Tue 25 Nov 2008
Hockey, God, and the Garden
Posted by Rev. Iovine under Iovine , Madison Square Garden , New York Rangers , Pastoral Care , Pastoral Life , hockey[2] Comments
Yesterday afternoon and evening, I met up with an old friend who works for a sports network out west. He was in town to finish up a story and reached out to meet up. I’ve known him for a few years — his father was (is?) involved with politics in New York City and through that association, the two of us met. He is a few years younger than me, but he had a journalism spark that intrigued me.
We met in the mid-afternoon for a late lunch (instead of dinner) and caught up. I was very excited that he has been able to accomplish a lot in his short career. Of course, like most sports journalists, he wants to get on the “big stage” on some national network. But right now, he is very content with his life.
Before the Phoenix Coyotes-New York Rangers game at the Garden, he walked me around his hotel and the Garden locker room, visiting some of his friends, co-workers, players, and coaches that he knows. For this hockey fan, I tried my best not to gawk (or to drool, in one instance). Whenever he introduced me, he said “I’d like you to meet a friend, Father Anthony Iovine,” to which I consistently retorted, “I’m a Lutheran pastor.”
And, of course, the response was always, “Good afternoon/evening, Father.”
It made me giggle.
There were two points in these quick introductions where I was asked to go off to the side “to talk.” One time, I was asked into a hotel room for a chat. When we watch sports stars, politicians, or anyone on television or read about them in the newspaper, we never see them for who they truly are. We receive a jaded public persona, one that either they want the public to see or what the journalist or commentator wants their readers to see. One of the gentlemen I spoke with last night, someone who I hold in extremely high regard (hence my earlier “drool” comment), poured out his heart over a difficult situation he was facing in his non-sports life.
As a pastor on-call 24/7 (I don’t just work on Sundays), we spoke for a short time over a very personal matter. It was a moment that I will not forget. He just let it all out. In the end, he smiled and thanked me for my help. We ended up exchanging telephone numbers and he promised he would call to update me on how he was doing. But the coolest thing — we shared a bottle of Vitamin Water. You don’t know tempted I was to dive into the garbage to take out the two paper cups and auction them off on E-bay.
My other pastoral care moment came in the locker room before the start of the game. It was just a short conversation, but as in my earlier meeting, I pray our time helped in some way.
As for the game, I saw the first period. The Rangers were a little slow at kicking it into gear. However, we had to run — my friend asked me if I would drive him to the airport; that meant leaving the Garden after the first 20 minutes of the game. Oh, we first had to go get a slice of cheesecake, something my friend says he really misses about New York. His flight was delayed – surprise. So I spent a little time with him at the airport “discussing” the Giants and the Yankees (he violently hates both teams), and talking about his recent breakup with his longtime girlfriend (the real topic I think he wanted to talk about all night, but was afraid to mention it).
When I started out yesterday afternoon, I thought I was going to dinner, see a hockey game, and maybe get a drink with an old buddy, all very personal acts.
In the end, my time was very pastoral where I hope I helped a few others.
