Friday, March 23, 2007

The Captain

I feel bad because my first post should have been about this guy, but Rachel Bolan just does something to my mind! So, now we have #19...two time Stanley Cup Champion....Conn Smythe Trophy Winner in 1996....2001 NHLPA MVP and Lady Byng trophy winner for sportsmanship....2002 MVP for the Gold Medal Winning Canadian Olympic team....The Captain of the Colorado Avalanche...JOE SAKIC!!!!! He has been my hero since the Avs came to Colorado in 1995. The sad part is I didn't get to meet him until years later.

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It was an interesting night...January 15th, 1998. I like the way Heather tells the story. I'll try the short version. We went up early for the game as we always do and ended up talking to a friendly parking lot attendant. He swears that he had nothing to do with Joe signing autographs but Heather and I know the truth. At the end of the game, we went out to the parking lot to get some autographs. After getting to meet players such as Mike Ricci, Stephane Yelle, and Adam Deadmarsh, we thought that was it. We continued to talk with the parking lot attendant anyway just in case. Pretty soon I saw Joe...I could spot that man from miles away. When I shouted to him, the nice man walked over to him and soon Joe was walking to the other side of the lot to sign. I was so excited that I ran and when I got there blanked out everything else that happened. I DO remember yelling "Heather...I need your help" as I had dropped all my trading cards on the ground. I remember feeling very embarrassed and looking up to see if Joe was watching me make a spectacle of myself. I saw him signing an autograph and looking back at me with a smile. Most of the people around were just being dumb saying things like "Can I have a stick" or "Joe, give me one of your skates". I was the last one he came to and I just asked for a picture....he kindly obliged. So the picture was taken and we laugh to this day about how terrified I look in the picture. I was completely in awe meeting this man..it's not just the looks (although he is BEAUTIFUL). He is a great person, father, husband, man, and an AMAZING player!
I've met him a few more times after that at luncheons, practice, after or before games and such. He's always very polite and appreciative. I had him sign a picture of my niece standing next to a post of him. I put the picture out for him and he smiled real big...it made me feel good.

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I could go on for days about him, so I'll stop here...for now! Maybe just one more picture....

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The one and ONLY #19-Joe Sakic...thanks for reading!!

4 comments:

Heather said...

My favorite thing about this was that other people asked him for a picture and he told them no but he said yes for you! And then there was the Approving Look!! Such a great night!

Kathleen said...

That poor little sweet girl dressed in the dreaded Avalanche colors. ;-)

Joe Sakic is the only Avalanche I ever felt wasn't a goon, until Mike Ricci went to the Sharks, then I loved him.

Anonymous said...

Wow Sakic looks so young in that picture!

Kathleen said...

Squatchyk - I was thinking the same thing.