The “Jagr-Meister.”
On Tuesday, April 18th the Columbus Blue Jackets defeated the Pittsburgh Penguins in Game 4 of the opening round of the 2017 Stanley Cup Playoffs. It would only delay the inevitable. The Penguins of course would take care of the Jackets, Washington Capitals, Ottawa Senators, and Nashville Predators on their way to the franchise’s 5th Stanley Cup. But something special — nay…magical transpired on that April night. And it’s a story that bears repeating.
I like to believe there is such a thing as fate. At certain times in my life, I’ve been rewarded for that belief. That crisp Spring evening in April was no exception. My girlfriend Liz and I had ventured into Manhattan to catch the hockey game at one of our favorite spots in the city, Foley’s NY Pub & Restaurant. For fans of any and every sport, this place is a dream. According to their website,
“Foley’s has one of the most extensive and unusual public displays of sports memorabilia in America, including 3,000 baseballs, 500+ bobbleheads, game-used equipment, signed jerseys, World Series rings, stadium seats, and other items.”
To paraphrase, the collection is fucking astounding. Oh, I guess I forgot to mention…it’s a Penguins bar. It’s THE Penguins bar if you’re a fan in NYC. With the Pens on the verge of a first round sweep, there was no place we would’ve rather been than Foley’s.
I get superstitious during the playoffs. I wear certain jerseys on certain days. I’ll even switch up the beer I’m drinking if I think it’ll make a difference. As fate would have it that night, our hockey-watching brother in arms, Matt was unavailable. Not only was he unavailable, but he was busy watching the New York Rangers instead of our beloved Penguins. But…the show must go on. At one point during the first period, I struck up a conversation with some gentlemen at the bar. Welcome to the story: Jordan and Ryan.
What occurred next was nothing short of a meet-cute, but between 2 couples. One pair, a romantically involved man and woman. The other, a couple of male roommates from Hoboken. The common denominator? Pittsburgh. It was friendship at first sight. They talked the night away about the golden era of Pittsburgh sports, never realizing they were indeed living in it. They spoke of legends past and present with names like Fred Rogers, Arnold Palmer, Sidney Crosby, Mike Lange, the savior Mario Lemieux, and the list went on. When talking about Pittsburgh sports legends, It’s damn near blasphemous not to include Jaromir Jagr. The man saved the Penguins in his own way after Lemieux retired for the first time. Jagr arguably kept the sport of hockey alive in Pittsburgh. Not to mention he’s a 2-time Stanley Cup Champion.
Other than the fact that he is currently 45 years old and still playing the game at a competitive level, Jagr is well known for his flowing locks. One could argue that Jagr’s mullet is more famous than the player himself. Jagr was traded out of Pittsburgh in 2001, but he’ll forever be a Penguin.
So there we sat. Midtown, New York City. Strangers turned into friends watching a playoff loss, and dreading tomorrow’s impending hangover. But just like the teams and players we all looked up to, we didn’t give up hope. We had one last drink. This one was special. Ryan, Jordan, and myself enjoyed an elixir handed down to us by the gods, and right then and there it was formally dubbed with a toast…“The Jagr-Meister.”
WHAT YOU NEED:
Jagermeister
Vodka
A Shot Glass
DIRECTIONS:
Pour the Jagermeister filling the shot glass halfway. Pour the vodka filling the shot glass the rest of the way. Drink the shot. Congratulations you’ve just done a “Jagr-Meister.” Now go shave your head into a mullet.
**Disclaimer: I am in no way claiming that we are the first humans to ever drink this concoction. I’m also not claiming that we were the first to use the term “Jagr-Meister.” But it’s a good fucking story, so I wrote about it. Please drink responsibly.
