Wish I'd Said It

Weeds are flowers too - once you get to know them.

- A. A. Milne

Tuesday, July 04, 2006

Bye-Bye Stevie Y

22 years in the NHL, all with the same team - the Detroit Red Wings. 20 of those years as its captain. He was a scorer when his team needed goals and a checker when they needed defense.

He won three Stanley cups and an Olympic Gold medal with the Canadian team in 2002. He won without gloating and lost without being defeated. He played hurt. He played hard. He showed up every night.

At 41 his heart wanted to go on but he could no longer will his battered body to do what his mind envisaged doing. So yesterday Steve Yzerman hung up his skates.

The record books will show a guy who left as the NHL's sixth leading scorer all-time. He'll be a no-brainer, first ballot inductee to the Hockey Hall of Fame.

I'll remember him as one of the greats, a credit to the game he loved.

Thanks Stevie.

3 comments:

Othmar Vohringer said...

Such dedication and loyalty sadly is not so common anymore amongst athletes. Steve Yzerman was one of the very best athletes and person I shall miss him but never forget.

Thank for sharing Frank.

Othmar Vohringer aka Huntwriter

ohdawno said...

I'm not much of a sports fan but I can surely admire someone like that.

Frank Baron said...

Yep, he was a oner.

Thanks for dropping by. :)