If you have read this column over the last couple of years, you香蕉视频直播檒l come to realize how I like to root for people rather than teams.
On Tuesday, two of my favorites were named as part of the Hockey Hall of Fame class of 2024 to be inducted in Toronto on Nov. 11.
Shea Weber and Jeremy Roenick will be part of a class that includes David Poile, Pavel Datsyuk, Colin Campbell, Krissy Wendell-Pohl and Natalie Darwitz.
I香蕉视频直播檓 lucky enough to call Weber and Roenick friends.
A few years ago, I emceed Weber and Cody Franson香蕉视频直播檚 golf tournament at Hyde Mountain in their hometown of Sicamous, and the pair always returned the favor by playing in our tournament at The Harvest in Kelowna.
Roenick was a regular for us on our TSN 1040 days and we香蕉视频直播檇 always meet up whenever our paths crossed whether it was during a golf trip to Phoenix, the Olympics in Vancouver, or a Super Bowl in New York.
The funny thing is you couldn香蕉视频直播檛 pick two guys farther apart when it comes to personality.
Roenick was outspoken at every turn whether it be during his two decades as a player or as a broadcaster for NBC.
From his infamous 香蕉视频直播淲ake up NHL!香蕉视频直播� rant as a player to his current Snipes and Stripes podcast with former NHL referee Tim Peel, Roenick has never been at a loss for words.
As for Weber, he is as quiet and unassuming as they come. During his tournament in Sicamous in 2012, Weber donated $80,000 to local flash flood victims but didn香蕉视频直播檛 even speak to the golfers gathered for dinner 香蕉视频直播� he left that to Franson. It wasn香蕉视频直播檛 a case of Weber being too big for the moment 香蕉视频直播� it was just another example of Weber leading by example and not wanting the fanfare for it.
The one thing that the pair had in common was their passion for the game that drove them to success.
Weber香蕉视频直播檚 story has been well-documented.
Small-town Sicamous boy who plays junior with the Kelowna Rockets, gets drafted by the Nashville Predators where he spends 11 seasons while winning a pair of Olympic Gold medals with Team Canada in the process. He香蕉视频直播檚 then traded to Montreal where he spends the last five years of his career.
Roenick beat the odds in a different way, making the NHL when Americans in the league were the exception and not so much the rule 香蕉视频直播� part of a generation inspired by the 香蕉视频直播楳iracle on Ice香蕉视频直播� performance of the 1980 U.S. Olympic team.
In January of 2008, Roenick became just the third American-born player to reach the 500-goal plateau. He is one of only 47 players to score 500 goals in the NHL. Of that group, Pat Verbeek, Petr Bondra and Roenick香蕉视频直播檚 good friend in fellow American Keith Tkachuk have all been denied entry into the Hockey Hall of Fame until this week.
Roenick had been eligible since 2012 and had given up hope for a spot in the Hall.
香蕉视频直播淵eah, I pretty much did. That香蕉视频直播檚 why it was so surprising. I didn香蕉视频直播檛 think it would happen. I didn香蕉视频直播檛 think it would have this big of an effect on me. I was happy about that,香蕉视频直播� said Roenick from his home in San Diego.
For Roenick, the call from Hall of Fame committee members Lanny McDonald and Mike Gartner to inform him of his selection for induction was an emotional one.
香蕉视频直播淚 couldn香蕉视频直播檛 speak. I started crying. There was like an overflow of emotions. Just hearing Lanny and Michael香蕉视频直播檚 voice 香蕉视频直播� I thought I was dreaming. I just started crying. I was at a Starbucks, going through the drive-thru, getting my coffee. The guy must have thought somebody died,香蕉视频直播� Roenick said.
Weber was playing golf at Black Mountain in Kelowna with his father-in-law and two brother-in-laws, trying to qualify for the RBC Scramble and had just made the turn when he got the phone call.
