I had a different sports experience Saturday that I had never been apart of before.
The NHL held their entry draft in Nashville and I attended. Nashville is a great sports city. We packed the house with 13,000 people for the draft. Toronto (last years host city) only had 6,500. But I digress, because I?m not here to bash.
I went downtown and muddled around the streets. The streets were packed. It was the longest day of the year (first day of Summer) and a beautiful day inside of that and people were everywhere downtown to see a hockey draft. Inside the Gaylord Entertainment Center (Where the Preds Play) they had The Stanley Cup along with the other hockey hardware, games and stuff for kids to play, autograph sessions, and merchandise stands. Beer and eats were available just like any game or event.
These ?kids? wanting to get drafted were all dressed up and their families, girlfriends and friends were all here to experience the event. What an event it was. The standing ovation for the ?role call? was amazing. In support and gratitude for bringing such events the crowd stood and cheered for 5 minuets after they called for Nashville?s attendance.
No one had a clue who any of these kids were. I did not know or recognize a single drafted player. I could of passed the #1 pick in the concourse just as easily as a random intern wearing a suit. But it didn?t matter. The emotion and heartfelt joy that showed on these guys (and their families) faces when they were picked was addictive. The warm feeling that penetrated the boisterous crowd was remarkable.
A proud city (hoping for an All-Star game with our showing), proud families, proud young men made my Saturday trip worthwhile. I stayed for the first round and would recommend the event to anyone who is a true sports fan. A positive experience all the way around and a pure sample of what is right with sports.
The NHL held their entry draft in Nashville and I attended. Nashville is a great sports city. We packed the house with 13,000 people for the draft. Toronto (last years host city) only had 6,500. But I digress, because I?m not here to bash.
I went downtown and muddled around the streets. The streets were packed. It was the longest day of the year (first day of Summer) and a beautiful day inside of that and people were everywhere downtown to see a hockey draft. Inside the Gaylord Entertainment Center (Where the Preds Play) they had The Stanley Cup along with the other hockey hardware, games and stuff for kids to play, autograph sessions, and merchandise stands. Beer and eats were available just like any game or event.
These ?kids? wanting to get drafted were all dressed up and their families, girlfriends and friends were all here to experience the event. What an event it was. The standing ovation for the ?role call? was amazing. In support and gratitude for bringing such events the crowd stood and cheered for 5 minuets after they called for Nashville?s attendance.
No one had a clue who any of these kids were. I did not know or recognize a single drafted player. I could of passed the #1 pick in the concourse just as easily as a random intern wearing a suit. But it didn?t matter. The emotion and heartfelt joy that showed on these guys (and their families) faces when they were picked was addictive. The warm feeling that penetrated the boisterous crowd was remarkable.
A proud city (hoping for an All-Star game with our showing), proud families, proud young men made my Saturday trip worthwhile. I stayed for the first round and would recommend the event to anyone who is a true sports fan. A positive experience all the way around and a pure sample of what is right with sports.
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