This Twog goes out to @jtbourne . After reading your article and sitting in disbelief at how you dehumanize the men behind the mask, I as a member of the Goaltending Fraternity "Gamma Omega Alpha Lambda Iota Epsilon: Minors & Abroad Chapter", I feel it my duty to challenge you to a duel. However, this isn't your typical great great grandfathers duel ala Aaron Burr and Alexander Hamilton, but our new viral generation where duels can be settled like grown men; sitting on a couch miles away with a lap top and a social networking website. They always say, "The keyboard is mightier than the Sword." And so I shall send a volley your way.

Getting back to my first point, your dehumanization of goalies is grossly distasteful. A working class group of men, with the weight of organization on their shoulders, the fate of every game strapped to their back, and all they want to concern themselves about is performing well. You and simple minded others do not care about that, but in its stead, try to find ways to make that job tougher. Much like the kid in High School with coke bottle glasses, a pocket protecter and a backpack that looks like he's going camping, us goalies, just want to go to work and do the best we can. But there are bullies in every aspect of life, and you my friend along with countless others try deter us from achieving good grades by slapping our books out of our hand, verbal assaults and the occasional wedgie. This comes with the territory but in no way makes it acceptable.

Below are some highlights of your blog that I would like to divulge into a little bit more.

1.) "Snowing is ok." - Sure it seems harmless enough. Skating racing toward the goalie in the attempt he fumbles the rebound like a Punt Returner in the NFL only to stop short and deliver an irritating but yet refreshing snow storm. The "Snow-Job" is widely considered one of the most disrespectful acts an opponent can inflict on a goalie. In the rare case, they can not help it. Some apologize, others are intentionally dicks, but in the end, snow is snow, and it melts. The problem is, guys like myself who wear contacts run the risk of either losing one and in turn effecting our vision. You are probably laughing right now, but I ask you this; Sounds similar to stealing a bookworms glasses the day of a test, doesnt it?

2.) "Pushing a goalies skates out etc." - Most goalies became goalies because they were the younger sibling obligated to, liked the equipment, or quite frankly couldnt skate. To make matters worse, you going ahead tripping and jostling for the goaltenders right for his space is just another example of how your cavalier forward mind works. Carrying our lunch tray through the lunch room, you are that guy who sticks his foot out causing our lunch to be lost and being laughed at by the the school.

3.) "Any and all verbal abuse." Years of torment have made us goalies thick skinned. Our bodies carved from stone and coated with dragon scales so no matter what you say from 19 and up will have no baring on the most professional of us. But I, as I am sure most goalies do, remember our first and subsequent harshest verbal assaults. Sticks and stones may break our bones, but words can be more violent. I experienced harsh assault in Junior and in College. Junior being the worst as it was the first time I was the target of verbal abuse (besides from my father during or after a poor performance as a youth). My mother this, and my mother that. I didnt know what to think. I was just a kid Justin. Just a child. Leading me to ask my mother if she was ever in Waterloo, Iowa. She never was. So all those guys standing above the over hang of my net in the 2nd period were liars! Learning that most verbal assaults you receive as a goaltender are false at an early age really helped me develop my dragon scales quickly. But you however, still do and encourage others to use your words like sticks and stones in the hope of breaking bones. But they never will....

I hope this Twog was an eye opener for you Justin. Us goalies are just like you. If you trip us we fall. If you cut us we bleed. And if you hurt us, sometimes we cry. Just because we wear more equipment, act a little quirky and sometimes receive special treatment, doesnt mean that we should be targeted for those differences.

In a perfect world, our game would be like the "Bubble Hockey" games of old. There would be no snow to spray. No route you could take to disrupt us. And a thick bubble above the ice, shielding us from the foulness spewed from the mouths of the ignorant. What is said below that bubble by opposing would stay there and would be settled when you enter the crease. Or on a social networking site that allows us to vent with no repercussions.


"Mr. Bourne-achev: TEAR DOWN THIS WALL!!!"

Geffman47: Change you can believe in.

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