The LA Kings celebrate their victory over Phoenix Coyotes in Game Five of the Western Conference Final. (Jeff Gross/Getty Images)
A year ago, we would have rather spent the afternoon lingerie shopping with our mother-in-laws than watch a hockey game. You should really meet our mother-in-laws for full effect, but that's a whole other blog.
As two women married to sports fanatics, there was really no escaping hockey on TV - especially during playoffs. As our men were glued to the game, we were on the phone talking to each other about what we saw on the ice in a way that was completely different than what our guys or the real announcers were saying. Why were the players getting a seat and a drink in the penalty box if it's supposed to be a punishment? And how exactly did that coach pick out a brown suit and tie combo four sizes too big?
After rigging up an audio stream from our living rooms, we started broadcasting our "girl talk" version of commentary on all the finer points of hockey, football, baseball, basketball and yes - even golf.
Despite Jules missing out on at least one Italian family function per month to watch sports, (sorry Zio Vincenze!) our experiment somehow began to attract thousands of women and even men from across North America. We started to get letters from women thanking us for helping them get through their first-ever hockey/football/golf game. We made friends with women young and old, who joined us online for hours of crazy conversation about coaches, players, equipment and of course sex.
We also got a few letters from men offering us instruction and even training courses on how to better understand sports. Thanks guys, but if we really wanted to, we could probably figure out how to analyze a five-on-four situation. In all seriousness, there is no shortage of talented female sportscasters out there who we respect. We just think it's more fun to talk about why so many gorgeous players come from Welland Ontario and why they all skate around with scotch tape holding up their socks.
Apparently, the NHL's new slogan "Because it's the Cup" is aimed at inviting new audiences to embrace hockey. We are two women who have come to hockey by way of an unimaginable Wayne's World adventure (same ghetto set-up, better hair). And to be honest, as much as we'd rather not admit it to our husbands or Zio Vincenze, we are having a ball watching hockey.
We are honoured to have been invited to share WhileTheMenWatch with audiences across Canada in collaboration with CBC. You can tune in to our live play-by-play during each game of the finals. Be forewarned that we are not always politically correct; have a warped interpretation of the rules and would rather avoid overtime. But, we will be talking and we will be watching - because it's the Cup.
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Lena and Jules
Lena Sutherland and Jules Mancuso are creators and hosts of WhileTheMenWatch, a first-of-its-kind, sports talk show for women. As best friends married to sports addicted men, they began streaming live commentary during the game from a female perspective. Soon, thousands of women were tuned into to join their "girl talk" style banter during hockey, football, baseball, golf and beyond. Their lively show follows everything from interpreting the rules of the game to coaches in need of a makeover. Lena and Jules have partnered with CBC to deliver their unique play-by-play for each game of the 2012 Stanley Cup Finals on WhileTheMenWatch Hockey Night.
