Thursday Thirteen - he said...

I haven't done a Thursday Thirteen in ages. I've spent a lot of time lately remembering some good times... I’ve said it before.. I LOVE hockey… and I love my Habs. Stephen Leacock said it ever so eloquently: "Hockey captures the essence of Canadian experience in the New World. In a land so inescapably and inhospitably cold, hockey is the chance of life, and an affirmation that despite the deathly chill of winter we are alive." I spent many a Saturday evening, sitting on the carpeted floor of the living room while Mom sat in her spot on the chesterfield (aka a sofa) and Dad was in his armchair. We'd watch "La Soirée du Hockey" and I was the designated volume adjustor (aka dad's remote). It was something we did as a family, and I've experienced something similar with my Chicklet when she and I were swept up watching Taylor Hicks on the show that I'm not supposed to name. Sidenote: my daughter asked me recently as we were watching hopefuls audition, a fun but sometimes unfortunate process to watch, if we were ever going to find another Taylor. What I really like about this is that she's so willing to get enthralled again... Back to hockey... Watching hockey with my parents was a formative experience, I learned a lot about being a good fan. I'm thankful for that. There are some really good hockey quotes out there, and I thought I'd share a baker's dozen with you. 1. "You miss 100% of the shots you never take." -Wayne Gretzky. If you don't try... YUP 2. "That's so when I forget how to spell my name, I can still find my (expletive) clothes." (when asked why he kept a picture of himself over his locker). -Stu Grimson That one just made me giggle, and I've needed giggles over the past few days. 3. "The only difference between the Coyotes and ‘Days of Our Lives’ is that nobody has been shot on our team yet." -Jeremy Roenick *looks out the window for a black sedan and some men in business suits that have something in common* 4. "How would you like a job where, every time you make a mistake, a big red light goes on and 18,000 people boo?" -Jacques Plante It can't be easy to be a goalie... 5. "When Hell freezes over, I'll play hockey there too." -Author Unknown 6. "We get nose jobs all the time in the NHL, and we don't even have to go to the hospital." -Brad Park LOL! Some of the funniest quotes are self-deprecating. 7. "I was happy to have an attraction in our building that we didn't have to pay for." -Harold Ballard on a streaker who ran across the ice at a Leafs game, March 1980 8. "It would have been worse if we hadn't blocked the kick after Toronto's second touchdown." -Alex Delvecchio (in 1971, the Toronto Maple Leafs beat the Detroit Red Wings 13-0) Losing with a sense of humour, I'll hand it to a Dreaded Leaf... that was good. 9. "I just don't know what to think. I play in Colorado, they tell me they like me, and I get traded. I play in Calgary, and at the end of the season the GM tells me he likes me, and I get traded. I just hope my fiancee doesn't tell me she likes me." -Chris Drury 10. "I don't think you ever stopped Bobby Orr, you contained Bobby Orr, but you NEVER stopped him!" -Larry Robinson Larry was always able to acknowledge greatness. 11. "I would go to church, light candles and pray, and he would still get a hat trick on me." -Johnny Bower About playing against Maurice "The Rocket" Richard. 12. "Some people skate to the puck. I skate to where the puck is going to be." -Wayne Gretzky. The Great One... 13. I'll let you hear this for yourselves... Jeremy: Never discount your opponents achievements. tsk tsk! Patrick: As good as that snark was.. you could have said that your career records speaks for you. Love you all more than my luggage! Hugs, smooches and gropes!