A Conversation with Noodles

[Eynhallow 412]

A Conversation With Noodles

 

Noodles Marconi had been approached to do a number of interviews on his entry to the VHLM.  Somewhat overwhelmed by this he reached out to his mentor Isau DaMoose who suggested that he only allow himself to be interviewed by Gale Force, a trusted journalist who had been involved extensively with Isau’s career.

 

Gale:  Good Morning Noodles !!  Welcome to the VHLM and thanks for taking the time to have this conversation. 

Noodles:  Hey there, Gale.  We’re going to blame it all on DaMoose as he suggested this talk.  In fact, he sent me a picture of you.  Wait a sec while I get it off my phone.

Gale:  Ya, Isau had a great career and it was always fun and informative to talk to him. I am a bit intrigued with your involvement with Isau.

Noodles:   Of course, I mean how did a boy from the Alberta Badlands ever connect with a Riga Reign legend from Swords anyway? Right ?  Well, I had been playing in an amateur tournament in Toronto when I met a friend by the name of Rinky McDangle.  Ya I know he’s got an off the wall name, but anyways, he happened to be a cousin of Isau’s and so I met him.  I followed his career pretty closely and was impressed with his determination and effort despite all the set backs that Riga had during Isau’s career.

When I decided to turn pro, Isau reached out with some well-timed advice.

Gale:   But enough about Isau.  Let me introduce to my readers/viewers Noodles Marconi who very recently began his pro career by signing with the Mexico City Kings.  So, Noodles, can you tell us a bit about your background ?

Noodles:  Sure.  As you know I was raised in the Alberta Badlands area.  My family raised skinny cattle and were involved in the local hockey scene.  I played my minor hockey in the nearby towns until I was drafted by the Drumheller Dragons.  From there, on to the University of Calgary Dinos and, subsequently, the Mexico City Kings where, coincidentally Isau began his career.  Pretty standard pattern.

Gale:   Did the CoVid pandemic slow down your progression ?

Noodles:   Well, ya, as much as it did other players of my age.  There was a whole year where I did not play competitive hockey.  Fortunately during the winter, our pond freezes over, So I scraped it off with the tractor and, with a makeshift Zamboni, smoothed off the surface.  That way I was able to skate regularly and work on my shot.  You wouldn’t believe the number of lost pucks I found come that Spring !

Gale:   So, Noodles, in your opinion, what do you have to offer the Kings, or any other team, for that matter?

Noodles:   Well, I think a couple of things.  Firstly, I try to be a team player.  Team first, individual accomplishments second.  The individual stuff will come if one is a team player.  Secondly, I am working on a 200 foot game.  That means I want to be able to contribute at both ends of the ice.  There isn’t much point in scoring a few goals and being a defensive liability. I have to work on developing a number of skills in order to achieve these things, but that is what the minors are for.

Gale:   They say you are a little vocal on the ice.  What’s up with that ?

Noodles:  Ya, I like to chirp the other guys.  (big grin)

Gale:   So can you explain what all this chirping is about ?

Noodles:   Well, I can give you what I think chirping is all about.  However, what I think may not be what a lot of the other guys think.  First off a chirp, to me, is a good-natured verbal barb directed at an opposing player.  The intent is to throw him/her off his game a bit.  To me chirping in no way involved racial or cultural slurs.  Nor does it involve comments about a player's mother, wife or girlfriend.  That still leaves the door open for a lot of stuff.  For example, when you are involved in a chirp fest you could say to the other player “I had heard a better chirp from a dead bird !”  or “Keep your chin up 21, there are always beer leagues for guys like you.”   Chirping isn't about who can use the most profanity, it's all about sending the zinger that leaves someone speechless. A quick wit and a vocabulary will take you far.  And that is it for Noodles’ Elements of Chirping 101.

Gale:  Wow!  I didn’t know that a little bantering in hockey actually had a purpose.

Noodles:  Ya, well, chirping has been around since likely when hockey started.  It can be a lot of fun if approached the right way.   

Gale:   So, Noodles, who would you say has been the most influential in your young hockey career ?

Noodles:   I have had some fabulous coaches who have taught me to be a better hockey player, but in terms of being the most influential it has got to be my mom and dad.  The commitment to me that they showed in driving me all over the place to play or practice as well as running the family ranch shows real dedication and tireless effort.  Those are huge influences in how I approach the pro game.

Gale:   So, any serious injuries ?

Noodles:    Ya, but no, not really.  I mean us hockey players all have our hangnails now and again.  I gues my most serious injury occurred in Junior.  I was chirping this other play.  He was big, huge even.  In fact, around the league he was referred to as “Sasquatch”:  Anyway, I was chirping him about being slow and having hands of stone when, suddenly, I ran into his right fist.  I lost a couple of chiclets and about 10 minutes of game time while I regained my senses.  After some really good dental work my mom was still apoplectic.  She said it changed my smile forever.   My da is a taciturn sort.  He just grunted and made a comment about my lack of judgment.  Other than that, the usual groin pulls and small muscle tears, but modern medicine and truly excellent training staffs can make it so that you can come back from slight injuries very rapidly.  In fact, if you follow the training regime you can mostly eliminate them entirely.

