After languishing and thrashing violently in the comments section for months now, I have finally been invited to share my amateur opinion on FHF...I thank Alex and MG for the opportunity.
Where better to start off than with a blast from the past, and almost my very first Calgary Flames memory. Throwback to 1987, The Calgary Flames release their thrilling, entertaining and magnetic music video 'RED HOT', and every hockey fan was trying to figure out if our home team was lip-syncing or tremendously talented. It gripped the city.
If you haven't had a chance to view this masterpiece...please find out what you have been missing here.
I remember being peddled about by my Joey Mullen-obsessed Aunt to all of the Video Show Place locations in the city to get her copy of the video signed.
This was my first opportunity for a face-to-face encounter with members of the team, and the first chance to meet my childhood hockey hero...Mike Bullard. Yes, that's right, Mike Bullard.
Most of the stops were a blur (being just a wee lad), but I do vividly remember a couple of run-ins...Doug Dadswell was paired up with a talented rookie named Joe Nieuwendyk who would come in to score 51 goals the following season and expand his collection of hideous Christmas knitted sweaters.
The last stop we made was to visit an empty store holding Mike Bullard and Brett Hull hostage at a table with copies of the soon-to-be classic video. Brett Hull, fresh off a hat-trick, was wearing boots gifted to him by Lammles. Of course I could not make the connection between scoring goals in the NHL and the famous 'Boot-trick', so when my aunt told me to comment on his nice new boots, I gave her a glaring eyeball stating that I would not embarass myself in front of the superstar Mike Bullard.
This did not prevent my sister, however, from giving a very snotty response when questioned by the duo as to what was the name of her stuffed Hampster.
She retorted with "Hammy" and a very adult eye roll.
From then on, I have followed the Flames my entire life, some seasons more intently than others. Most notably was the season where I missed the entire '04 playoff run, but was able to celebrate with sleepy-eyed Chinese locals in a Tianjin internet cafe at 8am listening to Peter Maher across the Pacific....I hope that never happens again.
Now, I am able to pour over meaningless stats across the entire league daily and discuss (sometimes heatedly) with other Hockey-junkies about the nuances of the most beautiful game on the planet.
We all agree only on one thing, and that is how similar the hair fashion is in this Red Hot video, and current stylings of people in Edmonton. Perhaps most notably, their Mick Foley look-alike, Ryan Smyth.
He must have loved that video too.
