November 30, 2005

Stanley's Summer Tour: Photographer Dirk Shadd follows the Stanley Cup on its tour with the Tampa Bay Lightning players the summer before last. It's old, but we missed it the first time around, and some of the European pictures are pretty moving, especially after you read some of Shadd's thoughts on the trip.

posted by DrJohnEvans to hockey at 09:40 AM - 12 comments

Excerpt from the second link:

I think the real significance of this story hit me after one all-nighter in the Czech town of Pisek. As dawn approached, I found Lightning player Stan Neckar lying on his back on the cobblestone sidewalk near a 14th-century bridge, the oldest in the Czech Republic. Two baguettes served as pillows beneath his head; he was hugging the Cup to his chest. He told me he had taken the Cup to the bridge to watch the sun rise and think about his life. "You realize it's the last hour and that could be the last time," he said. The seldom-used member of the team cried hard, tears of joy. "Even when I had a kid, I never cry. Even when I'm injured." This wasn't Kobe sitting on Shaq's lap, saying bling, bling, bling. This was a hockey player who had been assigned a small role and had played his heart out. He knew he might never have this opportunity again. He also knew, with pride, that his name would be inscribed on the Cup.

posted by DrJohnEvans at 09:41 AM on November 30, 2005

Wait, I thought that the European players didn't appreciate the Cup? /sarcasm Excellent post, good doctor.

posted by NoMich at 10:12 AM on November 30, 2005

Awesome. I could spend all day looking at those photos.

posted by WeedyMcSmokey at 10:17 AM on November 30, 2005

Thanks Doc. This posting is a better upper than those pills you perscribed for me. Just to piss off CountDracula, let me say it's the awesomest post since I discovered this site.

posted by drevl at 11:05 AM on November 30, 2005

Wait, I thought that the European players didn't appreciate the Cup? The pictures from the Czeck Republic were totally the best. It was touching to see how much it meant to these guys and how much they really appreciate it. I got chills watching Kubina and Co. with the Cup. I think a lot of people don't "get" how hard it is to win a sport like hockey. Lots of hard work and most of all HEART. You won't see any bling bling bullshit from these guys or 99.9% of the other guys in the leauge.

posted by HATER 187 at 11:18 AM on November 30, 2005

why were rosie o'donnel and anne nicole smith eating ice cream out of it?

posted by steelcityguy at 12:51 PM on November 30, 2005

Great post, doc. Awesome pics. The newly renamed Dave Andreychuk Mountain Arena in Hamilton is where I played hockey as a kid (probably at the same time as Dave, since we're about the same age, but I don't remember him).

posted by rocket88 at 01:15 PM on November 30, 2005

Best. Trophy. Ever. No question.

posted by gspm at 01:39 PM on November 30, 2005

why were rosie o'donnel and anne nicole smith eating ice cream out of it? Wouldn't it have been stranger if they saw a big bowl and didn't do that?

posted by yerfatma at 02:35 PM on November 30, 2005

Cant wait to see Simon Gagne, Keith Primeau, Peter Forsberg(again) Eric Desjardins(again), Donald Brashear and all the rest of the fly-guys on there.

posted by GoBirds at 03:06 PM on November 30, 2005

Thanks, Doc. Very nice.

posted by The_Black_Hand at 04:49 PM on November 30, 2005

thanks for the links DrJ. the trophy also did a tour with some guys who won the Cup but never had a chance to have a day with it (they only started doing that in 1995) Max McNab (1949-50 Red Wings) used to be my aunt's neighbor when he was with the Devils. she still keeps in touch with him and his wife June. she got a letter and some pictures from June about Max's time with the Cup. he was so happy to get a day with it.

posted by goddam at 12:55 AM on December 05, 2005

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