Thirteen Years Ago Today Darren McCarty Made No Fans At A Local Bar
Thirteen years ago, Darren McCarty and I met up at a local bar to watch the Gold medal game between Canada and team U.S.A.. We were at a packed Doc’s Sports Retreat in Livonia. The bar was full of rabid hockey fans, waiting to see their American hockey heroes win the Gold.
As the tied game went into overtime, the local fans were on edge about their team’s chances. Every eye was facing one of the many screens that adorned the walls of the sports bar. As I sat next to DMac, I said the words that would doom our team…”If Sidney Crosby scores the game-winning goal, I’m going to throw this beer through the TV.” It wasn’t ten seconds later when that’s exactly what happened. #87 put the biscuit right between goalie Ryan Miller’s legs, to capture the Gold for team Canada.
What happened next? Darren went from table to table looking to high-five everyone in the bar. Now, normally this would’ve been a thrill for any hockey fan – to share a high-five with a 4 time Stanley Cup champion and local icon. Not on this day. Some fans half-heartedly raised their hands with the look of defeat in their faces. Darren danced around that room like a deer bolting through the forest, table to table. I think all told, about three people excitedly returned the hockey legends celebratory gesture.
Even though we lost the game, it was a moment I’ll never forget. Oh, and my beer did not fly through the air, as much as I wanted to.
-Meltdown-
