After last week’s mail bag, one reader by the name of "luvd" said I needed to answer tougher questions if I wanted to be "more than simply a pretty face." First off, thanks for the advice; goodness knows I could use it. However, my big worry is regarding your eye sight. Not even my wife thinks I have a "pretty face". I think you need to see a top notch eye doctor immediately for a thorough exam.
Now, it’s on to this week’s questions.
From: Reuben
Comments: I saw an interesting stat the other day that totally baffled me. Maybe you can help me out. Grant Fuhr in a Stanley Cup winning season with the Oilers in 1987-88 had a ‘playoff’ record of 16 wins, 2 losses, and a tie. How is a tie possible in the playoffs?
Answer: Hi Rueben, I love the name and I love the question. I double checked this stat with the NHL’s Chief Statistician, Benny Ercolani. If you remember, the Oilers juggernaut swept the Bruins 4-0 in the Stanley Cup Final. However, they had to play a fifth game in that series. In the original game four, the power went out in the second period in the ancient Boston Garden. The NHL suspended the game but all the stats carried over. Craig Simpson scored a goal to make it 3-3 before the power went out. The stats carried over as both teams traveled to Edmonton to play the final game of the series. That’s why Fuhr’s stats line reads; 16 wins, two losses and a tie. Interesting story about that series; after the Oilers won the Cup, Wayne Gretzky gathered all his teammates and coaches around the Cup for an on the ice victory photo. That was the first time it had been done and it’s a tradition that carries on to this day.
From: Rory
Comments: The panel was discussing NHL rules concerning assists the other day. I would like to pose a question about goalies being credited with a shutout. If there is a 0 – 0 tie and it goes to a shoot out and each goalie lets in at least one goal in that shootout, do they BOTH get credited with a shutout or does just the winning goalie get the shutout?
Answer: Hi Rory thanks for the question. Under the new rules of the NHL, if the game is a 0-0 tie and heads to a shoot-out; both goalies get credited with a shut-out. For example, on October the 17th, the Rangers beat the Leafs 1-0 in a shoot-out. While Vesa Toskala was tagged with the loss, he was also credited with a shut-out. It was Toskala’s only shut-out in the 2009/09 regular season.
From: Paul in Scarborough
Comments: It’s been said that Wayne Gretzky was the best player on 100 ft. of ice and Bobby Orr was the best player on 200 ft. of ice. What do you think?
Answer: Hi Paul, thanks for a very interesting question. As far as I am concerned, Bobby Orr is indeed the greatest player on 200 feet of ice. However, to say that Wayne Gretzky was the best player on only 100 feet of ice is to short change his brilliant talent and legacy of greatness. Gretzky had the ability to be great from just about anywhere on the ice. What separated Orr from everyone else was that fact he could pick up the puck behind his own net and then seemingly skate the length of the ice at will and score whenever he wanted to. Paul Coffey was pretty amazing in his day, but he wasn’t the total package that Orr was. Gretzky had the best "vision" of anyone that ever played the game. I can vividly remember Gretzky hitting Jari Kurri on a perfect tape to tape pass when the Great One had his back to the play. One other note about Gretzky, we may never see anyone else in our lifetime score 92 goals in a single season. I would also add that from the blueline in, there was no one better than Maurice ‘The Rocket" Richard. You could also make the argument that from 20 feet in, both Phil Esposito and Tim Kerr were nearly unstoppable in their prime.
From: DJ in Toronto
Comments: Where were you when the Toronto Blue Jays won the 1992-1993 World Series? People always ask where you were when something big happens. For me that day was huge being a Torontonian.
Answer: Hi DJ, nice question. I will start with the 1993 World Series. That year, I was working for a radio station in Montreal. Needless to say, Montrealers don’t get too excited when a team from Toronto does well. So, while I was excited, the city was more concerned with Patrick Roy and the Canadiens. 1992 is a whole different story. At the time, I was working for a FM rock radio station in Toronto. That night the Jays beat the Braves to clinch the World Series the station was hosting a world premiere of Triumph’s newest CD, The Edge of Excess. This was a big production being broadcast on FM rock radio stations across North America. Gil Moore and Mike Levine insisted that a huge TV be set in the sound studio where the interviews were being held. I remember the two hosts had to repeat almost every single question that night because the band couldn’t stop watching the game. The studio itself was packed with DJs from radio stations from across North America and fans who had won various contests on their respective stations. When the Jays recorded the final out the place went completely nuts. Moore and Levine gave each other high fives and just wanted to be done with the whole thing so they could join the party. The studio where the premiere was being held was located in Mississauga. By the time I left the studios the streets were packed with cars driving up and down the streets honking horns and going crazy. My entire drive back into the city I discovered nearly every major road in Toronto was packed with people celebrating Canada’s first World Series win. Like you DJ, living in Toronto in the fall of 1992 when the Jays won the World Series was something I will never forget.
From: Andy
Comments: What’s the best ballpark you’ve ever visited and what park has the best food and beer?
Answer: Hi Andy thanks for the question. The best ballpark I have ever been to is a tie between Dodger Stadium and the "old" Yankee Stadium. Nestled in the Chavez Ravine area of Los Angeles, Chavez Ravine is one of the most visually appealing sporting facilities I have ever seen. Yankees Stadium is located in a nasty area of the South Bronx. What made the "old" Yankee Stadium special was hard to explain. I sat in the bleachers with my brother-in-law and as I looked over to Monument Park, I got chills up my spine. What really stood out was "Yankee roll call". It all starts in the bleachers and basically fans start clapping and chanting the name of every starting Yankee player until they doff their cap and acknowledge the love. When it comes to the best food, that’s an easy one, it was the Big O in Montreal. Now I loved the Italian sausages at Shea Stadium, I loved the foot long "Dodger dogs" in LA; but nothing compared to the choice of food in Montreal. From the famous Lafleur hot dogs, to Montreal smoked meat sandwiches, the Big O had an amazing selection of quality food to eat while you were at the ball park Now when you talk beer, there is no ball park in America that serves real "Canadian" beer; so I would have to go with either the Big O or Rogers Centre. I love seafood so I really want to make a road trip to Camden Yards to load up on some crab cakes.
Thanks once again for all the awesome questions. Just so "Glen", the guy that asked my why baseball teams play 3 and 4 games series on the road, doesn’t ticked off at me; I want him to know that I have contacted a renowned baseball history professor in Florida and I’m waiting to hear back from him.