THE PENALTY BOX

All hockey fans understand the significance of the penalty box. After all, it's a prime opportunity for your beloved team to score a goal with the sinister opposing squad short by one player on the ice, and the penalized team has to form a protective Death Star defense around the goalie in a desperate attempt to stop a frozen rubber rock from hitting the back of the net. A 2-minute minor penalty can feel like an agonizing hour! Melodramatic? Perhaps. Depends if you're a hockey nut (or hockey wing-nut like us Detroit fans), and like a good fire/EMS service sports metaphor.

I wish I could take complete credit for this illustration, but an On Scene Training Associates buddy gave me the concept of being caught in the chief's penalty box without a timer. And knowing him, I can pretty much see how he would get whistled for hooking, slashing, or voicing his opinion. However, an opportunity presented itself to have some fun with how many of us feel at times - being boxed in by a never-ending, double secrete probation, in the doghouse, penalty box detention. Now, did most of us earn that trip to the sin bin? Probably. But there are times when personality and opinions can put you there, too. Threaten the powers-that-be with (gasp) common sense, or the oh-so gentle body slam to the boards when you crush a superior's ego. Yep, that will put you in the penalty box, and garner a 5-minute major, too!

So, have fun with this one. Smile, snort, scoff, or simply get angry, break your stick over the boards and climb the glass and beat the snot out of some intoxicated chiding fan - whatever makes you feel better.

STAY FIRED UP, and keep fighting the good fight - no matter how long it takes!
 

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