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Wednesday, August 26, 2009

Goodbye Mike And Well Done Watrous

Some may not agree with me, but Regina's best all time NHL'er---at least during my time on this earth--has called it a career. Mike Sillinger might be best known to NHL fans as the guy who played for 12 teams over a 17 year career. In that time, he played over a thousand games and had over 500 points. With the exception of getting his name on Lord Stanley's mug which is a shame, Sillinger did everything else. After a great junior career with the Pats, he was taken by Detroit in the first round of the 1989 draft with the 11th pick. He also won a World Junior gold medal and he won a Calder Cup. He was the complete hockey player. He could generate some offence, he was a good defensive forward, he was great in the face-off circle, he was a great locker-room guy. Perhaps more importantly, he was a guy who never, ever changed. He stayed true to his roots. His ego never got too big. If you needed him for an interview, he always obliged. He is helping give back to the community with the charity that he and Jamie Heward have started. Thanks for a great career Mike. I'm sure you won't be a stranger at Pats games this year.
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I can only wonder what was going through the mind of TSN's Darren Dutchyshen yesterday afternoon as the countdown to Sportscentre inched closer and closer. The Kraft Celebration Tour touched down in Saskatchewan yesterday with Watrous getting a visit from the pride of Porcupine Plain and Jennifer Hedger. For "Dutchie", it was a chance to do his thing in front of an audience in his home province. The excitement he must have had coming home would be a feeling second to none. Perhaps the only thing better for Darren is if the broadcast would have originated right from Porcupine Plain.
I know if I was still doing the sports thing, I would have hopped in the car and taken in the sights and sounds in Watrous for myself and it would have been a very enjoyable afternoon. The people of Watrous and area did themselves proud. With the town's elevator in the background, many showed up and they showed up wearing their Rider green. It was Saskatchewan. It was better than Dog River. On this day, Canadians got a real taste of what Saskatchewan is all about. I don't know how many from Watrous read this blog if any, but if you do, well done Watrous....take a bow because you did yourself proud.
By the way, I really like this promotion TSN has where Sportscenter comes from a different place in the country. A place that normally wouldn't get the attention they have this week and next. We get to see what makes sports great in this country and some of the people that make it that way. The promotion is being done to celebrate TSN's 25 years of being beamed in our living room. I hope they can find a way to get out and do it again next year and in years to come.
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If the Phoenix Coyotes story wasn't stupid before, its gotten that way now. Now the NHL wants to buy the team just to keep it out of Jim Balsillie's hands. I don't understand why Gary Bettman is so stubborn on having Balsillie become a league owner. He has a vision for what he wants to do and it will be a successful one. Bettman is just making the NHL look bad. Gee, there's a sentence that's never been uttered before.
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5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Mike Sillinger is a true pro. Sadly his body let him down, but I'm sure he has no major regrets. The question now is when does he become owner of the Pats?


Terry C

Anonymous said...

He was outstanding as a Regina Pat. He is the one player in the NHL I always asked the question, "What if". What if he wasn't drafted by Detroit. They were a loaded team, and he couldn't find a spot. Then he played in the dead puck era, and we couldn't see his offensive upside. What if there wasn't the sunbelt expansion. He played on so many expansion teams that had that not happened would he have been an NHL Player. Would he have suffered the same fate as Jamie Heward. Then he goes to the worst franchise in the NHL and becomes a Scorer under Ted Nolan. He was good, but I wish they would have used him properly.

Obama

Anonymous said...

I'm disappointed there was no media coverage of this. I thought CTV or the LP or your former employer would have someone on sight--especially with the Riders on their off week. Oh well!! I guess in my mind everyone fumbled that one. Heartbeat of Saskatchewan---PFFFTT!!!


Mark

Anonymous said...

I drive through Watrous all the time when I am going to Prince Albert and back. Since they found out Sportscenter was coming, its been the only thing the town has talked about. It was nice to see Saskatchewan portrayed the way it was and it is too bad that other media didn't get on board to help make it a better day. Dutchyshen said it was an honour to do his thing in his home province and said you can always come home. damn right you can.

Dean

Anonymous said...

I might put Bill Hicke ahead of Sillinger, but then again I am a little older than you Mitch.


Murray