Hockey Talk with Angie Peters

My friend, Aimee, and I were talking about hockey tonight and I realized that I get a little fired up about a particular subject.  Let me give you some background.  Aimee has one of the local OHL players living with her as a Billet and we have therefore started watching hockey and going to games. This has been going on for several months so, of course, we are EXTREMELY knowledgeable about the game of hockey.  Tee hee.  So, back to my beef.  Aimee and I were discussing how people that are posting comments on the hockey teams' website are trashing the players......particularly the one that lives with her.  We will call him Rick.  It turns out that I have a hard time when grown men (and sometimes women) trash these young boys for less than stellar performances.  Aimee thinks that it comes with the territory and that these boys have to get used to the publicity, both negative and positive, if they are going to become NHL players.  I understand that the big boy game of hockey comes with a price tag of the players`games being watched and judged by millions....BUT OHL hockey is boys between the ages of 16-21 that are still growing both mentally and physically.  The player in question, Rick, is 18 years old.  I have yet to meet an 18 year old boy that is comfortable enough in his own skin to "take it like a man".  The other problem that I have with these public floggings is that these boys have mommies and daddies.  How do they feel when they hear one of these blowhards trashing their kids?  I know how I feel and I am not even related to Rick.  It makes me mad.  I feel like challenging these people to a duel.  Yes, maybe I am taking this behaviour out of context but I don't think it is fair and......That's The Way I Look At It!