Barry Melrose Needs A Beer, And Other Observations From The Behatted And Be-Styxed Winter Classic
This lady can write. Some money quotes:
I was at a bar near Heinz Field at around 5 p.m. on Friday night when the league announced that the Winter Classic would be moved from 1 p.m. to an 8 p.m. start time. I got the press release in my email and turned to a couple next to me that was decked out in black and yellow jerseys and Mardi Gras beads, likely having come from the fan events being held near the ice. "They moved the game to 8," I informed them, but of course they already knew. So did the bartender. It was like they had some next-level phone tree in place at the bar.
"More time to recover from New Year's!" I said, and the woman nodded her platinum blonde head thoughtfully. "Yeah, that's true," she said. "But now it's gonna be a looong night for us." They were planning to drive to Cleveland after the game to catch the Steelers the next day. These people do not mess around.
The Caps and the Penguins may be the most heated of rivals, but outside the rink there was a hockey-first jolliness to most fans' behavior. I particularly enjoyed Caps owner Ted Leonsis's comment: "The highlight for me was two sections filled with Caps fans and Pens fans and they looked at each other and they started chanting 'Flyers suck.' It's like they bonded around something."
"Pittsburgh is one of the most underrated cities," [Melrose] finally said, with the easy authority of someone who makes sweeping declarations for a living. I agreed and we stood in silence, each seeking eye contact with the overworked bartender.
After a few moments, he reconsidered his statement. "If I can ever get a few beers, that is."
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