This is typed on my blackberry so spelling errors and typos will be noticeable. Fixed when I get back home Monday along with the loot pics.
Mike Babcock Day was a formal day spent to honor Mike for his accomplishments of being part of the Triple Gold Club;
Stanley Cup, World Junior Gold and Olympic Gold. More importantly, to raise money for a children's hospital in our city. The closest is in Calgary, 6 hours away. This has been a passion of many, including dozens of local volunteers and many high profile athletes, including Mike Weir.
It was an early start today, 5:30am but boy worth it. It was an hour drive to Saskatoon and knew the day would be long but exciting. We pulled up to the building and headed inside. There did not appear to be many people there but we checked in and were kind of greeted by Robyn Regher. We handed our tickets in and right beside us was Regher. I never let these chances slip away, I said, "Hi Robyn.". He looked at me and smiled, said "Hi, how are good you?". We exchanged 'how are yous' and headed to our table. This appeared like a great day, Mike Babcock was about 10 ft to my left, Scotty Bowman walked by, Todd Mclellan 3 table over. Hmm, interesting... We visited people at our table for a few minutes but my head was elsewhere. I grabbed my Flames puck and headed over to where Regher was chatting with someone. I asked how his little man was. Two years ago at the Valley Regional Park fundraiser his wife was pregnant. This engaged him in a conversation for a few minutes. He was pulled away so he signed my puck and I made my way to the table. Seconds later, in walks Luke Schenn, Colby and Riley Armstrong and someone I really had no idea who it was. Yikes, it was James Wright of the Tampa Bay Lightning. The formal part of the program began. St. Louis Blues alumni, Kelly Chase was the Master of Ceremonies so we knew there would be humor. The breakfast was the standard items; fruit, eggs, ham, bacon, sausage and other yummy things. I laughed when I noticed Schenn's plate, proper portions, lots of fruit and no croissants or nasty fatty foods. Pretty much the same plate as mine, good enough for Schenn, good enough for me. They introduced more players in the crowd, Curtis Leschyshyn and a few others. They had a players/coaches Q and A with Babcock, Bowman, Mclellan, Armstrong and Regher. Chase led the Q&A with funny quirk about the members of the panel. Except Bowman, people stood when he was announced and he was respected throughout the room. Ever wanted to know what Babcock said to Team Cananda before the overtime? Check back Monday night, my Youtube channel will have it.
I noticed Schenn looking bored so I headed over to ask him if he would sign my Schenn jersey. I asked him to personalize it, remembering to spell my name for him. Bingo, jersey signed with a 'All the Best'. The coaches were all sitting around visiting so we headed over to the main table, Bowman and Babcock. I tapped Bowman on the shoulder and asked for an autograph and he signed my Wings puck. I knew my wife wanted to get Babcock on a Vancouver Olympics 2010 puck. Now this is funny, my wife had a SILVER sharpie for him to sign and he wouldn't touch it when she asked him to sign her puck. He said, "What, don't you want me to sign it in GOLD" He laughed and she got it right away and replied, "Oh sure, GOLD please."
He admired the puck and said he had never seen one like that before. Sorry US readers...We got pics with both guys and thanked them.
Colby Armstrong was hanging around the auction items and I approached him to sign a Leafs puck. Colby is one of the coolest players you will ever meet. I congratulated him on the new contract and asked him a few questions. We chatted for about 5mins and had some laughs. I saw a flash on my right and knew my wife would be taking pics of us chatting. Great guy and new daddy!
My wife looked at the table and noticed folded photos of Babcock. She grabbed a few from our table and noticed a few were signed. There were photos of Babs and Crosby and Babs and Bowman. They had a quick autograph session with both Babs and Bowman so I got another Wings puck signed along with the one photo of Crosby and Babs. I asked him if he was giving him s*#t and he laughed and said something like he told him to skate only back to the red line. My wife got Bowman on the dual photo already signed by Babs. She got a real good pic of Bowman's Wings Cup ring, pic to follow Monday.
Ken Holland was chatting with someone and I wanted him on the Babcock Wings puck. He was happy to sign it. Very short man but a great GM. He almost confirmed Modano 1 year too. You heard it here first!
Luke Schenn was walking out and we stopped him to get him on a Leafs puck. He smiled,commenting on it being a Leafs puck and signed it. I asked him how his summer was going and he said he was ready to "get back at 'er". We both got pics with him and thanked him. I noticed Armstrong heading our way and she got him on the Schenn puck. Think that's rare? The final piece of the puzzle was Kelly Chase on a blank puck, I said I could not get a Blues puck. He laughed and said they were all sold out eh? He let me try on his Peoria Championship ring, cool but not as shiny as Bowman's ring. Both pics Monday. To top the morning off, I won a Jon Montgomery signed t-shirt for 40 bucks, cool... Well that was just from 8:00 to 10:30 this morning. The skate and autograph session with the gang later!
