Kiss Me I’m Irish…Puck Me I’m A Hockey Fan

I’ll think twice before I ever wish “The Luck of The Irish” on anyone again…

Dig deep and think a bit: The Irish people/race have been and are a profoundly UN-lucky lot.  (Disagree? Try eating every meal made from potatoes for a few decades…that’s if they’ll grow at all) They were hated and ill treated when they came to America.  They were thought to be idiots and bad people…any fortune that came their way was considered “luck” and not because of hard work, ability or diligence.

“The Luck of The Irish” comes from the Old Country.  It’s not meant as a pleasantry, and is actually not a nice thing to say.  When you consider the the true origin of the statement, it’s loaded with foreboding, angst and impending conflict…Or in it’s most friendly way, “dumb luck” or happenstance.

You can have your Irish Luck…

Yeah, I know.  Through the years, the saying has been ran through the rinse cycle so many times that NOW it’s loaded with blessings and happiness and nothing but positive thoughts and the good Juju…We Americans have a way of doing that.  Putting our stamp on things and making it our own.  Not that that’s a necessarily bad thing.  You could do worse than wish someone well, ya know?  And you have to admire a bunch of folk who take a really dismal saying and turn it into a compliment.

But today, St. Patrick’s Day and the wearin’ o’ the green and the Jackets hosting Detroit, and now knowing what I know about that saying…I’m hesitant to wish my Jackets The Luck of The Irish.  I know they need something.  I’m just not sure it’s an old saying that carries such ill meaning that has been shellacked with sugar-coated happy. 

It’s Detroit.  DETROIT…The Jackets don’t need luck (well, OK they do, but I’m not gonna say it’s of the Irish variety…)  maybe an NHL high-priestess dressed all in Union Blue with white roses (stay away from red before games) and black licorice in the dressing rooms (avoid corn-nuts and pretzles and anything that crunches obnoxiously before games) channeling vibe from our Captain and fans to boost our beloved team’s energy.  I mean, if a person were superstitious and all, and this Union Blue fan isn’t.  (White roses, not red…and touch every player with one beginning and ending with Nash…)

So here is where I’m supposed to say something about luck to my beloved Jackets.  I have the classic Irish name, the team could use some motivation.  After knowing what I know about the origins of the saying, I just can’t.  There’s the classic and morphed meanings to the luck offering.  I’m gonna just do what I want and go all Star Wars with my Jackets, and all Irish with the Wings…

May the Force be with you, Union Blue, and Detroit, have some old-world Luck of The Irish…

Jackets and Detroit, 7pm puck drop tonight at Nationwide…I hope we’re not crying a green river.