Just two years ago, I would have thought you were nuts if you suggested that I would be writing a hockey blog. It just wouldn't have made any sense. After all, I was raised from childhood in the Raleigh, North Carolina area. This was before the Carolina Hurricanes were even a sparkle in the NHL's eye. Needless to say, the local populace didn't care much for this winter sport. There was much more focus on college basketball, NASCAR and whatever Michael Jordan did, being as he was a native son.
There was one glimmer of hope for the aspiring fan, though. That hope was the East Coast Hockey League franchise nicknamed the IceCaps. Already it's difficult to find anyone that even remembers the team. But for me, it was the only game in town.
It wasn't the only live sport for everyone. The Durham Bulls were the minor league affiliate for the Atlanta Braves at the time, and they had a great stadium that was featured in the Kevin Costner movie, "Bull Durham." The Carolina Mudcats were another option, playing their games in the country town of Zebulon, NC. It was a nice experience going out to the ballpark. &n ...
Read Full Article at Bleacher Report - NHL
Article written by Brendan Millhouser
From the Raleigh IceCaps to the Chicago Blackhawks: A Journey into NHL Fandom
October 15th, 2010 by Brendan Millhouser Leave a reply »
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