OT: A Sens hat for Super Dave

If you've been a regular visitor to this blog, you will know that occasionally I take these off-topic detours.  This will be one of them.  (Although it is periperally on-topic since it does somewhat involve hockey.)

It might be surprising, but I do fangirl things other than Carbo.  In fact, I seem to have made being a fangirl an unpaid profession throughout my life.  One of my heroes since childhood has been the fictional stuntman Super Dave Osborne (real name:  Bob Einstein).

The Super One with CBC (now CNN) host George Strombolopoulos in 2008.  (photo source)

He has been a fixture on televisions in both Canada and the United States since the 1980's (first becoming popular on the John Byner sketch comedy show Bizarre).  If you're familiar with the Super One, you will know that his stunts, well...never quite work.  Here is one of his most famous ones:

Bob Einstein, however, comes from a phenomenal showbiz family.  His parents were Harry "Parkayarkus" Einstein, a radio comedian, and Thelma Leeds, an actress, who met on the set of the film New Faces of 1937.  They married that same year and had three children:  Clifford Einstein, a retired ad executive and sometime actor; Bob; and someone who you may have heard of, Albert (who uses the last name Brooks professionally for obvious reasons).  Bob and his younger brother Albert Brooks appeared together in the 1981 film Modern Romance:

Then, on November 24, 1958, at the Friars Club roast of Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz, their father Harry Einstein delivered a testimonial that by all accounts brought the house down, sat down, and collapsed on the shoulder of Milton Berle.  The Friars membership included several doctors that came to his aid, but they were unable to save him.  He died of a massive heart attack on the dais.  And last month I was reading about that on Wikipedia and well, it resonated with me.  Because my own father basically died the same way.  Well, not on the dais at the Friars Club of course, but it was a massive heart attack as well and it was sudden.  And there was also a huge, unsuccessful medical effort to save him.  

My father figures into this story in another way as well:  it was him who introduced me to Super Dave.  We'd watch his show together, and my dad loved all the silly stunts that always backfired.  So, for all the reasons above, I decided to write Bob Einstein a letter.  I included a small gift which I hoped symbolized how he touched lives here in the Ottawa Valley with his comedy:

It kind of fits, too, because in a 2008 interview Bob ripped on the Leafs a little.

So this week, I received a package in the mail.  The return name on the box was "S.D. Osborne" which made me laugh so hard.  Inside was this:

With this written inside:

In case you can't read it, it says:  "To Lisa-Marie, my next stunt is dedicated to you!  Best wishes, your pal Super Dave."  (Lisa-Marie is my full first name, and no, my parents weren't Elvis fans.)

Also this:

Bob as the great character Officer Judy from the Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour, which Bob wrote for (and received an Emmy with the writing team after the show's abrupt cancellation in 1969).  It reads:  "To Lisa-Marie, Your letter was a joy to read -- thank you!  Best wishes, Officer Judy, Super Dave, Marty Funkhouser -- Bob Einstein."

Yes, you may have also seen Bob on the Larry David show Curb Your Enthusiasm as Marty Funkhouser:

This post may have nothing to do with Carbo, but basically, Bob Einstein rules.  Additionally, a huge thanks to Bob's web people, Melissa and Christopher, for their help and friendship. 

Carbo and REO Speedwagon lead singer Kevin Cronin: Separated at birth?

Brought to my attention on Twitter.  This is the lead singer of the '80s band REO Speedwagon, Kevin Cronin:

Now, it may be just me but remove the big hair and you've essentially got this:

Uncanny!  Now excuse me, I think I'll go play "Take It on the Run" in my iTunes.

20 years ago on Sunday...

...the Habs won their 24th Stanley Cup, captained by Guy.  The Montreal Gazette has just published a great piece featuring thoughts from Guy and coach (and current member of the Canadian Senate) Jacques Demers.  You can read it here.  We learn that Carbo's daughter Anne-Marie, then eleven years old, was kept from her bedtime by the ensuing riots.

Also, you can read more on the anniversary at the Gazette's Canadiens blog, Hockey Inside/Out.

The Shift, 15 years on

Fifteen years ago tonight, this happened.  In Game 5 of the Western Conference Final against Detroit, on June 3, 1998, our hero played an amazing shift in the final minutes of the game, and scored the tying goal which sent the game into overtime which Dallas eventually won.  Detroit would eliminate the Stars two days later, but it was a sign of what was to come for the Stars the following year, and in my opinion it was one of Guy's finest moments as a Star, and in the final years of his career.

I wrote this of the Shift in 2011:

1:25 remained in the third period, and Detroit was leading by a score of 2 to 1.  To make matters worse, it was an elimination game for the Stars.  The fans in Reunion Arena in Dallas seemed to accept that their season was over.

38-year-old Guy Carbonneau, however, did not see it that way.  His name was on the Stanley Cup twice and his career was ebbing.  But he did not accept defeat.  He fought and he scrambled, first knocked down near the end boards yet still keeping the Wings from clearing the puck.  Then he got back on his feet to receive the puck and make an impossible shot towards the net.

The score was tied.  Jamie Langenbrunner would score in overtime to win the game.  The play was vintage Carbonneau, never-say-die hockey.

I did not see this play until a decade later, yet it remains my favourite moment.  Carbonneau has been an idol and a personal inspiration to me, for many reasons other than that night in Dallas.  So much so, that in fact, I decided to immortalize him forever on my body by getting his autograph tattooed on my shoulder.  I wear it with pride.

I did, and still do.  Carbo's heroics on the ice are not, and will never be forgotten.