Mike Babcock Day was a formal day spent to honor Mike for his accomplishments of being part of the Triple Gold Club;
Stanley Cup, World Junior Gold and Olympic Gold. More importantly, to raise money for a children's hospital in our city. The closest is in Calgary, 6 hours away. This has been a passion of many, including dozens of local volunteers and many high profile athletes, including Mike Weir.
It was an early start today, 5:30am but boy worth it. It was an hour drive to Saskatoon and knew the day would be long but exciting. We pulled up to the building and headed inside. There did not appear to be many people there but we checked in and were kind of greeted by Robyn Regher. We handed our tickets in and right beside us was Regher. I never let these chances slip away, I said, "Hi Robyn.". He looked at me and smiled, said "Hi, how are good you?". We exchanged 'how are yous' and headed to our table. This appeared like a great day, Mike Babcock was about 10 ft to my left, Scotty Bowman walked by, Todd Mclellan 3 table over. Hmm, interesting... We visited people at our table for a few minutes but my head was elsewhere. I grabbed my Flames puck and headed over to where Regher was chatting with someone. I asked how his little man was. Two years ago at the Valley Regional Park fundraiser his wife was pregnant. This engaged him in a conversation for a few minutes. He was pulled away so he signed my puck and I made my way to the table. Seconds later, in walks Luke Schenn, Colby and Riley Armstrong and someone I really had no idea who it was. Yikes, it was James Wright of the Tampa Bay Lightning. The formal part of the program began. St. Louis Blues alumni, Kelly Chase was the Master of Ceremonies so we knew there would be humor. The breakfast was the standard items; fruit, eggs, ham, bacon, sausage and other yummy things. I laughed when I noticed Schenn's plate, proper portions, lots of fruit and no croissants or nasty fatty foods. Pretty much the same plate as mine, good enough for Schenn, good enough for me. They introduced more players in the crowd, Curtis Leschyshyn and a few others. They had a players/coaches Q and A with Babcock, Bowman, Mclellan, Armstrong and Regher. Chase led the Q&A with funny quirk about the members of the panel. Except Bowman, people stood when he was announced and he was respected throughout the room. Ever wanted to know what Babcock said to Team Cananda before the overtime? Check back Monday night, my Youtube channel will have it.
I noticed Schenn looking bored so I headed over to ask him if he would sign my Schenn jersey. I asked him to personalize it, remembering to spell my name for him. Bingo, jersey signed with a 'All the Best'. The coaches were all sitting around visiting so we headed over to the main table, Bowman and Babcock. I tapped Bowman on the shoulder and asked for an autograph and he signed my Wings puck. I knew my wife wanted to get Babcock on a Vancouver Olympics 2010 puck. Now this is funny, my wife had a SILVER sharpie for him to sign and he wouldn't touch it when she asked him to sign her puck. He said, "What, don't you want me to sign it in GOLD" He laughed and she got it right away and replied, "Oh sure, GOLD please."
He admired the puck and said he had never seen one like that before. Sorry US readers...We got pics with both guys and thanked them.
Colby Armstrong was hanging around the auction items and I approached him to sign a Leafs puck. Colby is one of the coolest players you will ever meet. I congratulated him on the new contract and asked him a few questions. We chatted for about 5mins and had some laughs. I saw a flash on my right and knew my wife would be taking pics of us chatting. Great guy and new daddy!
My wife looked at the table and noticed folded photos of Babcock. She grabbed a few from our table and noticed a few were signed. There were photos of Babs and Crosby and Babs and Bowman. They had a quick autograph session with both Babs and Bowman so I got another Wings puck signed along with the one photo of Crosby and Babs. I asked him if he was giving him s*#t and he laughed and said something like he told him to skate only back to the red line. My wife got Bowman on the dual photo already signed by Babs. She got a real good pic of Bowman's Wings Cup ring, pic to follow Monday.
Ken Holland was chatting with someone and I wanted him on the Babcock Wings puck. He was happy to sign it. Very short man but a great GM. He almost confirmed Modano 1 year too. You heard it here first!
Luke Schenn was walking out and we stopped him to get him on a Leafs puck. He smiled,commenting on it being a Leafs puck and signed it. I asked him how his summer was going and he said he was ready to "get back at 'er". We both got pics with him and thanked him. I noticed Armstrong heading our way and she got him on the Schenn puck. Think that's rare? The final piece of the puzzle was Kelly Chase on a blank puck, I said I could not get a Blues puck. He laughed and said they were all sold out eh? He let me try on his Peoria Championship ring, cool but not as shiny as Bowman's ring. Both pics Monday. To top the morning off, I won a Jon Montgomery signed t-shirt for 40 bucks, cool... Well that was just from 8:00 to 10:30 this morning. The skate and autograph session with the gang later!
1 comment:
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