香蕉视频直播淚 had no idea anything was coming. I kind of just dropped down to one knee 香蕉视频直播� I couldn香蕉视频直播檛 believe it. I didn香蕉视频直播檛 tee off on that hole and everyone was kind of wondering what was going on. I was on the phone for a while and then we went out. It香蕉视频直播檚 funny actually - I almost jarred the next approach shot. It was a family group so it was pretty special. I wasn香蕉视频直播檛 really supposed to say anything to anyone but they were asking a lot of questions. I think they kind of got a grasp on what was going on. It was a pretty special moment. I think golf was definitely a second thought at that point. I don香蕉视频直播檛 think anybody in the group really cared how we did,香蕉视频直播� Weber said during a conference call.
After that 10th hole, Weber called his father James to inform him of the honour but was still to shook up to convey what was going on.
香蕉视频直播淚 couldn香蕉视频直播檛 even talk to him. I was choked up. I was crying. It香蕉视频直播檚 funny because my dad is such a stoic guy. He was like 香蕉视频直播淲hat香蕉视频直播檚 your problem? Get it together! What are you doing?香蕉视频直播� and then I finally spit it out, and he was just like 香蕉视频直播淥h my goodness香蕉视频直播�. I chatted briefly with him and then I called again later that night and we had a good, long discussion,香蕉视频直播� said Weber.
For both father and son, the discussion later that night was a bittersweet one.
香蕉视频直播淚 mean for me香蕉视频直播specially him and my mom香蕉视频直播ho香蕉视频直播檚 not around anymore香蕉视频直播ust how much they gave me and my brother in life. Not just the opportunity to play hockey but just the values and morals that him and my mom gave us. It just really made me break down at that point,香蕉视频直播� said Weber, who lost his mom Tracy to brain cancer in 2010
Going in with the general manager that drafted him in Nashville makes the induction even more special. Poile selected Weber with Nashville香蕉视频直播檚 second round pick 香蕉视频直播� 49th overall 香蕉视频直播� in the 2003 NHL Entry Draft.
香蕉视频直播淚t means a lot. I spent 11 years with them and he香蕉视频直播檚 done so much for the game - not just in Nashville - but everywhere he香蕉视频直播檚 been. He香蕉视频直播檚 been a builder and that香蕉视频直播檚 why he香蕉视频直播檚 going in. He香蕉视频直播檚 a deserving man and it means a lot to be going in with a guy that I had for a long time, believed in me and gave me a chance to play,香蕉视频直播� said Weber.
Ironically enough, Weber and Roenick never won the Stanley Cup.
Weber and the Habs lost in five games to Tampa Bay in 2021 while Roenick香蕉视频直播檚 Chicago Blackhawks were swept by the Pittsburgh Penguins in four games in 1992 香蕉视频直播� even though the four games were decided by a total of five goals.
香蕉视频直播淚 watched the Cup get raised last night like I香蕉视频直播檝e watched for the last 35 years. I had a lot of emotions that went over me - mainly envy and just how lucky those guys are - and what it must feel like and how happy I was for Matthew Tkachuk and all that. But then getting the call from the Hall, it was almost like that was my Stanley Cup,香蕉视频直播� explained Roenick.
As for Weber, who has won everything but a Cup including Olympic golds, World Hockey Championships both on the junior and senior levels as well as a Memorial Cup, the emotion was totally different.
香蕉视频直播淚t香蕉视频直播檚 totally different to be honest. When you香蕉视频直播檙e in a tournament or Stanley Cup playoffs, you香蕉视频直播檙e in that moment. This one was unexpected. I had no idea that it was going to be coming at all, let alone now. As the days go on here, it香蕉视频直播檚 probably going to sink in a little bit more. Not just the shock aspect, but what it actually means,香蕉视频直播� said Weber.
Well fellas, you better get those emotions in check.
You don香蕉视频直播檛 want to be a slobbering mess when you have to give those speeches on Nov. 11.
Veteran B.C. sports personality Bob 香蕉视频直播渢he Moj香蕉视频直播� Marjanovich writes twice weekly for Black Press Media.
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