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Eynhallow · 04-25-2021, 12:53 PM

Who is Rinky McDangle

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Yup, that’s me, the totally unknown Rinky McDangle. Firstly, I want to explain a bit about my unusual name. I have been chirped about this over the course of my minor hockey career, so I want to set the record straight. In a word..”You can’t chose your parents”. Now don’t get me wrong, I love my folks dearly and they made many sacrifices for me to get to where I am now. However, I would classify them as Urban Yuppies who happen to be rabidly enthusiastic hockey fans. So little Rink McDangle became Rinky McDangle as people use a diminutive form of the name for wee kids. Anyway, it stuck and that’s all there is to that. A bit more about my awesome folks. They are well educated professorial types who accepted short teaching contracts throughout North America. This is important because Ireland is not known for being exactly a hotbed of hockey. Nevertheless, I was able to start my hockey career in my home town of Waterford Ireland playing for the cute, but fragile team known as the Waterford Crystal.

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Don’t be mistaken here, these little gaffers were Irish tough, but the team was fragile in that it had to compete for players against more popular sports, football (soccer), rugby and, of course that Irish of all sports, hurling. Fortunately, there was a retired professional coach who lived in Waterford who generously gave of his time and expertise to teach us all how to skate, how to play positionally and most of all how to have fun.The most fun I had playing this sport was when I was a Tyke. I mean, someone would throw a puck on the ice and ten little bodies would chase around after it (sometimes 11 if the goalie got carried away). I guess the adults kept track of the score, but for us wee folk, well, we just didn’t care. It was all about the joy of the game.

This changed rapidly and hockey became far more competitive when we moved to Northern Ontario, My folks had accepted one of their many teaching contracts and I was parachuted into a new world. In Northern Ontario there is a hierarchy of teams within a particular age group ranging from playground leagues up to the elite teams interchangeably referred to as Travelling, Rep or AAA teams. Positions of the latter type of teams included the best of the best and were highly sought after. As well, now the score meant something and personal production was examined critically. Through no fault of my own, I was able secure a forward position on the now defunct Monetville Magpies.

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I had started to grow a bit at this point and didn’t mind the rough stuff, so playing in the dirty area in front of the opposing goal tender seemed to be a natural fit. I was interviewed about this at a later time:

Interviewer: So, Rinky, how can you tell if you are being effective playing that style of game, that is in front of the net ?

Rinky: Well, if, after the game, I can pick splinters from the goalie’s stick off my hockey socks, I know I done good.

Interviewer: So, given what you do in front of the net, do you feel that physical play is essential to the game?

Rinky: That is a question that has been up for debate in recent years in both various professional and amateur leagues. I guess hockey is physical by nature when you consider that there are ten largish individuals rushing around a confined ice surface at high speed trying to take the puck from one another. But, physical play just for the sake of physical play really shouldn’t be tolerated. You have to be strong on your skates and you have to be a physical presence, otherwise you could not be competitive. Running a guy into the boards with the sole intent of injuring that player is conduct that is unacceptable at any level. I take pride in being a “tough gentleman”.

After a couple of seasons in Northern Ontario my family and I relocated to Wyoming. Again, my folks were on short term contracts with the local college system. My hockey development career continued with a Junior hockey team known as the Wyoming Dust Devils. Due to good genetics and an excellent training regime, I became bigger, stronger and faster. Although I was never the “best” player on any team, I was always known for my work ethic and team play. I take a lot of pride in playing for the logo on the front of my jersey as opposed to the name on the back. If I play hard for the logo on the front, people will start to notice the name on the back anyway. I was interviewed again around this time and was asked this question:

Interviewer: So, Rinky, you told me how much fun it was to play hockey when you were a child. Is it still fun now ?

Rinky: Ya, it’s still a lot of fun, but in a different way. At this stage you have to set big goals for yourself. But, at the same time, you have to enjoy the ride.

At this time, I left home and Ma’s good food, to play in the United States Hockey League with the Dubuque Fighting Saints. I suppose it was at this time that I realized that I would try to become a professional hockey player. I had been approached by a number of GM’s in the SMJHL to play some pre-draft games. Currently I am anticipating a placement with the Colorado Raptors. I doubt that a player with limited skills will make much of a difference to a team as competitive as are the Raptors, but I plan to give it my best effort to try and help the team in whatever role I am assigned. My natural position would be as a center and doing a screening role core, by taking away the goalies eyes as well as tying up a defenseman. However, if the Raptors, or any other future team needs me in a different role, well, I am up for that 100% as well.

Word Count: 1042

LordBirdman · 04-25-2021, 06:41 PM

Glad to have Rinky in Colorado now!

***micool132*** · 04-25-2021, 06:44 PM

McGriddle, McFife, and now McDangle. I'm loving it.

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