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Fullright

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Everything posted by Fullright

  1. The last time I wrote, I addressed the nonsense with an overreaching coach who skates in the skate in which I played. That all got resolved favorably but suffice it to say he and I wont be exchanging dinner invitations any time soon. All that BS aside, I had a fall on 9/6/23 on the public train I take back and forth to the office. When I fell, I had on the work uniform of leather soled dress shoes together with a suit and tie. My right foot went out from underneath me in the aisle on either side of which are seats. As I fell back, my left leg came up and my left knee cap crashed into the metal tube seat frame on the left side of the aisle. The impact dislocated my left knee cap. I am seeing the orthopedic doctor who I trust with my life and just had an MRI today on the knee today. Bottom line is I've been confined to the house since 9/6 with a brace and crutches, a knee the size of a basketball, and a hematoma from mid shin to mid thigh. We'll see where things go from here but any of you who have blown a joint know how this works: once the joint get disrupted, big risk of recurrence. Dr says, being 60 yrs old, the earliest I can get back possibly is in the spring of 24. I think I might be done. It kills me to say that. My left knee was the only sound and uninjured major joint left till this humiliating fall. I am hoping to avoid surgery and will do the work to get my knee functional for ordinary stuff such as walking. My life as a hockey goalie, however, might be finished. If so, I suppose I should hold onto the blessing of having played since age 8 to age 60 even though there were intervals where I didnt play after age 34. I just never thought it would end this way. Falling on a effing train? This is the first time in my existence where I took an injury outside of hockey. Embarrassed and heart broken but we'll see where things go.
  2. @coopaloop1234: he looks ready to go! @Hockey34: that's a bad injury; hope he recovers.
  3. coop's advice is spot on. learning all 4 of your edges is key. usually goalies, contrary to common misperceptions, are very strong skaters; we have to be. most can fly in player skates without all the gear. take your time and work on your crossovers - resist the public skate temptation to get good going right over left only. learn how to pivot from front to back and vice versa. be patient - it will come. once you get it down, the goalie stuff just comes. welcome! lots of really good goalies here; ask questions if you like and you'll get sound answers.
  4. Just wanted to follow up since I was unable to do so when I first saw your post. Few preliminaries. Are you injured and trying to play through it? Is something off ice such as a personal or family issue crowding your head space? Are you tired of your team and or teammates? If the answer to these is no, take a break. Dont rush it back. If you miss a season, so what? You'll find your way back. I went through 2 episodes like what you describe. The first was trying to play through injury for 2 years and got cut. At the end of the 2 years, I hated the sport and our position. I felt the hatred way more than the pain from the injuries. But I got fixed surgically and took a year off and gradually worked my way back in. It took another year or so but I rediscovered my passion for the sport and our position. Note that I did so with a different group and team(s). The second episode happened after my last major injury. I got fixed and didnt play again or even watch the game again for 16 years. I felt betrayed by my body and our sport. Again, I was asked to skate and worked my way back into it again which is where I am now. I dont play on a team. I dont care how many shots beat me. I try my hardest but I reached a point emotionally/mentally where it doesnt matter anymore. I play now just to play. If you are having a mental health issue, seek help from a counselor or clergy who specializes in this type of help or just vent and ask for experiences here. We all have had them. You will find your way. Take the time you need and focus your attention on what makes you happy such as work, a hobby, or significant other. Our passion and the pressure we put on ourselves to stop everything can be overwhelming. Sometimes stepping away is the best remedy. Catch your breath and dont feel alone; you arent.
  5. @35RoloSmith41: dont have time at this moment to write you but your courage and honesty tell me you're strong but in a rough spot. My quick 2 cents is please listen to all the posters above. I went through a similar experience and will be happy to share. I think we all have at one time or another. You're not alone.
