Amazing report on "Third World" hockey

If you love hockey, this is a fascinating, beautifully-crafted report on an under-18 hockey tournament in Taipei among what are decidedly NOT hockey superpowers.

This first report is about Australia vs. South Africa. It's about the game, do a degree:

By the second period, the Australians are so confident of victory that they become arrogantly sloppy.They take penalties casually, kill them lazily, and their goalie still has so little to do that he’s practicing day-dream plays at his end- butterflying and sliding and waving his trapper at phantom pucks.

But really, it's about the bigger story of what these kids go through to play hockey in places that just don't have hockey. Like, they make Florida seem like a hockey hotbed.

It's an eloquent, intelligent read. Check it out.