The Best Peters in Town

by Ryan

So Jason Peters was named to the Pro Bowl today. It's kind of crazy to remember him as the freaking huge tight end who came in as a rookie covering kickoffs like a deranged bouncer. Now he's the one of the best O-Lineman we have. What a four years it's been indeed.

Now while I do love me some Jason Peters, the whole Pro Bowl thing reminds me of something I was thinking about on Saturday night while watching a replay of the Sabres game:

I feel bad for Andrew Peters.

Petey takes a lot of crap around here, especially from me, and I don't feel bad about that. Let's face facts, people, Andrew Peters is almost worthless to this hockey team. He barely gets ice time, doesn't fight well, and when he does get the chance to run his mouth he challenges the entire Anaheim team to a fight. Not good times.

What does get to me is the fact that Andrew Peters is a lot like us in more ways then you think. Sure, he's the hockey equivalent to that gigantic douchebag always starting stuff in your office (surely you are not that douchebag...) but when talent comes to mind, he may be your best friend.

Case in point: Petey miked up on Saturday night.

He was nothing but encouraging to his teammates, screaming accolades from the bench and congratulating on goals. Yeah, good teammates do that. What got to me is the last shot of him sitting on the bench. He's next to Vanek, who just pulled off a pretty impressive goal, getting cross checked to the ice twice before netting it in the slot.

So he is sitting there and pauses for a second, then tells Vanek a second time "nice goal." Vanek is all Austrian and gives him a nod, then looks back to the ice.

There it was. You could see it in Andrew's eyes: "I'm never going to be able to do that."

Just for a moment, you could see right into the very being of Andrew Peters. Because when it comes down to it, he's an inferior hockey player. It's not a matter of making a team, someone somewhere will always have room for an "enforcer" like him. Still, he will never get to do the things first line players do.

Shootouts, power play time, a chance to play with great passers or elite play makers. For the rest of Andrew Peters' hockey life he will be a 4th line winger asking "You wanna go?" whenever possible.

When it comes down to it, that's still a pretty good life. He has a prominent role in the NHLPA, and let's face it, any of us would kill to be on a pro hockey team, let alone be a "fan favorite", as some like to call him.

Still, it was hard not to feel for him staring out onto the ice just then. It brought me back to so many times I've realized I'm not going to be where I want to be with certain things in life. I'm never going to be a great hockey player, I'm never going to be good enough with a guitar; and who knows if I will be satisfied with my career?

It's a scary thing to equate yourself to a hockey tough guy, but it makes so much sense to me why I get so happy when a guy like Petey scores a goal or even registers a point. That out of the ordinary behavior is exactly what all of us mediocre human beings want to achieve in life. All of us, to put it plainly, want to be good at things. Even if it is as temporary as a red light flashing.