Inline Hockey in Iraq

**RichardGraham** · 08-25-2005, 01:28 PM

Hi Folks,

Fascinating story here:

<A HREF="http://www.nytimes.com/2005/08/25/sports/hockey/25hockey.html" target="_new">http://www.nytimes.com/2005/08/25/sp.../25hockey.html</A>

(I'll delete follow-up messages if the political postings start to get nasty.)

Sincerely,

Richard Graham
Editor
Inline Hockey Central

**NLane** · 08-25-2005, 01:39 PM

Great pictures with the article. Good for them!

**TeamBreakaway** · 08-25-2005, 02:22 PM

Mr Graham,
Thanks for sharing this story with us. Great to see the guys enjoying some of their time.

http://www.eteamz.com/TeamBreakaway/images/teamlogo.gif

**cougarcoach14** · 08-25-2005, 06:57 PM

Great story, thanks. Who knows, with any luck maybe some Iraqi families will be hosting some American kids for a world-wide inline tournament in 10 years. And if it happens, it'll be thanks to guys like those in the article.
To all the military men & women in Iraq & Afaganistan, & elsewhere, thank you for your service, come home soon.

**MDE3** · 08-26-2005, 12:27 AM

It had often occurred to me that maybe getting the local kids involved with the sport, could be a grassroots way of building local, and even a long term rapport..obvious security problems notwithstanding...

**RichardGraham** · 08-26-2005, 12:47 AM

Hi Mike,

Think there's inline hockey in Vietnam yet? I haven't heard, if there is. It'll be a long time before Iraq's safe for inline hockey, methinks.

Sincerely,

Richard Graham
Editor
Inline Hockey Central

**damage_96** · 08-26-2005, 07:36 AM

That story kind of drives home the point of roller hockey. Lost in the quest for perfect surfaces and high-tech indoor venues, the game is meant to be played anywhere, anytime. Long live the outdoor pickup game.

**RichardGraham** · 08-26-2005, 09:39 AM

Hi Damage,

Yeah! I agree with you 100 percent. I've always loved playing outdoors, especially when I used to play at the beach parking lots in Santa Monica. It was an atmosphere that could not be topped by any indoor venue, in my opinion. Sun, sky, sand and ocean close by, pretty ladies skating by on the boardwalk, no referees (though we could have used them to settle the occasional dispute!). The local cops were occasionally jerks, but that goes with the territory. Game on!

Sincerely,

Richard Graham
Editor
Inline Hockey Central

**sixpack** · 08-27-2005, 12:31 AM

This is not at all surprising to me. When I was in the US Army it was amazing the amount of hockey fans there was. A freind of mine said that some guys in his unit did this very thing in desert storm