You want hockey? We got hockey right here

I had just finished speaking to a high school journalism class the other day -- clearly the guy who covers the local utilities commission was otherwise engaged -- when I was given the one question I can always count on being asked in these situations:

Right after, "How much money do you make?" (You see that pimped out Escalade in the parking lot? Mine's the '73 Datsun parked underneath it), comes, "What's the best part of your job?"

This one's easy. Sure, the cash is swell, I say, and nothing beats getting dressed down by a coach in front of a roomful of your peers (not that that's ever happened to me, of course). And scrambling for quotes in a room of surly, smelly, half-naked men is a dream come true. But it's more simple than that.

For me, the best thing is that any time I want to watch a game or, better yet, go to one, I can, no matter what other responsibilities might be calling.

You guys know the drill. The wife wants you to look at carpet samples/mow the lawn/take one of the kids to the E.R. and there goes your quality time in front of the tube. Me, I've always got an out. "I'd love to, honey, but there's a game on. It's my job, you know."

And if there's a moment's complaint, I've got the ultimate trump card. I walk her out the front door, turn her around, and say, "You see this house? Watching sports bought you this house. Now I've got to get back in there to see what that crazy Glenn Healy says next."

I bring this up because, not to crow about my degree of scene control, but to recognize that no matter how much hand I think I have, I understand there are limits. I, like every man, recognizes that even the most understanding wife has her breaking point. And today might be that day.

The NHL is calling it Super Saturday. Apparently that clever appellative is the product of the same tall foreheads that dreamed up "Winter Classic" for the Pittsburgh-Buffalo game on Jan. 1 (and probably the masterminds behind that caveman show on ABC), but I digress. Because as much of a whiff as that name is, it's the concept that has me stoked: 14 beautiful games, featuring 28 of the NHL's 30 teams, and they're all rolling this evening.

Hockey overload, you say? Hardly. I spent the offseason watching the Texas Rangers. This bounty is sweet salve on the burns of this sports victim. I'll be stretching the limits of technology, working in NHL Center Ice both on DirecTV and online, TiVo, XM Radio and the greatness of the Slingbox in order to catch every play possible.

I realize not everyone has the ability to use my built-in excuse to justify this kind of shinny excess (except for you, Rick Reilly, and thanks for stopping by!). So as a public service, I'll share my rankings of tonight's action to help you plan your own viewing schedule. And even though I live in the greatness that is the Central Time Zone, all times listed are EDT:

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