Hockey Talk: The Official NHL 2008-2009 Thread (1 Viewer)

[Jeff Gatie]

Born in Dorchester, raised in Weymouth. Spent more time at a rink than I did at home in those days, and the time at home was spent sleeping or playing street hockey. I'll never forget the time my dad fixed every broken window on our garage doors. It was like a second Christmas was given to me and my brothers! Top shelf wristshots became the thing we practiced for the entire next week, until all the "targets" were gone, that is. Dad put up plywood after that.

 

[Ockeghem]

I've been to Dorchester a couple of times. And Braintree and Quincy.

I too played a lot of hockey (both street and ice) in those days. I suppose it's not too much of a stretch to say that between 1969 and 1974, you would have been hard pressed to tell the difference between Robert Gordon Orr and me. I was that good.

I didn't hit too many windows with pucks, but I do remember taking my baseball outside -- the rubber kind, which wasn't an 'official' baseball, but held up nicely in bad weather -- and pitching it against the foundation of our very old home. The foundation consisted of bricks, and it wasn't long before my 95 m.p.h. changeup [] started to dislodge the bricks from their mortar.... My father wasn't as forgiving as yours.

 

[Bob McLaughlin]

What, you don't like the throwback jerseys?

I'm not a big fan of that color scheme either, I got the trusty black 'n gold jersey (#87, of course). I think among Pens fans though, there is a certain amount of "cred" you get when you wear the blue and white jersey. It's kind of like saying you knew the team back in the day before they were any good. Still, doesn't look any less ugly though...

 

[Jeff Gatie]

Speaking of Mr. Robert Gordon . . . (I think I've told this story before) . . . My older brother (a much better player than I) went to Orr's hockey camp in Ontario in the summers of '70 & '71. My dad, a commercial artist, had painted a watercolor of the classic "Orr swings the net with the puck" pose. At the camp, my dad sent me (5 yrs.) and my little sister (4 yrs.) over to Bobby to have him sign it.

Being only 5 and 4, you'd think we would not realize the enormity of the task, but I can distinctly remember the feeling I had approaching a person who was larger than life itself. He could not have been more gracious and accomodating and bent down to talk to both of us as he signed.

When my mom, dad, and rest of the family caught up, he picked my infant brother up over his head and asked him if he was going to play hockey some day. My brother had just been baptised the month before in order to make the trip; but to this day we all claim his true baptism took place that day in the arms of the only "god" I ever met.

To this day, I've never asked for another autograph from anyone, anywhere.

I mean, what is the point?

 

[Pete York]

I have a total of three autographs; George Best, Joe Namath and Eddie Westfall. The Westfall is my favorite for the same reasons you mention; I was a wee kid, I got it myself and '18' was an incredibly nice guy about it.

 

[Ockeghem]

Jeff,

What a great story! If you've told the story before, I've not heard it before today. It's great hearing too how awesome a person Orr was on that day.

Pete,

Eddie Westfall, eh? You guys both have me beat in the autograph department. My most prized autographs are non-sports related (Van Cliburn and Pete Best). I also have some Trek characters' (TOS and TNG) autographs that I received at a couple of conventions.

 

[Aaron Silverman]

I think the only athlete autographs I have are an M. L. Carr basketball card from back when he was waving the green towel and a poster of images from each game of the Patriots' 21-game winning streak that has Rodney Harrison's signature on a photo of him.

My dad did give me a biography of #4 last year, though. I haven't read much of it yet, but it's interesting.

Actually, just the other day, my wife dug a framed poster out of the back of my home office and put it up on the wall in the guest bedroom -- it's a series of images of every jersey that Orr ever wore, plus you-know-what action shot.

I have a good wife.

(I should probably explain to her who Bobby Orr is. . .)

 

[Ockeghem]

In my opinion, Bobby Orr is the greatest hockey player who ever played the game.

 

[Bob McLaughlin]

Scott, I gotta admit your Habs looked great tonight (unfortunately for the Pens). Heck of a team you have there! I hope we get another shot at them down the road...

 

[Aaron Silverman]

That's not an opinion.

 

[Scott Merryfield]

They do look very good at times. Carey Price played a great game in net against the Pens, and was the difference in the game. I don't know if they will be able to catch the Bruins, though. Boston has been on fire all season.

 

[Bob McLaughlin]

Ugh, the Bruins really took it to the Penguins. The Pens were able to keep it close for the first couple periods but things just fell apart in the 3rd. Two power play goals and a short-handed goal--that is a team that knows how to use special teams!

 

[Pete York]

As a Blackhawk fan, tonight was also a bit of a let down. The way they had been playing it seemed like a good 'measuring stick' game. They failed AND weren't particularly composed while losing (the Kaner 'injury' put a fright into everyone presumably). Chalk it up (hopefully) to a young team looking ahead to their big showcase game tomorrow.

 

[Ockeghem]

Yeah, Boston looked very good last night. Keep the Canadiens out from under their noses, especially come playoff time, and they'll do fairly well.

 

[Jeff Gatie]

That's with a #3-4 defenseman (Ferrence), a top 6 forward (Sturm) and the #2 center (Bergeron) out. Actually, up until he broke his leg, Ferrence was playing like a #2 (not that he is a #2, but he was playing like one).

That's what surprises me the most about Boston this year. They have really had some big injuries to key players, and they haven't skipped a beat. The depth of the team is strong and the system from the minors up that Julien has crafted really gets the youngsters into the game, without them being too far over their heads.

Julien basically throws them out there, and like playing pinball, if they perform, they get to play again. To see what I mean; the second PP unit consists of a 3rd year player (Kessel), a mid-season callup from last year (Krecji), a rookie (Wheeler) and/or a 2nd year player (Lucic), a mid-season callup from this year (Hunwick) . . . and Shane Hnidy.

 

[Scott Merryfield]

Gee, it took an ex-Habs coach to turn the Bruins around.

jk

 

[Ockeghem]

Jeff,

Those are all excellent points. They've got 28 wins at this point, against only 5 losses (an identical record with the Celtics, at least in wins and losses -- for what it's worth).

How I would love for them to meet -- and defeat -- Montreal in the playoffs. Even during their 1970 and 1972 Cup years, they didn't have to get by the Habs. And the year between the two Cup years, they lost in seven games to the Canadiens. I will never forget that 7-5 game that they should have won, giving up a 5-1 lead in the second game of the series. Then again, who knew at the time that Ken Dryden was not from planet earth?

 

[Jeff Gatie]

Don't give him too much credit. Afterall, he couldn't turn the Habs around.

 

[Aaron Silverman]

He's moving up in the world!

 

[Walter C]

It was fun watching the outdoor game at Wrigley Field, making me wish I was there. The Blackhawks showed that they are still not in the elite class, yet.

I don't know if they will have a Winter Classic nest season, because of the Winter Olympics.