It's Not Easy Being Captain
"It's been a week, man." Steve Yzerman nodded in pensive agreement, studying his companion over the lip of his Molson. The Sharks' captain looked about as tired as he felt. Getting old, he thought with a grumble. I feel it in my knees and wrists long after I've left the ice. He sighed to himself, took a thoughtful sip of his beer. "That it has," Steve agreed. "My knees are letting me know how long of a week it's been.""It's been a week, man." Steve Yzerman nodded in pensive agreement, studying his companion over the lip of his Molson. The Sharks' captain looked about as tired as he felt. Getting old, he thought with a grumble. I feel it in my knees and wrists long after I've left the ice. He sighed to himself, took a thoughtful sip of his beer. "That it has," Steve agreed. "My knees are letting me know how long of a week it's been."
"God, I know," Owen Nolan replied, taking a long slug of his beer. "My back's in agony." Steve nodded, sighing, then abruptly laughed.
"God, we sound like a couple of old men!" he exclaimed, laughing. Owen winked playfully and arched one brow.
"Speak for yourself, I'm at the prime of my life," he shot back teasingly. Steve laughed, shook his head, and took another swig of beer.
"It's not easy being captain," he reflected pensively.
"Hell no," the spirited Irishman murmured, grabbing a handful of pretzels. "It was nice to just be another player on the ice at the Olympics, you know? Let Mario call the shots, just be part of the team."
Steve nodded in understanding. "I haven't been 'just another player' in more years than you've been in the league," he commented dryly. "But I know what you mean. It was good to rest." A chuckle. "Not that the gold medal game against the U.S. was exactly my idea of 'resting'."
"At least we won," Owen replied, motioning to the bar tender for another beer. "50 years. I can't wait to wave my medal in Selanne's face."
Steve grinned good-naturedly. "But not Sundstrom's."
"No," Owen acknowledged soberly. "Not Sunny's. Poor guy. God, poor Tommy Salo." Steve bobbed his head in agreement. Owen heaved a sigh.
"Back to being captain tomorrow," he grumbled, absently peeling the label from his fresh bottle. "I love my team, but sometimes they're a handful, you know?"
"Ohhh yes," Steve responded emphatically, downing the last mouthful of slightly tepid beer. He studied it carefully for a moment, then grinned and motioned for another. What the hell, he didn't officially have to be 'captain' for 2 more hours. "The things those boys put me through..."
Owen took a gulp of his beer and grimaced. The big Irishman was working on his third, and showing not a trace of intoxication. "It's enough to make a man go insane. Selanne always late for practice, March on and off suspension, and the damn rookies..." He groaned and shook his head, as if it was too much to bear.
"Ahh, rookies," Steve sighed. "Can't live with 'em, can't kill 'em." Owen chuckled, reaching for his beer. Steve glanced at his own, somewhat surprised to find it already half empty. Was this his second, or third? He couldn't quite remember, so it was probably his third. He wasn't drunk, no; just pleasantly buzzed, enough to feel comfortable in asking his next question. "You ever problems with your guys...ah...hooking up?" He blushed a little; so maybe he wasn't quite that comfortable.
To his surprise, the younger captain widened his eyes and nodded. "Fuck, yeah! You too?"
"Hell yeah." Steve shook his head, grimacing. "They're like rabbits."
Owen was nodding excitedly, thrilled to learn that the other captain was in the same position. "Like rabbits in the middle of spring," he emphasized, sucking at his beer. "Harvey and Bradley, Thornton and Sundstrom, Smith and all the rookies..." He trailed off, shaking his head. "It's maddening."
Steve snorted derisively, throwing back a handful of pretzels. "That's nothing," he countered. "I swear, at least half of my team is gay. The locker room's like a fucking soap opera, there's so much drama." Owen laughed appreciatively, and the two captains lapsed into companionable silence.
"Owen?" Steve asked for a moment, breaking the quiet. The younger man looked up attentively.
"Yeah?"
Steve paused. "Do they make out in your locker room, too?"
The Shark's captain groaned and shook his head. "Don't even get me started."