Memories of a special Winter Classic from Coach Carlson

Editor's Note: Mark Carlson has been the Cedar Rapids RoughRiders head coach and general manager since their inception into the USHL in 1999. He is a Lawrenceville, N.J., native, which is roughly 50 miles from Philadelphia.

January 2, 2012 was one of the most special days in my life.

I spent it at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia, watching the two hockey teams that I grew up watching, the New York Rangers and Philadelphia Flyers, competing in the 2012 NHL Winter Classic.

What made the day extra special was that I was able to experience this with the person that has been involved in all of my hockey endeavors since I was 4-years old. The person who drove me to practice and games, watched me play in college and avidly watches and follows the RoughRiders: my mother, Frances Carlson.

I am thankful to Jim Watson, a former Broad Street Bully, two-time Stanley Cup Champion and two-time Barry Ashbee award winner (and father of RoughRider alum, Chase Watson) for helping me obtain the two tickets to this great event.

We arrived at Citizens Bank Park at 11 a.m., four hours prior to the game, and may have been the last to arrive. We were able to meet with Jim and Bernie Parent , a two-time Vezina Trophy winner, two-time Conn Smythe Trophy winner and two-time Stanley Cup champion, upon arrival. This was a tremendous thrill.

The next four hours were spent taking it all in: the tailgating, spectator park, NHL Live and the constant stream of Flyers orange that streamed the area. It seemed everyone had a Flyers jersey or hat on. 47, 000 fans packed Citizens Bank Park for the Flyers-Rangers alumni game the prior week as well, leading into the Winter Classic.

Philadelphia certainly solidified itself as one of the best hockey cities in the world.

It is a day that I feel so fortunate to have been a part of, a day that I will remember and be thankful for, for the rest of my life.