Post #9: A Message from the First Lady

Valpe fans love to bestow nicknames upon their players.  And they don’t take this responsibility lightly. They wait until they know their beloved giocatore after which point they award him with a suitable title. In the meantime, some players are given a temporary nickname that is really the recycled nickname of a player from the previous season. For example, the goalie for the 2009-2010 season was crowned as “The Wall”, I imagine in part because of his position and in part because of his last name, Kowalski. Hence, Kevin was referred to as Il Nuovo “The Wall” at the start of last year. But the nickname didn’t last long. Soon, Kevin would receive a substantial promotion… to the Presidency. I am not sure how the name originated, but I am going to guess that it stems from the fact that Reagan once held that office. Reagan sounds like Regan in Italian pronunciation, and Ta-daa, a name is born. (This explains why “Mr. President!” can be heard over the loudspeakers at home games when Kevin makes a big save.) The name was a funny anecdote to our being here last year. And, this year, fans have picked up right where they left off. Mr. President is back in town. And to show their appreciation, they’ve got the posters to prove it….

http://hcvbulldogs.altervista.org/posters.html

So, if you were expecting a special-edition guest post from Michelle Obama, I am sorry to disappoint. But, until Kevin has retired his Valpe jersey, and “Il Nuovo Mr. President” is ushered into office, I will gladly accept the position of First Lady of Valpellice. And I will forever find humor in my husband’s impressive status in this little region of Italy.