So you walk in, more like down, into the club from the street level. There are some typical security guys bouncing/deciding who comes in or not. Then once inside there is a main level on top which is a room more with a latin feel and very large. It's only open Vendredi and Samedi. Then there are two more rooms down stairs one a straight up techno type of dance eoom you'd expect in Europe and the other a more hip-hop style. Well I guess hip-hop night was more like open mix night because they played 50's music, beach boys, COUNTRY, and same other golden oldies mixed in with your French/American hip hop mix. It was awesome.
I went to another hockey game Saturday night. Let me just say it was the most incredible tie I have ever seen. I'll paint a picture. The Jokers of Cergy vs the Vipers of Montpellier. The Jokers are your scrappers, your tough kids who can all skate fast and have the gumption to take a crack at the large defenders. The Vipers are from a rich district/team....you can easily tell by the massive amount of advertisements on their jerseys.... I mean seriously I thought the name of there team was some Irish Pub!! That being said you look at these guys and there atleast a foot taller on average then the Jokers. I mean there some big boys. Numbers 18, 25, 77 are all huge defenders, I'd say atleast 6' 6". With names like Vernikov, Urosev, Simak, you can tell there not from France...18 is your prototypical tough guy hockey player, a huge Ukranian getting paid to protect the goalie and rough up the other players....the nemisis.
The first period goes off and it's a battle. If you could fight in this league without suffering being ejected, I swear 4 fight's would've broken out in the first period alone. Its brutal and intense. I find myself on the edge of my seat and entertained with the general gladitoral battles that all men love. #81 for the Jokers, Roland Fontaine, a fast skating small guy wouldn't back down. It was fun watching him jaw with the players from the other team, I mainly watched him bc he was speaking English...it's amazing how much that sticks out in France.... Anyways several times the big guys were elbowing him in the head and playin' a little cheap and he just said in esscence do it again and I'll knock your teeth end. It was fun watching him check the the Ukraine Vernikov into the boards a couple times after he tried a big hit. At the end of the period it's scoreless.
The next period has more action as the Jokers give up a goal a man up. The Vipers skate in attack mode even a player down. But the Jokers quickly answer with a goal to the top shelf on a nice cross pass. The period ends and the Vipers scored another goal. The last period is where most of the highlights come. On one play the Jokers cleared the puck and the goalie came out to get it, but a fast skating Joker went after the puck and leveled the goalie onto the ice. It was vicious, the goalies feet were in the air and you could tell he wasn't used to being hit. Afterwards he laid on the ice and really looked like a baby. The fans were on him. It's physical and the Jokers get scored on again. It's 3-1 and not looking good. Finally with about 5 mins left to play the Jokers score on the Vipers who look like a team trying not to lose, instead of playing to win. After seeing this the coach yells at his players and they start attacking a little more. In fact they scored a goal following the Jokers answer, but it was called off because the player apparently hit it with his hand into the goal...or something of that nature....I'm not to familar with the rule but it was an illegal touching of some sort.
After this the Jokers try to mount a comeback... the clock keeps ticking... 3 mins 2 mins 1 mins.... Come on guys. The captain number 17 Olivier Viennot looks like he has the answer but barley misses the top post. It's frustrating as a fan because you want them to win so bad. Despite being a little cold sitting so close to the ice. Tick tock, tick tock. Time is winding down. Now theres 20 seconds, 15, 10 ...man this isn't gonna happen... but the Jokers never lose heart. The lay it all on the line. With 1 second left on the clock a Joker rapped around the goal passed it to number 8 the Canadian player who slaps it in for a goal. The clock winds and that's the game. It was classic. The best hockey game I've ever watched.
Later it turns out we end up hanging out with Roland, Olivier, and Sylvain (the goalie from Canada) at their house. I think they were friends with Tony, the lineman last year. There solid guys and we talk about the game and stuff. Hopefully we'll hang out with them more. They said they play poker at their house some times... luckily I know the game just a little bit!!!
Life is good.
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