Hockey and Swine Flu

Swine Flu has come and almost gone, but in the end of the day it wasn't that bad. The fevers and lack of sleep and coughing and all that isn't exactly fun. But sometimes in New York you just need some time to lie down and do nothing, even if you're sweating/shivering through the whole experience. Oh, and thanks to Swine Flu I got to watch a bit more hockey.

There's one thing about hockey that blows my mind even today, a longstanding tradition which few outside the close fans and followers of the game realize:

Many NHL Rookies, often the top of their draft years, will spend their first few years in the league living in the homes of their resident team's veterans.

Let that resonate a bit. A kid gets a minimum $500,000 salary his first year and instead of buying his own condo and Porsche, he will be staying in the guest room of a 36 year old with 2 Seven year-old kids. While some are advised to do this, many do it by choice. Some examples off the top of my head:
-Sidney Crosby, considered by many to be the NHL's best player, lived in his idol and team owner Mario Lemieux's home for the first 3 years of his career.
-Alex Tanguay lived at Patrick Roy's home (hopefully before the whole wife beating thing)
-Avalanche Rookie Matt Duchene--3rd pick overall, in the pic above-- lives in Avalanche Captain Adam Foote's house (See the article here)
-Avalanche Rookie Ryan O'Reilly, also in the pic above, lives in the home of Darcy Tucker (who got a concussion in last night's game, let's hope he's doin ok)

I mean, these kids are making bank. And yet, the priority is learning from the best and growing as a player through the tutelage of a veteran in your early years in the league.

This may not seem too ridiculous, but think about it in other sports-- do you think Michael Crabtree is living in Isaac Bruce's basement right now after he just got that massive contract? Can you picture Blake Griffin staying at Baron Davis' basement taking care of the house and washing his own dishes? Hell No. Blake Griffin don't do no dishes. Neither does Michael Crabtree. Cuz they making too much money to live in someone elses house and do they own dish. You feel?

Anyway, I think I made my point. Hockey players deserve respect, because they are so much more like us. Even if they're making money, they're still doing the dishes. And I identify with that (even if I don't even do them myself...keep up the good work Amy and Ray!)