  6. Thanks fellas. Everyone pays their $10 for the skate. I do also just as a matter of kicking in to help cover the cost of the ice. The skate is tantamount to a bag skate. There are no breaks and there is no D to speak off. That doesnt bother me in the least and, in a weird way, I enjoy the pace. I kept my mouth shut when "Coach" expressed his "concerns" although I began to get pissed off. I admit that I am old school. I dont like the rotating nonsense of goalies and it is nonsense. My 2 cents is that if a goalie cant handle the 90 mins, he/she should be in the gym. For instance, on the night this came up, the other goalie, who is half my age, morphed into a Port-A-Goalie 50 mins in. He just stood there. I am not as good as I once was - I am a has been or never was, take your pick, - but I give max effort and dont beg off for a blow for a few mins or bitch if guys shoot at me head. The worst part? "Coach" is a D man who is not only an ankle bender, but also has no idea how to close a gap; more a backing in screen. I keep my mouth shut about these things because it doesnt really matter anymore. What really got under my skin was his threat to bring out one of 36 other goalies. I guess I'll just have to see where things go and let it play out. I didnt skate last week and am not tonight. Supposed to be some big "meeting" about the skate's configuration next Friday. Meanwhile, I am set for a Wednesday morning skate at another building next week. Thanks for your takes on this matter. I thought all this who plays and doesnt play with how they play stuff was behind me a long time ago but it seems some just have to put their fingerprints on things. Thanks gentlemen. Hope things are good with you all.
  7. Given that we, especially in this thread, have been around for awhile, I could use some advice. Any of you who have seen my films know I skate in a pretty organized 90 minute "rat" skate with usually the same players, most of which are pretty good. The last few years the skate in particular has become very good with a mix of a few ankle benders, some decent, and some really good players. No one is going to The Show but the skate doesnt suck and is usually the last event for the night at the rink. So here's my quandry. The fella who organized the skate from the start has been laid low for about 14 months with a neck surgery. One of the ankle benders, who is a youth team certified coach and runs a C level mens league team, has slowly been flexing authority such as when we switch ends and other non-issues. Ok fine, who cares? He and I have gotten along pretty well personally. But last week he tells me some of the skaters are pissed that I usually dont stay past the end of the skate. No one else has said anything like that to me personally and every one who knows me more than a day knows they can say what's on his or her mind and I'll respectfully consider it. The "coach" seems to be singling me out in that most of the skaters leave at the end of the 90 mins or a few minutes before. Most times, the rink leaves us another 30 mins because the attendant is mopping floors or doing other closing tasks. There's no scrimmage after the skate ends; it's simply 7 or 8 "rats" working on their shots or doing rebound drill which is fine. Sometimes I stay, sometimes I dont depending how tired I am. "Coach" then drops the bomb that instead of 2 goalies, which has always been the custom of the skate, he's going to start bringing out one of 36 other goalies on his "list', a copy of which texted to me, to start a platoon in nets and that "good leaders" need to be adaptable. I didnt engage in an argument about these "issues" but I am seriously thinking about saying "F" it and skate elsewhere which is an option. Any ideas or counsel about how to handle this situation? Thanks in advance.
  8. You're welcome. You have a good doctor. Hope your recovery continues.
  9. well done, dean! totally bad a_ _. Your dr's thoughts about playing net?....not that his/her thoughts matter. :)
  10. Got to skate this past Friday, 6/30/23. Once again, a beat down from college and high school players more interested in beating on an old man. This was one of those skates where I didnt play poorly and still got bombed. I can say two positive things. One, had a ball! Two, I got revenge on the hot shot who beat me with the lacrosse goal a few weeks ago; I stayed on my feet, hugged the post, and the attempt harmlessly hit me in the chest. Best part was he called me an MF-er. There used to be a syndrome called "Illinois Hockey" where players made dumb mistakes despite being skilled and for some actually thought they had potential until they left Illinois and played against high end players and reality crashed into them. I think the syndrome is dead. These young guys are so skilled and strong. Meanwhile, photographic evidence that I still exist,
  11. @WillyGrips13: I did try a pair of bauer modern pads a few years ago and they killed my hips and I felt top heavy. Thanks for the kind words, Willy. I think however I am no longer even a beer league goalie anymore. A practice target is probably more accurate. @seagoal: fair point. I do agree about the gloves. I have a Passau 60 and it become comfie after a few skates. To be honest, I dont know how you guys move as well as you fellas do in modern gear. Certainly, modern goalies are better trained and stronger than me and my peers....the few left standing.
