Daddy and me at a Predators play-off game.

I’m a lucky charm. Ask any fan in section 316 of Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena, and he’ll agree. (It’s mostly hes there.)

Four years ago, my daddy went in with some coworkers and bought 2 season tickets to the Nashville Predators. I’ve always enjoyed hockey–because of The Mighty Ducks movies and a girlhood crush on Joshua Jackson–but going to the games was not much more to me than a chance to bond with Daddy. He loves almost all organized sports, but I’m more “discriminating.” Like my mother, typically I’d rather stay home and cook something fancy. Or sleep.

But I love hockey now. I can throw around terms such as icing (not on cakes), charging (not on a credit card), boarding (not on an airplane), and hip check (not my move in an Ann Taylor 3-way mirror) just as well as all those big guys in jerseys smushed into the tiny chairs all around me. I have not, however, adopted their foul language and generally sour attitudes toward the refs. I’m a very ladylike hockey fan. I just sit there quietly, biting my nails until the Preds score. 🙂

Predators v. Red Wings

I think all the fans of 316 are thankful whenever they see Daddy walk in with me instead of with my husband, David. This is for two reasons: I don’t have to “smush” in between them as my 6’1″ husband does, and more importantly, the Predators have NEVER lost when I’ve been in the audience. Yes, there have been a few close calls in OT, but they’ve always pulled it out with the incredible goal tending of Pekke Rinne.

We tested my powers once last year. Daddy and David were at the game, and I was home doing laundry. (I bet Mama was cooking something fancy or sleeping…) The game came on a different channel than usual, so I was watching a movie and ironing, thinking it had been blacked out. David called me just before the 3rd period to tell me that they were losing. Badly. I hunted for the channel, eventually found it, and watched from home. Apparently my superpowers are affected by distance. I was able to will them to a tie that night, but not a win.

This begs the question, Why does Daddy bother taking anyone other than me with him?