My First Time...

Texas Brahmas fans recall their first Brahmas experience

Well, we all came from somewhere and we all have a story. I've asked fans of the Texas Brahmas to share their first experiences with the team.

I'll be adding fans' stories over the next several days. If you want to share yours, please send it to brahmasinsider@sbcglobal.net. Please include your name, age and city of residence. If you have any amusing stories and/or photos, please send them in.

I'll start with my own story...

Name: Robert Keith
Age: 43
City: Bedford

I had recently moved to Texas and was visiting a friend in Austin who had bought us tickets to go see an Ice Bats game at the Travis County Expo Center. I had never heard of the CHL and had no experience with AA hockey at that point. She said I would love it.

We met up with several of her college friends outside of Luedecke Arena. I'll never forget the young man who, not knowing I wasn't from Texas, asked me if I listened to The Ticket. Confused, I held my ticket up to my ear. He wasn't amused and moved on.

I was still trying to wrap my head around this idea of hockey in Texas when two minutes into the game, a fight broke out. Then a couple of minutes later it happened again. I thought, "This is great!" The skating was raw, the fans were rowdy (understatement) and the beer was good.

When I returned to North Texas, I started attending Brahmas games and immediately became a fan. I bought my first jersey at the home opener on October 22, 1999 where I first laid my hands on the Stanley Cup which was won by the Dallas Stars the previous June. The Brahmas spanked the Ice Bats 6-2 even though the Brahmas were overly penalized by ridiculously poor officiating.

When the Texas Brahmas were reborn at NYTEX last year, I was thrilled to not have to make the drive to Fort Worth or pay for parking anymore. Sitting behind the goaltender in section T, I watched the best minor pro hockey I have ever seen last season.

Name: Gary Stallons
Age: Old
City: Roanoke/Keller

I bought two season tickets for the Brahmas' first year from Ernie Horn. I thought it was the worst hockey I had ever seen. My first hockey experience was as a rink rat in the late 40's at Aksarben Coliseum in Omaha. Gordie Howe, Marcel Prenovost and Terry Sawchuk were on the Knight's Team.

I moved back to Fort Worth in the late 50's and there was no hockey. Then Detroit moved their farm team from Memphis to Fort Worth. This was 1967 I believe. The players on the Fort Worth Wings were better than today's AHL and the play was only a notch below the NHL.

The Wings became the Texans, who won the CHL championship. However, because of NHL expansion there was noticeable drop in the quality of play. The Texans left and it was sometime before the Fire started up. Then the Brahmas opened up in direct competition with the Fire and the Fire pulled out. So you see, I compared the quality of play by the Brahmas with the old CHL and that's why I thought it was the worst hockey I had ever seen.

I worked in the locker room with Sparky during the 2003-04 season. My brother-in-law was the coach that year.

Last year's Brahmas team was the best I have seen since the Texans. I'm not sure they could have beaten the Texans but they would have made it interesting. No way could they have beaten the old Wings though!

Photo Credit: Randy Pittman

Name: Randy Pittman

Age: 47

City: North Richland Hills

I grew up in Texas, so hockey was very foreign to me as with all native Texans. In '79 I went to a Dallas Blackhawks game at Fair Park with my brother and some friends from Minnesota. I came away from it with no impression. I do remember a fight occurred, but like any Texan, it seemed on par as wrestling or roller derby.

The only reason I even started to appreciate hockey was playing NHL95 on PC and watching the Stars over the years. So I fall under the majority group of new fans. It would be interesting to know how many native Texans are season ticket holders. So many Texans still misunderstand hockey and the majority of Stars fans are casual fans.

I moved to North Richland Hills from Dallas County in '02 and about the same time, went to my first Brahmas game at TCCC and be honest I didn't follow the CHL or the Brahmas, so the enthusiasm wasn't there and the seats weren't great, but we did get puck for my grandson. So the true first Brahmas game would be last years' season opener at the Chapparal in Austin. We had about 12 Austin family and friends most of them cheering for the Brahmas.

The game was a see-saw battle with Manning assisting on 2 goals and under 4 minutes left,scored the 5-4 winning goal. I thought they showed a lot of character then and it was probably one the 5 best games of the year.

Name: Doug Werner
Age: Older than many, but not as old as Gary Stallons!
City: Mansfield

I came to Texas from Minnesota in 1981. Ah-h-h, you say, a Minnesotan who probably always had an interest in hockey. But you are wrong! Oh, I had a passing interest in the Minnesota North Stars and went to a couple games, but it wasn't until I moved to Texas that I developed my real interest in hockey.

The first game I attended in Texas was a Fort Worth Fire game. Then came the Fort Worth Brahmas, and I began to wish that I had season tickets. Finally during the 2003-2004 season I sprang for a "mini" season ticket...the one that lets you go to a few games of your choosing. That was enough! The next season I purchased a full season ticket for the Fort Worth Brahmas, selected my seat, and enjoyed more hockey. And wouldn't you know it...that was the season of the NHL lockout, with some of the NHL players signing with the CHL teams. Now I was really hooked, and went to as many games as I could during the next season.

The 2006-2007 season brought bad news....the Brahmas were going to sit it out. I felt as if I were going through withdrawal...I WAS going through withdrawal. I managed to contain myself by going to some USA Hockey games and watching the youngsters play, but it just wasn't the same.

Then I learned that the Brahmas were going to be playing again in the 2007-2008 season as the Texas Brahmas, in a new barn, with a new team and a new coaching staff. I was floating in the clouds with excitement.

Finally there came what I later viewed as a tremendous opportunity and experience for me. I was between jobs during the summer and fall of 2007, so I was able to attend most of the Brahmas practices and all of the home games, as well as some of the away games. I joined the newly-formed Texas Brahmas Fan Club and was elected its first president. I was able to meet and become known by all the team members as well as the coaches and the rest of the staff, and I developed many lasting friendships, as I watched and cheered on the Brahmas through the playoffs.

Because of my close involvement with the Hockey Club and the Fan Club, I was able to have, what I consider to be, a once-in-a-lifetime experience, and one I will never forget. Now I look forward to the current upcoming season with great anticipation. Who knows what it may bring?

Go Brahmas!!!