Calgarypuck Forums - The Unofficial Calgary Flames Fan Community - View Single Post - Flames team host for the China trip shares his experiences on Reddit

AC · 09-20-2018, 03:06 AM

https://www.reddit.com/r/hockey/comm...flames_at_the/

"I was hired by Bloomage, the Chinese company working with the NHL for the China Games, to be a team host for the Calgary Flames. Basically, my job was to travel with the team, make sure their transportation was organized, and translate for them if needed. I had an amazing time with the team and I thought I would share my experiences"

"One of the most memorable stories from the trip came post-game in Shenzhen. After the game, the players all boarded the bus headed towards the airport to catch a flight to Beijing. However, in the underground parking lot of the arena, things took a rough start. On the first turn in what can only be described as a labyrinth of a parking structure, our delightful bus driver rammed his right-side rearview mirror directly into two air conditioning units, shaking the entire bus as sparks flew outside the windows. The rearview mirror was bent completely out of position, causing it to block our bus door and the only way to exit the bus. Despite the driver's best efforts to open the door from the inside, it would not budge. Eventually, it caught the attention of the other buses with GMBT trying to dislodge the mirror but unfortunately cutting his hand in the process. Finally, another driver managed to pull the mirror back into a somewhat acceptable position, amidst the typhoon of chirps coming from the players on the bus. We decided then just to drive to the airport with one and a half rearview mirrors in order to make our flight. Hilarity, stress, and sheer astonishment rolled into one unique experience."

"You can't make this up" - Matthew Tkachuk.

"Another great experience was undoubtedly going to the Great Wall with the team. All the players immediately and brashly bought many hilarious souvenirs upon entering the area, becoming colorfully adorned in military/panda / straw hats, and kimonos"

"Best part of the day was riding down the toboggan behind Johnny and in front of Jankowski and Bennett. Johnny kept braking so I would crash into him and subsequently be crushed by the big boys behind me. I counted three people in total who completely wiped out and fell off their sleds. It was a blast."

"Finally, I was also interviewed by FlamesTV, for which I was brutally unprepared for but I tried my best."

"The team and staff were absolutely amazing to me, treated me with the utmost hospitality, and allowed me to feel welcome and included during my interactions with the team. I have gained a lot of respect towards the Calgary Flames organization, and I wish them the best of luck in the upcoming season."

"Feel free to ask any questions about my work experience! I was also working closely with the team hosts for the Boston Bruins as well so I can answer any China Games related questions."

"P.S. James Neal is an absolute beauty. Neal was hands down the most welcoming out of all of the players: he invited me to the players' dinner and sat next to me, before the Beijing game he came out and gave me his stick that he got the whole team to sign, and just as of now has followed me on Instagram"

09-20-2018, 03:06 AM	#1
AC Resident Videologist Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Calgary Exp:	Flames team host for the China trip shares his experiences on Reddit https://www.reddit.com/r/hockey/comm...flames_at_the/ "I was hired by Bloomage, the Chinese company working with the NHL for the China Games, to be a team host for the Calgary Flames. Basically, my job was to travel with the team, make sure their transportation was organized, and translate for them if needed. I had an amazing time with the team and I thought I would share my experiences" "One of the most memorable stories from the trip came post-game in Shenzhen. After the game, the players all boarded the bus headed towards the airport to catch a flight to Beijing. However, in the underground parking lot of the arena, things took a rough start. On the first turn in what can only be described as a labyrinth of a parking structure, our delightful bus driver rammed his right-side rearview mirror directly into two air conditioning units, shaking the entire bus as sparks flew outside the windows. The rearview mirror was bent completely out of position, causing it to block our bus door and the only way to exit the bus. Despite the driver's best efforts to open the door from the inside, it would not budge. Eventually, it caught the attention of the other buses with GMBT trying to dislodge the mirror but unfortunately cutting his hand in the process. Finally, another driver managed to pull the mirror back into a somewhat acceptable position, amidst the typhoon of chirps coming from the players on the bus. We decided then just to drive to the airport with one and a half rearview mirrors in order to make our flight. Hilarity, stress, and sheer astonishment rolled into one unique experience." "You can't make this up" - Matthew Tkachuk. "Another great experience was undoubtedly going to the Great Wall with the team. All the players immediately and brashly bought many hilarious souvenirs upon entering the area, becoming colorfully adorned in military/panda / straw hats, and kimonos" "Best part of the day was riding down the toboggan behind Johnny and in front of Jankowski and Bennett. Johnny kept braking so I would crash into him and subsequently be crushed by the big boys behind me. I counted three people in total who completely wiped out and fell off their sleds. It was a blast." "Finally, I was also interviewed by FlamesTV, for which I was brutally unprepared for but I tried my best." "The team and staff were absolutely amazing to me, treated me with the utmost hospitality, and allowed me to feel welcome and included during my interactions with the team. I have gained a lot of respect towards the Calgary Flames organization, and I wish them the best of luck in the upcoming season." "Feel free to ask any questions about my work experience! I was also working closely with the team hosts for the Boston Bruins as well so I can answer any China Games related questions." "P.S. James Neal is an absolute beauty. Neal was hands down the most welcoming out of all of the players: he invited me to the players' dinner and sat next to me, before the Beijing game he came out and gave me his stick that he got the whole team to sign, and just as of now has followed me on Instagram"