And today I enjoyed one of those ‘real’ moments.
I don’t deny the marketing department and the NHL their due for staging the fabulous Winter Classic. The Classic was a slick piece of logistics and staging that went off like a charm, but as a Hawks fan, I hoped for only two things-that the Hawks would win and that no one would get hurt. Well, at least nobody got hurt…..
So in a world of scripted and sometimes over-hyped productions it was heartwarming to watch as Coach Quenneville called his team over to our little corner of the rink as he skated out among the boys with a generic plastic shopping bag from which he began tossing jerseys-NHL All-Star Jerseys! No public address announcer, no cameras flashing and not a reporter in sight to hype the occasion. Within moments Toews, Kane and Campbell were being congratulated by their teammates as kids on hockey teams have congratulated players all of my life-with ice shavings, face washes and a good natured mugging. Chants of “SOOOOOOOUUUP!” echoed from the ice surface with teammates imploring Campbell to try on the Jersey. The Blackhawks had quickly put a lapel microphone on Coach Quenneville and put a video cam on the ice for posterity. You can watch the video here: http://blackhawks.nhl.tv/team/console.jsp?catid=690&id=29737 and in case you ever wondered….I’m the guy on the left hand side of the screen behind the glass, sketching away at my pad while grinning from ear to ear!
After the ice was cleared and the players were gathered in the locker-room, a reserved gentleman approached my little spot on the glass. Its typical for folks to come over and ask questions about the best way to get a certain player’s autograph or photo-so I didn’t think much of it until I put down my pencil and quit drawing. At that point I finally realized that it was Bryan Toews asking me if I could contact his son, All Star and Captain of the Hawks, Jonathan Toews, to let him know that his “dad was here”. Why does that impress me? It was refreshing that someone who has been in the limelight as much as Bryan Toews didn’t automatically assume I’d recognize him. Even more unusual was his explanation for not going into the locker room himself to speak to his son-”it’s not my place” he said as he smiled.
Jonathan Toews has become what he is at such a young age in large part due to a father (and I’d be willing to bet a mom as well!) who ‘knows his place’. He involved himself with his son when it was his place to be there for him and has the wisdom to let him be himself and become his own man now that his time has arrived. I’ve been impressed with Jonathan Toews since he first arrived. I was equally impressed with his skills and his demeanor. Simply put, he was a great player, who had already achieved numerous accolades yet has remained dedicated and respectful of his position in life and in sport. Today was a good day for me at Blackhawks practice because it felt human and spontaneous-it felt like a kid's game again!
Go Hawks!
