Re: hockey on radio. It's amazing how differently the local play-callers call the game.

First, you REALLY need them to tell you which goalie is to their right and left as they view the game.

Second, you need to know the names of the players on your team. Never mind what position they play-- that will come-- but you can't tell WHAT the heck the caller is telling you unless you know your own guys. (We kept the team list handy the first few games-- been a LONG time out of the game for us.)

Third, the pregame show is actually really helpful to ghave an idea what some of the unfolding events will signify, especially if you are just getting into radio hockey.

Fourth, LISTEN to the crowd noises. You can hear from the crowd's tone whether the home or the visiting team is doing somehting interesting, and this helps when the caller isn't clear. This will help you sort out your team's offense from its defensive action when the caller gets tongue-tied or you don't know the games. Also listen for the hitting on the boards and the glass. You get so you can tell the diff between parts of the rink, just by the sound. Hearing the sound of players squabbling over a puck on the boards is helpful when the caller stops talking cuz there's nothing big to relay.

Sometimes the caller will stop describing action-- it's for sure that the players aren't just standing around scratching each other's nuts! Often, it's a player back by the net with the puck, trying to see how his offensive line is looking, up ice, fidgeting the puck back and forth till a likely play forms up with the line.

Our team's play caller doesn't tell us when people go on and off the ice, or who is in each offensive line, or what exactly some miscreant did that caused a penalty whistle. I hope yours does!

The first game or two or three via radio will probably seem like nonsense. I would urge you, hang in for a few more games anyway. Turn the lights low and sit back and relax-- soon you will see pictures of what is described. And it beats a lot of other ways of wasting time, too!

Scuse the typos,

~Susan