The Trophy Has Arrived

You have no doubt heard about the Stanley Cup tradition. After winning the Stanley Cup, each triumphant member of the winning team gets to take the Cup for a few days. Some people bring it to their hometowns or old schools. Others hold fund-raisers. Still others that we happen to know, bring Lord Stanley's trophy to dive apartments in downtown Burlington where they drink Coors Light from the Cup before abandoning it on the coffee table with the door ajar and heading to the bars. (This last event may be the reason why there is now a guy whose full-time job is to take care of the Cup.)

The men's league team from Flagstaff, Arizona, it seems, has a similar tradition. A few years ago I joined the 'Staffers' team in a big old man's tournament in Las Vegas. Our team did pretty well.

...At the blackjack table, that is. And I don't say well in terms of dollars won; I refer instead to sheer hours spent drinking and playing. Our team had great supporters, and these supporters also did well at the tables (same definition of "well" as above). In fact, it is unclear whether our supporters actually went to the rink because they knew we were playing hockey or because the cooler temperatures felt better for their headaches.

The Flagstaff team, when all was said and done, came in second place. And the tournament organizers awarded each team member with a Second Place trophy. ( I have to wonder who came up with the idea to give out individual trophies for second place, but that is a topic for another post.) I "mistakenly" left mine at Rob French's house, but I guess my day with the trophy has arrived. Just yesterday, it came by mail: wrapped up with a bag of beef jerky and a few other items. Please make your appointment to see -- and even have your photo taken with -- the trophy which is currently on display on my mantelpiece ("You're putting it there?" Alison asked me). It will remain there for all to see until the time comes (and, make no mistake Frenchy, it will come) for the illustrious second place award to move on to the next team member.