Anyone who knows me knows that I'm a diehard Flyers fan. The Wells Fargo Center is my favorite place in the world. The sound of skates is music to my ears. To me, a Ghost is more than a Halloween decoration. I bleed black and orange.
But for me, it's more than just a game.
Here are 10 things that my favorite team, the Philadelphia Flyers, have taught me.
1. Teamwork makes the dream work.
There's nothing more beautiful to watch than a fluent Flyers team. When they trust each other and work together to get the job done, it really does make the dream work.
2. No matter how long your losing streak is, you'll win eventually.
C'mon. We were on a 10-game losing streak. 10 GAMES. But look at us now, we just came down off of a six-game winning streak! (Damn you, LA Kings..)
3. No matter how badly you screw up, there's always someone in your corner.
Speaking of our, uh... lengthy losing streak, there's always a silver lining. We never gave up on our boys. There was always the mentality of, "Learn from it, move on, and get 'em next time." Ans honestly, that's such a valuable lesson.
4. Everything goes better with Chickie's and Pete's crab fries.
Pretty self-explanatory, if you ask me.
5. It doesn't matter how old or young you are, anything is possible.
Nolan Patrick, aka our amazing draft pick and the love of my life, is just 19 years old. Crazy, right? Valtteri Filppula is our oldest active player, at the age of 33. Jaromir Jagr, a former Flyer, is still playing the game at the age of 45. The beauty is, it doesn't matter, they get the job done, and we should too.
6. Fighting only solves so much.
We're known as the Broad Street Bullies for a reason... Sure, it's awesome to watch and gets the anger out, but, for the most part, when the Flyers fight, things get sloppy. It's up to them to rely on their skill and knowledge to give them the upper hand. The same goes for us outside of the WFC.
7. While you might end up on a different team, somewhere else in the world, distance doesn't break friendships.
Our good pal Brayden Schenn is kicking ass with the St. Louis Blues, while Nick Cousins is hanging with the Arizona Coyotes. Pierre-Édouard Bellemare is starting out fresh with the Las Vegas Golden Knights. Former Flyers are everywhere, and we always drop in to check how they're doing. We don't forget what they did for us. We cheer them on while they succeed elsewhere. Because that's what friends do.
8. You are not born great.
Shayne Gostisbehere, aka Ghost, is the perfect example of this and portrays it well in his article You Might Know Me As Ghost. Long story short, Ghost recognizes that he got where he is today because of his hard work, determination and desire to be the best player he could be, in addition to all the effort his family and teammates put in as well. You are not born great, you become great.
9. It's okay to come out of your shell.
Being a Flyers fan has given me an outlet to make friends. When I'm at work and I see someone wearing a Flyers jersey, I automatically know that's a good way to start a conversation, something I probably wouldn't do otherwise. There's nothing like the sense of camaraderie at the Wells Fargo Center, and I can take that wherever I go, because of my team.
10. A goalie depends on the guys in front of him.
Sure, it's his job to guard the goal, and Elliot has been doing a great job of that. But, there's only so much he can when his teammates don't hold up their end of the deal. Everyone needs a solid, sturdy support system, even the best of the best.
They're more than a team. They're role models. Now, if you don't mind me, there's a hockey game on that I've gotta watch.
