Hockey Den: The Premier Hockey Card and Memorabilia Destination
Visit us at www.hockeyden.net , check out the 2008-09 OPC Update box break, and enter to win your choice of a card from the break! Does a triple jersey Habs card sound appealing?
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”What If…”#16: You Could Make A Fantasy Pick-Up Team?
It’s the typical fantasy question: if you could put together a dream 4-some to play golf with, who would it be? This hypothetical question has truly brought about some great answers for one big reason: it's less about playing golf then it is choosing people you'd be honored to spend time with. The choice of renowned golfers aside, what one finds most of the time is that the choice of individuals comprising the group is based on who one would want to share that walk down the fairway with picking their brains on their topic of expertise. The ones whose unique perspective you'd like to hear on events they wouldn't typically be asked to offer an opinion on. The individuals who haven't even been alive in centuries whose thoughts are confined now to the pages of history books.
"Hey Mr. George Carlin. How do you think one balances the ability of satirical comedy to educate with its ability to undermine the message?"
"So Mr. Gene Simmons, I'm starting this business and would really appreciate some marketing advice."
"Mr. Ghandi, I gotta ask: what's your read on this whole Tiger Woods thing?"
"Now Jesus, since you can walk on water do you have to take a drop or can you play it from the hazzard?"
Intriguing to say the least!
Apply the same scenario to hockey, however, and I see it playing out a bit differently. First, as opposed to choosing 3 people to round out your foursome you'd be having to choose 5 people to round out your sextet (3 forwards, 2 defense, 1 goalie). Second, a game of hockey doesn't leave as much 1 on 1 time as you would have playing golf so you'd really be choosing people on the basis of an interesting GROUP to be with. Third, the social time you'd be spending together would be pre and post game so you're able to engage these folks with a lot more attention than during a round of golf. Finally, as opposed to the formality surrounding golf, the hockey experience is a lot more raw and lends itself to the "shoot from the hip" and self-depricating discussions/all-in-fun verbal lashings amongst teammates that leave no one safe, nothing sacred and everyone laughing.
In thinking about how to set up the selection for my team I had to come up with a couple structural rules. This was done purely to keep a variety to the team. At the same time for simplicity's sake, and so as not to suck all fun out of this, I kept the rules to 2:
1) For the 5 selections I had to take one of each if the following people:
A) A Current/Former Hockey Player
B) A Fictional Character
C) A Historical Figure
D) A Non-Sports Celebrity
E) A Non-Hockey Athlete
2) One of the previous five individuals will be female.
So with these guidelines in place my simple brain went about forming what would be my fantasy pick-up team!
A) A Current/Former Hockey Player:
This one is extremely hard for me! There is such a long list of players I could choose for so many reasons (Iginla: Definition of an all-around player + seems to be the friendliest guy ever; Gretzky: one of the best pure scorers and set up men ever and a player I grew up idolizing; Doug Gilmour: another all around player who played bigger than his actual size)
In the end though, there was only one guy I could definitively go with: Maurice "Rocket" Richard. There was a mystique about this guy I would argue hasn't been seen since. He had an entire society in the palm of his hand, and brought fear into the hearts of men with that trademark wide-eyed staredown. A power forward before the term was invented. The first player to score 50 goals in 50 games. A player so beloved a city rioted over his suspension when he played, honored him with a 16+ minute standing ovation over 30 years after he had suited up for his last game and packed the streets of Montreal 10 deep to pay respects for his funeral procession. This guy transcended the sport, and as a hockey fan how could you not want to share the company of such an icon.
B) A Fictional Character
No doubt here: Joel Robinson from Mystery Science Theater 3000. This really has nothing to do with hockey as much as the fun I’d have sitting down and watching a movie with him after the game. Don’t think it’d be entertaining? Check this out:
I rest my case.
C) A Historical Figure
Well, I feel like I’m cheating a bit here, but I’m going with a historical HOCKEY figure, but with good reason! My choice here is Manon Rheaume, the first female to do the following in hockey:
• Play at the International Pee Wee Hockey Tournament.
• Play in a major junior game.
• Play in an NHL exhibition game (For Tampa Bay September 23, 1992).
• Win a game in professional roller hockey.
That’s historical in my books! Sure, the Tampa Bay thing was a publicity stunt, but that doesn’t take away from the fact that she was the first! My interest with Manon is three-fold: a) I’d be interested in knowing more about her experiences in a male-dominated sport; b) I would want to know more about some of the backlash she received from other female players for playing with guys rather than sticking to the woman’s game; and c) I’ve always had the hots for her! I love the accent and she’s a looker plain and simple!! As you’ll see here, Mr. Letterman feels the same way…
D) A Non-Sports Celebrity
Kevin Smith, hands down. Now I’m not a huge Kevin Smith fanboy or anything, having only seen a couple of his flicks (Clerks II and Dogma methinks, both of which were great!), so that’s not the predominant reason I’m choosing him. The main reason would be two-fold: 1) He’s a laid-back and funny guy who doesn’t take himself too seriously; and 2) He has a fantastic appreciation for hockey and its history. This guy knows his stuff folks and having heard him talk hockey before I feel as though I would enjoy shooting the breeze with him and he would get a kick out of chatting it up with the rest of our team.
For your interest, some footage of Smith and his team (“Puck U”) playing at the most recent Walter Gretzky Street Hockey Tournament in Brantford, ON, in June of 2009.
E) A Non-Hockey Athlete
No brainer for me here: Tom Glavine. In case you didn’t know, not only was Glavine a stud baseball player in high school, but he was also a hot shot hockey player. How good? Well, in the 1984 NHL entry draft the LA Kings selected him 69th overall in the 4th round, 18 picks later than Patrick Roy, 48 spots before Brett Hull and 102 spots before Luc Robitaille (also 171 spots before Montreal selected Goalie Troy Crosby who is now famous not for his goalkeeping but his sperm donation! That would be his kid Sidney in case you didn’t grab that…). Anyways, weeks later he was drafted 47th overall (2nd round) by the Atlanta Braves in the MLB draft so he had a choice to make. He ultimately chose baseball for one specific reason: job security via being a left handed pitcher.
His choice seemed to work out, being a World Series Champ, two time Cy Yound winner, 10 time All Star, and as of the past season MLB’s winningest active pitcher. Glavine is still involved with hockey, however, as an active fan and a coach of his son’s minor hockey team in Atlanta. Of note, he also coaches the son of Atlanta Thrasher Nik Antropov through his involvement on this team.
So why Glavine? Well, he can obviously play and would enjoy it, but you’ve also got a guy who has a passion for the game, as well as someone you can shoot the breeze about both hockey and baseball about. Being my second favourite sport to follow I can work with that no problem!
So that’s my team, now what about yours? We’re all going to have widely different choices here so share them with me via email and I’ll throw up a collection of some of the best submissions later this week or next.
Visit us at www.hockeyden.net , check out the 2008-09 OPC Update box break, and enter to win your choice of a card from the break! Does a triple jersey Habs card sound appealing?
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