Further reading:  from Diane Lau's tribute site, her take on The Shift, from 1998.

A few news updates

Firstly, the jersey auction closed last week, and Carbo's last gamer (at least, the last one to be made available on the market) sold for $1378.50 before hammer fee and shipping.  Congrats to the winner -- you picked up a real gem!

Also last week, Patrick Roy was appointed head coach and vice-president of  hockey operations for the Colorado Avalanche.  Guy shared his thoughts on Roy with the Montreal Gazette:

Did he see Roy as a future coach when they were teammates? “Not as much as anybody thought that I would be a coach. It’s not something you really think about when you start your career and you’re playing hockey. But we travelled a lot together and we talked a lot about how the game is played and how to get around things and I think that’s something that we always enjoyed together.”

On Roy’s coaching career: “I think he did it a lot differently than most of us did. He went back in junior in Quebec City … not only was he a coach, but he was a GM, an owner … all those things together. He gained a lot of experience doing all of those little things.”

His advice for Roy: ”My advice to him … I think he’s already there. He’s well-prepared, he’s proved that in the past. I think expectation has to be fair. I think everybody wants to win quickly … I wouldn’t say it’s impossible, but it happens once in a while. But to understand what kind of team you have and what they can do. Too often a coach has a style and doesn’t have the players to play that style or has the players to play one kind of style and the coach doesn’t want to play that style. I think you really have to understand what kind of team you have and try to mould part of the system around it.”

On the adjustment from being a player to a coach: ”I always said that playing was the easiest thing ever. You get told when to show up to the rink, what time you need to get dressed, what time you get to go on the ice, what kind of drills you need to do, where you go for the drills, when to get off the ice. All those things are done for you, so you don’t really have to think about anything else than just get yourself prepared and show up for the game and play.

“As a coach, you have 22, 23 sometimes more players and you have to take care of a lot of things … travelling sometimes, practices … and players are human beings. They have their own problems … family problems, all those things … sickness, injuries. But it’s something that for him he saw every day, but at a different level. So it’s not going to be anything new to him, but he’s going to have to be patient and learn from the mistakes he makes. He was a great player, he was a good coach in junior, but he’s going to make mistakes … everybody does. It’s how you react to those mistakes.”

On whether he might get a call from Roy offering an assistant coach job: “I have no idea. I haven’t talked to him …. It’s up to him. He’s got control of who he wants to have around him (as vice-president of hockey operations). He’s going to have his reasons like I had when I was a coach here. I knew what I wanted around me and that’s what I got. I don’t know what he wants.”

On Roy’s infamous temper: ”They said the same thing about me, they said the same thing about Michel Bergeon, they said the same thing about Pat Burns … everybody has a temper. You have to have a temper … if you don’t have a temper, get out of there. If you don’t have temper that means you accept to fail … at one point you have to put your foot down and shake some things. He was like that when he was a player and he was successful. He was like that when he was a coach in junior and was successful. He might have to adjust a little bit, but I don’t think he has to change anything. Whatever worked in the past should work in the future … that’s why they hired him.”

On Roy adjusting to his new job: “He’s going to have a chance to meet with the players during the summer and talk to them, whether it’s on the phone or face to face, and learn a little bit more about them and they’re going to learn a little bit more about him. But I think once everybody is together for Day 1 of training camp and that first speech and that first practice he’s going to be well prepared.”

His favourite Roy story: “I have a lot of them. … We won two Cups together and we travelled every day together to the rink because we lived really close to each other. We had to change roads pretty often when we were losing … we’re both pretty superstitious. I just have great memories of him. He was always a good friend and a great competitor. He hated to lose. Hopefully he’ll keep that for his career in coaching.” (link )

Also, Guy's Selke nomination streak (1986-1990) was surpassed recently by the Red Wings' Pavel Datsyuk, who was nominated for the trophy for a sixth consecutive season.  (link)

Guy on the Habs' elimination

Special to La Presse, en francais (but Google Translate should make it mostly readable).  In the end, Carbo attributes the Canadiens' first round exit to injuries and the difference in physical size between that team and the players of the Ottawa Senators.  You can read the article here.

And an older news item:  it has been 20 years since the Habs won the Cup, and Guy along with Vincent Damphousse shares his memories of that victory here (again in French, again Google Translate should help).

A GEM of a Carbo gamer hits the market

In the current GAMEWORNAUCTIONS.net auction, Guy's 1999-2000 Stanley Cup Finals road jersey is up for bids.  This jersey was worn in the series against the New Jersey Devils and as such, is the 2nd to last jersey Guy ever wore in the NHL (the white home jersey worn in his final game was retained by the Stars and likely given to him upon his retirement).  

From the auction description:

Sewn to the right breast of this gamer is the 2000 Stanley Cup Finals patch. Sewn just above is the year 2000 NHL patch. The game wear on this 3rd set size 56 sweater is solid and consists of stick and slash marks, board burns, board paint transfer, un-repaired burn holes, inner pilling and a handful of team-sewn repairs. Shown above is a beautiful photo match of Carbonneau wearing this exact jersey during the Western Conference Finals against Colorado. Also shown above are video match highlights of Carbonneau wearing this exact jersey during the 2000 Stanley Cup Finals. Sewn to the inside hem is the official Dallas Stars game worn jersey and set tagging. A terrific well-worn photo and video matched example complete with the Stanley Cup Finals patch and donned by Carbonneau during the final road games of his award winning career, choice! This jersey will be accompanied by a Stars team letter.

The auction is here and ends on May 21 at 10:00 PM.  Happy bidding!