Team USA...in a bar full of Canadians

Last night was most likely one of most fun and interesting nights the first week in Dublin...of course I don't go out much so maybe I'm no judge, but it was a good time for the most part to me at least.

Most of the Bent kids wanted to go to a pub and watch the USA v. Canada Men's Olympic Ice Hockey Gold Medal Round. Seeing as the last game, everyone went to "The Woolshed," we decided that's where we wanted to go again. We were supposed to head out between 6 and 6:30 but as it happens, we never make it out on time, so we headed out around 7ish and got to the pub. From the outside, it didn't look so bad. Unfortunately from the minute we walked, there were swarms of Canadian fans. Like, every 29/30 people was supporting the Canadian team. It was scary, there was red and white EVERYWHERE! There were a few random groups of USA supporters, but not many. So we crammed our way over to a corner of the bar where we were trying to decide what to do. It ended up being the best option to just stay in the corner. So some of us ordered food, other went to get 10euro pitchers (woot woot) of Fosters. And we took over the corner, our little group of Americans.

A guy came around with facepaints, which was a good time, several of the girls got USA on their face, and Kara got war paint stripes, also very cool. We were feelings pretty badass but intimidated. We were right next to a group of Canadians that were loud and rude...come to find out they had rented out the bar or at least part of it for the night and most of the people in the place knew each other and go to the same school...awkward moments. But I had a chicken salad club sandwich with some friends and that was decent. I split a couple of pitchers with Morgan and Lexi...and the night was on its way. I ended up standing between my group of Americans and a group of Canadians and the atmosphere was INTENSE! People weren't being pushy but it was enough to make me uncomfortable. There way a guy from Australia walking around in a US Army cost with his face painted and a few intermittent Irish who were supporting the US.

Once the announcers first came on, the noise level picked up by about 10fold. The game was supposed to be a good one and everyone was excited. The crowd at the stadium was a sea of red, with random US flags thrown in. Looking at the stats of the players, it was easy to see that this was going to be a game of goalies, always the most intense kind, it always comes down to just that one guy trying to block the goal. The American goalie is one of the best in the NHL apparently, but his opponent was also quite good, each had over a 90% block rating, and a handful of shutouts.

The game began and got off to a decent start and then it went downhill quick. Team USA could not hold onto their offense at all and they were completely scattered. Canada was doing better and scored two goals before the US even scored one. During one of those goals, the guys besides me got a little over excited and I ended up with a pitcher a beer being spilt on me...awesome. But I wasn't that wet, so no worries, life goes on. The guys felt bad anyways, so I wasn't that upset. The Canadians were getting really cocky at this point, being up one over the US. However, with less than 20 seconds left and the Americans scored their second goal at the end of the 3rd period, forcing the game to go into OVERTIME! Everyone in the pub went wild, the Canadians were scared, I had a feeling I knew where this was headed however. Everyone took a quick break before sudden death and then reassembled to see the outcome.

Kara and I were really wound tight at this point and I had somehow managed to be pushed into a group of Canadians instead of being over with my American friends. So I just stayed very still and watched the game from there. Sudden Death began and everyone was on the edge of their seats, now it was really crunch time for the goalies. I was more worried because our offense had been sucking all night and now that's what we had to rely on in order to win the goal from Canada. About 6 minutes in, a Canadian forward took a shot and Miller, the American goalie, just couldn't seem to recover it. The puck slipped in over Miller's shoulder and the US just lost the gold, yet again.

The pub erupted in a series of cheers for Canada and it was almost an unbearable level of noise. People were being picked up and beers were flowing over people's heads and there was a huge jumping uproar. All the Bent kids wanted to get out fast so that we didn't have to deal with the ruckus for much longer. And it was closing ceremonies anyways, the official end of the Winter Olympics 2010. So we didn't win and got out as quickly as we could. Went back to the apartment and made some comfort food in order to ease our pain, everyone was pretty upset. Though Kara did manage to get a miniature American Flag to take home :)

So it was an adventure and it was a lot of fun, just being able to be part of that atmosphere was incredible. The excitement was high and it's always great to be able to participate in that sort of thing. I'm glad I was able to make it out, even if we didn't win and had to stand in a crowd of Canadians...most of them even were giving out conciliatory hugs, haha. C'est la vie!