 2006-07-04 19:59:04 (#)
Ranking: 0
rad1101.at.gmail.com
Submitted by MyNameIsTim (user info) at 2006-07-04 19:18:14 (#)
Ranking: 2
skinny prick.
j/k.
fyi, i'm going to be in vegas in 3 weeks.
lets rip some beers
Submitted by Orgasmatron (user info) at 2006-06-22 14:36:28 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Hockeytastic.
Submitted by rad1101 (user info) at 2006-06-22 08:53:54 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
nice one timmy
Submitted by MyNameIsTim (user info) at 2006-06-22 08:38:25 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
thanks. you too.
Submitted by Brdn_Nkd (user info) at 2006-06-21 15:17:29 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Congrats on this match. Well done.
Submitted by JonnyX (user info) at 2006-06-21 14:36:03 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Homer/Apu/Moe:
You can do it, Otto!
You can do it, Otto!
Apu: Make this spare, I'll give you free gelato!
Moe: Then go back to my place where I will get you blotto!
Homer: Domo arigato, Mister Roboto!
Team Homer
Submitted by kaos-king (user info) at 2006-06-21 12:06:21 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
No Comment
Submitted by DrogoRoch (user info) at 2006-06-21 11:53:07 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Liked it A lot. Excellent use of title.
Submitted by fudgepacker (user info) at 2006-06-21 11:39:02 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
nice.
Submitted by Shlongy (user info) at 2006-06-21 10:31:25 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Here...have a +2 for no particular reason whatsoever.
Submitted by sicosemen (user info) at 2006-06-21 10:11:09 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Wow! I was thrilled the whole way through. I enjoy how you used the title and taking full advantage of the category was great.
Submitted by ghola (user info) at 2006-06-21 09:59:41 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
i liked this much.
Submitted by MyNameIsTim (user info) at 2006-06-21 09:41:06 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
linkwhore away
Submitted by hour_man (user info) at 2006-06-21 09:13:01 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
I know fuck all about Ice Hockey. I know I liked this though. oooo I so want to link whore....but i won't.
Submitted by TigerLilly (user info) at 2006-06-21 08:54:58 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Nice Tim. Good job.
Submitted by Sacrilicious (user info) at 2006-06-21 07:35:18 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Great use of the title. I liked this a lot.