On the ice, hockey fanatic Kerry occupies middle of the road

[Feanorcurufinwe]

He celebrated over my sprawled body as if he'd won the Iowa caucus, the New Hampshire primary and the Powerball lottery combined. Massachusetts Sen. John Kerry, Democratic presidential front-runner and first-line ice hockey forward, stood all smiles at the side of the net, lording over me, his arms and hockey stick raised as teammates gathered to rub his helmeted head.

Despite my best efforts as a goalie to get a skate, a stick, a glove or any other piece of gear on the puck, Kerry scored on me in late 2002 - the first of several times - to cement his reputation as the Senate's premier hockey player and the only presidential candidate who takes his sticks and equipment on the road.

<snip>

Before his high-profile exploits on the campaign trial, I squared off against Kerry on the ice on several occasions over the years. He and I played with a coed group of die-hard hockey players who assembled weekdays at the crack of dawn at a Washington rink. As a goalie who has faced Kerry's shot, I can offer a scouting report.

First off, he doesn't look like a hockey player. At a lean 6 feet 3 inches, Kerry looks like he'd be more comfortable on a basketball court. As he put on his skates and equipment, I envisioned a stumbling, gawky skater who would have trouble keeping up with the other players and keeping the puck on his stick.

I was wrong. Kerry's long legs produce a fluid, graceful stride that, in turn, makes him a deceptively nimble skater. He's not Mercury on skates, but he's no lead foot, either. For someone used to rubbing elbows in politics, Kerry isn't a physical force on the ice. He doesn't initiate contact, but he doesn't shy away from it. He doesn't try to muscle opposing players; he prefers to use his stick to try to poke-check the puck away from his opponents.


http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/news/politics/7940001.htm

[exclark4dean]

1. "lording over me" , Sounds about right , He'll 'lord' over us all

We are his serfdom.

[regnaD kciN]

2. At boarding school...

...he was known as "Keep-The-Puck" Kerry since he never passed to a teammate...