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SPHL Knoxville Ice Bears

Day by Day with an Ice Bear Fan

April 13, 2005 - SPHL (SPHL)
Knoxville Ice Bears News Release


Day by day, my life consists of sitting in a 3 walled space known as a cubicle. I come to this space for many reasons. One is to earn a living to put food on the table, two is the interaction with fellow adult professionals and three is to look at my Ice Bears pictures that splatter my walls. Right about now, you are saying "Ice Bears pictures". You see, I've been married for 15 years this November and this past year, I fell for 20 new guys. Mind you, they were all much younger than me, but I didn't care. I looked forward to spending my Friday and Saturday nights with them. At first, these young men were larger than life. Out there skating on the ice, smashing into the opposing team, losing their shirts in fights looking rather menacing. But then came a time when I had a chance to meet these guys. And what a nice bunch of young men all of them where (or rather are).

I got this bright idea that I wanted all their autographs on the team poster. I was invited to my first booster club dinner by one of the owners so that I might accomplish this goal. I wasn't even a member yet, but took some food for these wonderful young men. My husband (who shaves his head bald) was sitting with his back to the door and one by one each team member came up to him and when they saw him, they were taken aback as if he wasn't who they thought he was. I'm assuming most bald men look alike from the back and they thought he was an Ice Bears staff member. At that first dinner we had the distinct privilege to sit with David Bagley and Jeff Hansen. I was like a nervous school girl and really couldn't eat. I mean, here are these boys I have been watching for weeks, actually talking to ME. To me, I might as well have been sitting with some movie stars. But I came to realize in the weeks that followed that all these guys were just normal guys, away from home and family and just wanting to play hockey. We started learning names and then they began to recognize us and speaking to us at different functions. I guess the greatest night we experienced was on February 3rd. The team was wearing the special "Go Red for Women" jerseys and we decided to stay for the auction afterward. I told my husband, I will never ask for another thing if I could bid on a jersey. He secretly wanted one too. As needless as it is to say, I came home with Hansen's #18 jersey and my husband came home with Bagley's #14. We have worn them with pride ever since. We even went to Columbus for a game on February 12th and REPRESENTED.

At a game toward the end of the season, we were standing in line at the Will Call window to pick up our tickets. A couple and a lady were in front of us and I heard her say (as she was looking at my husband's jersey) "well, my son can write." I asked, "Are you David Bagley's mom"? "She said "yes I am". We ended up meeting her, his father and his little brother Shane (or should I say twin younger brother). They told us that they were glad their son had met some nice people while in Knoxville. She even took some photos of my Dave with her David and Shane at the meet and greet following the game. Then at the first playoff game, she found us to give us a disc she had saved the pictures on. Not many people would have done that. Once again proving what we had already figured out, these guys come from decent, genuine families much like my own. Their friendship is quite sincere and the willingness they showed to stay until late at night to sign a shirt, poster or program for every last fan, goes beyond anything I have ever witnessed.

The season is now over for the 2004-2005 Ice Bears. I have all my ticket stubs from every game stuck to my cubicle walls and pictures of the whole team, Hansen, Bagley and Craigen adorn my space as well. Although they didn't win the top prize, there was something magical about this team. They made people WANT to come down town to see them play. Evidence of this was the crowds I had to drive and walk through to get to my seat. I mean we led the league in attendance. Even on school nights (which were rare), the Coliseum would have a decent home game crowd to support the boys. But on the weekends, the place would rock. To quote a famous movie "if you build it, they will come". The entire Knoxville Ice Bears organization most assuredly did build it (the team) and they did come (the fans). Can history repeat itself for the 2005-2006 season? I for one have already bought my season tickets and will be waiting with bated breath to find out.

Lori Ingram

Tell us your story Contest

Do you have what it takes to write a story about your Knoxville Ice Bears ? The Ice Bears are looking for stories to post on the Ice Bears web site from Ice Bear fans about their Hockey experience with Ice Bears Hockey. We are looking for anything from how you became a fan, to anything that might have happened that took you to the next level as a fan. It can be as simple as how you ended up at your first game to game promotions.

One Story a week will be selected and posted, it will also be sent out in the Ice Bears e-mail newsletter. Your work if selected will be seen world wide; The Ice Bears web site received 2,248,672 hits in the month of March 2005. From over 30 Countries, that averaged out to 3022 hits per hour with a max in one hour of 23240.

Thank you for your support of Ice Bears Hockey, watch for upcoming summer activities with your Knoxville Ice Bears.

Thank you, please send your story to John Scott at jscott@knoxvilleicebears.com

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The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

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