During our last podcast we asked you to contribute entries heralding your favorite hockey thug of all time. Response has been great, although there is still room for more entries. We’ll be posting the best and holding a vote so that our readers can eventually pick the winner. Here is the second - Todd St. Louis’ take on Marty McSorley:
Back in the 94-95 hockey season I was playing with the Belleville Bulls. That year was the first NHL lockout and a few former Bulls came and skated with us to keep in shape. One of those guys also gets my vote for best goon of all time - Marty McSorley.
My time skating with Marty was a very educational period in my hockey career. Not only did these guys practice with us, but they gave us advice off the ice as well. Marty could quickly tell my role on the team, and bestowed more than a few hockey fight tips to my waiting ears. The one I remember the best is when Marty told me “Every time you throw a punch, visualize your fist coming through the back of that person’s skull.” So every time over the years when i dropped the gloves, Marty’s little school of fighting would echo in my head. So I suppose I owe him a vote of thanks for all the punches i landed over the years!
Also check out Bobsluggo’s tough-to-beat entry for Dennis Bonvie and then submit your own!
Great work from “Screwy” St. Louis.
Comment by Chris — March 26, 2007 @ 7:20 pm
That little tip was something I learned in boxing,kempo and perfected it in the Corps. Although I never needed in hockey, As you mentioned it is an excellent bug to have in your ear.
Comment by Red Thunder — March 26, 2007 @ 7:44 pm
I have a great McSorley story for you guys. If I get time, I will post it tonight.
Comment by Chris — March 26, 2007 @ 8:34 pm
Quick update. No McSorley story tonight. I can’t remeber some details and have to make a call about it. Check in tomorrow.
Comment by Chris — March 27, 2007 @ 4:57 am
From John Buccigross’s ESPN column:
A five-minute penalty for quasi-sanctioned, permitted bareknuckle fighting is hardly a penalty here in the 21st century. In the NBA, Carmelo Anthony threw a weak fadeaway punch/slap that was like a balled-up sock to the face of the Knicks’ Mardy Collins and Anthony got 15 games! Baseball players are automatically suspended for their bareknuckle fighting.
Look / sound familiar??
http://goonblog.com/2007/02/15/what-role-does-fighting-have-in-the-new-nhl/
Did this guy go to the Ron Borgess school of copying…I mean writing?
Comment by Killer — March 27, 2007 @ 11:33 pm
looks / sounds like it.
Comment by Red Thunder — March 27, 2007 @ 11:41 pm
Killer - maybe he reads the googblog and steals ideas. After all you are on the goon squad!!!
Comment by K Special — March 28, 2007 @ 8:14 pm
Good Brawl here. Not sure what league this was from but we might wanna track these future goons progress in Thugary.
http://www.break.com/index/pee_wee_hockey_brawl.html
Comment by Killer — March 29, 2007 @ 6:40 pm
Too Fucken Funny! I always wondered what I looked like at that age. I also noticed both teams have N.Y. jerseys, coincidence??????? probably not.
Comment by Red Thunder — March 29, 2007 @ 8:00 pm
They are taught early to hate each other Red Thunder.
Comment by Killer — March 29, 2007 @ 8:08 pm
Good stuff Killer. Check out the guy stats I fought this season:
http://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/stats/pdisplay.php3?pid%5B%5D=4903
Comment by K Special — March 29, 2007 @ 8:51 pm
How’d you do?
Comment by Chris — March 29, 2007 @ 11:36 pm
Oh Shit, towel up guys, A woman just barged in!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Comment by Red Thunder — March 30, 2007 @ 12:52 am
I got the first shot in and then i could not open my jaw for 3 days. it was a masscre but I am 5′10″ 165lbs.
Comment by K Special — March 30, 2007 @ 1:08 am
Sorry Guys!!
Comment by Red Thunder — March 30, 2007 @ 1:11 am
165lbs??? That’s with your full equipment on.
Comment by Killer — March 30, 2007 @ 1:17 am
Sounds like the time I “fought” Brad Norton.
Comment by Chris — March 30, 2007 @ 1:21 am
I almost came to tears during that Probert tilt at the end. My God. That is old time hockey.
Comment by Chris — April 6, 2007 @ 6:17 am