Horcoff has fun, is fast!

I think All-Star games, in the end, are about the need of everyone connected to hockey (or baseball, etc), be they players, fans, management, or media, to at least get to pretend that these ridiculously physically gifted multi-millionaires are at heart getting a kid's pleasure out of playing a kid's game. It's okay that they get so much attention and money and fun because they're showing that they understand how damn lucky they are to do so.

But you know, this ritual really works, and I have absolutely nothing against it. It was pure joy to see Shawn Horcoff in the skills competition tonight, getting the recognition that he so deserves. The fact that he won the speed event came second to the big grin on his face all evening, and the fact that every time the camera was on him, he seemed to be a fun teammate for everyone else too. As an Oilers fan, I'm proud of that. Gagner looked like he might faint or pop with excitement and that was sweet as well.

I love that my Eastern Conference (Flyers) fan college roommate was getting to see folks I babble about when we talk hockey over the phone or email (or texting tonight) play, be they my faves (Horc, H. Sedin), or objects of the spear (Phaneuf, Pronger). I enjoyed seeing Legace having a relaxed and silly time tonight, and getting my first sense of Ovechkin as someone with an individual personality. I've seen most of these guys in games before, but tonight was a chance to see them having fun with their peers, and catch of glimpse of them as people. In my professional/academic life, I study media theory, and though artificial and contrived "glimpses"of "private" selves of celebrities is a very interesting topic, I feel way more confident that I got a glimpse of DiPietro's "real" personality than I'd ever see of a movie star's. Maybe that's where star athletes are still separated out from the other celebrities, and I think it's because we're watching them at play.

Speaking of play and peers, I do have a disappointment so far with the (my first NHL) All-Star weekend. I'm unhappy that the league arbitrarily selected one Sedin and not the other (look at their stats, it's ridiculous!) when conceptually and practically, the two are a unit. That said, I'm looking forward to the game tomorrow night, and to getting to "know" some new (to me) players. I'm impressed they still managed to utter the word "Crosby" many times tonight, and will be keeping tally on that tomorrow.