Nothing brings family together like ice skates, shoulder pads, and broken noses, so the Chicago Blackhawks of the NHL are loading the team plane up with a lot of red wine and James Patterson novels and inviting the mothers of their players along for a 2-game road-trip to California.
The idea apparently replaces the paternalistic tradition of a “Dad’s trip” and is a rare bit of forward thinking regarding gender roles in pro sports (baby steps, here). So what’s the reason for the switch?
More than most sports, from peewees to pros, hockey binds families tighter than laces on a skate.
“The hope is to give everybody that familial feeling of belonging to the Blackhawks,” head coach Joel Quenneville said. “I love it. Think of how much time moms put in these guys hockey careers, through all the highs and lows and all the support. This is a nice thank you.”
Aw, isn’t that just the cutest thing you’ve ever heard? So well-mannered, those Blackhawk boys are. Meanwhile, the mothers of the Detroit Red Wings just wish their sons would call more.
All kidding aside, it’s a nice gesture by the Blackhawks to incorporate family while also giving a bunch of middle-aged women a free California mini-vacation during what I’m sure will just be a lovely and balmy January in Chicago. Let’s just hope the crew of rough-and-tumble icebound bruisers remembers to wash behind their ears, or they’ll find themselves in a penalty box much tougher to get out of than the one on the rink.
What’s the Russian term for “guilt trip,” anyways?
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NHL team takes moms on road trip [BenMaller.com]
