Phil Stallings & Eric Nesterenko

In Eric’s interview, he talked extensively about his childhood in Canada playing hockey and how he grew up with hockey and eventually played professional hockey. The way he described hockey seemed very similar to warfare. When a hockey player (soldier) would get hurt, other players (friendly soldiers) would forget about him and not care. Younger players would go for bigger hits and pick fights for the fun and the thrill, just like how a young man at war would go to the front line to fight because he is anxious. But an veteran hockey player would be smart and hold back from a fight to protect himself so that he could keep playing, just like how an older man in war would use tactics so that he would be able to fight longer and stay alive. He also talked about how it was important to win because it’s what got him paid, and it made the fans happy because it gave them a “win” in their mind. The fans were very important to the players. The fans could impact how they played. If the fans were cheering they would play better, if the fans don’t like the player then they would be scared and nervous for their career.

Phil talks about his work in the assembly plant for Ford in Chicago. His hours are long and his work is long, constant, hard, and dangerous. Phil emphasizes the danger in his job and how if you’re not paying attention, you can get hurt. Phil’s story connects to Eric’s story because Phil’s “fan that doesn’t like him” is the head of his line. He describes how if he doesn’t like you, then you can’t get a break of any kind and you would have to keep working. Phil’s interview ends with him talking about when everyone stopped working, there was no threat to lose him job. For Eric, there would be no threat of fans no liking him if there were no players at all.