 

 

Gale:   So you must be plenty pissed at this guy ?

Noodles:   Not really, actually not at all.  Sasquatch is really a gentle giant.. Intelligent and caring.  I think he is teaching English Literature in one of the Alberta public high schools now.  Although, I think he still moonlights in MMA events.

Gale:   So, any significant others?

Noodles:   Gale, do I detect a personal angle here ?

Gale:   You big old country flirt.  Just get on with it……sigh

Noodles:   Ya sorry about that.  It is a family show after all.  So there is an Alberta girl that I have known for just about my whole life, Abigail (Abby) McCarty.

We are the same age and lived in the same area, so we started school together in Junior Kindergarten.  For the first few years of elementary school we were inseparable.  They called us M&M, you know, like the candy.  

Hockey pulled me away from all that, but we are still in pretty close contact.  After high school Abby went to Lac Cruces, New Mexico to attend New Mexico State University where she got a full ride for barrel racing.  There aren’t very many colleges that have an NCAA rodeo team.

Her pony is just the sweetest ride and an athlete his own self too.  My own horse, Old Ned, is OK.  I mean he is robust and is an Energizer Bunny in that he just keeps going and going, but comparing him to Abby’s pony is like comparing an Aveo to a Ferrari.

Gale:   So you have your first off season coming up.  What is in store for you ?

Noodles:   Well, I intend to go back to Alberta.  I have some on-ice sessions scheduled in Calgary, but most of my time will be spent helping out on the ranch.  It may not seem real exciting to some folks and you are sure not going to get rich at it, but it certainly is a satisfying way of life.

Gale:   So this is just in.  You managed a three point game against the Houston Bulls.  Congrats !!

Noodles:   Ya that was my first multi point game in the VHLM, hopefully not my last.  Unfortunately it was in a losing cause as the Bulls trounced us (the Kings) 6 - 4.

Gale:   Can you describe how you got those points, Noodles ?

Noodles:   Sure, but first of all I have to say that I am playing with some really talented guys.  I couldn’t do anything if it were not for the team around me.  I started about halfway through the second period with a secondary assist on a goal by my good buddy AK92 Wit da Hoodie. @hedgehog337  A couple of fast passes and he was in alone and buried it.  Later on in the period it was almost the reciprocal play  AK92 Wit da Hoodies started it off, dishing to Callum Murray @Berocka who set me up for a beaut.  I got our fourth goal late in the third period on a nice give and go from Callum Murray.  I was pretty happy with the way we played overall.  Its just too bad we couldn’t keep the puck away from our net a bit better.  The Bulls did get 49 shots !  

Gale:   But, in general, the Mexico City Kings are having a pretty good season though, don’t you think?

Noodles:   Ya, pretty OK, I guess.  Overall we are in fifth place in the VHLM with 85 points and fourth place at 88 points, could be obtainable.  However, the Houston Bulls, Philadelphia Reapers and Saskatoon Wild are the class of the league with each team having over 100 points this season.  Those guys will be hard to beat in the playoffs

Gale:   So where do you go from here, Noodles?

Noodles:   It would seem that my current trajectory short term will be to stay with the Mexico City Kings until the end of next season when I become draft eligible.  At that point, depending on how my skill development has gone I will either play in the VHLM or VHLE.  Either would be fine and I have no preference as to what team I play for as long as I can contribute in some kind of meaningful way.

Gale:   So, Noodles, if you had to describe yourself as a hockey player in three words, what would they be ?

Noodles:   Ahhh, Gale, you know I am more verbose than that, but here goes:  passionate, team-oriented and efficient.  I think if I had that engraved on my retirement stick I would have done alright.

Gale:   My standard question.  Do you have any pre-game rituals ?

Noodles:   That is an interesting question because until just recently I did not believe that I did.  But, upon joining the Mexico City Kings I found my self doing the same things in a patterned way.  For example, I like my extra large coffee before a game.  It does little to jazz me up.  I just like it.  I find a great deal of peace in the locker room, changing into my hockey gear surrounded by the same guys.  I have to admit that I always seem to dress right to left.  I don’t think about it though, it just happens.  There are players that have some really fixed rituals, but you know about those pretty much.

Gale:   Well, Noodles, our chat has just about come to an end.  I would like to thank you for an engaging few minutes and for sharing who you are with your fans.  I trust we can do this again as your career progresses.

Noodles:   It was my pleasure.  Thanks for having me on your show.  It was a slice !!  And, ya, let's do this again sometime real soon.  Bye for now.

 

Word Count:  2021

Claiming for 03/13

03/20

03/27

04/03

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