We have an expression in English… Cor Blimey.

One is most likely to employ this phrase when faced with a total surprise. Or when one is bewildered or amazed. Well on this particular occasion, after a good long think I can think of nothing more appropriate to say… Cor Blimey.

I’m writing this blog in the corner of a busy pub on a barmy Saturday in May. Outside the sun is shining but no one is taking a damn bit of notice. They’re all in here and I’m in serious danger of having beer spilt over my keyboard.

The locals are happy. And why is that? Because the Hockey World Cup Semi Final has just finished!

Where I come from, hockey is played on grass. There, gentlefolk tear arse, bent double around a field with a stick and a gum shield. It’s normally for public school types and so not many of the great unwashed, like me, really bother with it.

However, over in CZ, Hockey is an institution, Ice hockey that is. And you can’t live here without being forced to grasp one or two rudimentary rules.

My first memory of this particular Czech phenomenon dates back to the Olympic triumphs of Nagano. I recall not having a clue what was going on. The game moved so fast, I couldn’t even see the puck let alone tell who was doing what… The fact is, show an Englishman that much Ice and he’ll probably grit it so no one slips.

What I’ve just seen however has reignited those feelings of ‘98. Course I’m still no expert but oh boy, what an atmosphere.

I wouldn’t dream of exposing my technical ignorance of the sport but I suspect that game had everything.

Czech’s down 2-1 with minutes to go. The Swedes almost nick it, shooting the length of the ice, only to miss an empty net by inches… 7 Seconds left and the Czechs equalize! 7 bloody SECONDS!

Then after extra time, in a nail-biting shoot out the Swedes legendary cool deserts them. (Bjorn Borg AND Sven Goran Eriksson would have kept it together!). They blow it, the Czech’s score all three of their penalties. Victory and on to the final…

That’s as much as I can work out but that’s more than enough. It was simply great fun.

All this excitement has wetted my appetite for the proper World Cup. Sorry folks but football will never be overtaken in my affections.

Even so, that was such a great game I can’t wait for the final. And I hope against hope England can go one better in the football equivalent. For now though I’m an Ice Hockey convert… At least until the next time I see someone kick a ball.