  12. This isnt going to come across well here. Same pads since 1984. My pants are 9 years old. Same chest/arms since 1984. Gloves for at least 7 years, before the current ones, about 20 years. Cup for about 14 years. Knee pads about 10. One mask is about 7 years old and the other, which I cannot wear in some buildings, is about 6. Not a question of dollars although that is important. I just hate breaking in new stuff. I maintain my stuff carefully and it has held up good. Mrs. only really complains about the smell.
  13. In the words of Tony Montana from Scarface: "I demand my juhuman riiittes". Funny story: In 3rd grade, Mrs. Palermo tried to convert me to rightie in her penmanship class. I flunked the class and my Dad was not happy with the F on the report card. After several raps on the head, I blurted out what she was doing. My Dad then had a conversation with her; I was excused from penmanship class forever which probably explains why no one can read my cursive writing. Pops was a hard guy but had my back on my handedness which is surprising because not a soul in my family or extended family is leftie. At the time, lefties were considered children of the devil.
  14. @A.YOUNGoalie13: very well done. Snob righties....they just dont realize how hard it is to cope on this right handed biased planet. Going to start an organization: American/Canadian Civil Liberties Union for Lefties...ACCCLUL. Might have to work on the name. Forgot Gilles Villemure.
  15. I suppose I am biased against forwards and a little against D-men but I put that all aside for Mogilny. What makes his career even more impressive and HHofF worthy is that he defected. He had no option but to excel and made good on his decision to book on the USSR. Heavens knows what happened to any relatives he left behind. I also dont get this business that "since he didnt win a Cup, he doesnt belong". I dont see the legtitimacy of that point as a criterion to make it in.
  16. @Wonder35, primo Fibrosport/Jacques Plante bucket. Still have mine in the basement.
  17. King Henrik is a slam dunk. Barrasso....never a fan (apparently a large type A-hole) but his record is great. Mike Vernon deserves it also. Little surprised Cujo didnt make it in. Thoughts, comments?
  18. Good to hear you got to play w your son @MTH Weird how time passes and things change. Being a 60 yr old gas bag, I try to keep an open mind and use more modern save selections and incorporate modern concepts into my "game" such as it is. I mentioned above that last time out, a college player beat me with a lacrosse goal. He beat me while I was in a classic - thanks MTH - VH up tight against the post. I should have realized that with my Darren Pang height, if I had stayed on my feet up tight against the post, the puck would have just hit me in the chest. Best part: I stopped him staying up last summer - he told me this time that as he went behind the net, he was surprised I VH-ed and knew he had me beat before he stuffed the puck in. Go figure!
  19. This has been a really good Finals. Neither team has stunk (G2 by Fla was not good). Both goalies have been great. Hope it goes more than 5.
  20. Really impressed by Vegas. Hill has been great and Fla seems to not have an answer so far. A little conflicted though. I like Vegas a tad more than Fla (what can I say? I like the town a lot) but I think Bob is one of the best around for a long time.
  21. You're not kidding. I had it on a leased car. Lease ended, returned the car to the dealership, and they still kept calling to get me to subscribe.
  22. Skated this past Friday, 6/2/23. Positives: got on the ice & my conditioning is better than I expected. Not hockey shape but kinda close. Negatives: high school and college hockey is done and boys are home from college and high schoolers have no leagues right now, several bruises (maybe a positive?), and didnt play so hot together with one college fella beating me with a lacrosse goal and another deking me into the parking lot leaving my jock on the ice. Had a blast. Here are two examples of a relic long past its shelf life.
  23. So after being off since November of 22, I got back this past Friday, 5/26/23. Pleasantly surprised that I was able to last the entire 90 min skate. Couldnt stop a beach ball but it felt really good to see shots and get a hockey sweat. Going to try on 6/2/23.
  24. Bah....you just like to sound like an egoist.
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