Ice hockey and politics will cross over once again on Saturday night, when Republican Vice-Presidential nominee, Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin drops the ceremonial first puck before the Philadelphia Flyers home opener against the New York Rangers. Here's the team press release with all the relevant details: Alaska Governor Sarah Palin, the nation's most popular hockey mom, will join the winner of the Philadelphia Flyers regional search for the "Ultimate Hockey Mom" contest and drop the puck at the ceremonial opening face-off as the home team Flyers host the New York Rangers at the Wachovia Center on Saturday, October 11 at 7 p.m.If you drop by Puck Daddy, the claim that Palin is the nation's "most popular hockey mom" seems to be in dispute. After reading a couple of the comments, it's easy to see how "most controversial" hockey mom might be more appropriate. Here's hoping the innocent winner of the contest, whoever that might be, gets a nice hand in Philly regardless of the reception Palin gets.
"Because of the tremendous amount of publicity she has brought to our sport, we invited the most popular hockey mom in North America to our home opener to help us get our season started," said Comcast-Spectacor Chairman Ed Snider who founded the Flyers in 1967. "We are very excited she has accepted our offer and we are very proud of the publicity she is generating for hockey moms and the sport of hockey."
As for me, I'm of two minds on the subject. First off, I'm thoroughly sick of election news, and have been since around Labor Day. Once you threw the global credit crisis into the mix, I began to realize that there's really little reason to have much confidence in America's political leadership these days regardless of party. Looking over the horizon, it's hard not to conclude that the winner of the 2008 U.S. Presidential election might very well be the recipient of the biggest booby prize in American political history since the election of 1928.
On the other hand, I distinctly recall that when I first learned that U.S. Senator John Kerry (D-MA), the 2004 Democratic nominee for President, had played hockey in high school, I somehow managed to process the information without having an aneurysm. Go figure.
















Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
10-09-2008 @ 3:33PM
Stephen said...
Is there a pro hockey league in Alaska?
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10-10-2008 @ 11:48AM
Doug Bateman said...
As of today i am a former Flyer fan. Snider has the right to support the party he want's. But to use the Facility and team to promote that choice to me is insulting to the other half of fans that are steadfast against this woman and her radical ideas. Nuff said....... Doug Bateman
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10-10-2008 @ 11:57AM
Sec202 said...
STH here.
The Flyers' press release makes no mention of Snider's support for the GOP, and the War - see FreedomsWatch. Besides our Phila team & 19M fans, Snider is USING the Rangers & the NHL to further his agenda.
Also, the Palin participation will smother the local true "Ultimate Hockey Mom" contest winner.
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10-10-2008 @ 2:19PM
Jack said...
Mr Snyder has gone too far on this one. Palin has no business being in the building and I am going to guess that many of the fans will show their displeasure.
Do you think anyone will boo? Is a pig's butt pork?
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10-10-2008 @ 4:05PM
Andrea said...
Mr. Snyder is out of his mind. Don't mix politics with NHL. NY Rangers should BOYCOTT this game.
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10-12-2008 @ 1:29PM
AMY said...
JUST WANT TO SAY ONE THING ON THIS I AM A RANGER FAN AND TO SAY THAT YOU HAD SARAH PALIN DROP THE CEREMONIAL PUCK. YOU COULDN'T HAVE SOMEBODY ELSE DO IT JUST ED SNIDER IS A REPUBLICAN HE IS IN FOR A RUDE AWAKENING WHEN REPUBLICANS LOSE IN NOVEMBER
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10-12-2008 @ 6:38PM
AMY said...
I JUST HAVE ONE THING TO SAY ABOUT SARAH PALIN DROPPING THE CEREMONIAL PUCK LAST NIGHT BEFORE THE RANGERS-FLYERS GAME I THINK IT WAS WRONG YOU KNOW HOW BAD THEY ARE DOING IN THE POLLS SO SHE DOES SOMETHING LIKE THIS JUST BECAUSE ED SNIDER IS A MCCAIN SUPPORTER HE DOES THIS
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10-13-2008 @ 6:31PM
Anai said...
Palin has no business in hockey. She only wants attention. Gosh can't she stay out of hockey. Thank goodness i missed it cus i would have gone and cursed out some palin supporters and thrown a rock from a rock collection at my 52in hd tv. I only have one thing left to say: PALIN BUTT OUT OF THE NHL!!!! U RUIN THE NHL. NO CARES FOR U!! and it shuld be Hockey parents for obama not hockey moms for palin... OBAMA!!!!
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