Wrapping Up The Hockey Greats Fantasy Camp
Posted by jtbourne on August 11, 2009 · 4 Comments
ShareThis
Well, it’s over. Even though my liver has filed it’s official transfer papers, it was well worth it. Holy shit was that fun.
Our photographer took some 1800 pictures, which of course she’s still sifting through. So, for now, I’ve added a few Gillies-related pics from the week gone by, courtesy Brianna. Just too much fun. I’ll have a whole bunch up within a week.
And as quickly as it came and went, my life is about to take me on another busy adventure. This Saturday, I’m packing up my car, stuffing my fiance inside and making the Kelowna to Phoenix trek. Who doesn’t like road-trip Twitter?
Speaking of, I apologize for my lack of existence this past week. As one of the directors of the event, I was running around pretty good trying to make sure everything ran smooth. And of course, it ran smoother than Trottiers upper lip after a midnight mustache auction (Thanks again to Bryan for graciously removing his facial hair, as shown in the pic below).
We had so many amazing guests this year (I’m looking at you Bob Johnston, Sue and Drew Sutherland). Michael Burgess, who frequently sings the anthem for the Maple Leafs, sang ours at the big game. For a bonus, he sang Danny Boy a capella at the wrap-up banquet. Holy banana peels and onions was it freaking amazing. I cried, and I hate all things opera-ish. But enough about my ovaries.
This week will be devoted to preparing for the upcoming year, as well as squeezing every last bit of quality time I can out of my family. In a matter of weeks the NHL is going to start brewing, the NFL is going to be underway and I’m going to be well settled into my writing career in Phoenix. I’m just so excited.
I need to get new articles to www.hockeyprimetime.com, as well as USA Today, so if you have any suggestions on interesting topics (like say, cabbie beatings or whatever), let me know. Go Jets!
Trots and Gillies. One can really play. I'm about to be related to the other.
Hockey Greats Houseboat. More people jumping off the top deck than the Titanic.
$1,000.00 to charity, per mustache, from a guest. Priceless entertainment for the rest of us.
Islanders haven't expressed interest. Breeding rights are still on waivers for other NHL teams.
The Cup winning team let us slide in for one pic. My name is still not engraved on the VT Cup.
Plenty more pictures to come! And plenty more writing. Heeerrreee comes sports again, peeking over the horizon!
I'm a hockey player turned writer. After playing for Alaska Anchorage in the WCHA (NCAA), I carried on with an NHL tryout (New York Islanders in 2007) before spending a couple seasons in the AHL/ECHL (last year was 2008-09). My father, Bob Bourne, won four Stanley Cups with the Islanders in the '80's, as did my fiancee's dad, Clark Gillies. I'm now the web editor for theScore's hockey blog "Backhand Shelf."
Nice write up. Glad it all went well. Can’t wait to see the rest of the pics.
Be safe and good luck with the trek to Phoenix.
It’d be great to get a player perspective on the Olympics tug-of-war being waged.
We know the NHL is signed on through 2010, but Ovechkin, Malkin and Kovalchuk have openly declared their intentions of heading to Sochi in 2014, even if it means bailing on the NHL. (And we all know how good Geno is at leaving/entering countries clandestinely.)
The NHL is advising players to forgo the on-ice workout at this summer’s national camps–or to opt for a personal insurance policy–and just recently Jordan Caron broke his collarbone in the first intrasquad game of Team Canada’s World Junior camp.
As a player, would you risk the NHL contract to play for your country? And where do you see this all panning out, both for Vancouver 2010 and Sochi 2014?
Oooh I’m looking forward to some road-trip twitter… Safe travels to you and Brianna!
There’s just no way the NHL guys won’t end up at the Olympics in 2014, for a number of reasons.
For one, the Olympics is used to determine who’s the best country in the world at particular sports. You can’t do that without the best players in the world.
Also, I’d absolutely forgo the NHL deal for the chance to play for my country. Despite all the love and appreciation from your home country, Canadian players have been brought up to be proud of our country’s contributions to the game. We cheered for Lemieux-Gretzky-Hawerchuk in 1987. Paul Henderson’s goal in the ’72 Summit Series. The 2002 Sakic-Kariya play where Lemieux let the pass go through his legs. THAT SHIT MATTERS.
It’s a no-brainer. The NHL needs to work it out, or the players will.