I may not like him.....but I sure do respect his game.
Hello NY and everywhere else, I'm Bird and you're in the Birdcage here at Hockeybird.com. We've had a slew of the games best players decide to leave the game this season. From Mark Messier to Bret Hull, Ziggy Palfy and now Mario. A quick glance at the message boards here and you'll find that many Ranger fans have little love for the big number 66. Count me as one who has not been a big fan. But really, the guy had one hell of an NHL career, overcame illness and injury and based on his skill as well as the numbers, deserves our respect.
Now I'm usually the first to point out that Mario was a whinny crybaby when it came to the game itself. I can still see him crying to a ref in my mind. And it's true, for a guy his size.....he wasn't the most physical player. Who can forget the time Adam Graves slashed him in a playoff game? Adam was suspended for the rest of the series based on what everyone thought was a broken wrist for Lemeuix. Mario kept on playing and Ranger fans have disliked him ever since. There's that and the fact that he lit the lamp at MSG at will.
Without looking up and posting Mario's stats it's easy for me to say that the guy put up some huge numbers when he was younger and healthy. For a guy of his size to have such soft hands and display such skill skating and stick handling is a rarity. His shot was deadly accurate. In addition, while Mario didn't really hit or fight, he was as strong on the puck as anyone who ever played. You couldn't knock him off the puck and defensemen had their hands full when Mario parked in front of a net.
I agree with the great Bobby Orr who recently said of Mario that he was perhaps the most talented player ever to play in the NHL. Not the best player....but the most talented. Just imagine the numbers this guy could have posted if he didn't suffer from the horrible back pain, the hip injury or his brush with cancer. You can't claim the guy wasn't tough as he'd play on night when a trainer had to lace up his skates for him. Back in 2002, Mario helped lead Canada to a Gold Medal in the Olympics in Salt Lake basically on one leg. I was told that Mario couldn't walk after the games....but suited up each night somehow.
To me, Mario was/is the enemy. I resented his special treatment by the refs and the league. I mocked his whining to the refs and I've never been happy with his take on the lockout as he was both an owner and a player. Some of his statements seemed hypocritical considering his contracts in the 90's. Yep, it's not uncommon to hear me state my hatred for Mario. But don't misunderstand.....I have nothing but respect for Mario Lemeiux, the hockey player.
Personally I'm glad to see him go. If I was a season ticket subscriber of the Penguins I might be a little ticked off that I paid all that money with an expectation of seeing a season of Crosby and Mario. But one had to assume that Mario would never play a full season this year, he hasn't done that in years now. With all due respect, I'm happy that a big thorn in the side of the Rangers is gone. Mario was a great player and a Ranger's killer. Sure, I'll open a beer in his honor....but the smile on my face will be one of happiness, not sadness. (and since when did I need a reason to pop a beer?)
Goodbye to one of the all time greats.
----}- Bird
Posted by Bird at January 25, 2006 11:56 AMeMail this entry!
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