Shut up, Idiot

Back in the 1990s I collected hockey jerseys. I managed to get quite a few, but at some point I stopped buying them. It might have had something to do with the lack of money I had after moving out of my mom's house. Of the last 5 hockey jerseys I obtained, I only paid for one of them. The rest were given to me.

Today I'm wearing my Boston Bruins jersey with Ray Bourque's name and number on it. I was always a Ray Bourque fan, so when I was in Boston shortly after Bourque moved on to the Colorado Avalanche I got to buy a jersey at bargain basement prices. So what if he was no longer on the team. He will always be remembered as a Bruin, even if that's not where he won his Stanley Cup.

The last time I wore this jersey, Tim and I met up with some of my friends at a bar. A drunk guy at the bar started giving me a hard time as soon as I walked in. "Boston Bruins? Why are you wearing that in here? This is a Blackhawks bar." I showed the drunk guy the number 77 on the back and explained that I got it because I was a Ray Bourque fan, and that he was a great player. I think I also mentioned something about the Bruins being an Original Six team. The dude just looked at me blankly, then kept going, "Boston? Boston?" It became clear to me that this guy was not a real hockey fan. When real hockey fans question me about my jersey choices, I can tell that they respect my purchase decision, even if they don't like the team or the player whose jersey I am wearing. This guy didn't seem to even recognize the name Ray Bourque. Anyone who at least casually follows the sport knows who Ray Bourque is. Those people shouldn't even open their mouth to me unless they know what they're talking about. Seriously.

I'm suffering from new jersey withdrawl. I have been contiplating which jerseys I want to get. I have decided that I want a Joe Sakic jersey, preferably a Nordiques one. And maybe Luc Robitaille, but a black and silver Kings jersey, not the purple one.